Lesser-known bands that had a massive influence on music
Let’s celebrate the mavericks, the unsung heroes of the music world, who prioritize exploration and pushing boundaries over mainstream recognition. With a dedicated cult following, their impact cannot be denied. These bands drive the music industry forward, fearlessly embracing the unconventional.
Let’s applaud the influential non-mainstream musicians who redefine musical norms and captivate us with their unique sounds. Keep clicking your way through in order to learn more and leave a comment if we left out your favorite!
The Cure
Formed in Crawley, West Sussex, in 1976, The Cure emerged as an English rock ensemble. While experiencing lineup changes over time, the band’s frontman and songwriter, Robert Smith, has remained a constant presence. Initially associated with the post-punk and New Wave movements, their debut album “Three Imaginary Boys” marked their entry into the music scene. However, by the 1980s, The Cure had transitioned into gothic rock.
Their evolution towards a more pop-oriented sound, exemplified by hits like “Friday I’m In Love” and “Just Like Heaven,” propelled them to commercial success and a broader audience.
Television
Known as a band that combined the gritty spirit and unpretentious style of punk with the slick, honed musicianship of more traditional forms of rock, the early ’70s rock band Television had an outsized influence of multiple rock movements despite their relative obscurity.
Their album Marquee Moon a popular critic’s choice for the shortlist of the best albums in rock history and the ethos that they pioneered would take further root in the new wave movement of the ’80s and the garage rock revival of the early 2000s. While there’s obviously intense debate on how fair of a characterization this is, The Strokes have long been accused of ripping Television off.
The Residents
There has never been a band like The Residents and that’s a big part of how they’ve been able to maintain their longevity since their fledging days in Shreveport, Louisiana back in 1969. While it’s true that having the entire band retain anonymity behind their elaborate costumes is a unique idea in and of itself, their unpredictably avant-garde art rock style does a lot to match their aesthetics.
They can be funny, they can be terrifying, or they can make the most abrasive noises they can think of, but they’ve always had others paying attention. Without them, it’s unlikely that the famously “weird” alternative bands of the ’90s like Primus or Ween would even exist.
The Velvet Underground
Although the Velvet Underground is now recognized as a watershed act that influenced and practically invented entire spheres of the rock world, including the entire indie rock umbrella, that reputation took years to develop. When their seminal album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, came out in 1967, most people wouldn’t have even heard of them.
As music legend Brian Eno once put it, the album took five years to sell even 30,000 copies, but “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.” Indeed, any indie, punk, or alternative band who would prove to be anybody in the decades since likely has at least a little Velvet Underground influence.
The Smiths
If you consider yourself a rock connoisseur, you know who The Smiths are and why they deserve a place in the hall of fame. Even though they’re viewed to be an underground band by some music snobs, their mark on music is undeniable. Formed in Manchester in 1982, they grew in popularity and were considered the most important group to come from the 1980s British independent music scene.
The band’s sound comes from their emphasis on the classic rock instruments of guitar, bass, and drums, but are mixed with rock and post-punk tendencies. Although the band dissolved in 1987, their influence remains. They have been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the past but to no avail. Understanding their impact, it’s only a matter of time.
The Doobie Brothers
Forming in San Jose, California, in 1970, The Doobie Brothers commenced their musical journey. Initially led by Tom Johnston as the lead singer, the band underwent a transition in 1975 when Michael McDonald assumed the frontman role until 1982. Eventually, Johnston returned to the group.
Over their remarkable 50-year career, The Doobie Brothers have sold over 40 million albums worldwide, earning a permanent place in the collections of rock enthusiasts. While their peak success occurred in the 1970s, they remain an active band, deserving recognition for their enduring and significant achievements across multiple decades.
Deep Purple
Although everyone knows Deep Purple’s timeless track “Smoke on the Water,” much like UFO, Deep Purple is often lost behind the shadow of other prominent bands in the 1970s. Yet, their contributions to alternative rock and heavy metal are undeniable although they may not always be discussed. Deep purple has a discography of songs that demonstrate their skill and influence that surpass the song that has defined them since it was first released.
On many accounts, Deep Purple has been described as one of the most underrated bands in the history of rock and roll. To this day, people are patiently awaiting the day when they are understood for what they really were.
