Top 10 Underrated Hard Rock Bands

WatchMojo

Turn up those speakers! Join us as we count down the hard rock bands who deserve way more credit than they get. These guitar-wielding legends brought unforgettable riffs and powerful vocals, but somehow never reached the heights of fame they deserved. Which overlooked rock warriors would make your list?

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the hard rock bands who deserve

00:11way more credit and attention than they actually get.

00:1510. April Wine

00:25What was it that held April Wine back from contending with the rock and roll big dogs of the 1970s?

00:32Well, listening to their music, it's hard to tell.

00:40Their own fame in their home country of Canada was never in doubt,

00:44but perhaps not being based in the U.S. left them a step or two behind the likes of Aerosmith and

00:50Lynyrd Skynyrd. But these guys certainly have a back catalog that can rival some of the greats.

01:03It's riff-heavy, hook-filled, feel-good rock music at its finest. A quick listen to their signature

01:09song, I Like to Rock, will tell you everything you need to know.

01:149. Mountain

01:22Mountain seemed to have it all when they arrived in the scene with their debut album, Climbing.

01:31Many people point to the likes of Black Sabbath when they talk about the birth of heavy metal,

01:36and it's a fair point. But Mountain was also bringing a level of heaviness that sometimes

01:41goes unnoticed. Known as a hugely compelling live act, their 1969 performance at Woodstock

01:55is the stuff of legend. They also managed to write a classic song with Mississippi Queen on

02:01their debut album, which still sounds as fresh as ever. Unfortunately, their prime run lasted

02:13a mere three years, and the band simply couldn't hold it together. Doesn't change a thing about

02:19the quality of the early stuff, though.

02:218. Triumph

02:23Triumph is a band that really reveals themselves more and more to the listener the deeper they dive.

02:37At first, you might hear the chorus of a song like Lay It On The Line and assume that Triumph is yet another

02:43hair metal band. But there's a lot more to these Canadian rockers than meets the eye, or in this case, the ear.

02:50Can't you hear the music? There's something in the air. There's a celebration deep within a song.

02:58There's a complexity to their music that might go unnoticed. In fact, it's not uncommon for people to label

03:04their music as adjacent to prom. Hailed as an exceptional live act, their classic era lasted for

03:16about 18 years before they went on hiatus and stopped recording in the early 1990s.

03:227. Kings X

03:24Considering how interesting and explosive their sound is, Kings X gets a fraction of the credit they deserve.

03:31Over my head, I hear music in the air. Over my head, I hear music.

03:38The killer riffs and powerful vocals the band delivers are one thing, but there are some genuinely

03:43intriguing musical ideas being thrown around by them, too. They were catchy and radio-ready,

03:49but a lot more sophisticated with their melodies than you might expect.

03:52There was a black flag on everything around and I was walking back.

03:59There's clear metal influences here, but this band's sound is also teeming with gospel,

04:05blues, and the music of British rock in the 60s. Somehow, they seem to fly under the radar,

04:11despite being a perfect fit for the times in question.

04:14I just had to let you know that it's love.

04:206. UFO

04:23When people talk about the great guitar riffmasters of the 1970s, they tend to overlook the work done by

04:29Michael Schenker with the band UFO.

04:31The band had some earlier roots in psychedelic rock prior to Schenker's arrival in 1974,

04:45but they really nailed their sound on the following five albums. There was an injection of guitar-driven

04:51glory on those records that has caused many to name UFO as one of the true forgotten sons of hard rock.

05:04Music nerds who are in the know will rave endlessly about this band's prowess,

05:09but for most people, UFO might just end up slipping through the cracks.

05:135. Montrose

05:23While everyone else was trying to be the next Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin,

05:27Montrose found their way with their own sound.

05:30So get on your bad motor scooter and ride!

05:34Led by a young Sammy Hagar before he eventually went solo and joined Van Halen,

05:38Montrose have all of the ingredients of a classic rock band.

05:43Their music is fun, energetic, and punchy.

05:54But unfortunately, like many other bright-burning bands of the era, they couldn't sustain their output.

05:59Hagar left after their second album, and the band itself pretty much collapsed four years after their

06:04debut. Later reunions failed to reignite the spark, but the early stuff still holds up.

06:13So you can't stand around!

06:154. Mott the Hoople

06:18Mott the Hoople was a truly beloved band to those who knew them in the early 70s,

06:23after gaining chart success thanks to the song All the Young Dudes.

06:26They stuck together, despite nearly calling it quits.

06:30These guys were right in the thick of the glam rock movement in the UK at that time.

06:42But when singer Ian Hunter decided to leave in 1974, the band simply couldn't pick up any steam.

06:48Abbreviating their name to Mott didn't provide the spark they needed and they eventually disbanded to

07:01create the spin-off, British Lions. But there is more than enough good material from their best

07:07years to sink your teeth into. That's for sure.

07:173. Slade

07:19Slade has sealed their place in Christmas music canon for all time thanks to their huge selling 1973 hit,

07:26Merry Christmas, Everybody.

07:35In fact, the royalties generated by that song over the last five decades has probably given them

07:40one comfortable financial cushion. But most people just don't realize how much music these

07:45guys had to offer. They were far more than a one hit wonder. They came onto the scene during the rise

07:59of the glam era, finding their groove after years of meandering through a more straightforward sound.

08:04Just give Come On Feel The Noise, famously covered by Quiet Ride a listen and tell us that that's not

08:11an insanely catchy piece of anthemic rock.

08:21Number 2. Blue Oyster Colts

08:24Sure, their biggest hit, Don't Fear The Reaper, has outgrown the band's own reputation.

08:35But there is so much more to unpack when it comes to Blue Oyster Colts' sound and career arc.

08:41They didn't just nail the perfect hit single and give up. No,

08:44they sustained their success with a string of well-received albums after that song dropped.

08:56Sick guitar solos, powerful vocal harmonies, and an unmistakable knack for crafting a memorable hook,

09:03this is a band that gets frequently underrated by the masses. It's not that they only had one hit,

09:10either. But Don't Fear The Reaper defines their legacy far more than it should.

09:16I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.

09:22Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

09:26Dust, powerful early 70s hard rock featuring Marky Ramone.

09:40Kicks, hard-hitting hair metal done right.

09:43Good love is all you need, but you're the one I know.

09:50Sabotage, anthemic heavy metal at its finest.

10:02Axe, interesting hard rock band that had some great output.

10:07Friday night at midnight, we're all gonna get what we need.

10:13Cinderella, classic Philadelphia glam rock from the mid-80s.

10:21That's your fault, but it's all done.

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10:411. Finn Lizzy

10:43Finn Lizzy's sound was completely their own.

10:47Their Celtic rock-infused, dual-guitar shredding was a true breath of fresh air

10:51when they first landed on mainstream radio.

11:00But for as much as songs like The Boys Are Back in Town and Whiskey in the Jar are classics,

11:05they're only the tip of the iceberg. Even with the overdubs, there might not be a better live

11:10album in history than their 1978 release, Live and Dangerous.

11:21Vocalist Phil Lynott sadly passed away at the age of 36, which ended the group for the most part.

11:29But this was a band who were well on their way to the pantheon of greats. Make no mistake.

11:34Work for my daddy-o. Work for my daddy-o.

11:41But what hard-rocking band do you think should be getting more attention than they already do?

11:47Sound off in the comments below.

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