Listen to their songs, and you will know why

TOP 3 MOST UNDERRATED BANDS IN HISTORY

By Howie Li (11L)

Honorable Mentions

  • 1. The Kinks

    The Kinks were formed in 1963 by the Davies Brothers and are part of the British Invasion in the 1960s.

    Genre: Rock, Pop

    Best Works: Waterloo Sunset (Something Else by The Kinks, 1967), You Really Got Me (Kinks, 1964. This is the first song to ever use the distortion effect on a guitar.)

  • 2. Heart

    Heart is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Seattle. They changed their names three times after the members finally agreed on ‘Heart’. They’re a very gifted band and released many hits, but never got the recognition it deserved. Ann Wilson’s distinctive vocals also set them apart from other hard rock bands at the time.

    Genre: Folk Rock, Hard Rock

    Best works: Crazy on You (Dreamboat Annie, 1976), Barracuda (Little Queen, 1977), Dog & Butterfly (Dog & Butterfly, 1978), Never (Heart, 1985), Alone (Animals, 1986), All I Want to Do Is Make Love with You (Brigade, 1990)

  • 3. Lovin' Spoonful

    One of my favorite bands of all time despite its suggestive name. They wrote many deliciously catchy hits and were popular in the mid to late 60s. But as years come by, like many bands of their kind, they were forgotten and overshadowed by 60s big names like The Beatles, The Stones and The Sunshine Boys. One of their members Jerry Yester (now arrested for some scandal) later went on to produce Tom Waits’ debut album Closing Time.

    Genre: Rock

    Best Works: Do You Believe in Magic, Daydream, Summer in The City

  • 4. The Buggles

    The Buggles was formed in London in 1977 featuring Trevor Horn and Geoffrey Downes who later joined the supergroup Asia. In 1977, they co-wrote Video Killed the Radio Star, a new wave synth pop hit reflecting on the latest technologies(video) slowly made the old ones (radio star) obsolete. The warm melody line, the unique ‘oh-oh’s and Linda Jardim’s amazing vocals and the revolutionary concept made it into the list.

    Genre: New Age, Pop

    Best Works: Kid Dynamo, Living in The Plastic Age, Video Killed the Radio Star (The Age of Plastic, 1980. This is the first musical video aired on the MTV.)

  • 5. Mountain

    Mountain was an American hard rock band that formed on Long Island, New York, in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 and has reunited frequently since 1973. Best known for their cowbell-tinged song "Mississippi Queen", as well as the heavily sampled song "Long Red" and their performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, Mountain is one of many bands to be commonly credited as having influenced the development of heavy metal music in the 1970s. Just last year, the band’s guitarist Leslie West passed away.

    Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

    Best Works: Mississippi Queen (“Climbing!”, 1970), Travel in The Dark (“Nantucket Sleighride”, 1971), Pride and Passion (“Flowers of Evil”, 1971), Hard Times (“Go for Your Lives”, 1985)

  • 6. Daryl Hall & John Oates

    Daryl Hall & John Oates is a pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia, 1970. Their songs are often warm, energetic and catchy. They are said to be liked by many mid-aged black men from the Midwest. Camelia is a criminally underrated song(less than twenty hundred thousand views) that will absolutely blow your mind.

    Genre: Pop rock, blue-eyed soul, soft rock, rhythm and blues

    Best Works: Goodnight and Goodmorning (Whole Oates, 1972) Had I Known You Better Then (Abandoned Luncheonette, 1973), Camelia (Daryl Hall & John Oates, 1975), Private Eyes (Private Eyes, 1981)

  • 7. Living Colour

    Living Colour is a rock band formed in NYC, 1984. Their songs often feature a heavily distorted guitar riff, a groovy bassline and distinctive vocals. They also have their take on hot social subjects (sexuality, expression, poverty).

    Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

    Best Works: Cult of Personality, Open Letter to a Landlord (Vivid, 1988) Bi (Stain, 1993)

  • 8. Aerosmith

    Aerosmith is a rock band formed in Boston, 1970. Many say that they’re extremely underrated and I agree. Rag Doll is an epitome of dad rock, or at least my dad loves that song.

    Genre: Hard Rock

    Best Works: Dream On, Mama Kin (Aerosmith, 1973), Bolivian Ragamuffin (Rock in a Hard Place), Rag Doll (Permanent Vacation, 1987)

  • 9. The Animals

    The Animals are an English rhythm-and-blues and rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. They guitarist, Hilton Valentine died at 77 on this year’s Jan 31st. One of their many hits are their version of House of The Rising Sun, originally a traditional tune from New Orleans. Eric Burdon is a very underrated vocalist: he has a mature and powerful voice and can sing in high notes for a long time.

