Bands/Artists who were huge and now mostly forgotten

Wetlands?

 

It seems to me that Henry Mancini has gone missing. His soundtracks were huge for awhile and he was still respected through the 80s. But the last 20 years I hven't seen much outside of a few vinyl reissues of Pink Panther , Peter Gunn and Hatari.

 

Yeah, it’s strange how much blues-rock has fallen off the radar since 1995 or so. I wouldn’t have predicted that change back then. It means that there’s a wealth of once-mainstream but now-somewhat-obscure stuff out there from the 60’s/70’s that’s prime for rediscovery by younger audiences someday.

Humble Pie - once huge, now a punchline/reference in “Almost Famous.” Shame, too, since they were pretty great, early on.

The Faces - probably only known as that band with Rod Stewart and Ronnie from The Stones. Stewart solo may also be not too well known to younger audiences - probably thanks to his going the “Great American Songbook” route.

 

Because of the hit “Fly Like An Eagle” cover?

 

so far the best candidate is average white band....most of the other bands mentioned still have a rep and aren't really forgotten (styx still draws fans to shows - well, with reo but still)
blood sweat and tears I think would qualify too

 

The Smithereens

 

I’m well under 50 (less well under than I like but let’s say I’ve got a decade to go)Love the Airplane (thank you Forrest Gump) but have been a bit of the minority...

Though I will say in college a lot more people had Surrealistic Pillow in their collections than I’d ever hear them mention

 

Nightingales

 

I just recall having young co-workers and friends at the time who I was surprised were getting into Tom Petty and Steve Miller. This extended into their high school siblings and friends they would tell me. Could have been a local (to me) phenomenon!

 

Michael Bloomfield was a minor deity in the late 60’s, with a big hit record in the form of Super Session, but is likely pretty unknown to non-music-obsessives under age 45.

- The blues-rock thing again, plus Mike’s own career self-sabotage and sad early demise.

 

were they that huge though?

 

Styx, Steve Miller, and Boston are still ALL OVER classic rock radio in my area to the point of exhaustion. Boston is the only one out of them I don't mind.

I feel like there was a point where Dave Matthews band was everywhere and now I barely hear anything from them.

 

Stray Cats

 

50 year old bands that have not been forgotten are the exception, not the rule. Nobody should be surprised that Jefferson Airplane is forgotten except for (barely) White Rabbit and Somebody To Love; those songs were old when I was young, and I'm old now! Same thing for second-tier corporate rock. For every Led Zep there are 100o forgotten hard rockers.

 

The Police
They where huge. Maybe its me, but I hear little talk about them and personally have little interest.

 

I think Quiet Riot are more like one-hit wonders than a band who were truly HUGE for any duration. IMHO, Grand Funk rule this category.

 

Hootie and the Blowfish (although Darius Rucker has had a great country solo career thus far)

Billy Idol has fallen off of the radar a bit.

 

yeah, I don't think Jefferson airplane really applies either...theyre still well known, maybe Quicksilver Messenger....
or how about shanana? hit show, sold tons of records

 

Definitely Grand Funk are an example of this, shame, cause the pre American Band stuff is pretty damn good blue collar rock.

 

I’ve noticed this also. Interesting example. Not that I entirely mind...

Like a lot of 90’s “jam bands,” their success was a US-only phenomenon, no? That’s always been my understanding.

 

Bob Seger....

 

yep, and they were forgotten pretty fast too, by the 80's really

 

I tried to ask the question: What happened to Supertramp? - in a Supertramp thread but no one was having it. I maintain that this band (unlike some of the mentions here) was monstrously HUGE, and that today, among the general or younger populace, they are either unknown or considered a bit of a joke (...because they are Homer Simpson's favorite band)? Which is a shame, they were great.

 

GordonLightfoot(here in Canada), Peter,Paul and Mary, Al Green,Marvin Gaye,Aretha Franklin, dave Brubeck .... there is a big list outside of classic rock.