The Most Underrated Song Of A Particular Artist / Band

As the title says I want to know which song you think is the most underrated of any particular band or artist. Maybe its a song which was never released as a single but was one of the best on the album. Maybe it was released but didnt do too well in the charts which is a travesty in your opinion. Or maybe it was a succesful song but isnt regarded to most as the absolute classic that it is to you.

I dont think there is much point in me talking about 2 Pac and other rappers as I dont think there are too many Hip Hop fans here so I will pick one you should all know: Michael Jackson.

This guy had many hits. We all know about Earth Song, They Dont Care About Us, Man In The Mirror, Billie Jean, Thriller Beat It etc. But one of my favourite songs of his is Give In To Me. I love the emotion he puts in the song, and the guitar played by Slash is absolutely amazing. Despite the fact that he released a video for this song I never see it on the video channels. You never see this song in a Top 10 Jackson Songs list or even a Top 20. So this is my pick for his most underrated song. Simply awesome. Especially the full version with the guitar solo from Slash at the end. If you havent really payed much attention to it before look it up on Youtube and listen to the long version (7-8 mins I think).

Over to you...

Yeah, 'Give Into me' is a great MJ song.

As for your thread, there are to many to mention.

My favourite all time band is probably The Beatles, so I will pick on them. 'In My Life' is one of the best songs ever written, but hardly gets mentioned when discussing their best ever songs.

Just about any song not released as a single on any REM album. Up until the last 2 releases from Automatic For The People any singles anthology of theirs is almost a "worst of" REM.

Another underrated song is the original slow and hypnotic Brimful of Asha by Cornershop (the version before Norman Cook remixed it).

Six Different Ways, Push & The Baby Screams from The Cure's Head on the Door album - sheer genius.

Agree with Galted on REM, their album tracks are outstanding. I think 'Ignoreland' on AFTP is a very underrated song. 'Find The River' was also a very underrated single and should have charted higher than it did.

'King For A Day' by Jamiroquai from the Synkronized album is a brilliant record, it didn't get the airplay it deserved.

'Sunday Morning Call' by Oasis from Standing On the Shoulder Of Giants is one of Noel's finest in my opinion. Criminally underrated.

Not necessarily underrated but 'Heroes' by David Bowie only reached number 24 when originally released and didn't even break the Billboard 100 in the USA. Madness!

Strange Currencies by REM is one of their best. Reached just number 9 in the UK, apparently.

Stella wrote:Strange Currencies by REM is one of their best. Reached just number 9 in the UK, apparently.

Great tune, love that song

Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

Yeah I think the song is criminally underrated, and the video is probably one of the best music videos as well.

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

Yeah I think the song is criminally underrated, and the video is probably one of the best music videos as well.

I think I might have to get that album on iTunes later. Cheers for that tip Crimey, I like finding hidden gems like that.

Looks like Crimey has just earned The Killers another sale!! Nice work!!!

I am going to go for a strange one here - a song list that was a huge hit but no one of this generation will have heard it.

Basically, anything by Tom Jones pre 1980s.

Fantastic song writing and tunes. Got a greatest hits for £3 and its incredible.

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

Yeah I think the song is criminally underrated, and the video is probably one of the best music videos as well.

I think I might have to get that album on iTunes later. Cheers for that tip Crimey, I like finding hidden gems like that.

I love Day and Age (the album it's from), but it didn't get the best reception. It was considered good, just not great like Hot Fuss. But for me, it's probably the second best Killer's one. I'd rank them:

Battle Born
Day and Age
Hot Fuss
Sam's Town

I imagine I'm very much in the minority with those rankings though.

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

Yeah I think the song is criminally underrated, and the video is probably one of the best music videos as well.

I think I might have to get that album on iTunes later. Cheers for that tip Crimey, I like finding hidden gems like that.

I love Day and Age (the album it's from), but it didn't get the best reception. It was considered good, just not great like Hot Fuss. But for me, it's probably the second best Killer's one. I'd rank them:

Battle Born
Day and Age
Hot Fuss
Sam's Town

I imagine I'm very much in the minority with those rankings though.

I have Hot Fuss (as most people probably do) but no others and I have been getting back into The Killers recently. I have heard a few tracks from Battle Born and liked them a lot. I love the song 'Spaceman' but can't remember which album its from.

