"What Do You Want From Me?" by Monaco

Monaco was a synth pop duo formed by Peter Hook (New Order) and David Potts. Their lone album was released in 1997, entitled "Music For Pleasure."

"What Do You Want From Me?" was the lead single. It is catchy and engaging, and a vicious guitar solo comes out of nowhere and shreds. The song made it to #61, but deserved much better.

"Next Big Thing" by Material Issue

One of the greatest bands to never crossover into the mainstream was Material Issue. This rocking trio from Chicago quickly made a lot of fans with the release of "International Pop Overthrow" in 1991. Filled with powerpop gems, many named after girls, all eyes were on them to break big with their sophomore effort, 1992's "Destination Universe."

Needless to say, "Destination Universe" flopped, despite wonderful radio-friendly cuts like "What Girls Want," "Who Needs Love," "Don't You Think I Know," and the earnest acoustic ballad, "Everything." I guess their brand of melody and harmony was no match for trendy grunge and slacker rock. "Destination Universe" remains one of my favorite records from the decade - it's an oasis among the dark and gloomy releases comprising the musical landscape at the time.

The group returned in 1994 to release a solid follow-up, "Freak City Soundtrack," but it didn't help get the band noticed. After being dropped from their record label the following year, lead singer and songwriter Jim Ellison committed suicide. The band released some songs they were working on before he took his life on 1997's "Telecommando Americano." A tragic end to a most talented and underrated songwriter.

"Indie Queen" by Marvelous 3

Marvelous 3 released a trilogy of records in the late 90s that contain some of the greatest modern rock of the era. Mixing pop smarts with wit and delectable harmonies, Marvelous 3 should have been huge, but most people don't even remember the one song that got a lot of airplay in 1999: "Freak Of The Week."

After the demise of glam band SouthGang, the multitalented guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Butch Walker formed Marvelous 3 with a couple of his old bandmates. For reasons science will never understand, the band didn't take off, and Walker walked to try a solo career (which we will get to eventually...be patient). Walker has found bigger success as a songwriter and producer for other notable acts.

"Indie Queen" comes from what I feel is their best record, "Hey! Album," from 1998. Simply gorgeous and arguably the most persistent ear worm of the decade.

"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.

"Co-Pilot" by Letters To Cleo

Letters To Cleo rose to fame in the mid-90s with their post-grunge pop rock sound. Featured on the soundtrack to Melrose Place, and their 1994 album, "Here & Now" reached #56 on the Top 100. Their next album yielded another chart appearance when "Awake" topped out at #88. "Awake" would mark this Boston band's final showing on the charts.

"Co-Pilot" comes from their 1997 effort, "Go!" and should have been the winning song that breathed a second wind into their sails. But I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Shortly thereafter, drummer Stacy Jones went on the front his own band, American Hi-Fi.

Singer Kay Hanley used to write a childhood pen-pal named Cleo, which is where the band got its name.

"Saltwater" by Julian Lennon

Julian Lennon was born to Cynthia and John Lennon in 1963, the first child to be born to any of The Beatles. As a child, Julian provided the inspiration behind the massive Beatles hit, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," Lucy being a nursery school friend featured in one of his paintings.

Following in his father's footsteps, Julian had immediate success on the charts with his 1984 debut album, "Valotte." In addition to the title track, which hit #9, the album yielded the #5 smash, "Too Late For Goodbyes," and the lesser-known but excellent #21 hit "Say You're Wrong." But the flame died out quickly, with Julian's only other top 40 appearance coming in 1986 when "Stick Around" topped out at #32.

In 1991, Julian Lennon released an underrated effort called "Help Yourself," a snarky rebuttal to his father's band's mantra, "Help!" Despite Julian's well-documented beefs with his father, the single "Saltwater" proves he is John Lennon's son. "Saltwater" extends the message his father championed and would have made John proud. Despite achieving success in other countries, the single was a flop in the US.

"Confetti" by The Lemonheads

Led by the dreamy stoner dude, Evan Dando, Boston's The Lemonheads are an alternative rock band that tasted their 15 minutes of fame in the early nineties. After amassing a cult following since their formation in 1986, the band settled into a slacker acoustic rock niche that wrote artsy tunes that provided a reprieve from the gritty grunge of the '90s.

The band scored some major airplay with their excellent LP, "It's A Shame About Ray," thanks to the title track (whose video featured Johnny Depp) and their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." The '90s darling Juliana Hatfield played bass and sang on some of the tracks, too.

The band followed these singles up with their 1993 record, "Come On Feel The Lemonheads," which yielded their only chart hit, "Into Your Arms." "Into Your Arms" embraced the #67 position in 1993. Despite some other strong potential hits on this record, such as "The Great Big No," the band pretty much soured after this flash of fame.

"Confetti" comes from their landmark "It's A Shame About Ray" album. To this day, I am surprised this catchy song was not one to put them on the map sooner.