    Genre: Rock

    Best Works: The House of The Rising Sun, It’s My Life, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (The Singles Plus, 1964)

  • 10. Styx

    Like The Animals, the lead singer Dennis DeYoung is a very underrated vocalist. Styx was formed in 1972 and wrote many radio hits. Paradise Theatre (1981) is a progressive rock masterpiece. Like Billy Joel’s The Stranger (1977) which was released 4 years earlier, Paradise Theatre featured a theme melody that was played multiple times in the album (the melody from A.D. 1928, The Best of Times and A.D. 1958). The Best of Times is worth mentioning because somehow it accurately depicts life in 2020 39: things are going bad, the pandemic spreads, people are living in lockdowns (especially the lyrics ‘People lock their doors, hide inside, rumor has it it’s the end of paradise’ and ‘The headlines read "These are the worst of times", I do believe it's true’).

    Genre: Progressive rock, hard rock, art rock, soft rock, pop rock, arena rock

    Best Works: Mr. Roboto (Kilroy Was Here, 1983), Crystal Ball (Crystal Ball, 1976), the entirety of Paradise Theatre, 1981, Come Sail Away (The Grand Illusion, 1977)

  • 11. Europe

    Europe is a Swedish hard rock band formed in 1979. Some Swedes call Europe their very own Rolling Stones while ABBA being their Beatles. They write memorable power ballads that are distinguishable from cookie-cutter ballads from other hair metal bands. Their song often starts with a soft intro, then a powerful electric guitar kicks in and slowly ascends to the chorus, finally to a guitar solo with notes falling heavily like rain.

    Genre: Hard Rock

    Best Works: The Final Countdown, Carrie (The Final Countdown, 1986), Open Your Heart, Ready or Not (Out of This World, 1988)

  • 12. Asia

    A supergroup with former members from Yes and The Buggles (Geoffrey Downes).

    Genre: Progressive Rock, Art Rock, AOR, Arena Rock

    Best Works: Heat of the Moment, Cutting It Fine (Asia, 1982), The Heat Goes On (Alpha, 1983)

  • 13. Kongos

    Kongos is a South African American band, now based in Phoenix, Arizona. The alternative rock group consists of four brothers: Dylan, Johnny, Jesse and Daniel Kongos. They are heavily inspired by Paul Simon’s heavy use of accordion in Graceland depicts South Africa.

    Genre: Alternative Rock

    Best works: Come with Me Now, I Want to Know (KONGOS, 2012), Take it From Me (Egomaniac, 2016)

  • 14. The Rascals

    The Rascals (initially known as The Young Rascals) was an American rock band, formed in Garfield, New Jersey, United States, in 1965.

    Genre: Rock, blue-eyed soul, pop

    Best Works: How Can I Be Sure, I’m So Happy Now, A Place in The Sun (Groovin’, 1967), Rainy Days, Singin’ the Blues Too Long (Once Upon a Dream, 1968), Since I Fell For You, A Beautiful Morning

    Honorable Honorable Mention:

    [The Hassles (The Hassles were heavily Inspired by The Rascals, The Beatles and Deep Purple. It is also Billy Joel’s second band before his solo career, the other two being The Lost Souls (The Echoes) and Attila. He wrote many of his songs in his debut album Cold Spring Harbor during his time in The Hassles.)

    Genre: Rock, psychedelic rock, blue-eyed soul, pop

    Best Works (many can be found on Cold Spring Harbor, 1971): Why Judy Why, Hotel St. George, Further Than Heaven, Every Step I Take, Everybody Loves You Know, Falling of The Rain, She’s Got A way]

  • 15. Steely Dan

    Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York by core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Blending elements of rock, jazz, Latin music, R&B, blues and sophisticated studio production with cryptic and ironic lyrics, the band enjoyed critical and commercial success starting from the early 1970s until breaking up in 1981. Rolling Stone has called them "the perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies".

    Genre: Rock, Jazz Rock, Fusion Rock

    Best Works: Kid Charlemagne (The Royal Scam, 1976), Peg (Aja, 1977), Dirty Work, Reelin’ In The Years (Can’t Buy a Thrill, 1972)

  • 16. The Statler Brothers

    The Statler Brothers were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers for Johnny Cash.

    Genre: Country, Bluegrass

    Best Works: Bed of Roses, New York City (Bed of Roses, 1970), Flowers on The Wall (Flowers on the Wall, 1966)

3. Blue Oyster Cult

Best Works: Burnin’ for You (Fire of Unknown Origin, 1981), (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, This Ain’t the Summer of Love (Agents of Fortune, 1976), ME 262 (Secret Treaties, 1974), “I Love the Night (Spectres, 1978)

Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band founded in 1967 in Stony Brook, New York, best known for the hits "The Reaper" "Burnin' for You" and "Godzilla." They have sold 25 million albums globally, with seven million sold alone in the United States. When MTV debuted in 1981, the band's music videos, particularly "Burnin' for You" got extensive play, confirming the band's contribution to the creation and popularity of the music video in current popular culture.

  Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar, vocals), Eric Bloom (lead vocals, "stun guitar"), Allen Lanier (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Joe Bouchard (bass, vocals), and Albert Bouchard (bass, vocals) were Blue yster Cult's longest-lasting and most financially successful lineup (drums, percussion, vocals). Bloom and Roeser remain in the band's current configuration, along with Danny Miranda (bass, backing vocals), Richie Castellano (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Jules Radino (drums, percussion). Sandy Pearlman, the band's manager, and rock critic Richard Meltzer, who met at Stony Brook University, collaborated on many of the band's lyrics.