I can bore the wife tonight now with Killers songs on repeat!

Spaceman is another great, that's Day and Age I'm pretty sure.

I love Battle Born, I'm gutted that when I saw them live, it was just before Battle Born was released and they were at a festival so only got to hear two Battle Born songs.

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:

crazygangwomble wrote:

Crimey wrote:Dustland Fairytale by The Killers, most people wouldn't have a clue what it is, but it's an excellent song and probably their best ever, but it's not considered a classic or as good as the likes of Mr. Brightside or Somebody Told Me because of the type of song it is.

I've just youtubed it. What a great song and an excellent video as well.

Yeah I think the song is criminally underrated, and the video is probably one of the best music videos as well.

I think I might have to get that album on iTunes later. Cheers for that tip Crimey, I like finding hidden gems like that.

I love Day and Age (the album it's from), but it didn't get the best reception. It was considered good, just not great like Hot Fuss. But for me, it's probably the second best Killer's one. I'd rank them:

Battle Born
Day and Age
Hot Fuss
Sam's Town

I imagine I'm very much in the minority with those rankings though.

Sounds about right to me, I might have Day and Age at the top even

Spaceman is Day and Age, alongside their best song, Dustland Fairytale

I see Crimey already said pretty much the same as I just did...

MASTODON's cover of THIN LIZZY's "Emerald" it's on the reissue of "Remission" and is just brilliant.

First saw them playing back when 25 or so hardy souls saw them annihilate HIGH ON FIRE at St Joseph's Well in Leeds. Their set was jaw droppingly magnificent and "Emerald" was just the icing sugar on the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.

Was gutted when they reissued the album with the bonus track cos, being from Yorkshire, I wasn't prepared to shell out another £15 for one track however good it is.

Galted wrote:Just about any song not released as a single on any REM album. Up until the last 2 releases from Automatic For The People any singles anthology of theirs is almost a "worst of" REM.

Another underrated song is the original slow and hypnotic Brimful of Asha by Cornershop (the version before Norman Cook remixed it).

Six Different Ways, Push & The Baby Screams from The Cure's Head on the Door album - sheer genius.

I've always adored Country Feedback from Out Of Time and just read on Wiki that Stipe has said it's his favourite.

My contribution is Zombie Zoo from Tom Petty's album Full Moon Fever.

Day & Age was pretty dire, let's be fair. I like their other three records but, Spaceman aside, that one was t!ts. Even Flamingo is far better.

Il Gialloblu wrote:Day & Age was pretty dire, let's be fair. I like their other three records but, Spaceman aside, that one was t!ts. Even Flamingo is far better.

I don't think there is a song on the album that I don't like.

Bruce Springsteen - Backstreets or Factory. 2 great songs with Backstreets being my favourite Bruce song probably and the under-rated track on the Born to Run album.

Thin Lizzy - Still in love with you. Phil Lynott at his superb best.

Tom Petty - It'll all work out. Only recntly heard this song and loved it. Acoustic version is sensational.

Christy Moore - North and South. Typically Irish choice but I think the lyrics and songwriting are exceptional.

Bob Dylan- Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest. Loved this song from the 1st time I heard it and the story it tells is unreal.

Crimey, I'd agree with you on Battleborn being very under-rated. I'd probably have it only behind Hot Fuss as a Killer's album. Dustland Fairytale is a great song.

Il Gialloblu wrote:Day & Age was pretty dire, let's be fair. I like their other three records but, Spaceman aside, that one was t!ts. Even Flamingo is far better.

Flamingo wasn't better but it was also not a bad album, one of the better frontman-going-solo albums out there

ChequeredJersey wrote:

Il Gialloblu wrote:Day & Age was pretty dire, let's be fair. I like their other three records but, Spaceman aside, that one was t!ts. Even Flamingo is far better.

Flamingo wasn't better but it was also not a bad album, one of the better frontman-going-solo albums out there

Fair enough matey. All about opinions, isn't it? I realise I'm not bringing much other than cynicism to this thread. I'm not sure of any examples for the OP as I don't really know what is 'rated' these days and what isn't.

Speaking of frontman-going-solo albums, Julian Casablancas' Phrazes for the Young is one of the best I've heard. Better than the last Strokes album I listened to (Angles) anyway.

