Do you have a preferred artist or band that isn't widely recognized in the mainstream?
Do you have a preferred artist or band that isn't widely recognized in the mainstream?
106 comments
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On reddit this was always bait for people who don't know what "mainstream" or "underrated" means. Like I don't know if you've heard of this obscure niche ragtag band... Supertramp? Compare Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man treating every cultural touchstone from prior to 2000 as lost knowledge found in ancient manuscripts.
So I'm gonna say Kingston Wall, a Finnish progressive rock band, and risk finding out that they were a household name for the dozens of people who gave a shit about prog in the 90s. "We Cannot Move" sounds like the pinnacle of 70s production. It just came out while Yes was doing synth-pop and Pink Floyd was doing a Moody Blues album. If it turns out everyone who's heard of Porcupine Tree already knows about them... good.
If we're talking mass appeal that's missing, I'd say The Cinematics. Two and a half albums of energetic alternative rock. Broadly anti-consumerist messages throughout. Guest work from We Are Scientists and Beck. Broke up for unspecified reasons. They deserve to be one of those "oh yeah, those guys" kind of bands. Not mindblowing... but remembered.
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Off the list:
The Caretaker, after Everywhere At The End Of Time was a devastating realization of what they'd been doing the whole time, and superlative-obsessed reviewers took notice.
Frightened Rabbit, whose recognition was unfortunately well-demonstrated when their lead singer jumped off a bridge. Honestly, it was the world's least surprising suicide. The man wrote a song about it. Same bridge and everything.
My Morning Jacket, a psychedelic rock act well-known enough to make a McSweeney's list of "what your favorite Sad Dad Band says about you." (Viz: "you know how to cook an eel.") The album Z absolutely rules, and you have to remove the skin and rinse out the blood.
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Some that I think should be wayy more popular than they currently are:
- Jukebox the ghost
- aimee mann
- V.A.S.T
- Prefab sprout
- Ivy
- Passion pit
- Placebo
- The war on drugs
- tokyo police club
- Stars
- The dismemberment plan
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I'm not familiar with most of these but I drove 2 hours to see Jukebox the Ghost play in the second story of a church when I was like 19, and Stars is probably my number one favorite band, so I may have to check out some of your other entries here.
Edit: The Jukebox the Ghost show was really cool btw, they wouldn't let them do an encore in the upstairs part of the venue but they agreed to let the keyboardist do a solo encore on the church's organ on the first floor.
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I saw them twice live, they're so good. Not many bands have the same optimism and energy as they do.
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Is Placebo niche now?
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Probably, I don't know how I found them but I grew up in the 90s and 00s and never heard of them.
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In case my posting history (and in fact user name lol) doesn't make it obvious - Infected Mushroom
It's impossible to pick a single example or a favourite track, since they vary so widely in style and it depends on what mood your in! But some of the better known classics are (best heard on headphones, unless you have a really incredible audio system):
And one from their 25th anniversary album
A Cookie From SpaceAnd many many more in between, but I'll leave it at that lol (E: the links are each from the full album playlist, so that's a good place to start)
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Days N Daze
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Love DnD, wish they put out more music like Rogue Taxidermy. I've listened to plenty of folk punk before, but I've still never heard anything quite like them. The Taxpayers comes close but are too soft to be a real replacement.
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Mdou Moctar
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I've been big on MUTEMATH since highschool. Unfortunately, I think they've broken up, but I still love their music.
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Very good band. Odd soul is a great album.
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So many artists, but as a huge metalhead here are two who IMO deserve way more light.
Ruins of Beverast https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/exuvia
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Their song "Computers" is the best way to musically describe working a shitty job and then hitting that glorious weekend only to have to do it all over again.
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Umphrey’s McGee
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Umphreys, Lotus, and STS9 have always been kind of a trifecta for me. I've also always liked Papadosio and it feels like they're just getting better every time I see them.
Potentially less widely known, a Michigan band called Chirp. I also recently discovered Kendall Street Company and their interpretation of Eyes of the World is so good it haunts me.
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Fuckin love umph, got to see them twice so far. Once with sts9, which I also love.