Rush
Rush is so much more than just that band that Jason Segel and Paul Rudd adored in I Love You, Man. The Canadian rock band formed in 1968 and has wowed fans with their complex compositions and lyricism relating to fantasy and philosophy ever since.
In their early years, their sound was blues-inspired hard rock but well into the ’70s they began experimenting with synthesizers and became heavy weights in the progressive rock genre. Their 1976 album “2112” is one of the best examples of this.
The Kinks
How one regards the influence of The Kinks tends to depend a little on where they live. If they’re in the UK, the idea of The Kinks as an unappreciated, underrated, or lesser-discussed band would be ridiculous. They were big stars there and albums like The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society are rightly regarded as influential classics.
That said, an unfortunate inability to secure passage to the United States during the British Invasion of the ’60s has made The Kinks more obscure stateside when compared to contemporaries like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or The Who. While the band has exhibited a clear influence on that region’s music as well, it’s tended to be within the indie world.
My Bloody Valentine
While it would be the basis of an entire subgenre called shoegaze (named for the complex array of guitar pedals involved), the work of Irish band My Bloody Valentine would be hard to explain to anyone outside of that arena or elsewhere in alternative spaces.
Sometimes described as the sound of two bands playing underwater or the results of a jet engine making music, shoegaze is about building an overwhelmingly dense soundscape that managed to take all of its busy chaos and somehow sound peaceful. That effect was helped by lowly-mixed vocals with lyrics that were likely unclear even to the person singing them, as main songwriter Kevin Shields tended to sing them first over the phone to lead singer Bilinda Butcher and used whatever they sounded like to her in the final product.
Slint
Slint were a band known for foreboding yet long songs that tended to veer unpredictably between quiet, darkly played sections with monotone, spoken vocals and abrasive passages that vocalists would passionately shout over. Although the band’s initial run only lasted five years and they weren’t exactly household names during time, they nonetheless had a significant influence on multiple genres.
The dense, contemplative, long-form, and instrumental-driven genre post-rock owes a debt of gratitude to Slint, as does the cerebral math rock movement that would later flourish in underground spaces. Their final album, Spiderland, can be a tough listen, but it’s also an era-defining classic in disguise.
Motley Crue
Few bands embody the spirit and attitude of rock and roll more than Motley Crue. For instance, bassist Nikki Sixx was pronounced dead from a heroin overdose only to wake up, break out of the hospital, and return to partying. Although we don’t encourage such behavior, that’s very rock and roll. If their persona wasn’t enough, since the band’s inception in Los Angeles, California in 1981, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, with 25 million being sold in the United States alone.
They also have quite the resume of hit songs such as “Dr. Feelgood,” “Kickstart My Heart,” and “Girls, Girls, Girls,” among others. Event though they’ve been inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the same can’t be said for the Rock Hall of Fame.
The New York Dolls
The New York Dolls produced one of the most unique sounds to come out of the ’70s. Formed in 1971, they were one of the first bands to arrive on the punk rock scene alongside the Velvet Underground and the Stooges.
Their self-titled album from 1973 is a cacophony of delightful glitter rock infused with an unmistakable punk sound. David Johansen’s trembling voice helped make the New York Dolls’s sound what it is and helped inspire the punk genre to evolve into something more. You can thank them for bands like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and Guns N’ Roses.
Judas Priest
Forming in West Bromwich in 1969, Judas Priest is a heavy metal band that has frequently been ranked as one of the greatest bands of all time. Surprisingly, at the beginning of their music career, they had issues keeping bandmates, problems with record production, and troubles with overall public recognition. However, after they simplified their sound in 1980 on the album British Steel, everything changed. They finally achieved the success that they were looking for.
Judas Priest became the epitome of heavy metal music. Even their style of studded clothing and flamboyant costumes influenced glam rock in the 1980s. The band has been nominated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but with no success.
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was a grunge band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. The band was comprised of singer and guitarist Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and drummer Matt Cameron. Soundgarden has been credited as being one of the main creators of grunge music and other bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains fell in behind them. Their 1994 album Superunknown debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 and also produced Grammy-winning songs like “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman.”
As of 2012, the band had sold over 25 million records worldwide and was ranked No.14 in VH!’s special 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. Cornell sadly passed away in May 2017.
