The Origin are a little known alternative rock band that formed in 1985 and broke up in 1993. They released two albums during this time and served as the opening act for Toad The Wet Sprocket just before they scored their first major hit. Unfortunately, The Origin did not land any singles on the Top 100. In an era rich with synthesizers and beats, The Origin were an organic band that stuck largely to piano and acoustic guitar. "Set Sails Free" is among the highlights from their 1990 self-titled debut. After the demise of the band, lead singer and guitarist Michael Andrews went on to score music for films and TV.
The Orchestra is kind of like ELO without Jeff Lynne. Members of the band (along with members of ELO Part II) continued onward after Lynne left with the rights to the band's name. So they simply shortened it to The Orchestra. The Orchestra also retained a lot of the sweeping, opera rock sound one might expect from ELO. They released a single album entitled "No Rewind" in 2001 (reissued in 2006) without any major label support. It didn't go anywhere, but is a sought after gem for many ELO fans. "Jewel & Johnny" is the best track in the bunch.
Texas born singer and songwriter Roy Orbison had a one of a kind voice that allowed him to dominate the charts in the 60s with classics such as "Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)" (#2), "Running Scared" (#1), "Crying" (#2), "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" (#4), and "Oh, Pretty Woman" (#1). Some of these tunes are in the Grammy and/or R&R Hall of Fame, and his accomplishments made Orbison the 14th most successful chart artist of the 60s and 94th all-time. Orbison was then plagued with a number of tragedies. His wife was killed in an accident in 1966 and he lost his two sons to a fire in 1968. These personal tragedies also took their toll on his musical career as Orbison didn't land a single chart appearance throughout the 70s. In the 80s, Orbison and his mighty voice experienced a strong resurgence. He performed a duet with Emmylou Harris in 1980 called "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again," which was used in the Meat Loaf movie Roadie, that went to #55 and earned a Grammy for Country Vocal Duo. "Oh, Pretty Woman" was back on the charts in 1982 thanks to a popular cover by Van Halen. Orbison made a guest appearance to sing the tune on The Dukes Of Hazzard, next to Catherine Bach no less. In 1987, he performed a stunning duet of his classic hit, "Crying" with k.d. lang that won another Grammy. He was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1987 by Bruce Springsteen. As he teamed up to record his comeback album with Jeff Lynne of ELO (which would become "Mystery Girl"), happy accidents led to the formation of supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, which featured Orbison as "Lefty Wilbury." But tragedy once again caught up with Orbison. In the midst of his comeback, he died of a heart attack late in 1988 at age 52. He did not live to see that he would crack the top 10 one final time as a solo artist in 1989, the first time since 1964, when "You Got It," co-written with his Wilbury Mates Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, hit #8. "Life Fades Away" never charted, but helped initiate Orbison's late 80s comeback. The song, co-written with metal star Danzig, was on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Less Than Zero. As usual, Orbison ends the haunting song with a jaw-dropping vocal climax.
One To One was a pop duo featuring Leslie Howe and Louise Reny. They were from Canada and barely managed to scrape the bottom of the US charts with two singles. The first, featured here, was "Angel In My Pocket," which managed to crawl to #92 in 1986 and "Peace Of Mind (Love Goes On)," which landed at #95 in 1992. Both of these tunes deserved better. One To One should have been as big as Roxette. Their music sounds dated now, but fit quite nicely in the 80s. They even adapted their sound to be more acoustic-driven for the early 90s, and changed their name to One 2 One, but no dice. They remain an obscure guilty pleasure.
Oleander is a California band that arose after grunge but never got to the charts like similar-sounding bands of the late 90s. The closest they came was in 1999 when the haunting "Why I'm Here" bubbled under the Top 100. The band named itself after a flowering shrub that happens to be poisonous. From the same album, "I Walk Alone" was an even stronger cut in my opinion. This awesome song deserved to hit it big. Oleander released a couple more albums before taking a decade long break and coming back in 2013 with the amazing record, "Something Beautiful." I actually enjoy that record more than their previous work combined.
