The Velvet Underground? Nico is often found in top 20 albums of all time. Surprised you put them in as I thought everyone loved them.
As far as the public are concerned I doubt many outside of New York had even heard of the Velvet Underground at the time they were making records. They had a massive influence on people like Bowie and Roxy Music and critics like Lester Bangs who spread the word. Lou Reeds solo career got a massive boost when Bowie/Ronson produced his Transformer album at the height of Ziggy mania and this also re-awakened interest in the Velvets. It was certainly what got me into them. So I think you can say that at one point they were very underrated as their records didn't sell and the scale of their influence on other artists was initially undetected/unappreciated
A British prog rock band called IQ. Been going for over 30 years with a small but loyal following. Similarly, Marillion - although they seem to be getting some newfound respect these days.
Met a guy once in a toilet in Weymouth, who was singing his head off... He told me it was a song by a band called IQ... He went further to say another great band he loved was porcupine tree.. I have been a fan of the latter since then... Strange things can happen in the John.
This isn't a band that's underrated, because they do have a sizeable cult following and have recorded a bunch of well-regarded albums and pull big crowds when they perform, but I was surprised that members of The Budos Band all have to work day jobs to survive, and not only that, they can only tour if they all have enough holiday left with their employers. Anyway, to describe them, they're kind of Afrobeat jazz crossed with Black Sabbath. They're on the Brooklyn soul/funk label Daptone Records.
https://youtu.be/amg-Me9sDws
I never know where to begin with these threads, but I could probably name upwards of 500 acts I genuinely like and consider underrated. We'll start with Richard Dawson as he's recently put out an album with this amazing single on it:
Kano - not sure how stormzy's absolutely huge and this guy has consistently been putting out great stuff for years and basically was a major reason why grime has developed into what it is today and isn't, comparatively.
Just been listening to his 1998 Good Morning Spider LP and reflecting on the tragedy of Linkous’ suicide in 2010 at just 47 years old. He made 4 albums between 1995 and 2006 and they are all good.
Here’s a couple of contrasting songs from Good Morning Spider
Comments
They had a massive influence on people like Bowie and Roxy Music and critics like Lester Bangs who spread the word.
Lou Reeds solo career got a massive boost when Bowie/Ronson produced his Transformer album at the height of Ziggy mania and this also re-awakened interest in the Velvets.
It was certainly what got me into them.
So I think you can say that at one point they were very underrated as their records didn't sell and the scale of their influence on other artists was initially undetected/unappreciated
Two superb albums, but possibly no more as one member is now scaling poptastic heights with Chvrches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGiQ_-Ktpvc
If the Beatles wrote their song All About You, we'd still be raving about it to this day.
Just been listening to his 1998 Good Morning Spider LP and reflecting on the tragedy of Linkous’ suicide in 2010 at just 47 years old. He made 4 albums between 1995 and 2006 and they are all good.
Here’s a couple of contrasting songs from Good Morning Spider
Pig https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xQSWpLCcpE
Sunshine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnuYWr4exlA
Culture Show piece that was on when his last album came out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3GCYWiz7Dk