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The longest johns
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Fun answer, seeing them in May on their US tour next year and I'm hyped
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Sleep Token. They're not as obscure as they used to be. They kind of blew up this year but only in the metal scene. Not quite mainstream yet but I think they'll get there.
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Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
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Tigran Hamasyan (Armenian piano jazz-metal)
The Gabriel Construct (self-described as art music iirc, but basically just some experimental rock)
Jaggery (avant-rock, cool harp sounds)
Noah Sias (deathcore? Just so fucking heavy idk)
Bent Knee (experimental rock, just an absolutely gorgeous song)
Mel Bryant (indie rock, great hook, cool breakdown)
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Mutemath is one of my favorites. Every album is different. In recent years they got more electronic sounding and the band broke up a couple of years ago.
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Chaos is one of my all time favorite songs.
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Cari Cari (just discovered them, psychedelic jams)
Bargain Music (reggae/ska, similar to sublime)
Secret Chiefs 3 (schitzo alternative/middle eastern, many members of Mr. Bungle)
TR/ST (darkwave)
The Two Man Gentleman Band (old timey barbershop banjo)
Superorganism (psychedelic)
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (punk covers)
St. Vincent (indie/alternative)-
many members of Mr. Bungle
Not to be confused with the Bangles or the Buggles.
Though 1980s Yes hiring Mike Patton would've been quite a thing.
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Two Man Gentlemen Band are so funny. Fancy Beer!
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Nulberry
(Now called "The She Gulls")
Very talented mathrock artist.
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AURORA, although I guess she's gaining increased mainstream recognition now?
Since I'm very hurdy gurdy focused atm, Patty Gurdy and Michalina Malisz (as well as her band LYRRE)
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LūN (EDM)/Lights (electropop) (same artist, different personas) has some great music if you'll like that kind of stuff. Probably most recognized in Canada, much less so in the US and rest of the world.
I also enjoy Echo Movement (reggae) but I'm not sure if they're still making music or not.
All links go to invidious.
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Poets Of The Fall. They aren't too known but they are the ones behind many Remedy games soundtracks including Control and Alan Wake. Dam they're good, especially their Alexander Theatre session and live performances.
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I only have one song from them in my playlist, Requiem for My Harlequin, but I quite like it. I found it while listening to KGRG.
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Can definitely recommend Carnival of Rust, War, and Beyond The Horizon. Not limited to this list but these are my favorites
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Watsky!
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Michael Cera isn't an artist. Cut it out.
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Atomship. It was a blend of alternative metal and progressive rock. It's a really unique sound and they only ever did a single album.
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They're not really considered underground since they have 1 million monthly listeners, but I still don't see a lot of people talking about the band Foreign Air. They are known for their hit "Free Animal", but they have so many good songs. I recommend "Your Touch", "Hello Sunshine Pt 2", "Wake Me Up", "Moving On," and "Monsters". Unsure of how to describe their genre, it certainly isn't rock nor bubbly pop...
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- Beach House
- Temples
- Arlo Parks
- Grouplove
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I’ll second Temples
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I'm surprised they're not more popular given how close their music is (or at least was early on) to Tame Impala.
I think it's great psychedelic rock without going too experimental.
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vexento
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Many... too many to list.
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FKJ (French Kiwi Juice)
Dude is incredible, and his Cercle set is breathtaking.
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Papadosio.
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Nightly. But they are getting there.
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Orbit Culture's great if you're a metalhead
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Here's a few sludgy/doomy metal bands I've been listening to a lot lately: Froglord, Squalus, GUHTS, Grayceon, Hippie Death Cult
Also I think he's starting to breach mainstream popularity, but I'd be remiss if I didn't spread the word of Amigo the Devil (dark country/folk, "murderfolk")
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I got into Amigo The Devil almost a decade ago in highschool. I used The Weight in my senior project presentation when it was a recent single.
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Do you know Monolord's music? I really like it.
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Yep definitely! I almost saw them live once with Firebreather, but there was another show the same night with The Sword. We picked The Sword, and I'm glad we did since they've called it quits and Monolord is still around.