When not making solo records, singer and songwriter Rhett Miller is very busy with his alternative country/folk rock band, Old 97's. The band has released eleven records since they helped pioneer the genre in the 90s with the likes of The Jayhawks and Wilco. There is a lot of great stuff to mine from their extensive catalogue, but I find "Murder (Or A Heart Attack)" to be one of their best tunes. If any song of theirs was going to help them break onto the charts, this one should have been the one. It comes from the band's 1999 LP called "Fight Songs."
Formerly known as The Triumphs, The O'Jays dominated the charts in the 70s with classic hits like "Back Stabbers" (#3), "Love Train" (#1), "For The Love Of Money" (#9), "I Love Music (Part 1)" (#5), and "Use Ta Be My Girl" (#4). The R&B group from Ohio ranks as the 42nd most successful chart artist of the 70s. Things started to fizzle for the group in the 80s, but they continued to record well into the 90s. Their last chart appearance was in 1997 when "Baby You Know" reached #76. This means they had chart hits across four decades, not an easy feat for any artist (The O'Jays first chart appearance goes all the way back to 1963 when "Lonely Drifter" climbed to #93). "Sing A Happy Song" was the lead single from their 1979 effort, "Identify Yourself." Surprisingly, this perky feel-good tune bubbled under. The next single from the album, "Forever Mine," did better, reaching #28.
Led by Danny Elfman, Oingo Boingo was one of many 80s new wave bands. Their biggest hit was the title track from the movie Weird Science, which landed at #45 in 1985. The band managed one other chart appearance the following year when "Just Another Day" stalled at #85. The band tried to keep it going in the 90s, even shortening their name to Boingo, but broke up by 1995. Danny Elfman went on to larger fame scoring music for many hit movies and TV shows, including the theme for The Simpsons. "We Close Our Eyes" was recorded during their heyday and remains one of my favorite new wave tunes. Why this one didn't get more attention back in the day eludes me.
The Offspring are punk rockers from California who broke into the mainstream in 1994 with their runaway hit, "Come Out And Play." Peaking at #38, it remains their only top 40 hit, despite a long string of well-known songs like "Self Esteem" (#45), "Gone Away" (#50), "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" (#53), and "Hit That" (#64). The band remained popular through the naughts, but had their last chart appearance in 2008 when "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" topped out at #63. Personally, their follow-up single, "Kristy, Are You Doing OK?" should have been a monster hit to open up a new direction as the band headed into our current decade. "Kristy" is a 180 degree turn, an acoustic-driven ballad that reminds me of "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" by Green Day, but without the deserved exposure. In 2012, The Offspring released a very solid album called "Days Go By" showcasing tremendous songwriting growth. "I Wanna Secret Family (With You)" may be the poppiest the band has ever been.
Hailing from the Chicago area, Off Broadway is a little known pop rock band that formed in the 70s and scored their lone chart appearance in 1980 when "Stay In Time" topped out at #51. Unfortunately, the band could not manage another hit and broke up by 1983. If you like what you hear, odds are you'll enjoy the entire album from which it came, called "ON."
Odds were a post-grunge band from Vancouver that should have received much more attention in the US in the 90s. If their smart lyrics and gritty yet melodic guitars graced the airwaves, it would have been a better decade. The closest the band came to making an appearance on the Top 100 was with the excellent "Someone Who's Cool," the lead-off track to their 1997 effort, "Nest." Another highlight from this album is "Out Come Stars." The more-or-less novelty track "Heterosexual Man," from 1993's "Bedbugs," also got considerable airplay. "I Would Be Your Man" showcases the softer side of the band, with a gorgeous chorus that is sung beautifully by Craig Northey. It comes from their 1995 LP, "Good Weird Feeling." Just be warned: you'll be singing this for days, making people wonder why you're going around saying "fill your womb."
