Artists who are more influential than popular

I've for a long time thought of Captain Beefheart as the epitome of this phenomenon as far as music is concerned. He's nowhere as popular as sometimes-collaborator Frank Zappa if you just look at album sales, but he seems at least as influential. It could also be relevant that many of his followers belong to styles most people don't think of when progressive/psychedelic music is mentiond. In addition to being one of Tom Waits' biggest inspirations, there's also his considerable impact on the more eccentric varieties of punk: The Birthday Party, The Fall, Minutemen, Public Image Ltd. and so on. Not to mention that he played a big part in launching Ry Cooder's career.

It might be a similar case with the bigger Krautrock names other than Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, at least outside Germany/Austria/Switzerland. Acts like both Amon Düüls, Can, Faust or Neu! do seem to be mentioned most often as sources of inspiration from artists that don't quite belong to the same subcultures or generation as they do... and hence not share that much of the same audience. Not just referring to the aforementioned artsier punk groups, but also newer alternative/indie music that in turn was inspired by them. Sometimes I even think Tangerine Dream could be getting there... I've met a lot of fans of electronic music TD helped pave the way for who still find TDs own sound too old-fashioned.

Then there's how Wishbone Ash inspired many early heavy metal groups like Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest to use the entire duelling lead guitars trope as a major element, but today are rather obscure.

Other artists who come to mind for you?


Edited by Toaster Mantis - November 16 2013 at 14:59

King Crimson are hugely influential, of course.  But not many people realise that, compare with the multiple chart successes of the other 'Big Six' bands in the early 70s, King Crimson were not that popular, in the real sense of multiple chart hits.After their first two albums they never had a Top 10 hit.  Compare this with Pink Floyd, all of whose studio albums were Top 10 hits, or with Yes (9 Top 10 hit albums)

Dream Theater

^ humor......can you see that?

Dean wrote: I'd throw Jeff Beck into the mix even though he's not widely influential or popular by the standards of many others that will be mentioned here, he is often regarded as the guitarists' guitarist and that counts for something.

I quite agree with this.      I saw him perform once as part of B.B. King's Festival of Music, which most people thought of as a festival of Blues. B.B. himself kept making reference to "the great Jeff Beck." Jimi Hendrix could also fall into this category - extremely well known but his record sales were never on par with his notoriety and influence.

Lou Reed?

Terry Riley, David Axelrod, Bert Jansch, It's A Beautiful Day, Fabrizio De Andre, Area. Each influential in different genres.

I can't really think of influence on the wider world of music, but in terms of my own compositions, I'd have to say Kayo Dot and Alcest. Neither are extremely popular, but both have a very very distinct style that is just so unique that if you've heard them it'll just seep into your compositions. Even though they're not my favourite bands, I take more influence from them than Porcupine Tree or Riverside, simply because they have such unique styles.

Kraftwerk
every album by Kraftwerk
every song by Kraftwerk
every compilation by Kraftwerk
and every DVD by Kraftwerk

I'd say many of the "just under the radar" bands. Here's a few that come to mind:

Gentle Giant
Van der Graaf Generator
Camel
Magma
Gong
Hawkwind
Caravan
Soft Machine
Tangerine Dream
PFM
Marillion

There are more but those are the most obvious ones imo.


Edited by Prog_Traveller - November 16 2013 at 22:40