Haven't listened to it, might give it a try

Jeff Buckley, only known for his cover (glorious as it is) of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (thus unfortunately putting him in the same category as the less-talented Rufus Wainwright and, gods forbid, Alexandra Burke *yuck* by many people) and dying young, had a number of underrated covers and original songs in Grace, an unfinished and very different but excellent second album in Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk and some excellent Live work. His most underrated song, for me, is his live cover (in breath-takingly beautiful head voice) of Jevetta Steel's Calling You

Hibbz wrote:

Galted wrote:Just about any song not released as a single on any REM album. Up until the last 2 releases from Automatic For The People any singles anthology of theirs is almost a "worst of" REM.

Another underrated song is the original slow and hypnotic Brimful of Asha by Cornershop (the version before Norman Cook remixed it).

Six Different Ways, Push & The Baby Screams from The Cure's Head on the Door album - sheer genius.

I've always adored Country Feedback from Out Of Time and just read on Wiki that Stipe has said it's his favourite.

My contribution is Zombie Zoo from Tom Petty's album Full Moon Fever.

Scrap Zombie Zoo I've remembered Keeping Me Alive, not on an album just part of the Playback compilation.

Metallica's cover of Misfits "Last Caress" that appears on The Garage Days Revisited EP is worth stopping by to check out if you are fan of either band, or the genre in general and maybe only picked up on the mainstream-er Metallica stuff.

For sheer cross-over curiosity it's hard to go past Megadeth's cover of Lee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".

But for my personal number 1 most underrated song, I'd pick out Radiohead's "Life in a Glass House". The crescendoed, soaring jazz trumpet/clarinet cacophony that ushers the song to it's climax in the last minute and a half evokes Dave Brubeck at his best and has to be one of my favourite passages of music of all time.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Haven't listened to it, might give it a try

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Haven't listened to it, might give it a try

Jeff Buckley, only known for his cover (glorious as it is) of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (thus unfortunately putting him in the same category as the less-talented Rufus Wainwright and, gods forbid, Alexandra Burke *yuck* by many people) and dying young, had a number of underrated covers and original songs in Grace, an unfinished and very different but excellent second album in Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk and some excellent Live work. His most underrated song, for me, is his live cover (in breath-takingly beautiful head voice) of Jevetta Steel's Calling You

Are you going along to see Cohen at the O2 next month?

Red Hot Chili Peppers most under-rated (and potentially best) song is "I could have lied" from Blood Sugar Sex Magic.

Unbelievably beautiful song. John Frusciante at his understated best with a soaring distorted solo and stunning outro. Anthony Kiedis' dropping the funky bombast of the majority of the album for a vulnerable, sensitive tone. I never get bored of this song. I think it was a single, but it is never considered in the same company as Give it Away, Under the Bridge or any of their post Californication hits

For sheer cross-over curiosity it's hard to go past Megadeth's cover of Lee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".

Check out
ENTOMBED's cover of "Kick out the Jams"
HATEPLOW's cover of "Sunshine of your love"
MASTER's cover of "Ring of Fire"
SLAYER's cover of "Born to be Wild"
SIX FEET UNDER's cover of "Back in Black" or "TNT"

Il Gialloblu wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Haven't listened to it, might give it a try

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Listening on S[potify right now. At Left & Right in the Dark so far and it is a very good song

GloriousEmpire wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Haven't listened to it, might give it a try

Jeff Buckley, only known for his cover (glorious as it is) of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (thus unfortunately putting him in the same category as the less-talented Rufus Wainwright and, gods forbid, Alexandra Burke *yuck* by many people) and dying young, had a number of underrated covers and original songs in Grace, an unfinished and very different but excellent second album in Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk and some excellent Live work. His most underrated song, for me, is his live cover (in breath-takingly beautiful head voice) of Jevetta Steel's Calling You

Are you going along to see Cohen at the O2 next month?

Unfortunately I am preoccupied with revision and currently relatively poor

I just found out that They Might Be Giants are doing a rare UK tour appearance - Edinburgh here I come!

Only £17.50 per ticket too!

As the OP mentions Michael Jackson, I'd probably say 'Human Nature' for him. Great record which really blows guff like 'The Way You Make Me Feel' and 'Earth Song' out of the water, even though it did sod all in the charts compared to them. A huge shame that it took a dire remix / sample jobby by that clown Pharrell to gain some popularity for it!

