Classic music is still in high demand, with the likes of The Beatles, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Elton John all featuring on people’s playlists decades after they recorded their first track.
However, for every global success story, some bands and artists sadly fall by the wayside, despite their back catalogues still being perfect for a modern-day audience. Whether it’s songs on heartbreak or melodies that won’t exit your head, there’s no reason for some of these to have been forgotten.
Scroll down for some of the artists that you need to rediscover now and get them added to your playlists ASAP!
Van Morrison
Northern Irish singer Van Morrison is a music institution, and has been in the business since the late 1950s, spanning genres like rock, blues, jazz, country and even blue-eyed soul.
The singer has been an inspiration to some of the favourite artists of millennials and Gen Z, including the likes of Ed Sheeran and James Morrison. The star has even been cited as Twilight star Robert Pattinson’s musical inspiration.
While Jvke’s Golden Hour or the ‘Autumn Cozy‘ tune are the soundtracks to many gorgeous scenic captures on Instagram, once you listen to Van Morrison’s hits like Sweet Thing and Days Like This, you’ll be choosing them to illustrate your breathtaking vistas.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Thanks to my obsession with Cold Case, a show I regularly demand should be brought back, I have been in love with this rock band that were active between 1959 and 1972, for decades.
And with the ongoing drought, all I can think of humming to myself is their 1970 hit, Have You Ever Seen the Rain? But that’s not their only hit, with the band also producing the likes of Bad Moon Rising and Fortunate Son.
If you love the music of Noah Kahan or Mumford & Sons, you need to go back to listen to CCR, and with most of their hits being either two or three minutes, it won’t take long for you to consume their back catalogue.
Supertramp
Supertramp has come and gone with the years, with the last time the British prog rock band were active being back in 2012. Although they struggled to find initial success, the late 1970s proved to be their turning point.
Since listening to it for the first time, I have not been able to stop playing The Logical Song, while their other major hits like Breakfast in America, Goodbye Stranger and It’s Raining Again being some of my go-tos when I really need to lock in and focus on something.
TV has seen major successes with shows set in the 1970s and 1980s, and if one of them picked a Supertramp song for their main theme tune, then there’s no doubt, the band’s popularity would explode all over again.
Parliament
It’s not just rock bands that need rediscovering, as the 1970s was truly one of the eras of funk, and nothing defined that music genre more than Parliament, with hits including Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker) and Aqua Boogie.
Meanwhile, songs like Flash Light and Give Up the Funk have been sampled by major modern artists like Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg and Childish Gambino, with Parliament providing inspiration to dozens of artists and genres since they debuted on the scene in 1968.
And it wasn’t Marvel that invented the shared universe, but Parliament, with a narrative theme and lore running through their albums, with the likes of Star Child and Sir Nose D Voidoffunk popping up throughout their iconic discography.
Depeche Mode
While Depeche Mode still perform, with their latest album being released in 2023, the electronic band from Basildon deserves much love, especially where one of their original members, Vince Clarke, went on to perform with iconic bands like Yazoo and Erasure.
The band did get a boost thanks to The Last of Us using tracks like Never Let Me Down Again, but there’s so much more to Depeche Mode, including Enjoy the Silence and Policy of Truth.
The band is not afraid of exploring tough subjects, and for listeners searching for songs with deeper meaning, they can’t go wrong with Depeche Mode. On top of that, they’ve received praise from the likes of Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish.
Goldfrapp
While Goldfrapp is another relatively recent group, forming in the 1990s and only going on permanent hiatus in 2022, this electronic duo doesn’t get nearly enough love. Since hearing Ooh La La as a lip-sync song on Drag Race UK, it has not left my playlist.
Their dance music is perfect for a night out clubbing, and the band has also taken inspiration from the likes of Paganism and the environment when it comes to crafting their earworms.
It’s not just the music that’s perfect for the younger generation, but lead singer Alison Goldfrapp is such a style icon, with her aesthetic easily capturing the Y2K vibe that is still sought after. Want a style moment? Just watch any of their music videos, and it’s like being transported to Paris Fashion Week.
Scott Walker
Scott Walker made his debut on the music scene in 1958, forming the Walker Brothers, and while at the time he captured hearts thanks to his teen heartthrob look, he soon became an avant-garde musician that is perfect for Gen Z.
Existential dread is a key part of living as Gen Z these days, and Scott proved to be decades ahead of the curve, with his songs focusing on issues like isolation, war and urban decay, especially in songs like Plastic Palace People.
Our parents are obsessed with the likes of Pulp and Thom Yorke, and who served as their main inspiration? If you guessed Scott Walker, then you’re completely correct.
Dory Previn
Another artist who perfectly captures the doom aesthetic of Gen Z that is so prevalent is Dory Previn, whose music not only captured her own tortured personal life, but also focused on issues like relationships, sexuality and psychology.
The likes of Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo have made millions from their songs about personal heartbreak, and it was Dory who was laying the foundations for them all the way back in the 1950s and 1960s.
Songs like Beware of Young Girls or With My Daddy in the Attic are just waiting to be discovered by today’s youth.
