It's like that quote attributed to Michelangelo "If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all."
I don't know. The only thing I can think of is that many people think he's too arrogant. Such as? I've been a fan of his music since I was a teen, but I'm just starting to check out his interviews.
Rundgren lives in a virtual paradise in Hawaii and has had the freedom for decades to entertain whatever generally odd artistic &/or musical whim he fancies. Maybe he isn't the most famous, but he certainly is an example of extreme success professionally (and at life). From my vantage point he is free. Even free from fame with all the best benefits.
Let's see: Todd predicted streaming in 1978. He sold music digitally before anyone else via CompuServe. He started his own digital service called Patronet. Patronet wound up missing the market because Todd insisted on writing his own client and server. Todd got into making music videos before almost anyone, and built his own television studio. But he bought the wrong format, Bosch's "B" format 1" tape rather than Sony's "C" format. So outside clients couldn't work in Todd's studio. He was involved with the New York Institute of Technology, one of the foundations of computer graphics. As part of his video studio, he bought a video "still store" when such things were $100,000+. He worked with Dr. Alvy Ray Smith there. Smith was one of the founders of Lucasfilm Graphics Group - which later became PIXAR. Todd had a piece of software in the very first Apple ][ software catalog, the Utopia Graphics Tablet. It was the first commercially available paint program. But it depended on an add-on board designed by hardware engineer, notorious "Phone Phreak" John Draper, aka "Cap'n Crunch". The board never passed FCC verification, and if I'm familiar with Draper, he refused to fix it, so it never sold. He was in the right place with the right ideas over and over again. He should be a billionaire. But he managed to not cash in on any of them.
This is off-topic but your post made me think of this: I've not noticed anyone say this, but given the sorts of things people often say on this board (such as only liking The Nazz), there have to be people around here who only like the first Moody Blues album (The Magnificent Moodies) but don't care for them afterwards . . . which is interesting to me because before posting here, I would have never guessed that there would be people with opinions like that.
I have multiple copies of those Nazz albums even. I'm sure there's got to be someone else who prefers the Nazz over his solo work.
That's the only explanation why TR isn't more popular? Isn't it also possible that a lot of people simply don't really like his music?
he did how else explain his recording studio, video studio in upstate in NY. And now living in Kauai.
He had the studio long ago though, before most of those investmens. With what he invested in, he should OWN Kauii.
Sure, your thought is a distinct possibility, though with it now being 2019, I think there's a greater likelihood that most folks simply don't know Rundgren's music. Especially the younger set as they haven't been exposed to much --- if any --- of it. My guess is youth aren't exactly devouring oldies radio stations, and even on those airwaves, Todd's oeuvre isn't particularly well-represented. Hearing only "We Gotta Get You a Woman" and "I Saw the Light" falls far short of painting a complete picture of Rundren's musical landscape. Hopefully one day curious listeners will investigate further and be rewarded with the many gems the man has gifted us.
I haven't heard a great album made in the last 30 years. Especially compared to the previous 30 years before that.
Dunno about great, but Rundgren made two very good albums in recent decades: "Liars" and "White Knight."