I don't know how 'I Can See for Miles' by The Who never became a smash hit, either.

Anything by Jim Croce!

It's also a shame that Ian Dury and the Blockheads are remembered for the God-awful 'Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick' when they had superb stuff like 'There Ain't Half Been Some Clever B@stards' to boast.

Loads of Beatles ones I could think of, but the little-known 'What You're Doing' is a stand out for me.

Also, I'm amazed that some people class themselves as hardcare Metallica fans when they basically know nothing of what they did before the Black Album. The 'Master of Puppets' album has two or three superb ones which are much better than the mainstream stuff they had, particularly 'Welcome Home Sanitarium' and 'Orion.'

'Father Figure' by George Michael, too. How that never made the top ten of the UK charts is a mystery to me.

And 'Slide Away' by Oasis. I know most Oasis fans love it, but it's a shame it was never released as a single.

Adam D wrote:I just found out that They Might Be Giants are doing a rare UK tour appearance - Edinburgh here I come!

Only £17.50 per ticket too!

Nice, I love they might be giants. I can sit and listen to flood for hours, much to the annoyance of the wife.

Any links for ticket details Adam.

Edinburgh, London and Manchester by the looks of it ( and Dublin and Belfast )

Cheers, will have to keep my eyes open

Tickets went on sale today at £17.50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-YCwjqXb0

Having seen it mentioned on a couple of other threads recently, and with Kingraf even supporting it on the 'over-rated' thread, I think I'd like to say that Kings of Leon's Come Around Sundown gets a pretty rough deal.

I left the UK (and the habit of getting new music) in 2009, when KoL were massive on the back of Only by the Night and I must admit, I was a bit sick of the sight (and sound) of them. I was also sick of hearing people who had never listened to any of their first three albums until they'd heard Sex on Fire telling me how good they were.

I think I remember an advert on telly at the time, HMV maybe, telling people that there actually was three albums from before.

Now, I've just checked and was surprised to find that Come Around Sundown was released in 2010. Like I said, I've been away and not really keeping up to date with music releases. I downloaded it just last year.

'That's a fascinating story, Ill Gillablou, but what's it got to do with a band giving us a substandard record?' I hear you say.

I'm glad you asked. I don't think they did give us a substandard record. I just think any new record was probably too much, too soon after OBTN. Like I said, I've been away from all the media that shoves flavours-of-the-months down people's throats. And crucially, I first heard Come Around Sundown a good two years after it was released. Four years after OBTN and with no hype. It was a good break and I'm basing my opinion on the music only. And in my opinion, the music stands up to any of their earlier work.

I really think if it had been their first, or second, or third or fourth album, it would have been well received. I'd give it an 8/10. Some other KoL albums, I'd rate lower.

Being out here with no CDs, just files on my computer, I delete songs I don't like. Why keep them? I know it's not the best way to illustrate my point but Come Around Sundown has fewer deleted songs than any other KoL album. I just find it very, very listenable.

I can understand the backlash they received when they moved into the mainstream. As stated, I was starting to dislike them myself when I was living there. It's the cool thing to do, isn't it? Or disliking their new fans anyway, which leads to disliking the band by proxy.

I see they have a new album out in September. I'm looking forward to it. The big question is though, will it be cool to like them again by then?

Great post Gia and one I pretty much agree with.

I do think Come around Sundown is the least impressive of their records, but it is far from a bad album. It is more polished and not as raw as the some of their earlier stuff but that happens all the time with bands. The KoL just seem to be the whipping boys for rock/indie music at the moment. I think Only by the Night was just too big and songs like Sex on Fire and Use Somebody just became so popular and global that some of the people who were listening to them in the 'early' days became sensitive that they had somehow moved away from their 'sound'. The truth is, they just tried something else. If they had carried on producing gritty, southern blues/rock influenced records with limited production, the same people who criticise their new stuff would almost certainly be having a dig at them for not experimenting or trying to evolve their sound.

Caleb Followill has been on record as saying on their early songs, he deliberately muffled his voice because he was self-conscious about his lyrics. Now he is a little more confident in his writing and singing, their sound has changed slightly. That doesn't mean they have moved that far away from their 'roots'. Some of the songs on Come around Sundown wouldn't sound out of place on Youth and Young Manhood or Aha Shake Heartbreak. 'The End' and 'Back down South' are brilliant songs, irrespective of what album they are on.

