"5 O'clock In The Morning" by The Village People

In the late 70s, The Village People became synonymous with disco thanks to their classic dance hits "Macho Man" (#25), "Y.M.C.A." (#2), and "In The Navy" (#3). They had two additional chart appearances after these impressive hits: "Go West" landed at #45 and "Ready For The 80's" reached #52 in 1979.

Despite proclaiming to be ready for the 80s, the charts did not agree. The Village People couldn't crack the charts again, despite some strong cuts on their 1981 LP, "Renaissance." 

Included on "Renaissance," "5 O'clock In The Morning" is an atypical track from the group that deserved greater attention. Slower and moody, this one lets the vocal talents shine and adds a new dimension to the group that is refreshing to hear.

"Plain Jane" by Donnie Vie

Donnie Vie was the lead singer for one of the most underrated power pop and rock bands of the 80s and 90s: Enuff Z'Nuff. While he has scored a couple minor hits with the band back in the day, he has yet to crack the charts with his solo material, much of which is just as underrated.

"Plain Jane" comes from Vie's latest effort, 2019's "Beautiful Things." Simply pure pop bliss.

"Tomorrow" by Victory Group

Victory Group was a Canadian AOR band that deserved more attention with their brand of 80s melodic rock.

"Tomorrow" is just a sample of many highlights from this overlooked band's one and only release from 1982.

"'Cause You're Mine" by The Vibrations

The Vibrations had a string of minor hits through the 60s but should be remembered as much as their contemporaries like The Four Tops and The Temptations.

They first hit the charts in 1961 when "The Watusi" landed at #25 and hit again in 1964 when "My Girl Sloopy" reached #26. The latter became a #1 hit for The McCoys a year later as "Hang On Sloopy."

The group managed two additional chart appearances before their career was over: "Misty" peaked at #63 in 1965 and "Love In Them There Hills" stalled at #93 in 1968.

It should be added that these guys originally recorded under the moniker of The Jayhawks, scoring a hit with "Stranded In The Jungle," which reached #18 in 1956. And in 1961, The Vibrations recorded another hit, "Peanut Butter" (#20), but the record label they recorded under called them The Marathons.

It's a complete mystery way something as amazing as "'Cause You're Mine" failed to reach the charts.

"Happiness Is" by The Verve Pipe

When most people hear The Verve Pipe, they usually remember one of two things. They correctly remember their monster hit called "The Freshman," which graduated to #5 in 1997, or they mistakenly remember the Verve's hit, "Bitter Sweet Symphony." Both are one-hit wonders from the 90s with similar names, but very different bands!

Led by a masterful singer and songwriter, Brian Vander Ark, The Verve Pipe hails from Michigan and scored a lesser-known chart appearance before "The Freshman." Their single, "Photograph," reached #53 in 1996. Both come from their most successful album, "Villains."

The Verve Pipe could not maintain their momentum, and their follow-up singles floundered. The group retooled a bit with 2001's record, "Underneath." It's a shame this record did not spark a comeback for the band. Produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), "Underneath" was considerably lighter, energetic, and radio-friendly. "Happiness Is" serves as a fine example.  

In 2004, Brian Vander Ark struck out on a solo career, but reunites with the band to beef up their catalogue with more records, two of which were family-friendly and geared towards children.

"Sonnet" by The Verve

In 1997, an English band called The Verve was taking the US by storm with their breakthrough release, "Urban Hymns." Bolstered by the epic single "Bitter Sweet Symphony," which reached #12, The Verve seemed poised for longterm success.

Instead, they became a one-hit wonder. Despite some other incredibly strong cuts from the record, like "Lucky Man" and "The Drugs Don't Work," nothing else charted. My biggest surprise was not seeing the beautiful "Sonnet" hit the charts.

The band fell apart soon after, but reunited to release a long-awaited follow-up called "Forth" in 2008. Perhaps it was too long a wait; the album received little attention in the US. Lead singer Richard Ashcroft enjoyed success as a solo artist in the UK in-between his work with The Verve.

"Laughing In The Sugar Bowl" by Veruca Salt

Named after the spoiled brat from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Veruca Salt sweetened up the charts a bit in the 90s with their brand of alternative rock. Mixing grungy guitar with confectionary harmonies helped propel "Seether" and "Volcano Girls" to #53 and #59, respectively.

One of the lead vocalists and guitarists, Nina Gordon, left to pursue a solo career in 1998, but failed to get anything on the chart. The other vocalist and guitarist, Louise Post, attempted to carry on the band, releasing "Resolver" in 2000 and "IV" in 2006. The new records went nowhere.