The Pixies
Coming out of Boston, Massachusettes in 1986, the Pixies are regarded for taking post-punk elements and combining them with pop in a way that no one had heard before. Kurt Cobain was a massive fan and even considers the Pixies to have been one of his greatest influences.
While most people know their hit song “Where is My Mind?” their impact on music goes far beyond that. They have been considered to be the foundation for rock music in the 1990s, paving the way for similar artists such as Dinosaur Jr., Modest Mouth, Pavement, and more.
The Stone Roses
As with The Kinks, the influence of the short-lived but excitingly unique band The Stone Roses is a lot more apparent in the U.K. than it is stateside. They were at the forefront of the dance-oriented rock movement known as Madchester, which took equal inspiration from the nation’s burgeoning rave scene as in the pop-rock of the late ’60s.
This meant that John Squire’s jangly guitar work and lush production sensibilities were indebted to his ’60s forebears, but also that he and his bandmates used that influence to make an in-road for the samples and beats normally characteristic of electronic music in a rock context. That gave The Stone Roses considerable influence on the direction of ’90s rock, especially in the U.K.
The Roots
Although The Roots are a hip-hop act, they arrive at their legendary status in the genre through the unusual route of having lead vocalist Black Thought rap alongside a live band led by drummer ?uestlove. Although they predated the rap-rock bands of the late ’90s and early 2000s, they also approached their style differently, taking inspiration from jazz rather than heavy metal.
Thus, despite their influence primarily being on the alternative rap and jazz-rap scenes (as well as genre-bending figures with a foot in hip-hop like N.E.R.D., the Gym Class Heroes, or Kid Cudi), their tight musicianship and organic sound can at least command grudging respect from the rock world.
The Fall
If revolutionary post-punk figures like Joy Division and The Cure are obscure compared to mainstream rock institutions like Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, then The Fall are obscure compared to them. Although The Fall has proved impressively prolific during the decades they’ve spent together and developed a unique series of styles around the sophisticated but biting wit of lead singer and songwriter Mark E. Smith, their influence has been purely underground.
Still, that influence shouldn’t be dismissed, as future scene leaders in indie spaces like Pavement, The Jesus Lizard, and modern revivalists like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Franz Ferdinand all exhibit clear inspiration from The Fall.
Blue Cheer
Like many bands whose vision puts them ahead of their time, Blue Cheer didn’t enjoy much commercial success even at a time where harder psychedelic rock was increasingly in vogue. As it seemed, their style was just a little too hard-edged for listeners at the time.
However, that would stop being the case when scenes devoted to heavy metal, experimental rock, and grunge started to gain ground in the decades that followed. While their influence on some of these subgenres is more debatable than others, Blue Cheer are nonetheless credited for making rock heavier before even Black Sabbath had the chance.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band that was assembled in 1975 in Leyton, East London. In the 1980s, the group began to achieve commercial success and became known as primary pioneers of new wave British heavy metal. During that time, the band experienced numerous changes in its line-up but went on to release several gold and platinum albums in both the UK and the United States.
In total, the band’s discography has reached 40 albums, with 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, and seven compilations. Unfortunately, the band never had a crossover hit that became popular with groups other than metalheads. This is the only explanation as to why the group is yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hawkwind
Hawkwind is responsible for taking fans on a celestial aural journey with their 1973 live album “Space Ritual.” Just listen to songs like “Born to Go” or “Space is Deep” and you’ll feel like you’ve gone through the whole universe and back again.
Indeed, Hawkwind is known for being one of the earliest space rock bands and not just because of the science fiction theme in their music. They’ve mixed elements of hard rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock into their sound. The 1969 English band is also considered a proto-punk band.
Pat Benatar
Artist Pat Benatar has accomplished more than many of her male counterparts in the rock and roll community. She quickly rose to prominence in 1979 with her debut album In the Heat of the Night and exploded in popularity when she released Crimes of Passion, which had her hit track “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Her popularity continued to soar throughout her career, and she became one of the biggest female singers of her time.
In total, she is a four-time Grammy winner, has two RIAA-certified multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, three gold albums, and 15 Billboard Top 40 singles. Nevertheless, she still hasn’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We wonder why?
