Top 10 Influential Bands You've Never Heard Of

#10: Echo and the Bunnymen

Youve gotta hand it to the English group Echo and the Bunnymen for choosing a unique, instantly recognizable moniker. Of course, theres actually no one named Echo in the band, nor are there any Bunnymen to be seen. But Ian McCullochs haunting, emotive vocals are a true standout for a band thats gone on to inspire hordes of other acts in their wake. Modern alternative rock bands like Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters and The Killers have namechecked Echo and the Bunnymen as an influence, particularly for melding goth and post-punk with a sound drenched in erotic darkness. And you know what? Songs like The Killing Moon and Lips Like Sugar just get better with age.

#9: Badfinger

For every musicians story of great success, there are many others concerning bands that never quite achieved the heights for which they seemed to be destined. Badfinger was one of those groups, a successful band that was known for their association with The Beatles and their record label Apple Corps. Despite their initial sales and critical praise, bad management and legal issues ultimately caused Badfinger to implode. This is a shame, because the band legitimately possessed songwriting and musical chops. Their power-pop sound can be heard today in bands as diverse as Oasis and even Mariah Carey, who covered the bands hit, Without You.

#8: Melvins

The grunge movement of the 1990s wasnt created in a vacuum. It was influenced by earlier bands that eschewed the traditional metal sounds of the day in favor of somethingdifferent. Melvins was one such band, an intentionally unglamorous and idiosyncratic group that wasnt thrash, certainly wasnt glam, and possessed a devastating sound all their own. This sarcastic and self-aware attitude would prove hugely influential to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, to the point where Kurt was given a production credit on Melvins major label debut, Houdini. Today, Melvins Black Sabbath- and Kiss-influenced attack has itself majorly inspired heavy bands from all walks of life, to give respect to one of the most uncompromising bands of an era.

#7: Bauhaus

Sometimes, you can easily see which genre was influenced by the work of a particular artist. Other times, theres a wide array of musicians who see the work of one group, and take a major amount of inspiration. Bauhaus was a trailblazing goth rock outfit that actually experimented with many different sounds throughout their career. This perhaps explains why heavy metal bands like Celtic Frost, doomy punk rockers Amebix, and industrial artists like Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy all have looked to Bauhaus. Singer Peter Murphy, in particular, was a blueprint for some of their ideas. Meanwhile, Bauhaus delved into everything from psychedelic funk to glam during their own history, refusing to stand creatively still for a minute.

#6: Soft Machine

The musical collective Soft Machine exists at the nexus of jazz-fusion, progressive rock, and exploratory improvisation. The eternally-evolving group influenced a wide variety of artists. Producers in the hip-hop community sought out the bands 1970s recordings as a sampling source, while Soft Machines early work featured challenging psychedelia that was leagues beyond many 12-bar blues bands of the day. Theres an intelligence to their work, too, an eagerness to push the boundaries of instrumentation, as well as the group dynamic. Musicians ebbed and flowed throughout the bands revolving door lineup, all leaving their mark on Soft Machines legacy.

#5: Fanny

There are a number of groups that are often singled out as trailblazers when it comes to showcasing women in rock and roll. The Runaways immediately come to mind, but equally deserving is Fanny, who actually emerged much earlier. Their self-titled debut, released in 1970, is bluesy, gnarly, and chock full of headbanging riffs. The arrangements and songwriting are also top-notch, while guitarist June Millington kicks out fiery licks that are nothing short of electric. The album was the first from an all-female rock band to be released on a major label, while big name artists like David Bowie, The Go-Gos and, of course, The Runaways, all expressed big admiration for Fannys work.

#4: Bad Brains

Washington, D.C.s Bad Brains refused to be classified throughout their massively influential career. And why should they be? The band seemed to move effortlessly from some of the most blistering hardcore punk rock into jazz fusion-tinged heavy metal, straight funk, and laid-back reggae jams. Their kitchen sink approach to genre resulted in an equally diverse array of bands being inspired by Bad Brains work. The Beastie Boys, Guns N Roses, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and No Doubt have come out as Bad Brains fans. Its easy to see why, especially if you check out any of the bands feral live gigs from the early 80s.

#3: My Bloody Valentine

Loud, soft, heavy, and fragile. This is somehow the sound of My Bloody Valentine, a cult rock band from the late 1980s that fit the bill in offering a true alternative to pop radio. The bands sound is often described as one of the first in shoegaze, a subgenre thats heavily dependent on pedals and tone to create atmospheres of noisy discordance and melancholy glamor. Theres an artistry to what band leader Kevin Shields and company created that was devastatingly unique for the time, while still sounding fresh today. Meanwhile, experimental rock acts like Radiohead, Deftones and The Smashing Pumpkins all owe My Bloody Valentine a debt of gratitude.

#2: The Zombies

As part of the British Invasion of the 1960s, The Zombies made their mark in the rock world with their first hit single Shes Not There. But their name rarely comes up alongside bands like The Beatles, The Who, or The Rolling Stones, despite their beautifully melodic baroque pop. Their unique sound is an early predecessor of the indie and alternative rock movements that began to take form in the 70s and 80s. Artists such as Tom Petty, Dave Grohl, and Belle & Sebastian have credited The Zombies for their impact on their own music. If youve never listened to The Zombies, be sure to check out their album Odessey and Oracle. Youll be bopping along instantly.

Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions!

Television

Proto-Punk Trailblazers

Blue Cheer

The Early Sound of Heavy Metal Starts Here

The Raincoats

Female. Feminist. Ferocious.

Wire

Art-Punk Experimentalism

The Meters

Laying Down Nasty Funk in the Late 60s

#1: Sparks

You know a band has achieved true cult status when a filmmaker like Edgar Wright directs a documentary about them. But many music fans still don't know they exist. Sparks were an indescribably weird band with an irresistible and lovable aura. This was despite keyboardist Ronald Mael sporting one defiantly quirky choice of mustache, a visual focal point for a band that certainly wasnt solely relying on image to sell their music. No, Sparks could play, and write some great songs to boot. These were tunes that took power-pop, disco, new wave and hard rock, and placed them into an idiosyncratic blender. The result was a career that would influence similar, stylistically defiant bands like Faith No More and Franz Ferdinand.

Are you a raving fan of any of these groups? Are there any that pique your interest? Let us know in the comments.