The original lineup resolved their differences and reunited to record "Ghost Notes" in 2015. The record marked a welcomed return to form, but failed to gain any traction. "Laughing In The Sugar Bowl" should have been a comeback single for the band.

"When You Cry" by Vertical Horizon

Vertical Horizon formed in 1991 as a collaborative duo between Matthew Scannell and Keith Kane. After a couple indie releases, they landed at the top spot on the charts at the dawn of the new millennium with their breakout hit, "Everything You Want." 

They followed this up with another score: "You're A God" reached #23 later in 2000. A third single from this winning album, "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)" reached #58 in 2001.

You'd think this group would score at least one more chart appearance with the release of their lead single from the next record, but no. The next record, "Go" arrived in 2003 and "I'm Still Here" went nowhere. The label really dropped the ball. "I'm Still Here" should have been a hit and "When You Cry" should have followed suit.

The group has continued to quietly release additional records, but it seems that's not what everybody wants. Kane left in 2010 to pursue a solo career and a side project called Boys Gone Wild, which includes members of Stroke 9.

"Running Home" by Venice

Named after the California town where they formed, Venice is a band of brothers and cousins that have been quietly cranking out amazing songs since their first (self-titled) record arrived in 1990. Despite crafting beautiful acoustic heartfelt ballads and mood-lifting pop, they have yet to see any chart success.

One of the additional draws of the group are the astonishingly well-crafted harmonies, sung like only brothers can.

Reaching for one of those ballads, I am going to highlight "Running Home," a gorgeous song about the refuge that home provides when times get tough. It comes from their 1997 record, "Born And Raised."

"So Much For Love" by The Venetians

The Venetians began as a synth-pop band in the early 80s. As they gained popularity in their native Australia, their sound evolved to have more of a rock edge. With this new sound, they were able to land a minor hit in the US when "So Much For Love" peaked at a modest #88 in 1987.

Aussie bands like Men At Work and INXS became hugely popular in the US during the 80s, and many thought the same could happen for The Venetians. But that time passed and their lone chart appearance remains scarcely remembered.

"Who Loves The Sun" by The Velvet Underground

While they never had a single chart hit, The Velvet Underground is considered one of the most influential groups of the late 60s and early 70s. Lou Reed's trademark spoken-word delivery and John Cale's incorporation of varied musical styles were revolutionary at the time. 

The group has secured their place in music history with a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement (2017) and induction into the R&R Hall of Fame (1996).

The group crafted diverse music with an intellectual edge, probably too smart and avant-garde for radio. But it is strange that a sweet little ditty like "Who Loves The Sun" couldn't even crack the Top 100. The song comes from their 1970 record, "Loaded."

"That Lucky Old Sun" by The Velvets

The Velvets were a talented doo-wop group from Texas that sounded so good to Roy Orbison that he helped get them signed to a record deal in 1960. Although doo-wop was beginning to fade from popularity by then, The Velvets scored with a minor hit called "Tonight (Could Be The Night)." The song reached #26 in 1961 before they quickly fell off the map.

Lead singer Virgil Johnson later became a school principal before his death in 2013 at the age of 77.

The peppy "That Lucky Old Sun" was the group's first single and should have been their first chart hit.

"The Last Fight" by Velvet Revolver

Velvet Revolver was a supergroup consisting largely of members of Guns N' Roses, but with Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots at the vocal helm. The band's first single, "Slither," made a decent splash, reaching #56 in 2004 and winning a Grammy for Hard Rock Performance.

Hopes were high that the band had even better tricks up their talented sleeves, but those hopes were dashed when the follow-up single, "Fall To Pieces," stalled at #67 and became their final chart appearance. No further singles charted and the band's sophomore release, "Libertad," drew little interest. Weiland then left to return to STP.

The aptly titled "The Last Fight" was the second single from "Libertad."

"These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" by The Velvelettes

The Velvelettes seemed poised to be as big as their contemporaries, The Supremes, but the changing musical landscape of the mid-60s is probably what prevented them from doing so. The Velvelettes could be considered a family group of sorts as two members were sisters and two were cousins. The fifth member, Betty Kelley, left in 1964 to join Martha & The Vandellas.

They almost hit the Top 40 with "Needle In A Haystack," but it was stopped cold at #45 in 1964. The group would enjoy one more Top 100 appearance before fading into underserved obscurity: "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" stalled at #64 in 1965.

"These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" is another cut that should have taken this group to the upper echelons of the charts, but it bubbled under in 1966.

"The Last Thing On My Mind" by The Vejtables

The Vejtables were an obscure garage rock band from San Fransisco and one of the few to feature a female drummer (Jan Ashton). They barely managed to crack the Top 100 in 1965 when "I Still Love You" reached #84.

