What band(s) did you stupidly overlook for decades?

Badfinger. I had no idea until 2-3 years ago.

 

Me too! Familiar with the name, but just never listened to him... came across a copy of 'Tales Of The Unexpected' in a used bin not long ago, put it on when I was folding laundry Saturday afternoon and can't stop listening to it... love when this happens!
For me, this is the magic of music and vinyl... never an end to discovering amazing music!!!

 

Same here (1961) - I didn't discover him until 2010ish. I still don't understand how I missed him back in the day.

 

Firehose.

I was playing the only Minutemen album I’ve heard (Double Nickles) and was liking it a lot then Apple Music said I might like these guys so I fired (ha) up a cd that looked interesting with Husker Du on the cover (if’n) and from the first song I was hooked. Get these guys if you haven't before.

Another band is Tragically Hip and thats because of Gord Downie who died recently. They have some tunes that grab onto my soul and hang on for dear life.

 

The Grand Wazoo

 

Abba.

I hated them mostly in the 70s, thought they were a disco band. And I was a punk rocker.

 

Thanks to the kind people on this forum, I discovered and delved into The Grateful Dead, Neil Young (and Crazy Horse), XTC, Jimi Hendrix, Big Star, Black Sabbath, Genesis (Gabriel era), Yes, Jethro Tull, Buffalo Springfield, Procol Harum and Moby Grape.

 

I’m way late on this thread and on the Replacements. Dead Man’s Pop opened my eyes.

 

I will add a ‘new’ one: Anton Newcombe/Brian Jonestown Massacre. Stupid/stupid/stupid! I seriously enjoy and respect this man.

 

Elvis.

 

Oddly, for me, it's Metallica. I just didn't get it and then one day it clicked. I was drawn in by Kirk Hammett's melodic solos... and then Lar's drums grabbed me. The next thing I knew I owned their first six CDs. Those first 4 albums I overlooked for decades.

 

When I was in college in the 70s I never appreciated Yes and decades later I became a big fan and finally got a chance to see the great Chris Squire on his last tour.

 

Beach Boys. I thought they were all about surfing and cars. Then a FINALLY listened to Pet Sounds

Big Star

 

Alice in Chains

 

Stereolab. I’m still baffled how it happened. But better late than never.

 

The Beatles.
As a kid / Teen I always cringed at my father talking about them. Thinking it was "Old Folks" music. I mostly associated them with the very early tracks (PPM, WTB) or the "child friendly" tracks like "When I'm Sixty-Four". We actually had to sing the latter back in music class at school.

Then when I burned him all the tracks on CD-R I got curious and listened to some of them while doing so. And thats how I got into them.

 

Steely Dan. I knew the hits but didn't know how good the album tracks were. Been listening to them nearly nonstop the last several weeks. Aja and Royal Scam are my two favorites.

 

The White Stripes knew Seven Nation Army of course, but De Stijl just absolutely blew my mind! Easily one of my favorite bands of all time now

 

Roxy Music

 

Billy Bragg

 

I hear you, I came from the same standpoint. I also bought most of the CD’s in thrift shops - don’t love them, but find the worlds they create interesting : no more, no less.

I mostly wanted to mention Thom Yorke’s solo albums and other projects, such as Atoms For Peace.
I also like their drummer Phil Selway’s album FAMILIAL.

 

The B-52's and DEVO. Until about a decade ago I thought they were just the Love Shack and Whip It guys, how wrong I was!

 

Dire Straits and Van Halen.

 

Rush didn’t get into them until a few years ago.

 

Kraftwerk is the big one. I didn't really explore them until 10 years ago, when I heard The Telephone Call. And then I checked out Tour De France. And then Autobahn (which I recognized). Fast forward to now, they are in my top 10 favorite artists.


On my "need more data" list still are (non-Miles) Coltrane, Joni Mitchell and Mendelssohn. All in due time.