Bands/artists with a huge following and historical impact, that you never explored

Leonard Cohen. It's criminal, I know... but I just never felt like getting into his work.

 

Well, counteracting some of the negativity on the thread, I'll say Fela Kuti. Hugely influential and historically significant worldwide for a great many years, I've always enjoyed the music I've heard of his when friends have put it on but I've yet to explore his catalog myself. Partially because his discography is absolutely massive and encompasses so many years, it's a little daunting to try to figure out where to start.

 

Elvis, Buddy Holly, Grateful Dead

I haven't come nor heard uncle John's band

 

Cream... aw lets' just put Eric in
Roxy Music
MC5
The Clash
Radiohead
Pulp
Blur
Sloan
Sleater Kinney
Pearl Jam (I already know they're horrible)

And there are whole eras of bands I love that I leave unlistened to, because they putatively jumped a shark. Neil Young post 1978 for instance. It would be easier to say who is not on that list.

 

Leonard Cohen

Randy Newman

 

Duke Ellington (maybe it's time).

 

Joni's work is so worth exploring. Her different phases are so interesting. Harmonically and musically she's in a universe all her own and her lyrics are amazing.

Get to it
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Studio-Albums-Collection-Leonard/dp/B005F8CL1S
The best $22 you could spend!

 

But buy this first…
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-A...8&qid=1526689727&sr=1-3&keywords=randy+newman

 

What tour?

 

That's 30% of my all-time top 10 right there!

 

Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Genesis

 

Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin, Cream

 

The Beatles. Yes, that's right.

 

Could never get into Costello, my Dylan knowledge is surface level at best and what I know about Leonard Cohen could fit on a folded post-it note.

 

I haven't explored Dylan, The Doors, Elvis, Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones all that much. I basically just know the radio hits and the album tracks that FM radio used to play back in the 70s and 80s. Same with Pink Floyd.

 

The Beach Boys, never piqued any interest except for "Good Vibrations." After I found out that studio musicians, the Wrecking Crew, played the instruments on much of the studio albums, just solidified my decades long lack of interest.

 

Sorry y'all -- for me it's first and foremost Pink Floyd. Someone said it first and best...

 

Kiss.

 

I don't remember. It was with the E Street Band, at the Meadowlands, NJ arena in the summer. It was probably 15 years ago or so, if that matches up to any tour you can think of.

 

Same here up until two years ago. Only took me 51 years to give em a try! Now I love em! Especially Jerry solo. It’ll be fun to read this thread.

 

Bruce Springsteen. Can't stand his music.

 

Yeah, another vote for Springsteen. I do like his popular early hits (Born to Run, Spirits in the Night, etc.) and I recognize that he has a huge following, but his themes and styles are just not for me.

Velvet Underground. Pretty much the same as Bruce - I know they have a sizable following and are considered influential, but I just don't find their musicianship to be all that great and their themes are kind of depressing.

 

John Philip Sousa.
Stephen Foster.
Pat Boone,
Perry Como.
Never explored them. Perhaps under the doctrine that I would never wish to...

(OH-! And...James Last...)

 

Maybe opening night of the "Rising" tour in 2002? That would've been in August.

If your time frame is right, that has to be it. Bruce last played the Meadowlands Arena before that in 1999 and wasn't there again with E Street until fall 2004...

 

He's my favorite entertainer! Last time I saw him was 14 years ago in the Holy Land!