We caught Firebreather twice on a recent tour they did, once in NYC (GUHTS, already mentioned opened) and again in SF (Snakemother opened - also worth checking out!).
Still waiting for Monolord to make a return trip to the SF Bay area to fill up my bingo card lol
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The Japanese metal band Galneryus
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Idk if it's mainstream or not, but I really like Winona Fighter. Good angry punk rock.
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De Staat
I can't make sense of the reality that they're not incredibly famous.
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Collective Soul (fairly popular in their heyday, less so now)
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Aesop Rock
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I'm sure some people have heard of them but I didn't see them anywhere in here. So, here ya go!
Low is super slow and very long (at least in the first couple of albums).
Charlie Parr is an amazing country blues singer.
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Khruangbin, MONO, Babe Rainbow, Kikagaku Moyo.
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If Khrungabin aren't well known there is no justice in the universe. They are so good. They headlined a big festival here (one so expensive I didn't go) and did those awesome collaborations with Leon Bridges so I thought they were famous?
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- Jon Hopkins (Electronic)
- Sylvan Esso (pop/electronic)
- Esme Patterson (Rock/Folk)
- Jason Isbell (Country)
- The Watchouse (Formerly Mandolin Orange; Country)
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My kids say I don't have a good grasp of how popular bands are, but I think most of these are popular? I have seen Jason Isbell, Sylvan Esso, and Bleachers in pretty big venues here.
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I was thinking about "mainstream", but that could be interpreted a few ways. I think these are popular bands within their niche genres, but I don't know if I'd call them mainstream. If I'd ask most of my friends about Sylvan esso maybe one out of ten might have heard of them. But if I talk to someone that listens to a lot of electronic music they definitely would know of them. Sorry @OP: I might have misinterpreted your prompt!
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Vincenzo Salvia -
For example: The pineapple pizza slayer https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mc-B6w7GNMw
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Work Drugs.
Cool as hell band who make smooth, summery, indie pop laced with synths and sax.
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I was miffed when, in the early 90s, grunge swooped in and wrecked powerpop's resurgence. MTV had Jellyfish in every corner, and seemingly overnight Nirvana took over.
In the search for harmonies, major key power chords, and jangly, summery guitars (not to mention hummable hooks galore) I had to dig.
The Well Wishers Dressy Bessy The Lolas The Beths The Dahlmanns The Riffbackers
And I know I'm missing so many more feel-good bands...
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Mallory Chipman is wonderful.
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I love the Delgados. They broke up a long time ago and cited being dissatisfied with not obtaining much success. The most exposure they saw was one of their songs being used for an anime opening. Alun Woodward released one pretty neat solo album as "Lord Cut Glass", and Emma Pollack made (is still making?) a few solo albums afterwards that are all pretty good, too. I think their drummer was one of the most unrecognized musicians working in popular music ever. The drums on the Delgados albums go hard.
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On the hip hop side, they're growing in popularity but could be bigger: Coast Contra
One of the modern rap/hip hop groups that really holds up, and they're consistent with the quality
This was the video that got me following their stuff:
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- Jim's Big Ego
- Rockapella
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Dry The River (British, now disbanded)
Turboweekend (Danish, now disbanded)
Dizzy Mizz Lizzy (Danish, re-formed)
The Beths (New Zealand)
Bonus edit: Priestess (Canada, hiatus)
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- Ren (probably counts as British Rap)
- Leoniden ('Indie' Rock band from Germany)
- Jagwar Twin
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Brunettes Shoot Blondes (Ukrainian synth pop).
For obvious reasons they haven't been so active lately.
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Really obscure: I like Ramsay Midwood, Have Gun Will Travel, and Joshua Ray Walker too, so good and a class act as a person.
Somewhat known: I love Ondara, Durand Jones & the Indications and all their associated solo stuff, Charley Crockett, Toro y Moi, Phosphorescent, Josh Ritter, Arlo Parks.
Oh my God how could I forget, they are broken up now but J RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS! They are one of the best live acts I've seen and their records were also great.
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Kaleo
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i like SOJAs reggae beats and listen to them while welding
106 comments