Sinead O'Connor, the Irish siren who rose to fame with her breathtaking rendition of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1990, has become more famous for her bizarre antics than her brilliant voice and powerful songwriting. Turns out, O'Connor was prescient about a lot of things, but people don't like to hear inconvenient truths. At the height of her fame in 1992, she ripped up a picture of the Pope in protest over child sex scandals during her performance on Saturday Night Live. She always kept her head shaved and championed women's rights. She sang about black lives matter decades before it became a mantra. She even got Frank Sinatra to threaten to "kick her in the ass" when she didn't want the National Anthem played before her performance. O'Connor said controversial things, got people talking, and challenged our most sacred institutions. You can't get more rock and roll than that! O'Connor only managed one other chart appearance in the US before being ostracized into undeserved musical Purgatory. The follow-up to "Nothing Compares 2 U, " which spent 4 weeks at #1, was "The Emperor's New Clothes." It stalled at #60 in 1990. Both came from the best-selling album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," which could have been mined for more hits with emotive tunes like "Three Babies" or "The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance." Prior to her commercial success, rocking songs like "Mandinka" and "I Want Your (Hands On Me)" should have been hits, too. O'Connor followed "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" in 1992 with "Am I Not Your Girl?" A great title, but I misguided collection of vocal standards that - while sung to blazes - are not particularly radio-friendly. But that's never really been this artist's goal. Nonetheless, it was surprising to me that O'Connor did not experience a big comeback in 2000 with the excellent and accessible record, "Faith And Courage." "No Man's Woman" is an anthem that should have burned up the chart.
They might sound like a pretentious English band, but The Ocean Blue are lads from Hershey, Pennsylvania. This indie pop outfit formed in 1986 and made a splash at college radio with their 1989 self-titled debut album, featuring songs like "Between Something And Nothing," "Ask Me Jon," and "Drifting, Falling." The closest the band came to a chart hit was in 1993 when the soothing ditty "Sublime" bubbled under the Top 100. "Bitter" was on their 1996 follow-up LP, entitled "See The Ocean Blue," and had all the ingredients to break the band...but it wasn't released as a single.
Listen to an 80s station and it won't be long before you hear one of the classic songs by Billy Ocean. The singer and songwriter from Trinidad, whose real name is Leslie Sebastian Charles, got his start on the charts in 1976 when "Love Really Hurts Without You" landed at #22. Ocean laid low on the chart for the rest of the 70s but came back in a big way with his first #1 smash, "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)," from 1984. Ocean would continue to rack up hit after hit, including two more #1 singles, "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car." He was so popular in 1986 that he ranks as the most successful chart artist of that year. He couldn't sustain his phenomenal success into the next decade, however, and his final chart appearance came in 1989 when "License To Chill" stalled at #32. Before he dominated the 80s, Ocean recorded a number of good old fashioned soul tunes, like the excellent "L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)." It bubbled under the chart in 1976.
Led by the constantly bickering brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, Oasis was heralded as the next Beatles when they arrived on the scene in 1994 with their breakthrough album, "Definitely Maybe." They do indeed wear this influence shamelessly on their sleeves, but it was soon realized that this comparison was way off. Oasis did have a handful of hits before fading into obscurity though. In the US, they first hit with "Live Forever," which peaked at #39 in 1995. Their biggest hit, "Wonderwall," came from their sophomore LP and reached #8 and earned a place in the R&R Hall of Fame. The epic ballad, "Champagne Supernova," topped out at #20. The band achieved one final top 40 appearance in 1997 when another ballad, "Don't Go Away," reached #35. "She's Electric" is a buried gem on their sophomore effort, "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" Already mined for its share of singles, "She's Electric" could have done well and introduce listeners to a more lighthearted side of the band. Mixing up their homogenized sound and plodding songs with more memorable pop could have done them some favors amongst critics and fans alike.
You may not know his name, but Nuno Bettencourt is no stranger to chart success. One of the greatest guitar gods around today, he is best known for his work in Extreme. But Nuno has also played with a wide range of musicians from Janet Jackson to Rihanna, Dweezil Zappa to Tantric. Nuno has formed a number of side projects outside of Extreme that included Mourning Widows, Population 1, and DramaGods. But I think his greatest work was on his 1997 solo record, "Schizophonic." This is his most consistent effort -- Nuno likes to incorporate experimental music into the mix, but on this record it was never at expense of a good melody. Nuno proves to be a more than competent singer, and has great instincts for harmony vocals. "Swollen Princess" is fantastic and should have made him a household name, but nearly every track is great.
