Dishwalla is one of many one-hit post-grunge wonders from the 90s, rising to fame with "Counting Blue Cars". That song drove to #15 in 1996 and helped move their debut album, "Pet Your Friends", to #89. They released another cool song called "Charlie Brown's Parents" but it didn't see any chart success on the Top 100. "Pet Your Friends" is filled with great tunes that should have made this band at least as successful as others of the era. J.R. Richards has an amazing voice and the band uses dynamic textures throughout the music to keep things interesting. "Haze" should have been a huge hit, as well as the gorgeous ballad, "Give". The band released a follow-up record in 1998 called "And You Think You Know What Life's About", but it stalled at #164 without a charting single. Their third album, the sublime "Opaline", fared even worse at #192. It lacks a commercial feel, but the album is amazing.
Sounding just like Pat Benatar, the terrific Rosemary Butler was robbed as a solo artist. She got her start in high school in an all-girl band called the Ladybirds on bass and vocals. They ended up opening for the Rolling Stones, but Butler left to join a hard rock outfit named Birtha. Butler became an accomplished back up vocalist and sang on many well-known records. She's recorded with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt. She released a solo album in 1983 called "Rose", but it failed to chart. "Through Different Eyes" is just one of many great cuts from this underrated record (which also features Linda Ronstadt returning the favor as a guest vocalist).
Died Pretty is a little-known Australian band that should have gained a bigger worldwide audience with their track "Sweetheart". This moody and memorable ballad was released in 1991 from their fourth album, "Doughboy Hollow".
Netherlands rock band Diesel only had one minor hit in the US with "Sausalito Summernight", which sat at #25 in 1981. It is one of the catchiest tunes of that year, with an infectious guitar riff that never escapes your head after hearing it. The success of that song helped propel their record, "Watts In A Tank" to #68 that same year. After this, the band inexplicably dropped off the radar in the US. "Samantha" is another poppy tune with great harmonies that beg you to sing along. It came from their 1988 effort, which never saw the light of day in the US.
Dexter Freebish is not named after anyone in the band, but this group of guys from Austin, Texas know how to write a good pop rock song. In case you were curious, they are named after an amusement park ride in Houston called "Dexter Freebish's Electric Roller Ride". The band has scored two wins in the John Lennon Songwriting contest, first with "Leaving Town" and then with this song here. "Prozak (Be Like Me)" comes from their 2004 album, "Tripped Into Divine". Despite winning the prestigious awards, the band's songs have inexplicably not landed on the Top 100. Talk about needing some Prozak...
One of the finest singer/songwriters of the 70s and 80s, Neil Diamond is ranked #29 of the greatest artists of all-time in the Joel Whitburn Top Pop Singles book. He actually made his first top 40 appearance in 1966 with "Cherry, Cherry", which soared to #6. Through his stellar career, Diamond hit the #1 spot three times: in 1970 with "Cracklin' Rosie", 1972 with "Song Sung Blue", and 1978 with "You Don't Bring Me Flowers". Despite the changing musical tide, he stayed strong in the 80s, with one of his biggest songs - "Heartlight" - inspired by the smash hit movie E.T. in 1982- it went to #5 on the Top 100. The wonderfully upbeat and optimistic tune "I'm Alive" would prove to be Diamond's last appearance in the top 40, dying at #35 in 1983. I think it deserved much better.
After leaving the legendary band Styx, Dennis DeYoung struck out for a promising solo career. He hit it big out of the gate with "Desert Moon" in 1984, but it would prove to be his only top 40 hit as a solo artist (it went to #10). The follow-up single, "Don't Wait For Heroes" fumbled at #83. For his second solo outing, he released the song "Call Me" (not a Blondie cover), but it hung up at #54. His career on the singles chart ended in 1986 with "This Is The Time", which couldn't rise past #93 even after being featured in Karate Kid Part II. "Boomchild" is a great AOR track from his third album of the same name. Remarkably, this album didn't even hit the Top 200 - it should have been a comeback for DeYoung, who proved with this record that he still had excellent songwriting chops. Check out "Harry's Hands" and "Beneath The Moon" too.