Def Leppard
Def Leppard has been around since 1977, and have had the same musician lineup since 1992. The band gained real popularity in the 1980s during the glam rock craze, with one of their tracks “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak” becoming one of the first rock music videos ever shown on MTV. By 1983, songs like “Rock of Ages and “Photograph” were some of the biggest singles in the United States.
During that time, their album Pythons was certified (10x) platinum, making them the most successful band at the moment. Today, Def Leppard has sold over 100 million albums worldwide with Python and Hysteria both receiving RIAA diamond certification. They are one of only five bands with two albums both selling over 210 million copies each, and the other bands are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Rage Against The Machine
Formed in Los Angeles in 1991, Rage Against the Machine is a rap metal band that is known for their politically-charged songs. The group exploded in popularity in 1992 after they released their self-titled album, Rage Against the Machine. In 2003, the album was ranked 368 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time with their 2003 record The Battle of Los Angeles ranked as 426 on the same list.
During the band’s nine years together, they were deemed as innovators of the nu-metal scene and one of the most popular and influential bands of all time by music journalist Collin Devenish.
Joy Division
Considering that every trendy kid in the world owns a Joy Divison t-shirt, you would think that they are popular enough to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yet, that’s not the case. Formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester, the band is credited as being pioneers of the post-punk scene.
Their debut album Unknown Pleasures became a massive success although their success was short-lived when lead singer-songwriter Ian Curtis took his own life in 1980. Two months later, the band put out Order, with the single, “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” which became a worldwide sensation. Today, they are still referenced by many successful musicians of all genres as being one of their primary influences.
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel, fronted by singer-songwriter Jeff Mangum was formed in the 1980s. They are best known for their experimental instrumentation as well as Mangum’s obscure lyrics. Their best-known album is In the Aeroplane Over The Sea, which although it didn’t become commercially successful, is an adored album throughout the music community.
Neutral Milk Hotel’s sound and style have been described as an influence on bands such as Arcade Fire Beruit, Of Montreal, Noah and the Whale, The Decemberists, and more. All took at least one of the band’s attributes and incorporated it into their own.
T. Rex
Formed in 1969, T. Rex (formerly Tyrannosaurus Rex) began as a psychedelic folk band in Britain. Nevertheless, as their sound became more electronic than psychedelic, the group renamed the band T. Rex in 1970. The band’s single hit “Bang a Gong (Get it On)” is the only song that T. Rex is remembered for although they made numerous contributions to music.
However, as much as they were influential musically, they were visual. Bolan’s gender-bending presence is credited with having inspired David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona. Unfortunately, the band’s career was cut short in 1977 after the death of lead singer and songwriter Marc Bolan.
Love
The underground band Love and more specifically, singer Arthur Lee is credited with having one of the most significant impacts on the singer-songwriter movement. Today, the early group is even considered to be one of the first indie music bands and also one of the first multicultural groups. Prominent in the 1960s and ’70s, their West Coast psychedelic sound evolved into a more folk and soulful sound that has resonated with musicians for the last 40 years.
Recognizing his skill, at one point, Arthur Lee, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Steve Winwood were supposed to team up to create a power group. Even current bands such as Belle and Sebastian, MGMT, Yo La Tengo, among others owe much of their style to Love although they may not know it.
R.E.M
Hailing from Athens, Georgia in 1980, R.E.M. was known for their slow and drawn-out music along with frontman Michal Stipe’s mumbling vocals and lyrics. While the band never received critical acclaim, they are credited with preparing the public for upcoming bands such as Nirvana and Pavement.
The band was mildly successful, but more importantly, they took the fall for future bands to come by experimenting and normalizing their style of music. In addition, they were one of the first bands in the genre to speak out on social issues such as human rights, gun control, and feminism.
Daniel Johnston
Daniel Johnston has been plagued by mental illness since his music was first discovered in the early 1980s. Depending on who you talk to, he is described as either being a genius or downright crazy. Although he caught the attention of MTV, it became clear that he was never meant for fame or to be a celebrity.
However, he gained a cult following after Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt for Johnston’s 1983 album Hi, How Are You. His simplistic lyrics and instrumentals matched with dark undertones have been influential for numerous of his singer-songwriter predecessors.
Thin Lizzy
While “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak” stand out as Thin Lizzy’s most renowned hits, their contributions to the hard rock scene extend far beyond those tracks. The band’s distinctive blend of restrained drumming and slack-key guitar style helped solidify their place in music history.
