"The Door" by Big Kid

Big Kid is a power pop band from San Diego whose sound is as bright and cheery as a California sunrise. They've released three outstanding records that are "all killer, no filler" through the 2000s. 

A great song about being positive in life, "The Door" comes from their 2007 release, simply titled "Big Kid III".

 
You can check out Big Kid and their three releases here at CD Baby.

"Miss Mystery" by Black 'N Blue

Why the glam/hair band Black 'N Blue didn't break as big as their counterparts in the 80s is a real mystery. Their best known song, which failed to chart on the Billboard Top 100, had all the ingredients to be an instant smash in the 80s. "Miss Mystery" is a catchy, mid-tempo track with decent harmonies and even featured an over-the-top video complete with the boys performing on the wing of a jet. What's not to love?

"Miss Mystery" came off the band's second album, "Without Love" (1985), which also failed to chart.

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" by Blackfoot

The biggest hit for the underrated Southern rockers, Blackfoot, was their very first single, the epic "Highway Song". It went to #26 in 1979 and seemed like a promising start for the band. Despite a strong following through the 80s, the band could not top this hit.

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" shows another side of Blackfoot - this one is an upbeat rocker that can bring the house down. Showing more of the band's sense of humor, this song has party written all over it. The tune comes from their 1980 record, "Tomcattin'", which got to #50 on the Billboard Top 200.

"25 Years" by The Big Dish

Here is a great tune from a little known Scottish band called The Big Dish. They released two albums in the 80s, but this song is from their third and final record released in 1990 called "Satellites". 

"Better When You're Not Alone" by Black Crowes

One of the most successful bands to survive the grunge makeover of the 90s, the 70s-rock inspired style of The Black Crowes struck chords with millions of fans. Their first two albums sold a combined amount of over 7 million copies.

Despite the impressive album sales and devoted following, the Black Crowes never really had a song that burned up the charts. Their remake of Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle" marked the band's highest charting single, settling at #26.

Aside from their masterful debut, the album I find myself going back to the most is their fourth, "Three Snakes And One Charm". The record got to #15 on the Billboard Top 200, but failed to generate a Top 100 single. Among a bounty of terrific cuts, "Better When You're Not Alone" is a song that just puts me into a pleasant mood whenever I hear it.

Incidentally, the band's follow-up record, "By Your Side", is also outstanding.

"Sink" by Big City Rock

Big City Rock had all the makings of a hit-making group for the new millennium, but their self-titled major label debut released in 2006 got no traction. The record was met with solid critical acclaim, including an endorsement from Adam Levine of Maroon 5, a band with whom Big City Rock toured.

In addition to boasting a collection of top-notch pop rock songs, the record features co-production from Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne. The band sounds quite a bit like The Killers and should have matched their success. Check out the lead-off track, "Sink": 

Following the breakup of the band, some members went on to form another notable outfit called The Remainers. More on them when I get to the "R's"!

"Dangerous" by Natalie Cole (RIP)

The music world lost another great on New Years Eve, the wonderful Natalie Cole. Daughter of the legendary Nat "King" Cole, Natalie had well over a dozen chart successes, ranking her at #225 in the top 500 charting artists of all-time (according to 12th edition of Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles).

Natalie Cole first appeared on the charts in 1975 with her Grammy-winning classic, "This Will Be", which shot to #6 on the Billboard Top 100. She topped that in 1977 with the #5 hit, "I've Got Love On My Mind". In 1988, she had a big comeback hit by taking her version of "Pink Cadillac" to #5 and "Miss You Like Crazy" to #7. In 1991, technology allowed her to remake "Unforgettable" as a duet with her father, whose vocals were dubbed in from his 1961 version of the song. The tune went to #14 and earned a Grammy for Record & Song of the Year.

One of her often overlooked songs is the infectious, upbeat dance number, "Dangerous". The song stalled at #57 in 1985, but here it is in all of its 80s glory!