...seemingly can't quite make it!
I put forward Sundara Karma.
Seen them several times at festivals and their own gigs - they're great live and they've done three (IMO) right good albums (last one probably the weekest). And very radio friendly.
I only started this thread as I've just seen an email that they are playing the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham. They normally play the much bigger Rock City next door - the Rescue Rooms is like being put upstairs in the private function room of a pub rather than playing the main stage in the bar!
Baffling when a couple of their songs have got 50 million ish listens on Spotify alone.
Everything Everything spring to mind. Radio friendly and they do get airtime, and even heard their stuff on TV soundtracks occasionally 4-5 really well received albums. Nominated for loads of awards from BBC new sounds to Ivor Novello and Q, but never seem to make that last breakthrough to proper Star status.
Foster the People had a blinder of a single that I thought would be the "chooon of the summer" a few years back but for some reason they didn't really take off.
Always a shame that The Seahorses only brought out one album
A Certain Ratio
c1990 UK metal obscurity: No Sweat, Jagged Edge.
Ivor Bigun and the red-nosed burglars
The Chameleons.
Mainstream as in become pop? MGMT suggestion up there, but they have a pretty big following in their own right. 180m views on 'Kids' and still play large venues.
There was a big era of landfill indie that went massively mainstream: The Zutons, Jack Penate, Pigeon Detectives, etc.
I have a distinct feeling that the current trend for spoken word type (Wet Leg, and others), who I'm a fan of btw will meet a similar fate in a few years..
IIRC it turned out that MGMT were not that interested in developing their music along the lines of Kids and Time to Pretend so their chances of mainstream success faded away after the hits they had off their first album.
Alabama 3 always felt a bit too weird for the big time, some of the times I've seen them live have been brilliant but the gleefully fake Southern preacher stuff and their genre blending music never really seemed like it'd easily land with a mainstream audience.
I'm not sure I'd be able to pick out a band I like who I expected to do better than they have. I like some big and successful bands, some with mid-sized success and some that are probably moderately obscure, but few of them ever seem to see increase their level of mainstream success following the point I get into them, so by now I've given up ever expecting any of them to do so!
Sinead O'Connor was basically cancelled before she got going - should have been absolutely massive, not just known for one song.
House of Love should have been one of the biggest indie bands from the pre-britpop era but blew it due to internal wranglings and record company inertia
Killing Joke should have been much bigger than they were considering how many huge bands cited them as their inspiration - Nirvana,Metallica,NIN,Soundgarden, Faith No More etc etc
Always a shame that The Seahorses only brought out one album
Wait. What?
CUD
The Alice Band
Eveything Everything are a pretty successful band. Plus have the very satisfying lyrics of ‘stole the face that you wear from a craven baboon’…
I bought the first single from Komakino called ‘Say Something Else’, saw them at a very small but great gig in Liverpool, confidently predicted they would be the next big thing, they then disappeared completely.
Another great band was Pete and the Pirates. Lead singer and guitarist now fronting the much more successful and equally great Teleman.
Trouble is I don't know what mainstream is other than Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.
I didn't think Nadine Shah would be mainstream but thought Self Esteem and CMAT would be. Turns out my kids hadn't heard of any of them.
Metallica
I hope they make it big one day
Mainstream is probably the wrong word - I'm thinking of artists who could easily fill a stadium time and again over several tours.
Plenty of rock bands that no-ones every heard of can!
I'd certainly never be an A&R man though - I saw Sam Fender in a side tent at a local festival. Thought he was alright in the usual singer-songwriter mould. Never had him down as playing Glasto Pyramid stage and stadium filler artist! 🙂
Sam Fender is probably a bit more interesting than some but that bunch of generic singer songwriter blokes like Sam Smith George Ezra ginger bloke in Game of Thrones - Ed Sheeran - literally can’t tell the difference between them the music is so bland - but they’re all massive. People mostly like easy listening shite.
Sam Smith George Ezra ginger bloke in Game of Thrones – Ed Sheeran – literally can’t tell the difference between them
I mean, neither is my bag, but if you can't tell the difference between a Sam Smith track and and Ed Sheeran track you need your ears syringed.
