"Wrong" by School Of Fish

School of Fish made a small splash in the alternative rock scene of the early 90s, propelled by the catchy single "3 Strange Days" from their self-titled 1991 debut. The band could not leverage their growing popularity, as their sophomore 1993 record, "Human Cannonball," landed more like a bellyflop. The band broke up shortly thereafter.

Their debut remains one of my favorite records from the era - everything about "Wrong" feels right, but it couldn't help get the band on the charts.

"Love's Got A Line On You" by Scandal

Scandal was a rock band fronted by vocal powerhouse Patty Smyth that formed in the early 80s. They released an EP in 1982 that produced two chart hits: "Goodbye To You" and "Love's Got A Line On You," which went to #65 and #59, respectively. Not a bad start at all, but both deserved much better in my opinion.

The band's first and only full-length studio record would follow in 1984 and gave the band their breakout hit, "The Warrior," which soared to #7 and can be heard on 80s radio everywhere. Two additional lesser-known singles followed, "Hands Tied" and "Beat Of A Heart," both of which stalled at #41.

By this time, tensions within the band and with their label led to their abrupt demise, paving the way for a solo career for Patty Smyth.

"Dinah Flo" by Boz Scaggs

Boz (William) Scaggs scored a string of notable hits through the 70s. He got his start on the charts in 1971 when "We Were Always Sweethearts" landed at #61.

Never one to follow trends or get locked into one particular genre, Scaggs enjoyed the freedom of being a musical shape-shifter. Nonetheless, his most successful tunes were radio-friendly cuts like "Lowdown" (#3), "Lido Shuffle" (#11), "Breakdown Dead Ahead" (#15), "JoJo" (#17), and "Miss Sun" (#14). "Look What You've Done To Me" was another big hit that arrived in 1980 - it featured some of The Eagles on backing vocals and was featured in the hit movie Urban Cowboy.

Scaggs took a break from the charts in the 80s, but had a minor comeback when "Heart Of Mine" reached #35 in 1988. It would remain his final chart appearance.

Scaggs also achieved success writing songs for others, most notably his tune "We're All Alone." His version appears on his landmark 1976 album, "Silk Degrees," but Rita Coolidge took it to #7 in 1977.

"Dinah Flo" takes us back to 1972. Only his third chart appearance, the song stalled at #86 and deserved much better recognition.

"Don't Look Away" by Leo Sayer

Leo Sayer is an eclectic singer and songwriter from England who scored an impressive array of hits in the US in the late 70s and early 80s. He topped the chart twice in 1977 with back-to-back #1 hits "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" and "When I Need You." He nearly scored another #1 in 1980 when "More Than I Can Say" sat at #2 for five weeks.

Sayer's chart run ended abruptly in 1981 after "Living In A Fantasy" reached #23. It is puzzling why such a talented and diverse songwriter disappeared from the radio airwaves.

"Don't Look Away" is an underrated gem from his self-titled 1978 record. A straight-up rocker like this one is a bit of a rarity in his catalogue...shame he didn't do more like it.

"Nowadays" by Richie Sambora

Richie Sambora has released three solo records outside his tenure with Bon Jovi, but only managed to secure a single chart appearance. That happened when "Ballad Of Youth," from his debut record, reached #63 in 1991.

To his credit, Sambora's solo work often aims to distinguish himself from the towering shadow of Bon Jovi. His latest effort, "Aftermath Of The Lowdown," arrived in 2012, just before he left Bon Jovi. The record sounds very contemporary with a nice mix of ballads and rockers, and it features Roger Manning (Jellyfish) on keyboards. I'm puzzled why "Nowadays" was not chosen as a single - it is one of the best cuts he has ever done.

"I Wanna Be Famous" by Samantha 7

CC DeVille is the flamboyant guitarist from the glam rock band, Poison, but he completed a one-off side project with other musicians back in the late 90s called Samantha 7. Their work together culminated in the release of their only record, a self-titled LP released in 2000.

In Samantha 7, DeVille takes the mic with a raspy voice that scratches through the pop hooks. The band's music is more punk than hairband, more Green Day than Poison. The songs are short and sweet and, honestly, the record is a blast to listen to from beginning to end. Standouts include "Framed," "Cover Girl," "Seane Girl," and this one, the single, "I Wanna Be Famous." With proper promotion back in the day, I could see Samantha 7 being stars in their own right.

"Finders Keepers" by Salt Water Taffy

Holy Austin Powers! Salt Walter Taffy was a bubblegum pop band from Long Island, New York, that almost had a hit with this one in 1968, but it bubblegummed under the charts. Sorry, it is a guilty pleasure.