"High Steppin Hip Dressin-Fella (You Got It Together)" by Love Unlimited

Love Unlimited is best known for their one big hit, 1972's "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love," which went to #14. The song features the silky smooth voice of Barry White talking on the phone. White was married to one of the sisters in the group, Glodean James. He also produced, managed, and wrote their material.

"High Steppin Hip Dressin-Fella (You Got It Together)" is not a song of theirs that charted, but it should have! Feisty and funky, it is hard to believe this one didn't have a home in the top 40.

"Fade To Black" by Loverboy

Loverboy was a hot ticket in the 80s. The Canadian rock stars graced the charts with classics like "Turn Me Loose" (#35 in 1981), "Working For The Weekend" (#29 in 1981), and "Hot Girls In Love" (#11 in 1983).

By 1985, radio embraced their meaty guitar hooks and cringe-worthy lyrics, yielding two top 10 hits like "Lovin' Every Minute Of It" (#9) and "This Could Be The Night" (#10). Thanks to its inclusion on the Top Gun soundtrack, "Heaven In Your Eyes" flew to #12 in 1986. The band would squeeze out one more hit in 1987 when "Notorious," co-written with Bon Jovi, reached #38. Lead singer Mike Reno also had a big hit in 1984 with "Almost Paradise," a duet with Heart's Ann Wilson featured in the movie Footloose that went to #7.

Shortly thereafter, as Mike Reno likes to say, Nirvana killed his career. With many other melodic rock bands, Loverboy was kicked to the curb. However, they resurfaced with a comeback album in 2007 called "Just Getting Started." Well, no one cared, but it is actually a really solid pop rock album with some of the most melodic songs the band has ever done. Lyrics still leave a lot to be desired, though. "Fade To Black" is one of the strongest cuts from that album.

"Trees" by Marty Casey & Lovehammers

The Lovehammers are a modern rock band that got started in the mid-90s but couldn't score a major label deal until lead singer Marty Casey became the runner-up on the singing competition show called Rockstar: INXS. Remember this? When the remaining members of INXS held a contest to see who would become their new lead singer? J.D. Fortune won the gig, but it gave Marty Casey and his band great publicity.

In 2006, they released their one and only major label record as a self-titled effort that highlighted Casey's name (other releases are simply by Lovehammers). "Trees" had all the makings of a hit that could sustain the band, but I guess they were barking up the wrong one. The song failed to chart and the band went back to indie releases. Other worthy tracks include "Eyes Can't See" and "The Riddle."

"Star" by Love Nut

Love Nut is a little-known band that should have made it big in the post-grunge era of the mid-90s. These guys specialized in short and sweet pop rock tunes with just the right amount of grit, melody, and attitude.

"Star" comes from the 1996 record, "Bastards Of Melody." Worth tracking down, as is their follow-up, "Baltimucho." Lead singer and songwriter Andy Bopp would move on to front the power pop outfit known as The Myracle Brah and has released solo records, too.

"No New Tale To Tell" by Love and Rockets

The eclectic English band Love and Rockets was a mainstay on 120 Minutes in the 80s and early 90s. Daniel Ash (formerly of Bauhaus) and David J would trade lead vocal duties, and their music ran from straight rock and pop to weird techno and semi-industrial.

Before they crossed over into the mainstream in 1989 with their sexually charged smash, "So Alive," which went to #3, Love and Rockets were racking up fans with classic cuts like "Ball Of Confusion" and this one, "No New Tale To Tell." There is a world of lyrical difference between these tunes. We go from "You cannot go against nature because if you do, going against nature is part of nature, too" to "I feel I'm on top again baby, that's got everything to do with you...oo oo."

Be careful if you watch the video as these guys look like they are recruiting for a cult.

"Real Emotions" by Los Lonely Boys

With bundles of talent, you'd figure Los Lonely Boys would have amounted to more than a one-hit wonder, but their lone chart hit to date was 2004's "Heaven." The song went to #16 and won a Grammy for Pop Vocal Group. No surprise there - this trio of brothers craft amazing harmonies into their songs.

The sizzling tune "Real Emotions" comes from the same 2003 breakthrough album (self-titled). Hard to believe with songs like this and "Tell Me Why" that Los Lonely Boys couldn't maintain chart success.