People mostly like easy listening shite
Except the music snobs, obviously
People mostly like easy listening shite
Except the music snobs, obviously
Yeah, but that's the same as it always was. People love to look back on the 70s and think everybody was listening to Zeppelin or Bowie when in reality your average household LP collection was full of Max Bygraves and The Carpenters.
Among all the nostalgic recognition of Ken Dodd’s comic genius following his recent death, it is too easy to overlook the fact that he was also a successful pop singer with no fewer than 18 Top 40 hits to his name, four of which made it into the Top 10. His 1965 release Tears was the third highest-selling single in the UK across the entire 1960s.
You might want to read that again, slowly. In a decade that produced countless hits for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard and many more, Ken Dodd’s track outsold them all – except for two songs by The Beatles: She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand, both released in 1963.
Been a few bands who i thought were successful, but never really got to the level some of their peers have despite the talent, The Coral being one...
Ok I was exaggerating. Except for the bit where they’re all shite.
And yes I’m a music snob!
Years ago I went to a coheadliner tour and it was so obvious to me that Terris were going to be the next big deal, nothing could possibly stop them from being huge. They managed a number 41 single then lasted just long enough to put out a shit album.
The coheadliners on the other hand were obviously doomed and might as well just give up. Coldplay, their name was.
TBH most of my music is horrible and unlistenable so I'm usually the other way round, I'm shocked when they break out. Like, if you'd told me when I was watching Biffy Clyro at king tuts that they'd end up headlining festivals I'd have laughed (I did tip them to be pretty big, but that's all relative, I thought they might just about manage to sell out the barrowlands some day) Or the singer from Million Dead doing folk songs.
!!! (aka. chk chk chk) Absolutely phenomenal live band. Charismatic front man (got his cock out first time we saw them! not that that's a measure of greatness 😂 ) Some really weird tracks and some very poppy, funky tracks. I see them every time I get the chance, but the venues they play have got smaller and smaller.
A. Human - saw them supporting a few bands 15odd years ago, really great sound, great songs and one of the most interesting front men we'd ever seen. They just faded away after their first album (Third Hand Prophesy) and I think the front man is now a woman.
Killing Joke? were more like an unexpected mainstram hit to me! So dark and weird - Love Like Blood and Eighties were huge hits. Totally unexpected for one of the weirder post-punk bands.
I'm a big fan of The Backseat Lovers and cannot understand why they are still playing student union sized venues.
The Wonder stuff. "Once upon a time we could have been a stadium band, you know that right" said Miles at the last show before they split...he was correct
In complete reverse but I still remember hearing Mariah Carey’s first album and telling whoever it was had inflicted it on me that she would never amount to anything singing such unlistenable warbling, then later on hearing the first single by the Spice Girls and confidently predicting a one, or preferably zero hit wonder.
I was as wrong as it is possible to be both times.
Always a shame that The Seahorses only brought out one album
It would always be a problem for them, trying to build a career imitating the far superior Shirehorses.
Clutch
Skindred/Dub War
Aesop Rock
although successful in their own rights.
Probably mainstream as they have had a number 1 album for a week - but I would go with the Lottery Winners. Have been to see them a lot, live they are absolutely awesome.
Also Jamie Webster. I love his music, seen him once and going again soon. I can kind of see why his music doesn't appeal to everyone, kind of a northern Billy Bragg.
Rianne Downey, quite young but a great talent. Watching her and the Lottery Winners support Deacon Blue at Liverpool Waterfront in the summer.
Elbow I always thought were going to be massive, in the Muse sense of massive (I'm a HUGE Muse fan so be nice!!). But they never did quite make it.
Six By Seven
......And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
The Music
CUD
there's a blast form the past. they didn't even breakout of the late eighties indie scene, when many of their cohorts were getting in the charts. many a sweaty teenage nigh out in the mosh pit at their gigs
for me, i'm always surprised Frank Turner hasn't had wider crossover success, all be it his last album was no 1 - i'm guessing driven by the loyal small army of fans and lots of pre-sale push. something for everyone one in his music - from punk to folk - consistently amazing live and a very talented songwriter. i mean he even opened the 2012 Olympics and has warmed up for the likes of green day and springsteen, however whenever i mention his music to people who have similar tastes to me they never seem to be aware of him, despite being 10 albums in
!!!. I see them every time I get the chance, but the venues they play have got smaller and smaller.