The brilliant Heather Nova began her music career at the age of 12 and scored her one (and only) chart hit in 1995 when "Walk This World" reached #63. Contemplative and in possession of an angelic voice, Nova has recorded some of the finest songs you've never heard. "Every Soldier Is A Mother's Son" is a chilling number from her 2008 acoustic effort, "The Jasmine Flower." But don't leave thinking she doesn't record anything uplifting or upbeat. Be sure to also check out songs like "Beautiful Ride," "Heart and Shoulder," and "Virus Of The Mind."
Aldo Nova is a rocker from Canada who had his biggest hit in 1982 when his single, "Fantasy," reached #23. He followed this up with "Foolin' Yourself," which peaked at a disappointing #65. Then he disappeared from the US charts forever. While he wasn't able to climb back onto the US charts as a solo artist, he managed to do so while working with other artists, most notably fellow Canadian superstar Celine Dion. Nova co-wrote, played, and produced several songs for Dion, and took home the 1996 Grammy as a producer. In 2003, Nova co-wrote the hit "This Is The Night" for American Idol star Clay Aiken. He was also in the shadow of Bon Jovi since their early days, playing on their self-titled debut. In addition, Nova was instrumental in helping Jon Bon Jovi with his first solo effort, "Blaze Of Glory." Jon Bon Jovi would repay these favors by helping write, produce, and release Nova's 1991 comeback record, "Blood On The Bricks." It was a commercial flop largely because it was a day late, dollar short in terms of timing. The big melodic choruses and guitar solos went out with the big hair that year with the Seattle band invasion. "Touch Of Madness" is one of the highlights from "Blood" that wasn't released as a single. Who knows? Maybe it would have been a better choice than the title track. By the way, there's another American Idol connection here: Randy Jackson played bass on the "Blood" record.
No Second Troy is an indie alternative rock band that released a number of records in the naughts. Their last record, "Colors," was back in 2010 and contained this wonderful little gem. Not only does it have a terrific bass riff, but the chorus is equally infectious. I really wish this band caught on - they showed great promise.
No Doubt started as a California ska band in the early 90s and broke through to the mainstream with their landmark record, "Tragic Kingdom" in 1995. This near masterpiece of an album simmered for a good while but eventually made the band a household name and launched a highly successful solo career for Stefani. The record gave the band increasingly successful hits, starting with "Just A Girl," which rose to #23. This was followed by "Spiderwebs," which reached #18. Finally, the band got their monster hit, "Don't Speak," to sit at the top of the chart for an astonishing 16 weeks. These chart achievements made the band the #1 Hot 100 artist of 1996. Their next record, "Return Of Saturn," didn't arrive until 2000 and was a flop by comparison. The band retooled its sound for the naughts and came back strong with danceable pop hits like "Hey Baby" (#5), "Hella Good" (#13), and a pleasant ballad, "Underneath It All" (#3). The band scored one more top 10 hit in 2003 with a cover of Talk Talk's song, "It's My Life" (#10). Most of the band's best work is still found on "Tragic Kingdom," including "Happy Now?", which is one of the lesser known standouts.
Nirvana, the groundbreaking band from Seattle, did not score a lot of chart hits, but will forever be remembered in music history for ushering in a new genre of music. The trio of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist (Chris) Novoselic achieved crossover success with the landmark song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in 1991. Most people figure it was a #1 smash, but it topped off at #6. It would remain the band's only top 10 hit. Nirvana would see the top 40 three more times with "Come As You Are" (#32), "About A Girl" (#22), and "The Man Who Sold The World" (#39, a David Bowie cover). There is little doubt Nirvana would have remained a chart staple and influential band, but everything ended when Cobain committed suicide in 1994 at the age of 27. By 1995, Dave Grohl founded the Foo Fighters and has had a hugely successful post-Nirvana career. Despite their truncated career, Nirvana was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 2014. "Serve The Servants" kicks off "In Utero," the 1993 follow-up record to "Nevermind." Arguably one of the more accessible tracks from the record, it surprises me that it did not get more attention.
