"I Want Your Love" by Transvision Vamp

Transvision Vamp were an English band inspired by 80s punk, yet saw their sound evolve more towards rock and pop before breaking up in 1992. While they were successful landing a minor hit on the US charts in 1988 when "Tell That Girl To Shut Up" reached #87, Transvision Vamp largely remains a hidden gem to discover.

Wendy James was a vocalist with serious chops and attitude, so it's a shame this band didn't connect with a larger audience. "I Want Your Love" is from their debut 1988 record "Pop Art," the same release that spawned "Tell That Girl To Shut Up." Lots of other goodies can be found scattered across their three albums.

"Come" by Transmatic

Hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, Transmatic released a single, self-titled album in 2001 that surprisingly went nowhere. This rock band seemed to have all the ingredients for success in the post-grunge era.

"Come" achieved some modest success, but failed to crack the Top 100 and the band broke up shortly thereafter. The guitarist moved on with another band called Virgin Millionaires.

"Un-Alone" by Translator

Ahead of their time, the California band Translator was unable to land a single on the charts. Often cited as an influencer of the college rock movement, Translator gave it their best shot in the early 80s, achieving some airplay with cuts like "Everywhere That I'm Not."

"Un-Alone" is another highlight from the band's four 80s albums, all of which deserved wider attention.

"Straight From The Look In My Eyes" by Mike Tramp

Mike Tramp was the lead singer and songwriter for the successful 80s rock band White Lion. Since the band's demise in 1992, Tramp has been a prolific songwriter as a solo artist and driver of other projects, most notably Freak of Nature in the 90s.

There's really no good reason why Tramp shouldn't have enjoyed another 15 minutes of fame beyond White Lion. His raspy vocals and knack for melodic choruses should still be viable, but he's never hit the US charts since the glory days of White Lion.

There are many tracks I could chose to make my case, but there is something about "Straight From The Look In My Eyes" that gets me on every listen. It comes from his 2011 album, "Stand Your Ground."

"Respect" by Train

Led by singer and songwriter Pat Monahan, Train had humble origins as a roots rock band not too far astray from the likes of Tom Petty. Their debut album boasted smoldering cuts like "Free," "I Am," and "Meet Virginia," which made its way to #20 in 2000.

Their sophomore effort displayed exponential growth and markedly better production, catapulting the band to the Top 10 with the sweeping ballad, "Drops Of Jupiter," which soared to #5 in 2001. The band then dropped off the radar a bit for their next two albums, only scoring a handful of lesser known singles.

Train returned in a big way in 2010 with "Save Me, San Francisco," which yielded their biggest hit to date when "Hey, Soul Sister" spent 4 weeks at #3 and won a Grammy for Pop Group Vocal. They ventured back into Top 10 territory in 2012 when "Drive By" reached #10. Their new slick pop sound worked for a while, but they now need another comeback hit. The band's last trip to the Top 100 was in 2017 when "Play That Song" stalled at #41.

"Respect" is from 2001's smash album "Drops Of Jupiter." Not sure why this catchy anthem didn't get more attention. This album is full of hit-worthy singles, but only the title-track saw chart action.

"Feelin' Alright?" by Traffic

Traffic was an English rock and jam band that formed in 1967 and launched big careers, including those of Steve Winwood and Dave Mason. 

Despite being a hugely influential band, they never achieved great chart success here in the US. Traffic never reached the Top 40 and only broached the bottom of the Top 100 a few times, most notably with "Gimmie Some Lovin'-Part 1," which reached #68 in 1971. Nonetheless, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

"Feelin' Alright?" is another one of those songs you'll recognize and think, "Seriously, that didn't get onto the charts?!" This classic tune comes from their 1968 self-titled album.

"New York's A Lonely Town" by The Trade Winds

The Trade Winds were a 60s pop duo from New York that grazed the Top 100 twice. In 1965, they reached #32 with "New York's A Lonely Town," a tune that sounds very much like The Beach Boys. Despite cracking the Top 40, this terrific song is virtually unknown.

The other single that saw chart action was "Mind Excursion," which stalled at #51 in 1966.

"Be Wonderful" by T'Pau

Led by Carol Decker, the English pop rock group T'Pau scored a single hit in the US when "Heart And Soul" soared to #4 in 1987. Despite much greater international success, T'Pau remains a one-hit wonder in the states. 

Could that change? Probably not, but it gives us the opportunity to remind everyone that T'Pau is still making great music. "Be Wonderful" is a new tune released on May 8, 2020 that served as a perfect pick-me-up in the age of pandemic lockdowns.

Fun fact: the group took its name from a Vulcan first introduced in the original Star Trek series.

"Take It Back" by Touch

Touch is a little known rock band from New York that managed to land two minor charts in the early 80s: "When The Spirit Moves You" and "Don't You Know What Love Is," which went to #65 and #69, respectively. 

Both came from their 1979 self-titled debut record. After their sophomore record, lazily titled "Touch II," failed to generate interest, the band dissolved. Lead singer and songwriter Mark Mangold would go on to be a successful hitmaker for others, including Michael Bolton and Cher.