Fantastic live and look unembarrassed to be in smaller venues and just happy to be doing it. (Pretty much my "career" trajectory...) But yeah inexplicably neglected
Ben & Jason anybody? Anybody?? Just me then...
Skindred are a pretty good example though, they're probably massive considering the music. Benji said his hope was just that they'd have as good a run as Dub War, then they ended up on Conan O'Brian and stuff like that, number 2 in the album chart, headlining Wembley Arena and stuff like that.
Guided by voices
Not really hear much by them, but liked what I have heard.
BUT nominated here because I've read they are on their FORTIETH album. The deserve more success, but clearly don't need it.
BUT nominated here because I’ve read they are on their FORTIETH album. The deserve more success, but clearly don’t need it.
Bob Pollard is a prolific writer. Whether or not it's all worth putting on a record is open to opinion. I like a lot of GBV, but I think one release a year with the best tunes would be better than three releases a year with a lot of average tunes. YMMV.
This is a cracking tune though.
Edited for stupidity.
I’ve got 1 of those 40. Quite understandable that they haven’t hit the big time, but its no bad thing.
I think the Gaslight Anthem could legitimately be bigger than they are.
then they ended up on Conan O’Brian and stuff like that, number 2 in the album chart, headlining Wembley Arena and stuff like that.
Honestly did not know that but it makes me happy to read it. Fantastic live band and always thought Dub War were way ahead of their time. Skindred’s last album is great, not a bad track on it and just plain fun.
We Were Promised Jetpacks - Some cracking tracks and brilliant live. Thought they might get nearer the Biffy level of success
Screaming Trees are another one who, after Dust, I thought would be massive. The fact that the members hated each other and Mark Lanegan was one of them put paid to that. Still think it is one of the best albums of the 90’s.
I’m amazed Joe Cocker never made it big. He’s not released an album in a couple of years; I’m sure next one will see him go mainstream and he’ll be on Graham Norton.
"The Wonder stuff. “Once upon a time we could have been a stadium band, you know that right”"
I saw them headline a stadium! admittedly it was Bescott Stadium in Walsall but still......
CUD - blimey there is a band that I'd totally forgotten existed. Wanders off to put his Rich and Strange CD on.....
Frightened Rabbit
The Woodpile got played on Radio 1 when it came out and I thought they would blow up then but it just never happened.
If I ever mention them to anyone they haven't heard of them. At their gigs though it was like every single person was their biggest fan and knew all the lyrics. I remember once they finished with The Loneliness and The Scream and left the stage with everyone singing the "Oooooh ooooh" bit and everyone kept singing for a good couple of minutes before the came back for the encore!
Frightened Rabbit were fantastic. I think the singers mental struggles that sadly led to his suicide will have played a part.
Weird seeing CUD mentioned, only the other day I was surprised to see they are playing a gig near Birmingham in the summer.
I had a CUD single as a teen, didn't the drummer change career into a movie reviewer?
Big fan of ...trail of the dead too.
Pre 'Place your hands' fame Reef was my first ever gig at Derby Assembly Rooms, supporting was Cable who all came out in Halfords overalls and were really really good, in a these guys will do well kind of way. 2rd support was Travis who pretty much got boo'd off then for being dull as dish water.
Current bets are on Cardiff band Half Happy for 6 Music level game at least.
scratchFree Member
I had a CUD single as a teen, didn’t the drummer change career into a movie reviewer
no idea, but for several years in the late 80’s / early 90’s “and I bumped into the drummer from CUD” was a euphemism in NME for getting truly smashed on a night out. I once had a post gig session with the band, and I can testify the drummer did indeed challenge my resolution to pushing the envelope
House of Love should have been one of the biggest indie bands from the pre-britpop era but blew it due to internal wranglings and record company inertia
Yes, they were so good. Shame they got derailed. Their stuff holds up so well still.
I'd put Felt in the same bracket, made some incredibly good songs but Lawrence was obviously a difficult character.