Over the years, Thin Lizzy boasted a lineup of talented guitarists including Gary Moore, Eric Bell, and John Sykes. However, none could surpass the brilliance of Phil Lynott, the band’s iconic frontman who sadly passed away in 1986.
Syd Barrett
Although Syd Barrett was once a member of Pink Floyd, one of the most influential bands of all time, he had been replaced as a member long before the Pink Floyd became famous, However, he is credited with shaping the band’s early psychedelic sound and style up until 1968 when he began to lose himself to mental illness.
Although he never returned to the center stage, he is acknowledged as one of the major pioneers of psychedelic folk and space rock. Unfortunately, he was left behind as Pink Floyd grew in popularity although it’s evident that much of the band owes their success to the early work of Syd Barrett.
MF Doom
Rapper MF Doom began his hip-hop career in the 1980s and made it known that he was different from everyone else. Going by the stage name “super villain,” he has not performed without his mask onstage and is known for his rough lyrical style and play on words. The majority of eccentric rappers will say that MF Doom was one of their biggest influences, considering that he was one of the first rappers to step out of traditional rapping and do his own thing.
His three records Madvillainy, King Geedorah, and Viktor Vaughn are considered to be three of the most unique records in hip-hop history to this day. Young rappers recognized this and then tried to emulate it.
The Replacements
It has been said that you don’t truly listen to indie music if you’ve never heard to The Replacements. Rolling Stone has even described them as “the greatest band that never was.” On the other hand, they call themselves, “the hardest-drinking band in showbiz.”
Known for their rock and roll antics, they set the bar for many of the indie bands to follow in their footsteps both sonically and behaviorally. During the 1980s, they sang out against the blue-collar 9 to 5 lifestyle and the music industry in general. Their loud and musical style, as well as their rambunctious behavior, laid a foundation for future bands to come.
Kraftwerk
When it comes to electronic music, Kraftwerk is the godfather of the genre, much like Ozzy Osbourne is the godfather of heavy metal. Formed in 1970 in Germany, die-hard fans consider the band to be one of the most influential groups ever, making strides in genres such as ambient, techno, industrial, acid house, and disco.
One evident influence that Kraftwerk had is on the legendary group Daft Punk who adopted the group’s part-man, part-robot style. They were a massive inspiration to the DJs during their time, and showed the possibilities of electronic music and the sounds that could be made using such technology. In essence, almost all DJs today can trace their roots back to Kraftwerk.
Radiohead
Although the band was formed in 1985, they began to receive attention when they released their debut single “Creep” in 1992. The track rocketed the group into global stardom and put them in a good position to release their future music.
Their third album, OK Computer has been described as the staple album of the 1990s and even as one of the greatest albums in popular music. By 2011, the band had sold over 30 million records worldwide and appeared on lists for best music of the 1990s and 2000s, Rolling Stone’s Greatest Artists of All Time, and more.
Roky Erikson
Roky Erickson began his music career in the 1960s when he became a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators, the band that coined the term ‘psychedelic rock.’ While most people usually look to Pink Floyd or The Grateful Dead as the originators of psychedelic rock, it was really Erikson was at the front and center of the movement.
Unfortunately, he was plagued with mental illness which led to setbacks in his music career and people forgetting about his contributions to music. However, those who know what he did for music call him not just a founding father of the 13th Floor Elevators, but psychedelic rock.
Roxy Music
In 1970, singer and songwriter Brian Ferry and bassist Graham Simpson came together to create Roxy Music. They were known for their sophisticated sound with a blend of synths, guitar, violins, and more. It was this complex and unique sound that helped to inspire New Wave bands such as the Cars, Duran Duran, the Smiths, and more.
Today, bands that have been influenced by the groups previously mentioned also point to Roxy Music as a significant contributor to the genre and note their importance. Described as ‘romantic pop,’ their music is credited with starting the New Wave movement although they aren’t nearly as discussed as some of their predecessors.
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues formed in 1964 out of Birmingham and became known for playing classic rhythm and blues music. While the band went through several member changes, the classic era of The Moody Blues includes Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, Justin Hayward, and John Lodge.
