most underrated/underappreciated artists
 

I think there are several artists that aren't really acknowledged by the "mainstream" - who knows why...there are several factors I guess.

some that come to mind for me are Anastacia, Kristine W., Phyllis Hyman, Rufus Wainwright and Tamia...and maybe Tori Amos to some extent tho she certainly has a handle on the music world in her area.

others?

Maria McKee, although she has played a hand in that.

Wasn't she the one who used to sing for that band Lone Justice? I always thought that she sounded VERY Steviesque. Whatever happened to her and are her solo albums very good? I like her voice.

Allison Moorer and Tift Merritt come to mind.

Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. A genius.

She became a bit of a recluse from around '97 to '03, but has been recording and performing quite a bit since then. I love all of her solo albums. She made a radical departure from her countryish sound with "Life Is Sweet" and "High Dive", but last year's "Peddlin' Dreams" sounds more like "classic" Maria.

I think she has the best voice of any singer. The best way to enjoy her is live, where you really get to hear it raw.

Lori McKenna

Natalie Imbruglia

A few...
 

King's X-How this band is not the biggest band in the world is a mystery to me...25 years and they have never gave in when other bands could have called it a day. Maybe they truly are too intelligent for the fickle American music consumer.

Thin Lizzy-Obviously there is more to Thin Lizzy than just "The Boys are Back in Town". Glad to see they will again grace the US this summer!

Evergrey-Just because they are from Gothenburg doesnt mean they have to play death/black metal. A great dark melodic metal band with intelligence.

Nevermore-The best pure metal band in the US. How this band has only sold 30,000 of their latest release "This Godless Endeavor" is mindbogglin'. They have more talent than nearly any of the emo-sounding garbage vocal bands (ie-Trivium) that EmptyVee 2 hypes weekly (Or is it weakly) on "Headbanger's Ball".

Several?

(I think it's just the way that large image files always get a little wonky when you reduce them a lot, but in the photo in your signature, poor Lindsey looks like Joe Pesci!)

The one singer that automatically came to mind is Sophie B. Hawkins - so underated as a singer and as a songwriter. Anybody who has heard "Tounges & Tails" "Whaler" or even "Timbre" will know what I am talking about - she is really nothing short of incredible.

Sadly she is remebered as nothing more than a two hit wonder :(

Marianne Faithfull. She's my new Stevie. :D :laugh:

I love Marianne. And her new album is great.

I personally think Cyndi Lauper is overlooked and underrated. Although more people are finding out how talented she is now, with her new album and The Three Penny Opera going on, a lot of people seem so surprised by it. "Oh, I didn't know she could sing!" or, "Wow, she's still doing stuff?" :rolleyes:

Partridge Family.....natch

You beat me to it, Ryan... Maria is really otherworldly. She's probably the best vocalist out there after Ann Wilson.

Hmmmm... I don't know about "underrated", but some of the best out there that don't sell in the big leagues or are under the radar (or were under the radar)


The Innocence Mission

Loreena McKennitt

The Grapes of Wrath

Michelle Shocked

Edie Brickell

Iris DeMent

The Indigo Girls

Tuck and Patti


There are more out there... I'll think of them later.

Pia Zadora.

X.

(eff you ten characters!!1!!11)

Warren Zevon.

Although he was always well respected by his peers, he never really gained the attention he deserved until people found out that he was dying. Also, he was ignored by the Grammy committee for years and did not receive any acknowledgement from them until after his death. :distress:

And then, of course, there's that certain other Fleetwood Mac associate - who actually used to be mistaken for Warren Zevon back in the day (I guess people got them mixed up because of their sort of similar first names)...

I love her! Saw her live about 12 years ago and thought she was awesome.

The Hollies in America. Not completely ignored but never near the response elsewhere. Ditto The Shadows.

Pussycat from the Netherlands. Abbamania goes on but this contemporary of theirs was as good, with great songwriting by Werner Theunissen and incredible vocals by Toni Wille.

http://www.geocities.com/rebjan_ca/pussycat.html

Stereolab

I am also a fan (I probably have read her autobiography around 20 times). I think that in the last years she has gained much respect -contrary to the image people had in the late 60's/early 70's. She is not mainstream of course, but the sort of music she chooses to perform or write herself is not the kind of stuff you would hear on mainstream radio stations anyway.

It's funny that you mentioned her because I know people that consider her the opposite of underrated - claiming that noone would ever buy her records if it wasn't for her Mick Jagger affair in the 60's , her "naughty" drugs reputation and her selling that story well.

I'll see you Pia, and I'll raise you Charo. :]

I agree that Cyndi Lauper is overlooked/underrated.

Patty Griffin is the first name that came to my mind. She's had critical acclaim & support from more popular artists (Emmylou Harris, Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews...), yet I can't find a single CD of hers at Best Buy. :shrug: It's a shame.

I will put in my 2 cents with the Stereophonics. Theyre wildly popular over in Europe, but for some reason they've never caught on here.:confused:

Potential hijack alert!

Why is that rule there in the first place? :confused: :shrug:

I add my two cents to that!


http://simpsonloft.com/madein/images/tele2.gif

Oh well. It's their loss right Micheal my friend?:)

You are right :nod:

Maybe we could add The Sundays to this thread?

Indeed! The Sundays, a 4 piece band from England with a lead singer named Harriet Wheeler who in my humble opinion has the voice of an Angel. Would you agree sir?


Albums:

1990: Reading, Writing, And Arithmetic

1992: Blind

1997:Static And Silence



Here's hoping they make more music again someday!

I would agree :D

Kitaro.

I happen to love his synth style. also his use of the Taiko Drums....

Also?

- The Raincoats
- X-Ray Spex
- The Slits
- Nico
- The Avengers
- The Jam (in the states at least)
- Madness (ditto the above)
- The Sonics
- 13th Floor Elevators
- MC5 (I swear to god, people think they're a rap group)
- The Stooges
- Sloan
- Wesley Willis (genius)

On a more indie level:

- Gore Gore Girls
- The Epoxies
- Suffrajett
- The Tough and Lovely
- The Paybacks
- The Blue Van
- The Mainliners

And, I don't think that The Kinks get as much love as they deserve. Seriously.