And in a similar vein to them, there was a US band called Beulah who made one of the best indie pop albums I've ever heard - but it never really got any traction.
Check it out:
Killing Joke? were more like an unexpected mainstram hit to me! So dark and weird – Love Like Blood and Eighties were huge hits. Totally unexpected for one of the weirder post-punk bands.
But in terms of 'mainstream' that's pretty much it. Outside of those hits, how many non Killing Joke fans could name another track?
Another band that hit mainstream too briefly for me are Garbage. They've done some amazing stuff but always seem to fly under the radar.
"Their stuff holds up so well still"
It does, except I did notice that when streaming Shine On the other day they had changed the lyric 'so young, just 16' on my original CD to 'just 18!'
Felt were pretty good and I have most of their stuff on vinyl but to me they lacked focus and didn't really have a signature sound to define them above the many other similar bands around at the time.
Its like Kitchens of Distinction and Ultra Vivid Scene - they were good but ultimately JAMC took the crown and rightly so because they were that bit more focused.
It does, except I did notice that when streaming Shine On the other day they had changed the lyric ‘so young, just 16’ on my original CD to ‘just 18!’
Oh dear, heading off a visit from the Yewtree squad perhaps?
Christine and Destroy the Heart sound even better now than they did at the time, to me.
Yes, you're right about Felt's lack of focus. A bit like one of my personal favourites, The Jazz Butcher (RIP). In an alternate universe his "Angels" would be the one everyone knows.
The Struts.
Massive in the USA, still playing small gigs when they come back to the UK where they are from (Bristol, Wales, and a bit of Nottingham IIRC). Criminally underplayed.
OTOH, every time I see them I'm kinda glad, because I much prefer small venues to massive ones, so a selfish/guilty pleasure.
Cancer Bats. Bloody great band, never understood why they never got bigger.
@sadexpunk As tremendous as Trail of Dead were, they were never going to go mainstream.
@funkmasterp Dust is great, isn’t it? Still one I listen to regularly.
Much as though I like GbV they’re another one that was never going to happen. And do you really need more than Mag Earwhig! and Under the Bushes?
Anyone for some GVSB? House Of was great then they sort of petered out.
Oh yes, and Chavez. Chavez were ace and I loved them. But no-one else had ever heard of them.
The Music +1
Harry the Spider
The Chameleons.
This in bucket loads but we are talking the early 80's where there was a lot of stuff around. Still listening to them now.
The Only Ones, much better than a lot of their post-punk/new wave contemporaries but never broke through, gave up disillusioned
Couple of bands I saw back in the 70’s should have come to something, but it never really happened for them, trying to remember what they were called, let me see… oh yeah, Led Zeppelin, and the other was Pink something or other, yeah Pink Floyd. What ever happened to them?
House of Love should have been one of the biggest indie bands from the pre-britpop era but blew it due to internal wranglings and record company inertia
+1, should have taken over the world. I count this as my first 'proper' gig - Newcastle Riverside 1987. Earsplitting volume, strobes almost continuous, sweat dripping off the ceiling.
I'd seen plenty of bands by then but mainly in concert halls (Siouxsie at the RAH) and repurposed sports venues (Depeche Mode, Whitley Bay Ice rink!) as example but from that point on it's been small independent venues for me as much as possible.
My current 'why doesn't everyone like this band?' band are The Bug Club. A few on 6 music play them, and they're slowly moving up the bill on other stages at festivals but IDK why they aren't 'huge' (OK not huge, never going to be a stadium filling band but at least someone most people with interest in music have heard of)
Cud tour pretty regularly, they've currently got a bunch of dates lined up. Got a box in the loft full of their albums and 12"singles. Last band tshirt I bought was... a Cud one. Great gigs back in the day, always went when they were in town, the obligatory stage invasion while the band somehow managed to keep on playing while gradually falling off
Always thought the Wildhearts should have been huge but never quite made it big. The Young Knives were another band I saw a couple of times and really liked but never got the recognition they deserved.
Been wracking my brain for days trying to remember a band from the late 80s that were fairly impressive but sadly never went anywhere. Finally came to me, Rouen. Birmingham band I think, or nearby. The track Young for a day is superb