Blue Öyster Cult is a hard rock band, whose music has been described as heavy metal, psychedelic rock, occult rock, biker boogie, acid rock, and progressive rock. They have also been recognized for helping pioneer genres such as stoner metal and speed metal. The band has also experimented with additional genres on specific albums. An example of this is Mirrors (1979).

The band is influenced by artists such as Alice Cooper, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, MC5, The Blues Project, Jimi Hendrix, and Black Sabbath.

While Blue Öyster Cult is known for hard rock, they also have their own tongue-in-cheek flair. In keeping with their image, the band would frequently include out-of-context excerpts from Pearlman's The Soft Doctrines of Imaginos into their lyrics, giving their songs mysterious implications. The band would also retain a folder containing Meltzer's and Pearlman's word connections to include into their song.

List of Albums:

  • Blue Öyster Cult (1972)

  • Tyranny and Mutation (1973)

  • Secret Treaties (1974)

  • Agents of Fortune (1976)

  • Spectres (1977)

  • Mirrors (1979)

  • Cultösaurus Erectus (1980)

  • Fire of Unknown Origin (1981)

  • The Revölution by Night (1983)

  • Club Ninja (1985)

  • Imaginos (1988)

  • Cult Classic (1994)

  • Heaven Forbid (1998)

  • Curse of the Hidden Mirror (2001)

  • The Symbol Remains (2020)

Lyrics for “Burnin’ for You”

2. Night Rangers

Best Works: Don’t Tell Me You Love Me (Dawn Patrol, 1981), Sister Christian (Midnight Madness, 1985), Goodbye, Sentimental Street (7 Wishes, 1985), The Secret of My Success (Big Life, 1987)

Night Ranger is a San Francisco-based American hard rock band that started in 1979 and rose to prominence in the 1980s with a string of albums and hits. The band's first five albums sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, and the band has sold a total of 17 million records. The quintet is best known for the power ballad "Sister Christian," which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1984, as well as several other top 40 hit singles in the 1980s, including "Don't Tell Me You Love Me," "When You Close Your Eyes," "Sentimental Street," "Four in the Morning (I Can't Take Any More)," and "Goodbye."

  After its fame faded in the late 1980s, the band disbanded in 1989, and its members went on to explore various musical interests, including group and solo ventures. Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy collaborated with bassist Gary Moon to record an album without the other original band members in 1995, but the band quickly reformed to release two new albums in the later part of the decade. 

List of Albums:

  • Midnight Madness (1983)

  • 7 Wishes (1985)

  • Big Life (1987)

  • Man in Motion (1988)

  • Feeding off the Mojo (1995)

  • Neverland (1997)

  • Seven (1998)

  • Hole in the Sun (2007)

  • Somewhere in California (2011)

  • High Road (2014)

  • Don't Let Up (2017)

  • ATBPO (2021)

Sample from the guitar solo in DONT TELL ME YOU LOVE ME (Jeff Watson)

  1. Supertramp

 Best Works: The Entirety of Breakfast in America (1978), Fast Last Words… (1982) and Crime of The Century (1974)

If there must be a list of best songs, here they are:

Hide in Your Shell (Crime of The Century)

Bloody Well Right (Crime of The Century)

Crime of The Century (Crime of The Century)

Dreamer (Crime of The Century)

School (Crime of The Century)

It’s Raining Again (Famous Last Words…)

Don’t Leave Me Now (Famous Last Words…)

The Logical Song (Breakfast in America)

Breakfast in America (Breakfast in America)

Give A Little Bit (Even in the Quietest Moments)

Even In the Quietest Moments (Even in the Quietest Moments)

(Supertramp was a band funded by a millionaire) Supertramp was an English rock band established in mid-1969 in London, England. They are recognised for mixing progressive rock and pop styles, as well as a sound that relied largely on Wurlitzer electric piano and are marked by the unique songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies. 

The band started out as a full-fledged prog-rock outfit, but with their third album, Crime of the Century (1974), they began to shift toward a more pop-oriented sound. Breakfast in America, released in 1979, was their commercial pinnacle, with the worldwide top ten singles "The Logical Song," "Breakfast in America," "Goodbye Stranger," and "Take the Long Way Home." "Dreamer" (1974), "Give a Little Bit" (1977), and "It's Raining Again" (1982) were among their other top 40 singles (1982). Hodgson departed the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career. Davies became the band's sole leader until 1988, when they split and regrouped in different forms.

Supertramp took an unusual route to commercial success in the 1970s, fusing the stylistic ambition and instrumental dexterity of progressive rock with the wit and tuneful melodies of British pop, and the results made them one of the most popular British acts of the '70s and '80s, topping the charts and filling arenas around the world at a time when their style of music was supposed to have fallen out of favor. 

Supertramp in Paris

About the Author

Howard Lee (11L), contributing writer in the BIBA Press, is an economist, artist, guitarist, and film maker who puts his deep passion in explore the world of art and music.