"Take It Back" is a track that should have been considered as a single. The band produced its share of filler, but this one shines.

"Only The Children" by Toto

Formed in the late 70s, Toto is comprised largely of ace studio musicians that supported Boz Scaggs among others. They've undergone numerous line-up changes over the years and prominent members have completed solo work as well as side projects (such as Far Corporation in 1986). 

Nonetheless, the group continues to release an occasional album, the last one being 2018's "Old Is New." The band also enjoyed a mild resurgence when they covered Weezer's hit, "Hash Pipe," that same year, in response to Weezer's cover of Toto's #1 smash, "Africa."

In Toto's hey day, they enjoyed all sorts of hits that have become classics of the era, including "Hold The Line" (#5 in 1979), "Rosanna" (#2 for 5 weeks in 1982, and winner of the Grammy Record of the Year), the aforementioned "Africa" (#1 in 1983), "I Won't Hold You Back" (#10 in 1983), and "I'll Be Over You" (#11 in 1986).

I almost want to highlight "Pamela," from their underrated 1988 album, "The Seventh One," but the song made it to a respectable #22. It would be the band's final chart appearance. "Only The Children" is another highlight from that record worth a spin.

"Everything Keeps Coming Up You" by The Tories

The Tories were a terrific power pop band led by Steve Bertrand that flew under the radar at the turn of the century. During their time, they released two records, "Wonderful Life" in 1997 and "The Upside Of Down" in 2001. After the band's demise, Bertrand formed Avion, which included some Tories songs on their one and only release.

"Everything Keeps Coming Up You" is a highlight from "The Upside Of Down" that represents some of the ear candy both of Bertrand's bands were capable of creating.

"Tie Me Down" by Toronto

Toronto was a rock band that formed in the late 70s (I'll leave it to you to guess where) and scored a string of minor hits in Canada. They managed to crack the US chart once in 1982 when "Your Daddy Don't Know" went to #77.

Not sure why this band, which alternated between male and female lead vocals, wasn't bigger. The songwriting chops were there: one of their tunes, "What About Love," became a huge comeback smash for Heart, who took it to #10 in 1985.

The peppy "Tie Me Down" comes from their 1980 debut album, "Lookin' For Trouble," which also contains the popular track "Even The Score."

"Shelter From The Rain" by Tora Tora

Hailing from Memphis, hard rock band Tora Tora (whose name was lifted from the Van Halen song) managed to score one minor chart hit during the hairband craze in 1989 when "Walkin' Shoes" strutted its way to #86. It comes from their debut album, "Surprise Attack." Many fans of the genre might be surprised to learn that another popular song from that record, "Phantom Rider," do not chart.

Tora Tora finally returned in 1992 with their sophomore record, "Wild America," which I count as one of the finest in the genre. It arrived a little too late since the music scene was transitioning away from melodic rock and more towards grunge. "Amnesia," "As Time Goes By," "Faith Healer," and "Dead Man's Hand" may have been hits in 1989.

The band recorded a third album by 1994 called "Revolution Day," but it was shelved by the label and did not see the light of day until 2011. "Shelter From The Rain" is one of the highlights from out-of-time release.

The band returned in 2019 with a long-awaited new studio release called "Bastards Of Beale."

"Do You Know" by Tonic

Tonic had a big hit right out of the gate in 1997 when their single "If You Could Only See" soared to #11. They were unable to follow this up with another smash and "Open Up Your Eyes"," which stalled at #68 in 1998, became the band's final chart entry.

Which is a shame. The band, led by singer and songwriter Emerson Hart, had a lot more in the tank. They followed up their smash debut album with two more slices of radio-friendly rock, and then a self-titled reunion effort in 2010. "Do You Know" is a terrific cut from their third album, "Head On Straight."

Hart has released a number of solo records and guitarist Jeff Russo joined the Low Stars for their lone release.

"No Sad Song" by Oscar Toney Jr.

Oscar Toney, Jr was an underrated soul singer who scored a minor hit in 1967 with "For Your Precious Love," which reached #23. His follow-up, "Turn On Your Love Light," stalled at #65. He'd have two more singles barely crack the Top 100 before disappearing from the charts in 1968.

Not sure why Toney wasn't up there with stars like Otis Redding with his emotive voice and style, which worked just as well on ballads as it did the upbeat numbers. Check out "No Sad Song" and see what you think; for his softer side, check out "Unlucky Guy."

"Do Your Thing" by Gary Toms Empire

Gary Toms was the force behind this funky disco band from New York that almost cracked the Top 40 in 1975 when "7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle)" peaked at #46. Their only other chart appearance came shortly thereafter, a cover of the Beatles' classic, "Drive My Car," which stalled at #69.

I assume the genre was simply too crowded at the time to let all the disco groups shine. "Do Your Thing" strikes me as a winner that had the makings of a classic anthem.

