What one (or two or three) hit wonders really deserved more than that?

Question

Here's my list of bands that deserved more than the very few hits they had or deserve to be recognized for more than the one or two songs people know:

Count 5, Standells, Devo, Alice Cooper, 13th Floor Elevators, Yardbirds, T.Rex (in America), Syndicate of Sound, the Sonics ("The Witch" and "Psycho" were small hits in some areas), and The Ramones (too many people think they only sung "I Wanna Be Sedated" then died).

But the crown of the arist with the most overlooked material goes to (drumroll)..... The Kinks. Beyond "Lola" and "You Really Got Me" a lot of people hardly know they exist, when in actuality they produced probably the largest body of exceptional work in the genre, as far as I'm concerned. Should have been much bigger than the Stones as they consistently made good music for more years.

So says I, what say you?

Well I know Alice Cooper isn't exactly a nobody, but ask the average person what Alice Cooper sings and they'll tell you "School's Out" for sure, maybe "18" and if you're luck "Billion Dollar Babies". At least around here.

And I'm happy everyone agrees on the Kinks, simply one of THE most classic rock 'n' roll bands ever with a great range. Kinks Kontroversy is indefinitely playing at my house right next to The Slider.

Hmmm, answer #14 seems to be confused about my perspective on the issue. Although I didn't title the question very well. I meant bands that are only known for one song, not necesarily bands that only had one hit.

The bands you listed as not one hit wonders are all in my top 20 favorite bands, I know what they did. Especially the Ramones (my favorite band), but I mean that people who don't know them as well tend to think they did very little.

It's ok huevo, as long as you talk about it and keep the music to yourself my eardrums will be fine.

Otherwise I imagine it would look something like the cover of that Butthole Surfers album, Electriclarryland.

Answer 1

You're spot on with The Kinks...Ray Davies is soooo underrated. "Face to Face" and "The Kinks Kontroversy" are pretty essential albums. "Rosie won't you please come home" is up there with(or possibly better than) anything The Beatles ever did. 13th Floor elevators are just about my favourite band, so I'm with you on that one too. I'll add Blue Cheer to the discussion as I think their only hit was their version of "Summertime Blues". "Vincebus Eruptum" is one of the rawest albums I've ever heard(although it was a product of the producer hearing "Are you Experienced?" just before recording...). Their second album, "Outside Inside" is bloody superb as well

Answer 2

I definitely agree with The Kinks; whenever the question was posed a few days ago on what song would you consider your theme, I should have immediately thought of Low Budget as it is quite appropriate. I also agree that 13th Floor Elevators are another underappreciated group as I enjoy pretty much everything that Roky Erickson has put his hands on .

My contribution to the question is actually a band that I don't have much of a clue about, Wishbone Ash. I'll be honest, I don't know if they actually ever had a hit song. One of the guys I work with introduced them to me and that is the only place I've ever heard of them yet I look at Amazon and it appears they have at least six studio recordings. To me, it shows longetivity without much recognition, and while I don't consider myself an expert in the rock world, I feel that I at least have a fair amount of knowledge. Even amongst the prog rockers here I don't see their name mentioned, yet from what I've heard, I feel they deserve more credit than what they get.

And sorry about bringing up a prog rock band - eardrums are a valuable commodity this day and age.

Edit: Actually, now that I think about it, it's a shame the Butthole Surfers finally got some exposure once they started getting crappy.

Answer 3

Devo, Alice Cooper, yardbirds, T rex, The Ramones, & the Kinks

are not one hit wonders, not by any stretch of the imagination. A one hit wonder isn't a band which "you" only know one song from or even a band which MTV only played one song from. Just because a band isn't idolized by current artists and DJs doesn't make them a one hit wonder.

Oh and your claim about the Ramones is the most ridiculous, the Ramones have long ago become media short hand, because they are the one punk band most people recognize/enjoy. The equivalent of the Beatles being the one rock band older people knew. The Ramones t-shirt long ago became media shorthand for "cool, outsider kid" on at a dozen TV shows.

Answer 4

I think Boston is one except they weren't exactly overlooked. I heard on the radio the other day that they had the record for most sales for a first album. (that was back when it came out though, they don't still have the record)

oh, and there is also Dexxy's Midnight Runner's who are a one-hit wonder. They sang 'come on eileen'

and I completely forgot the Macarena! that has some sort of record. I can't remember what it is though. Anyways, that song and dance swept the nation and is still around. (i had to dance it in middle school PE)

Answer 5

Not sure about the other bands, but didn't Alice Cooper chart pretty well with some of his albums and songs? He's got some Platinum and Gold albums, although I'm not sure about his actual songs being hits.

But the Kinks charted pretty well in the U.K., though not in the USA because of their ban I think.

Answer 6

Yes......definitely The Kinks ........Destroyer, Waterloo Sunset, 20th Century Man, No More Looking Back

Screaming Trees
Bad Brains
Jeff Buckley
Sonic Youth
Cream

Answer 7

Aw man! I was gonna say the Kinks (I'm wild about the Kinks)

I guess Boston, many people don't know much of Boston beyond More Than a Feeling, Don't Look Back and Long Time.
Also, Blue Oyster Cult, people mostly only know Don't Fear the Reaper and Burnin' For You and they have many great albums, but very few people know of them.

Answer 8

I'll fudge a little with your question - Paul McCartney has made some amazingly great pop songs in the last 20 years (since Flowers in the Dirt), very few of which have received wide airplay.

The Cars are much more than their first album, and Todd Rundgren is much more than Hello It's Me and I Saw the Light.

Answer 9

first, i never considered alice cooper or the kinks one hit wonders. the standells are now back together, on occasion, because red sox fans have made their song, dirty water, their theme song. the standells have made many appearances at fenway over the past few years, and sang the national anthem at the opening game of the playoffs this year.
bring back the flying burrito brothers.

Answer 10

The Singing Nun

yeah, that nun who sung the crazy song no one could understand.
she could do a duet with crazy frog and they could sing the peanut butter jelly time song with the dancing baby and the dancing hamster in the background.


seriously, i vote in Nirvana. everyone only knows smells like teen spirit, but they had so many other good songs and records.

and the Tubes. They had a lot of good songs, not just White Punks on Dope.

of course, all the ones you listed already i agree with.