"Going Nowhere" by Los Bravos

Imported from Spain, Los Bravos were a garage rock band that scored one big hit in the 60s with "Black Is Black," which peaked at #4 in 1966. The brave boys could not match this success, but they had some other great tunes up their sleeves. "Going Nowhere" kind of describes what happened to their music career, as the song only reached #91 (it deserved so much better!). They had one other chart appearance in 1968 when "Bring A Little Lovin'" stalled at #51.

"Smile" by Michael Lord

Michael Lord got his start in the gritty rock band Tattoo Rodeo in the early 90s but released his first (and only) solo record in 2004, entitled "Sway." The record is filled with melodic ballads with sweeping choruses that beg you to sing along.

"Smile" was chosen by Apple to be their iTUNES single of the week, but that didn't help put Michael Lord on the charts. Other highlights from this record include "Come To Me," "Spin," and "What Have You Got To Lose."

Lord has written songs for American Idol contestants and mostly produces work for other artists these days.

"Rainbow Man" by Looking Glass

Looking Glass was a pop rock band with a hint of soul hailing from New Jersey. They scored a #1 smash in 1972 with "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)," a song youngsters will recognize from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. They set a high bar that they were never able to reach again. Largely known today as a one-hit wonder, many people have forgotten their only other charting single, "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne," which peaked at #33 in 1973.

In-between those songs, "Rainbow Man" is a gem that fell through the cracks. This tune should have given Looking Glass a second top 10 in my opinion. The song came from their sophomore (and final) album, "Subway Serenade." They disbanded shortly thereafter.

"Function At The Junction" by Shorty Long

Shorty Long was a talented up and coming R&B singer whose life was tragically cut short in 1969 in a boating accident. He was only 29 years old and just scored a top 10 hit with the terrific "Here Comes The Judge" (#8).

Shorty Long had a few other minor splashes on the chart before his big hit, like "Function At The Junction," co-written with Eddie Holland. This one landed at #97 in 1966 -- why it didn't perform better is a mystery.

"Shelter" by Lone Justice

Lone Justice was a rock act from California with enough of a country vibe that you might have guessed they were from the Midwest. Led by the striking vocalist Maria McKee, the band almost scored a top 40 hit with "Shelter," which stalled at #47 in 1987. Many thought (hoped) this radio-friendly song would break the band -- in a sense, it did.

Prior to "Shelter," the band landed two additional chart appearances in 1985: "Ways To Be Wicked" hit #71 and "Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)" hit #73. The band split up in 1986 and McKee pursued a solo career.

"How About Now" by Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins is best known as king of 80s film soundtracks. They helped earn him a #1 hit for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Footloose," but also gave him "I'm Alright" (#7, theme from Caddyshack), "I'm Free" (#22, another one from Footloose), "Danger Zone" (#2) and "Playing With The Boys" (#60, both from Top Gun), "Double Or Nothing" (a duet with Gladys Knight from Rocky IV), "Meet Me Half Way" (#11, from Over The Top), and "Nobody's Fool" (#8, from Caddyshack II). Loggins would have one more soundtrack hit in 1997 from the movie One Fine Day with "For The First Time," which reached #60, was nominated for an Oscar, and became his last chart appearance to date.

But films are not the only reason why Loggins is ranked the 30th most successful artist of the 80s. Loggins has an amazing voice with stunning range. He is a diverse singer/songwriter, writing songs for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (including "House At Pooh Corner," #53 in 1971) and earning more chart achievements as Loggins and Messina in the early 70s. Through the years, Loggins has done everything from rock, pop, adult contemporary, blue-eyed soul, country, children's music, holiday music, and more. Several of his songs were written for his children.

After going solo, he made a habit of working with lots of different people. His first big solo hit was actually a duet with Stevie Nicks: "Whenever I Call You Friend," co-written with Melissa Manchester, hit #5 in 1978. His longtime collaborator, Michael McDonald, co-wrote the song "This Is It," which went to #11 and earned Loggins a Grammy for Pop Male Vocal. Eddie Money contributed backing vocals on "I'm Alright" and Mickey Thomas did so for his 1988 ballad, "I'm Gonna Miss You," which stalled at #82. Richard Marx and Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket) co-wrote and sang tunes on his 2003 release, "It's About Time." Finally, there is the famous anthem "Don't Fight It," his 1982 duet with Journey's Steve Perry, which hit #17.