"Baby It's Alright" by Tommy Tutone

Co-founded by Tommy Heath, Tommy Tutone is largely known as the one-hit wonder behind the 80s classic "867-5309/Jenny," which soared to #4 in 1982. But Tommy Tutone did have one other chart appearance prior to that in 1980 when "Angel Say No" reached #38.

The band hasn't seen the chart since, but they still play and release an occasional record. Heath's day job is software engineer. "Baby It's Alright" comes from their 1981 sophomore effort simply called "Tommy Tutone - 2."

"New Constellation" by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Their unusual name comes from a Monty Python skit. Their music blends delicious folk-pop melodies, clever harmonies, smart lyrics, and a touch of rock. The bassist is the nephew of Mark Dinning, who scored the #1 hit "Teen Angel" in 1960. And they are probably one of the most underrated bands ever.

Toad the Wet Sprocket had their 15 minutes of fame with the release of their third album, "Fear," in 1991. "All I Want" and "Walk On The Ocean" reached #15 and #18, respectively. Their next record delivered "Fall Down" (#33) and "Somethings Always Wrong" (#41). Thanks to inclusion on the TV show Friends, "Good Intentions" peaked at #23. Their last album before breaking up, 1997's "Coil,"  should have been huge, but only yielded a minor hit with "Come Down," which stalled at #51 and marked their final chart appearance. So many incredible songs are buried in the band's albums, it is impossible to pick the best.

Lead singer and songwriter Glen Phillips embarked on a critically acclaimed but commercially disappointing solo career and numerous other side projects. Other members formed a new band called Lapdog that released two albums before calling it quits. 

Fast forward to 2013 and the band is reunited with a record of stellar new material, picking up right where they left off so many years ago. "New Constellation" is the title track and it should have been celebrated as a big comeback for this super talented group, but I guess the stars were not in alignment.

"Nothing To Me" by Tinted Windows

It's hard to believe that a rock and pop outfit like Tinted Windows didn't get more attention when they formed in 2009. The group consisted of members from hit-making bands Hanson (vocalist Taylor Hanson), Smashing Pumpkins (bassist James Iha), Fountains of Wayne (guitarist and more Adam Schlesinger), and Cheap Trick (drummer Bun E. Carlos).

Tinted Windows ended up releasing only one album (self-titled). If the group is ever revived, it will sadly have to be without Schlesinger, who passed away from COVID-19 in 2020.

The record remains a power pop fan's dream, filled with energetic and sunny tunes that have you singing along in no time. 

  

"Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody" by The Time

The Time were a funky dance pop group from the 80s that most people remember from Prince's hit film, Purple Rain. Led by Morris Day, the group featured a boatload of talent that included Jesse Johnson and Jellybean, as well as Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis (who wrote many hits for others including Janet Jackson).

Despite this unusual concentration of talent, The Time only scored a few chart hits, including "Jungle Love" (#20), "The Bird" (#36), both of which were featured in Purple Rain, and "Jerk-Out" (#9) in 1990.

"Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody" captures that early 80s Minneapolis funk sound and could easily be mistaken for a lost Prince track. It comes from their 1982 album, "What Time Is It?"

"Don't Give Up On Me" by Timbuk 3

Timbuk 3 were a folk rock duo comprised of a husband and wife team from Austin, Texas. They became a one-hit wonder in 1986 when their snappy tune, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" reached #19.

It is hard to sustain a novel sound like Timbuk 3 on pop radio, but at least their one big hit introduced many others to their brand of quirky and intelligent music. 

Romping through their catalogue is always fun, and you'll come across several cuts like "Don't Give Up On Me" that will make you wonder why it wasn't pushed out to DJs. The track comes from their 1989 album, "Edge of Allegiance."

"On Sunday" by 'Til Tuesday

Before she embarked on a critically acclaimed solo career, singer and songwriter Aimee Mann achieved her biggest chart hit with her band 'Til Tuesday. The 80s staple, "Voices Carry," soared to #8 in 1985. Their debut record failed to generate another Top 40 hit, but their sophomore record produced one more: "What About Love" (not a Heart cover) landed at #26 in 1986.

After their third record, 1988's "Everything's Different Now" failed to yield a hit, the band called it quits.

"On Sunday" is a delightful piece of ear candy that deserved more attention. The song is from their sophomore record, "Welcome Home."

"Apple Bend" by Johnny Tillotson

Johnny Tillotson was one of the biggest teen idols of the 60s, ranking as the 43rd most successful chart artist of the decade. He scored big with classics like "Poetry In Motion" (#2), "Without You" (#7), "It Keep Right On A-Hurtin'" (#3), and "Talk Back Trembling Lips" (#7).

But all teen idols grow up, and not all of them sustain a fan base. Tillotson tried to retool his malt shop sound to suit the current trends of the late 60s and early 70s, but no dice. His last chart appearance was in 1965 when "Our World" stalled at #70.

Tillotson tried to reinvent himself with a self-titled LP in 1972. It is a pretty bland affair, but the peppy "Apple Bend" is a keeper. Not sure why this tune didn't give this talented artist a second wind.