"I.O.U." by The La's

The La's (a slang term for lads) were an indie rock band from Liverpool, England who are best known for their crossover hit, "There She Goes," which peaked at #49 in 1991. One of the most infectious little tunes ever made, it has been covered by a number of other bands. Sixpence None The Richer took their version to #32 in 1999.

The song comes from their self-titled 1990 record, which remains the band's only studio release. The La's were critically acclaimed for their songwriting gifts and retro sound, but none of the other songs gained traction in the US. The reasons are baffling, since tunes like "I Can't Sleep" and "I.O.U." are brilliant.

Shortly after achieving their chart success, the broke went on hiatus and has not released any new studio recordings. Bassist and backing vocalist John Powers went on to form another band heavily influenced by the British bands of the 60s, called Cast.

"Never Enough" by L.A. Guns

L.A. Guns has a confusing origins story that began in 1983 with guitarist Tracii Guns. In the shifting membership, his band merged with Hollywood Rose, which would evolve into Guns N' Roses. But Guns had a falling out with Axl Rose and bailed (he was replaced with Slash).

L.A. Guns didn't achieve any mainstream success until a new singer, Philip Lewis, took to the mic. With Lewis on board, the group finally scored a charting single with "The Ballad Of Jayne."

"The Ballad of Jayne," which hit #33 in 1990, was an acoustic-driven power ballad -- the kind of tune that many a hairband turned to in order to score a hit and expand their audience. This great song gave the band a modest hit, but it still failed to attract more fans to their gritty rock and roll. Which is a shame, because Lewis and Guns were a solid songwriting team. Songs like "Never Enough," "Kiss My Love Goodbye," and "It's Over Now" (which peaked at #62 in 1992, the band's only other chart appearance) were better than most of what the competition played.

"Love Is All There Is" by The Knack

How do you top a debut single that stays at #1 for six weeks? Well, if you're The Knack, you don't. Led by the feisty Doug Fieger, this Los Angeles band rocked everybody's world in 1979 with their classic, "My Sharona." The song re-entered the charts 15 years later in 1994; "My Sharona" went to #91 after being featured in the hit film Reality Bites.

Still, the band could not capitalize on the renewed interest. In 1998, they released a terrific pop rock album called "Zoom," but it failed to mark a comeback for the band. With great tunes like "Love Is All There Is," it is hard to figure out why.

In the band's short-lived heyday in the early 80s, they managed to score two additional top 40 hits: "Good Girls Don't" went to #11 and "Baby Talks Dirty" to #38. The band called it quits at the end of 1981, but reunited several times to make new records (starting with 1990's excellent "Serious Fun," which also failed to give the band a well-deserved comeback).

The Knack should be known for more than just "My Sharona," but sadly that won't happen on the charts. Fieger passed away from cancer in 2010.

"Life Is Beautiful" by Keb' Mo'

Keb' Mo' (Kevin Moore) is a Grammy-winning blues guitarist from Nashville. His mix of gritty and sweet songs have yet to break through to the mainstream, but critics and fans know better. "Life Is Beautiful" is just a taste of the bevy of talent he holds within. If you're not a big fan of the blues, I'm willing to bet Keb' Mo' might help change that.

"Mama's Arms" by Joshua Kadison

Early 90s radio wasn't just for grunge; adult contemporary artists like Richard Marx, Celine Dion, and Michael Bolton were still very popular. Joshua Kadison, a pianist and vocalist from Los Angeles, enjoyed a few moments in this sun.

His debut album, "Painted Desert Serenade," was released in 1993 and spawned three charting singles. The airy and pleasant "Jessie" went to #26. A staple of many weddings, "Beautiful In My Eyes," reached #19. The third single, "Picture Postcards From L.A.," managed to climb to #84. Despite this promising debut, his follow-up efforts have never seen chart action. Sad for such a talented artist.

"Mama's Arms" is a heartfelt song about the loss of the family matriarch. The song is dedicated to Kadison's mother, Gloria Castillo, who was an actress who appeared in many sci-fi B-movies in the 50s.

"Being Simple" by The Judybats

The Judybats were an alternative rock band from Tennessee that released a string of records in the early 90s. Their blend of folk rock and quirky, smart lyrics provided relief from noise the grunge bands were using to demolish the hairbands.

The band nearly broke through in a big way with their wonderful 1993 album, "Pain Makes You Beautiful." "Being Simple" is a gorgeous song that received considerable airplay, but not enough to make it onto the Top 100 chart. Other highlights from the record include "All Day Afternoon," "La Dulcinea," and the title track.

When the band's 1994 follow-up record "Full-Empty" tanked, they called it quits. Vocalist Jeff Heiskell has released several records since as a solo artist.

"Sun's Gonna Rise" by Sass Jordon

Not sure why the stars never aligned for rock singer Sass Jordon. She was born in England and raised in Montreal, Canada, where she earned a loyal following (and later served as a judge on Canadian Idol).