I found the follow-up single, "The Last Thing On My Mind," even more charming. Wonder why it didn't perform better?

"Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega scored her breakthrough hit with the stunning song about child abuse called "Luka." It soared to #3 in 1987 and made Vega a staple at radio. She seemed poised to be a superstar, but her follow-up single (and album's title track) "Solitude Standing" barely made a dent on the chart, stopping at #94.

Also on the "Solitude Standing" record was an a cappella opener called "Tom's Diner." The song was remixed by a pair of DJs known as D.N.A. and became an unexpected hit, reaching #5 in 1990.

Vega retooled her sound in the 90s to incorporate more electronic and experimental elements. The formula worked and she received considerable airplay with tunes like "Blood Makes Noise" and "99.9F," although neither charted.

Vega's first hit should have been "Left Of Center" in 1986. Featured in the hit movie Pretty in Pink, this is a terrific song made even better with Joe Jackson on piano.

"Cry" by Vega

Vega is a modern AOR band that released their first record, "Kiss Of Life," ten years ago in 2010. The throwback sound to the glory days of bands like Survivor and Journey brought them a loyal following of AOR fans, but unfortunately music like this doesn't usually find its way onto the charts these days.

"Cry" comes from their sophomore effort, "What The Hell," and still stands as one of my favorite cuts from this band.

"Someday (When I'm Gone From You)" by Bobby Vee

A teenage heartthrob from North Dakota, Bobby Vee was omnipresent on the radio and big screen throughout the 60s, ranking as the 20th most successful artist of the decade. His first big hit arrived in 1960 when "Devil Or Angel" soared to #6.

Vee would rack up an impressive list of Top 40 hits, notably "Rubber Ball" (#6), "Run To Him" (#2), "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" (#3), and "Come Back When You Grow Up" (#3). He also landed at the top spot once: "Take Good Care Of My Baby" stayed at #1 for three weeks in 1961. Many of his songs were covers, and a large number written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

By the end of the decade, Vee was struggling to adapt to the shifting musical landscape. His last chart appearance was in 1970 when "Sweet Sweetheart" stalled at #88.

Vee collaborated with many others during his hey day, and "Someday (When I'm Gone From You)" is from a 1962 album he did with The Crickets. It was featured on the "Punish Her" single that went to #20. "Someday" only reached #99. Vee passed away in 2016 at the age of 73.

"Is That All There Is?" by Danny Vaughn

Singer and songwriter Danny Vaughn first made waves in the bands Waysted and Tyketto, the latter of which would have been huge had they entered the late 80s rock scene a little earlier. Between their demise and reunion many years later, Vaughn has released numerous solo albums and led several other projects such as From The Inside, Burning Kingdom, and Ultimate Eagles, an Eagles cover band.

Despite his tireless efforts in these varied projects, his talents have gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream. "Is That All There Is?" is a lost gem from his 2000 solo record entitled, "Soldiers And Sailors On Riverside."

"Crazy" by The Vapors

The Vapors were an English new wave band remembered for their one and only Top 100 in the US, "Turning Japanese." The song is widely considered an 80s classic, although it only reached the modest position of #36 in 1980. The song came from their debut record, "New Clear Days."

After their 1981 sophomore release, "Magnets," failed to produce a major hit, The Vapors dissolved. Remarkably, after 34 years, the band has reunited and released their third LP in 2020 called "Together." The lead single, "Crazy," picks up right where the band left off.

"Down Like A Rock" by Randy VanWarmer

The first wise thing Randy VanWarmer did for his music career was to change his name (his birth name was Van Wormer). This Colorado-born singer and songwriter scored a huge hit off his debut album when "Just When I Needed You Most" soared to #4 in 1979.

Strangely, VanWarmer could not come close to matching the success of his big hit and quickly faded into obscurity in the 80s. He let out a couple of whimpers before disappearing in 1981: "Whatever You Decide" and "Suzi" landed at #77 and #55, respectively. Sadly, he passed away from leukemia in 2004 at the age of 48.

While remembered mostly for soft rock ballads, VanWarmer's records boasted plenty of upbeat and experimental material, such as "Down Like A Rock." It comes from his 1980 sophomore effort, "Terraform."

"Carolina's Comin' Home" by Vanity Fare

In the US, the English pop group Vanity Fare is typically only known for a single song: "Hitchin' A Ride," which soared to #5 in 1970. Serious music fans may also remember the lesser known hit that preceded it, "Early In The Morning," which went to #12.

The group had a third and final chart entry called "(I Remember) Summer Morning," which stalled at #98.

There was lots more that should have graced AM radio back in the early 70s from Vanity Fare. Why the sunny pop of "Carolina's Comin' Home" didn't make an impression on the charts is a mystery.