With his 13th album in 2007, Loggins seemed poised for a comeback. The title track to this excellent record, "How About Now" should have restored his presence on the charts, but it fell on deaf ears. Maybe if it were featured on a soundtrack...

"Growin'" by Loggins & Messina

Before Kenny Loggins became an undisputed superstar and soundtrack king, he struck gold as a duo with the great Jim Messina. Messina has also been in other bands, including Buffalo Springfield and Poco.

Loggins and Messina's first big hit was the classic, "Your Mama Don't Dance," which soared to #4 in 1972. They would not achieve another top 10 hit, but scored top 20 hits with "Thinking Of You" (#18) and "My Music" (#16).

Before dissolving in 1975, the boys made several albums mixing country, folk, and rock jams. Kenny started exploring his softer acoustic side with classics everyone knows and loves like "Danny's Song," "House At Pooh Corner," and "A Love Song." Surprisingly, none of these well-known favorites made an appearance on the charts.

"Growin'" stalled on the charts at #52 in 1975, taken from their album "Mother Lode." It deserved better and could have breathed new life into the duo, but then again that might have stopped Kenny from embarking on his impressive solo career.

"Radio Heart" by Crosby Loggins

Crosby Loggins is the product of the union between 80s soundtrack hero Kenny Loggins and his first wife, Eva Ein. I'm guessing he was named after David Crosby and not Bing Crosby.

It seems inevitable if you are the progeny of a superstar like Kenny Loggins that you might try your hand (voice) at singing, and Crosby is no slouch in this department. What is more surprising is that he's only released a single record, 2009's "Time To Move." Don't be fooled by the title, this isn't dance music, but a mix of mid-tempo rockers and soft ballads -- nothing that goes into the "Danger Zone." One of the standouts to my ears is "Radio Heart."

"I Control The Sun" by Lisa Loeb

90s darling Lisa Loeb exploded onto the musical scene in 1994 with her breakout smash, "Stay (I Missed You)," a beautiful and timeless acoustic ballad featured in the hit movie Reality Bites. The song found its way into the film because Ethan Hawke lived in the apartment across from Loeb (Hawke also directed the music video).

"Stay" stayed at the #1 position for three weeks, making Loeb the first artist to top the chart before having a record deal.

Despite the song's success, Loeb had difficulty maintaining her momentum. Two other wonderful singles broke into the top 20: "Do You Sleep?" hit #18 in 1995 and "I Do" hit #17 in 1997. I wished she had more staying power; this talented singer/songwriter with the sweet and sincere voice faded into obscurity. Loeb continued to make records, though, including a series of albums for children. She also did some voice-over work and acting. 

"I Control The Sun" is a terrific tune that comes from her underrated 2004 effort entitled, "The Way It Really Is." Also be sure to check out her excellent 2013 "comeback" that wasn't a comeback record, "No Fairy Tale."

Fun trivia: While in college, Loeb's first band had Duncan Sheik on guitar, who would also score a top 40 hit later on ("Barely Breathing," #16 in 1996).

"My Only Drug" by Taylor Locke & The Roughs

Taylor Locke is the guitarist from the power pop band Rooney, but he does his own power pop thing, too. Inspired by classic bands like the Beatles and Badfinger, Locke strives for melody and harmony. He's recently (2015) made a true solo album, but in 2010 he released two records with a band he called The Roughs.

"My Only Drug" is a featured track from their second release, "Marathon."

"A Simple Man" by Lobo

70s soft rockers Lobo had more chart success than most people probably remember. They started big with a #5 classic in 1971 called "Me And You And A Dog Named Boo" from their debut record. Their sophomore record got off to a sleepy start when "A Simple Man" stalled at #56 - it totally deserved better! This song should have been huge!

No worries, because the band sprang back with their next single, "I'd Love You To Want Me." This song went to #2 for 2 weeks and was followed by another hit, the #8 ballad "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend." Lobo would go on to score 5 more top 40 hits before their last chart appearance in 1979 when "Holdin' On For Dear Love" reached #75.

"Radio" by Lloyd Dobler Effect

Aside from having a very cool name, this indie pop rock band from Maryland didn't get their due. "Radio" is just one of many strong cuts from their 2008 record, "Candles." Too bad they couldn't capture greater attention as I think they could have lit up the charts.

