Under Rated Artist Due a 2nd Look (If P can have Tenacious D as best album ever I'm on safe ground with this one).

I've rather neglected top 3's, 5's and 10's, leaving penhappy Peter to shoulder the list making burden. So, I'm wading in with my top 3 most under rated artists, although there is only one as I couldn't really think of anybody else to fit the criteria. Said criteria is strict as they have to have had considerable sales and success but be due a second look. These are the artists that didn't fill stadiums (apart from at home maybe), but were major label, probably had a big album and possible monster single that the world remember them for, or were often compared to another outfit who were worse but sold more records or had a mouthy frontman. Or, maybe they were just big in Australia, or Latvia, or Crewe. It's lining up to be a groanathon as they are unhip and middle of the road and get hit by traffic from both sides, but that's why they need a second look.

Groan number one, it's shouty baldy Oz festers Midnight Oil. Of course they hit most of the criteria head on, with monster single Beds are Burning, and were big in Australia and possibly Latvia. I ignored them through their burning beds phase but thought their Earth and Sun and Moon album in 1993 was tremendous. Believe it or not their first album came out way back in 1978 and they only called it a day in 2002. I saw them live in Birmingham in about 93 and they were a loud, shouty but melodic lot, with a frontman you could respect. Peter Garrett is now government minister for Environment, Heritage & The Arts in Australia, which should give baldies the world over a nice warm feeling, or maybe that's just me.

Dreamworld by Midnight Oil (live)