Article - Most Underrated Classic Rock Bands

The 20 Most Underrated Classic Rock Bands Of All Time

OK, I know the "underrated" thing has been done a bunch, but this thread specifically relates to this recent Goliath article and the bands it lists. I came across this on Fark.com where it had a good discussion

Some are appropriate on the list, but you just can't put the Rolling Stones on there!

 

UFO and Thin Lizzy should be top 10, if not top 5. Otherwise pretty decent list, except #20.

 

The Stones underrated? Ridiculous.

 

Exactly... and Deep Purple too?

 

Why is Warren Zevon on the list? They might as well have included Sheena Easton. Ridiculous!

 

I like how they go on about the classic line up of Deep Purple...Blackmore, Gillan, Paice, and then show a picture of DP MK IV.

 

The vast majority of these bands aren't underrated (and Roxy Music is not "generally forgotten about"--can you imagine how fast a tour of the remaining original lineup would sell out?). They might be unknown to young people today, and if so, why not title it "Cool Bands You Haven't Heard" or something? Write something useful rather than pretend to be an authority you are not.

 

UFO and Big Star and, oddly, Roxy Music are the only three that don't have at least one song in rotation on the classic rock station I listen to.

Edit: That said, the article does touch on how so many of these groups have been reduced to one or two tracks.

 

I'm going to declare if OK from here on in to write about Grand Funk without mentioning the Simpsons, and BOC without mentioning Saturday Night Live.

 

Never heard of number 4.

 

"However, once the first wave of the British Invasion died down and The Beatles emerged as the biggest band in the world"

HUH! Those Beatles were the biggest band in the world before the invasion even started. In fact they were the invasion. They were the first to hit the beach.

 

I certainly never heard of them in the 70's. Not even until a few years ago. I still have never heard a song by them.

 

Usually Big Star is next for Beatlefans who've exhausted the Monkees.

 

Wow, that is a lame list.

 

I'm surprised they aren't number 1. It's kind of a hipster rite of passage to proclaim Big Star most underrated band ever.

You may well have heard them, though, either the original or the Bangles remake of "September Gurls."

 

I think underrated band list articles are overrated.

 

Exactly. Good thing Nick Drake wasn't a band.

 

I think it’s a pretty solid list. It doesn’t go for unknown artists, but I do think it’s fair to call most of the ones included underrated. Most people know their names, and music devotees like us hold them in high regard, but to the general public, most of them are known for one or two songs each, even though the majority of them have a wealth of great songs and albums. Although I agree with what the writer had to say about The Rolling Stones, it’s still pretty ridiculous to call them underrated. Misunderstood maybe, but definitely not underrated.

 

#3 Blue Oyster Cult.
One of the USA's greatest rock acts.

 

I'd agree with Grand Funk Railroad, Moody Blues, Little Feat, and maybe Deep Purple as being on a most underrated list. Some of that mentality was set into motion by pompous music critics of the era. Changing personnel, infighting, substance abuse, etc. could have contributed in certain cases. The Rolling Stones being on a "most underrated classic rock" list is laughable. There can be only one #1 with the general public and we all know who that is.

 

When I first saw the Stones at #20 I thought I wasn't going to like this list because, much as I like the Stones, they would make my list of 20 most overrated bands.
But as I went down the list I saw many I agreed with, most notably The Raspberries, Moody Blues, T Rex, Squeeze, The Animals, Big Star, and the correct #1 choice of The Kinks.

 

yep, that's kinda why I posted it

 

bizarre list ... so what, if you aren't given as much cred as the beatles you're under-rated? i rate most of those bands, and the ones i don't, well it's because they're not for me

 

Other than the Stones being on there, even with me agreeing with a large part of what was said, those aren’t bad picks. Yes, music nerds hold most of them in high regard, but the public at large reduces them to one or two songs of any.

 

Yeah, but you definitely heard Alex Chilton's first band, The Box Tops. Plus the theme song of That 70's Show was a remake of Big Star's In The Street.