Most Underrated Music Artist (1 Viewer)

[Derek Duncan]

There is a thread going on right now with the most overrated music artist, what about a most underrated music artist thread. This is my take, all the big pop and rock acts are way too hiped up. I think everyone is entitled to there opinion, but soem just don't make any sense to me. Just like the stones, I lover there early stuff, but anything after 1970 just sounds like noise to me, it isn't great rock, how can anything from the stones match anything from Aerosmith. Why would someone want to see a band like the Stone live(Mick Jagger running around, throwing his arms around, hardling singing) or someone like Peter Gabriel(WOW) it just doen't compare, so why are the Stones more popular, I will never be able to explain that to myself. Well anyway my favorite groups or singers are...

The ones in blue at the bottom are the ones that I feel are underrated.

Queen
Genesis
R.E.M.
Peter Gabriel
Kate Bush
Frank Zappa-the early stuff(Uncle Meat,The Grand Wazoo,Burnt Weeny Sandwich,Hot Rats)none of the goofy comedy stuff from later.
The Beatles
Jethro Tull
Alison Kraus
Metallica
Avril Lavinge(yes)
Charlotte Church
Pink Floyd(DSOTM SACD is amazing,listening right now)
Sarah Brightman
Natilie Merchant or 10,000 Maniacs
Alanis Morrisette
Shiela Nichols
The Stone Poneys or Linda Rondstadt
Jonatha Brooke or The Story
Travis Tritt
The Dixie Chicks
Yes
Tori Amos
Jefferson Airplane
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Garbage
Anything wih Neil Finn(Split Enz,Crowded House)
Belle and Sebastian
Sarah Mclachlan
Norah Jones(If you love Norah, get the Classic Records 200gm LP, it's perfect, well until the SACD)

and there are much more, but as you see, some are very popular, but the best on the list are very underrated, in fact most of what I own, no one I know has any except for maybe Norah Jones and the Dixie Chick. Yet it doesn't seem fair to me that these groups are not more popular than the teeny bopper pop groups(Brittany Spears,NSYNC)what are people thinking, I know they are young, but so I am I, I just turned 21, and over half the artists on the list I was into for years(bought my first Queen album on LP at 10), the problem is that the music isn't pushed to the mainstream, were they belong, and the kids arn't being exposed to them. Everyone I know, could care less about these artist, and will not give them a try, they do not know vinyl exists(the only way to listen to music) or DVD-A or SACD. They say they are music fans, but how can you be a real music fan, and listen to such artists. Oh well thats my rant, I am sure some will not agree(don't get me started on rap)and the Stones fans will kill me. So, start the list, others will most likely eclipse mine, with many more obscure groups or singers, but that way we can expand our music collections with our lists.


Genesis Peter Gabriel Kate Bush Frank Zappa Jethro Tull Alison Kraus Shiela Nichols The Stone Poneys Anything wih Neil Finn(Split Enz,Crowded House) Belle and Sebastian Jonatha Brooke or The Story


Derek

 

[Derek Duncan]

Whoa, made a lot of spelling errors in that post, sorry.

Derek

 

[Marc Colella]

Aimee Mann
Jon Brion
Fiona Apple

 

[KrisM]

I really don't think of music as being over/under-rated. I think of it as something I want to listen to, or something I don't. What others think about it is just not important. I may hate NSYNC and Brittny, but what I think of them doesn't matter to the people that do listen to them.
What one person loves another will hate. And both people are allowed to have their opinion.
A good example is Derek saying any Stones after 1970 sounds like noise to him. I couldn't disagree more. The Stones put out some poor music in the '70s, but they also put out some great music as well. Many, myself included, think Exile On Main Street is their best album. If Exile, or Sticky Fingers isn't great rock, I don't know what is.