I just don't get this 'they sound like U2' nonsense. It is just musical snobbery, nothing more or nothing less. It's bad enough that an utter knobhead like Liam Gallagher said it first (what delicious irony) but the reality is, they sound nothing like U2. Nothing at all. I can only assume that the people who make this kind of accusation are coming at it from a 'they are big enough to play huge arenas now so they must automatically be sh!t' viewpoint. As I said, pure music snobbery. If you don't like their sound, fair enough, but come up with something more imaginative than they sound like A.N other stadium filling bands.

I have high hopes for the new album in September. From the things I have read over the last few months, they were a little underwhelmed by Come around Sundown themselves and I have a feeling they will take it back a little towards their earlier sound, probably getting stick for regressing as they go. Caleb Followill is a new father as well and that should give him some inspiration for new tunes.

I didn't realise Liam Gallagher said that about Kings of Leon.  In that case, I retract my earlier statement (although Use Somebody sounds a hell of a lot like a U2 song to my ears).  I don't want to be associated in any way with that homunculus, pituitary special.   

I think my disappointment with Kings of Leon is that I loved their first album (still do) and happen to be a fan of that style of southern blues/rock.  Can appreciate that they have to evolve - its just that I'm not a huge fan of what they have evolved into.

superflyweight wrote:homunculus   

I'll be honest, super, I had to look that word up. Nice work though, it is one I shall add to general conversation more often.

Back on topic;

"I like Kings Of Leon, but I don't know about this f**king new record," he declared. "I like the old stuff. I like (Caleb Followill’s) voice. When they first come out I was going, 'Who the f**k is this?' They were cool, and now they've all got their sleeves cut off."

He added: "It seems to me they've gone for the bucks, man. I'm not dissing them because I f**king really like them, but it's like they've got this U2 sound and you can do better than that."

Liam Gallagher in NME, October 2008.

Leaving aside the monumental slabs of irony that this dumb monkey is far too thick to understand, this is my issue with the KoL.

I am the same as you, I love that Southern blues/rock sound and I would concede that the last two albums, in particular, have drifted away slightly but it is more the assertion that they are somehow producing rubbish records now. They are just different, not rubbish. It is not as if they have produced an experimental rock/jungle fusion album! Listen to Only by the Night and Come around Sundown enough and their 'old' sound is still there, its just not spread across the whole album so much. Their fist three albums are the ones I listen to the most, but OBTN and Come around Sundown are not bad records.

Anyway, according to Jared Followill, the new album, called Mechanical Bull will be a bit more 'old school'.

"I thought we were going to make a really mature album but I’m amazed how youthful it sounds. It’s like a mix of Youth & Young Manhood and Because of the Times."

Now I appreciate he may well be talking his own book, but if we take that at face value, I have high hopes for September.

Bill Hicks introduced me to the word "homunculous", Tina. If memory serves, I believe he was talking about Billy Ray Cyrus.

Will be interesting to see what Kings of Leon do next. If it's closer to the first album in style then I'll be all over it.

A song I've always loved since the first time I heard it was    and a Bang on the Ear by The Waterboys. Always assumed it was just an album track but no...according to Wikipedia it was released as a single but only reached the not very lofty heights of 51. Curiously though, it was released as a single in Ireland and reached Number 1.

The thing with KoL is that musically, they haven't evolved at all. I'm always interested in the claim that their early stuff was cool but the new stuff is "sell out". They are using the same progressions they did on Youth and Young Manhood as on Come Around... granted the production has become much slicker, and their image reflects their vast wealth but musically much the same band. I don't get the fame haters.

GloriousEmpire wrote:The thing with KoL is that musically, they haven't evolved at all. I'm always interested in the claim that their early stuff was cool but the new stuff is "sell out". They are using the same progressions they did on Youth and Young Manhood as on Come Around... granted the production has become much slicker, and their image reflects their vast wealth but musically much the same band. I don't get the fame haters.

But wouldn't the layman i.e. the general public notice, and pay more attention to, the production and the image more than he would progressions? I'm not saying I disagree with you, but are you a musician yourself? Because I'm not, and I don't pay attention to chord progressions or suchlike. In fact, I just had to google it to have an idea of what you meant.

It brings another element to the topic though and I think it's a good post (until too many other people say that, then I'll start saying it's not).