With music very much in the style of Melissa Etheridge, Jordon seemed to have all the ingredients to make a similar splash on the US charts in the 90s. However, this never happened. Jordon managed to score one lone chart appearance in 1994 with the melancholy "Sun's Gonna Rise," which only rose to #86. I enjoy this song a lot, but if you check out more of her catalogue you'll find plenty of upbeat rockers.

"Two Lovers Stop" by Freedy Johnston

It is hard enough to score your first charting single in your teens and twenties, but even harder once you reach your thirties. But that is what the New York-based singer/songwriter Freedy Johnston managed to do in 1995. The memorable tune "Bad Reputation" reached #54, Johnston's only appearance on the chart.

"Bad Reputation" came from his major label debut, "This Perfect World," a critically-acclaimed album that led Rolling Stone to name Johnston songwriter of the year. Inexplicably, nothing else from the record hit the charts, even the wonderful "Two Lovers Stop." Despite its upbeat nature, "Two Lovers Stop" is about a young couple that decided to jump off a bridge to their deaths because the girl's rich father forbade her to hook up with a poor boy. Okay, so maybe that's why it wasn't on the radio much!

"Do You Want To Play" by Jewel

Alaskan singer-songwriter and poet, Jewel, probably deserves the most credit for launching the coffehouse music craze of the 90s. Her masterful debut album from 1995, "Pieces of You," is a sparse affair, largely featuring just Jewel and her acoustic guitar or piano. And that was all she ever needed. The album went on to be one of history's best-selling debuts, going 12x platinum and spawning three charting hits: "Who Will Save Your Soul" (#11), "You Were Meant For Me" (#2), and "Foolish Games" (#7).

Expectations were high for a follow-up record, but it only produced one top ten hit when "Hands" hit #6 in 1998. This record, entitled "Spirit," and her subsequent records mostly abandoned the simple and elegant style of her debut, trading the beautifully sparse arrangements for high-polished pop sheen. To be fair, it works some of the time, but it is likely that "Pieces of You" will remain a unique gem in Jewel's career.

Produced by former Giant vocalist and guitarist, Dann Huff, Jewel's fourth record provides a nice balance between styles. "Standing Still," which hit #25 in 2001, is a great song, but I like "Do You Want To Play" even more.

Jewel has taken some detours into dance (a stretch for her style) and country music (not a far stretch for her style), but hasn't made a chart appearance since 2008's "Stronger Woman" stalled at #84.

"The Right Decision" by Jesus Jones

Jesus Jones is an experimental band from London who had a breakout hit in 1991 with "Right Here, Right Now." The song went all the way to #2 and helped the follow-up single, "Real, Real, Real," reach an impressive #4. Then they became strangers to the charts.

The band's 1993 follow-up record, "Perverse," was ambitious to say the least, burying a lot of great melodic ideas underneath a lot of unusual noise. Despite being pioneers in electrical pop rock, this genre did not have the legs to withstand the crushing sound of grunge guitars.

If it were released as the lead single instead the inferior "The Devil You Know", "The Right Decision" might have given Jesus Jones at least one more chart hit in the US. "The Right Decision" balances the band's experiments in sonic assaults with a chorus that warmly consoles the ears. Seriously, it should have been a hit.

"Head On" by The Jesus & Mary Chain

Scottish alternative rockers The Jesus & Mary Chain steadily built a cult following through the 80s thanks to MTV's 120 Minutes. They came close to a major commercial breakthrough with their 1989 record, "Automatic," but surprisingly none of the radio-friendly singles charted, including the fantastic "Head On." The group did, however, manage an unlikely chart appearance in 1994 when "Sometimes Always" landed at #96. 

"New Mistake" by Jellyfish

Once in awhile a group of musicians comes together to create something truly magical that can't be repeated. Jellyfish is such a group. The short-lived band emerged in San Francisco in the early 90s when power pop luminaries Roger Manning and Andy Sturmer of Beatnik Beatch joined forces with Jason Falkner. Together they created a sound that mixed Queen, XTC, and Cheap Trick, writing some of the most eclectic yet harmonious songs of the decade.

Jellyfish released only two records, "Bellybutton" and "Spilt Milk," the latter without Falkner, who left the band to work on a new project called The Grays. Despite a great deal of acclaim from critics and other musicians, neither album was a big success. The only charting single the group had was the terrific "Baby's Coming Back," which stalled at #62 in 1991. It is probably the first song in the Top 100 since the 70s to feature a harpsichord.

Both albums are lost treasures, but if I had to choose, I'd say "Spilt Milk" is the one I'd take to a desert island. Not a bad song in the bunch, this album is amazing from start to finish. "New Mistake" may be one of the most underrated pop songs of the 90s. Unfortunately, Manning and Strumer differed on the direction the group should take, forcing an end to this cherished band.