Regards
KrisM

 

[Derek Duncan]

Good ones Marc, forgot Fiona, one of my favorites. I havn't given Aimee much of a chance,though I should, I liked her stuff with Till Tuesday. I didn't think about Exile KrisM.
I really meant the other stuff, the early 70s stones albums had that late 60s sound, so I still like the early stuff, but other than the later stuff, I love the stones,I would never part with my Gimme Shelter Criterion Collection DVD.

Derek

 

[Marc Colella]

Good ones Marc, forgot Fiona, one of my favorites. I havn't given Aimee much of a chance,though I should, I liked her stuff with Till Tuesday.

Aimee Mann is an incredible talent. He solo stuff just keeps getting better and better. I highly recommend giving Bachelor No. 2 and Lost In Space a few spins. They're very good on the first listen, but gets so much better after a few more spins.

 

[mike caronia]

Mike Farris
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies
Peaceful Knievel
Chris Whitley
The Black Crowes
Chris Robinson
Marc Ford
Hookah Brown
Gov't Mule
Derek Trucks Band
Our Lady Peace

There's plenty of good music out there, just seems the record companies don't really care about what's 'good'. It's what can get them the biggest house. The shame of popular music is; what is today's legacy? Boy bands. Christina, Britany..et al. Pretty sad if you ask me.

 

[Jeffrey Noel]

Badly Drawn Boy
Josh Rouse
The Push Stars

These artists/groups may not be underrated, but definitley not too known, unfortunately

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

It seems like this thread is likely to devolve into "My favorite artists who don't have smash #1 singles every other week" or "My favorite artists you haven't heard of." But I'll play along.

Bruce Cockburn
Sam Phillips
Joe Jackson
T-Bone Burnett
Jane Siberry

 

[John Wes]

Chris Duarte...one of the finest hard electric guitar players in the world today..

Indigenous..this band is phenomenal. And a very unusual story to go with them.

 

[Bill Eberhardt]

Here's a few outstanding guitarists that don't get much promotion...

Phil Keaggy
Rex Carroll
Jeff Scheetz

 

[Rob P S]

Johnny A.
Dave Alvin
Greg Brown
Cracker
Iris DeMent
Bob Schneider
Chris Smither

 

[Darren Pillans]

THE BLUE NILE.

Their 3 albums:

1. A Walk Across The Rooftops
2. Hats
3. Peace At Last

are three of the most beautiful albums I have ever heard.

 

[GarySI]

Blue Nile, WOW, I remember the first time I heard them back around '82. A friend brought over a tape from England and had me listen to it knowing I followed music like Eno. Blew me away. I still take out Walk Across the Rooftops every few months and I'm still amazed by it. To top it off, the original pressings were done for LINN the highend audio company.

 

[Chris]

Under rated, and I wish would get more praise:

Tori Amos (who's most recent work recaptures a lot of what I loved in the initial recordings.. but damnit, where is Under the Pink in SACD or DTS or anything?)

Deep Forest (who, time and time again turn out beautiful, intriguing music) Comparasa, in SACD is a beautiful, haunting CD

Enigma (people have forgotten about them since "Age of Innocence" and so on, but they still turn out interesting, different music)

 

[Mike Broadman]

Jazz musicians

 

[Rachael B]

For rock...Roy Wood and his groups The Move and Wizzard. He also started the Electric Light Orchestra but quit before they started recording. E.L.O. would have been a far better group with him.

For jazz, Manfredo Fest and his Brasilian jazz sound.

N.P.- Nickel Creek THIS SIDE on SACD

 

[Cal S]

Beastie Boys

 

[Evan S]

John, I agree with you on the Duarte...he's a fabulous player. I only have one album, need to get another disc or two.

My favorite underrated artist (especially her early stuff) would have to be Shaun Colvin. "Fat City" is an incredible record that most people have not heard and her debut (can't remember the title off hand) won her a well deserved Grammy.

She's more mainstream now and in the public consciousness, but nothing like the acclaim I feel she deserves.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Ben Folds