In their 1967 album Days of Future Passed, they fused rock with classical music and established themselves as pioneers in the genres of art and progressive rock. They’ve inspired more popular bands in those genres such as Yes, Genesis, and Deep Purple.
Pavement
Coming out of Stockton, California, Pavement is an American rock band that formed in 1989. The band originally had no intentions of becoming famous, but after they gained underground attention, they began to focus on their sound and really put added effort into their music. The group had a ten-year career where they released five full-length albums and nine EPs.
Their hit song “Cut Your Hair” caught the attention of the public and established them as a legitimate indie rock group. Although they passed up major record labels to stick with independent ones, they’re now considered one of the most influential bands to come out of the underground in the 1990s. Many indie rock groups today can trace their roots back to Pavement who played a huge role in the development of the genre.
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth has been praised for having “redefined what a rock guitar can do” with their creative usage of guitars. Formed in 1981 by Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo, Sonic Youth is known for their alternative tuning and for preparing their guitars with objects such as drumsticks and screwdrivers.
It’s no surprise that they’re one of the most prominent “noise rock” groups of their time. They started out in the “no wave” art and music scene before becoming a conventional rock band. They’re broken up today but least they’ve given us hits like “Kool Thing” and “Teenage Riot.”
Can
If you’ve never heard of Can then you’re seriously missing out. The German experimental rock band formed in 1968 out of Cologne. Their sound played with elements of the avant-garde and jazz, and fused it with psychedelic rock and funk. While “Spoon” and “I Want More” are undeniably their best hits, more of their music deserves a listen.
Can is considered pioneers of the krautrock scene, experimental German rock that blended psychedelic rock with electronic music and they’ve gone on to influence the post-punk and new wave scenes. David Bowie and the Red Hot Chili Peppers cited Can as influences.
Sonic Youth
Regarded by many as this generation’s Velvet Underground is Sonic Youth. Based in New York City, Sonic Youth began playing together in 1981. Early on, the band established itself as a noise rock group, using unusual guitar tunings and distortions to give the rock guitar a whole new sound and use. Numerous music critics and fans believe they were one of the major players in the development of the alternative and indie rock movements that we see today.
Their influence is obvious on today’s countless indie rock bands who owe their identity to Sonic Youth. Although the band may have never reached the success and heights of others, their contribution to the progression of rock music is undeniable and will continue to have an impact as time goes on.
Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio or simply, “Dio” is remembered for his “raging compassion for the lost rock & roll children in his audience.” During his 50-year career, he was a heavy metal singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the frontman and founder for numerous groups including Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Elf, Dio, and Heaven & Hell. Known for his medieval lyricism and imagery, he is also credited with starting the rock “devil horns” hand gesture.
Over the course of his career, he was awarded the “Rock Guru Award,” “Rock Honour,” “Best Metal Singer,” and more. Although he passed away in 2010, Dio himself is yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, he has been inducted into several others.
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
Between 1964 and 1982, Don Glen Vliet, known as Captain Beefheart recorded 13 albums with his rotating ensemble known as the Magic Band. During his career, he achieved very little commercial success, yet created a cult following who describe him as “highly significant” and influential on genres including New Wave, punk, and experimental rock all around.
Since Beefheart didn’t actually care what anyone thought about his music, it allowed him to experiment with music and sounds that other artists had been too afraid to do before. This encouraged other experimental artists to follow in his footsteps which helped progress numerous genres.
King Crimson
Since their formation in 1968, English rock band King Crimson has embarked on a remarkable journey of progress and adaptation. Their profound influence on the early 1970s rock movement endures today, as they continuously evolve with the times.
They have been credited with shaping the New Wave scene and pioneering Math Rock in the 1980s. With 21 musicians contributing to their legacy, their impact spans numerous genres. Surprisingly, they have yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Guided By Voices
Forming in Daytona in the early 1980s, Guided by Voices drew their inspiration from garage rock, psychedelic rock, post-punk, and more. The bands lo-fi sound attracted an underground audience, however, what set them apart was that they used Portastudio four-tracks-to-cassette production methods.
Even after they gained some popularity, they released music on tapes, regardless of what the record label urged them to do. By doing this, it inspired other musicians to stick to the old ways and maybe consider using different forms of techniques to produce their music. These older techniques can be seen in musicians such as Jack White among others.