"Love Rears Its Ugly Head" by Living Colour

Living Colour is known largely as a one-hit wonder for their stereotype-busting smash, "Cult Of Personality," which topped out at #13 in 1989 and won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. The band failed to sustain this success, although did score one additional top 40 hit with the catchy "Glamour Boys," which featured Mick Jagger on backing vocals and hit #31.

"Love Rears Its Ugly Hit" is a brilliant tune from their sophomore record, 1990's "Time's Up." Why this song didn't burn up the charts is beyond me. After the lackluster performance of "Time's Up," this groundbreaking and talented band dropped off the radar.

"The Beauty Of Gray" by Live

Bands like Live helped define the gritty yet melodic sound that characterized much of the 90s. Live's first chart appearance came in 1994 when their sophomore release, "Throwing Copper," shot onto the scene. "Selling The Drama" did quite well, peaking at #43, but it was the ferocious intensity and mesmerizing video of "I Alone" that really started grabbing people's attention. "I Alone" reached #38.

Then the band released a slow-burning ballad that broke through to the mainstream. Bolting to #12, "Lightning Crashes" became their biggest chart hit, and is probably the only top 100 song that contains the word "placenta". While "All Over You" and "White, Discussion" charted at #33 and #71, respectively, this record should have been mined for other strong cuts like "Waitress" and "Top."

The band's ambitious and pretentious follow-up record, "Secret Samadhi," saw them sustaining success for a bit longer, but overall it was not as well-received. Perhaps if they led with the stunning ballad "Turn My Head," which stalled at #45 as a third single, instead of the goofy "Lakini's Juice" (which hit #35 - better than it deserved) and banal "Freaks" (which hit #73).

The band's final chart appearance was "Heaven," which hit #59 in 2003. A good run for a 90s band. The lead singer (Ed Kowalczyk) put out some solo efforts and the boys continue to release music as a band to this day.

"The Beauty Of Gray" goes back to the band's lesser known debut album, "Mental Jewelry," which is brilliant. They were still young kids at this point, which makes the record all the more notable. The band's hunger and energy was most palpable on this record, and the lyrics were strong without being bizarre. Case in point is this song about the dangers of polarization.

"So Many Paths" by Little River Band

Australian soft rockers who went by the name of Little River Band set the charts on fire in the late 70s and early 80s. The band scored six huge top 10 hits during that time, the most successful going to #3 ("Reminiscing").

The band's stylings weren't suited to the emerging techno pop sounds of the 80s and they faded away after "Playing To Win" stalled at #60 in 1985.

During their hot streak, a lot of solid tunes were recorded that didn't get their fair shake. "So Many Paths" comes from their landmark 1978 album, "Sleeper Catcher." It contains one of my favorite lyrics: "There are so many paths up the mountain, and the view from the top is still the same."

"Takin' Back What I Said" by Little Eva

Hailing from North Carolina, Little Eva was discovered by the great Carole King while babysitting her daughter - talk about a lucky gig! With her husband, Gerry Goffin, King ended up co-writing many of Little Eva's hits.

It all began with the iconic smash, "The Loco-Motion," which topped the charts in 1962 and became a Grammy Hall of Famer. Little Eva scored a few more notable hits including "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" (#12) and that Thanksgiving favorite, "Let's Turkey Trot" (#20).

It is puzzling why Little Eva didn't score more big hits - "Takin' Back What I Said" surely has all the right stuff. Little Eva passed away in 2003 from cancer at the age of 59.

"Right This Time" by Lit

California alt rockers, Lit, arrived on the scene in 1999 with a radio friendly hit, "My Own Worst Enemy," which peaked at #51. For inexplicable reasons, it would prove to be their only chart appearance. The band failed to capitalize on this momentum with worthy follow-ups like "Zip-Lock" and "The Best Is Yet To Come Undone." Their 2001 sophomore effort proved to be a jinx and they disappeared.

The band released an arena-ready comeback record in 2012 called "The View From The Bottom." It is filled with strong cuts like "Right This Time," but also check out fist-pumping anthems like "C'mon" and "The Broken." Not sure why this one didn't breathe new life into this underrated band.