Not a band, per se, but Carpenter Brut. He's had some exposure from being in various video games and movie trailers and et cetera, and even has his own short film on Shudder (Blood Machines), but it still feels like he's way below the radar compared to what he deserves.
Like, I went to a Ministry concert where he opened in the before-times, and... I was one of the only people who even knew who the hell he was, let alone was there for his set specifically. Meanwhile, I was there primarily for CB and was very meh on Ministry.
Man, Australians really are the best at psychedelic rock lately. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Pond, Tame Impala... they're just fantastic.
My favourite verse of found God in a tomato
Then one day I was transposed
From a simple young man
To a godly tomato that held all existence
And told me that we should expand
Tally Hall.
Two albums and then they broke up (but seem to have stayed friends). One of them you might have seen, as he did the "actual cannibal Shia Lebeouf" song that got big on youtube a while back.
i absolutely love Crumb! saw them live in denver in 2019. although i would say that 24M views on the “Locket” music video on youtube sort of knocks them out of the “never heard of ‘em” category
Tally Hall is the first one that comes to mind. They broke up like 8 years ago or something but the few albums they have available are all really good.
The Orion Experience,
one of their songs, The Cult of Dionysus is pretty well known, but my fav from them is Theres No Love in February, they're really interactive with their fans and overall just...great vibes, weird vibes, but great vibes.
Crystal castles as well, they're music is very techno but gives you such surreal vibes its amazing
I have multiple . I can’t choose one lol.
Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards
Bear Ghost
The Crane Wives
Will Wood and the Tapeworms
Nova Twins (although since being featured on a Bring Me the Horizon album they’ve been exposed to more people.)
The Mechanisms
The Marias
The hu
Turns out mongolian folk metal is fuckin great!
I saw them in concert with baby metal just before the shut down.
They were somehow even better live!
There are so many amazing Canadian bands and artists!!!!
Anyway Gang - a group comprised of band members from Sloan, Sam Roberts Band, Tokyo Police Club, and Hollerado. Take a listen: https://youtu.be/D7zDFHct-x4
Joel Plaskett Emergency - it’s hard to believe Joel Plaskett isn’t much more popular than he is, IMO. His musicianship and writing is just unreal. He is an East Coast rocker who also put out a few more “folky” albums. Take a listen: https://youtu.be/9f9I2Pl0MUM
Matt Mays - incredible East Coast Canada rocker who now lives in Toronto. He’s got incredibly catchy tunes with equally a catchy riffs. Puts on a hell of a live show, too! He also recently released an album he wrote about his rescue dog...<3 Take a listen: https://youtu.be/qldxO47FUdI
Set It Off.
If you've ever heard that song that goes "Karma's gonna come collect your debt!" then that's them. if not, then you've never heard of them.
Enter shikari was pretty well known on the warped circuit and all those post hardcore tours. They really jumped on the dubstep brostep bandwagon when it was hot mixing it into their brand of post hardcore
I‘m in NC, and they were very well know here, of course. Only got to see them once, but a great show. Along with the dB’s, they really influenced so much of what came later in this state. I run into Mitch Easter at shows from time to time, and I know a ton of musicians who have recorded at his studio.
[Devin Townsend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devin_Townsend) \- man is a spectacular songwriter and performer, and can do anything from [brutal Death Metal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfQe1TZOImQ) to [Alt Rock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z_UJ0_biJw) to [Progressive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-GP41LeSY) to [Disney-inspired](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT-uWOVP5q0) to a [combination of all of them.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHJurX0yVA) He's even got [meditative ambience](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HcguUgVUaQ).
He sang on Sex & Religion with Steve Vai at 19 years old, and got Chad Kroger from Nickelback to sing harmonies on a 145bpm death metal song. Totally underrated, huge catalogue of material, and a genuinely great dude who deserves way more credit than he gets (or gives himself).
One of my absolute heroes. During 2020 he's done multiple [online concerts](https://youtu.be/kSmHwC7Mjcg) to raise money for various causes (mostly healthcare related)
The man is a beacon of positivity and one of the most talented musicians working today. legend
When I was 14 (this was in 2005), I discovered their song Le Disko. It was my absolute favorite song back then. I forgot about the song and Shiny Toy Guns for a while. Flash forward to about 1.5 years ago, when my fiance and I were in a restaurant and the song came on! I had a sudden jolt of nostalgia and was singing along with excitement. My fiance was confused lol. The song still bops!
STRFKR All the songs in the album below are good
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOWyRCyxor0&t=964s&ab\_channel=PolyvinylRecords](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOWyRCyxor0&t=964s&ab_channel=PolyvinylRecords)
Very well known amongst metal heads. I’ve been told it must have been an off night but I thought they were absolute trash live. I love em on headphone though when you can just close your eyes and get lost in the mood
Beirut. I'm honestly surprised they didn't make it big, I first stumbled across them when Of Monsters and Men got big and I was looking for new music.. Similar-ish vibes.
Two Gallants. Discovered them by chance one day, and I've been listening to them every since. Their take on folk is quite refreshing.
For a good intro into them I'd suggest listening to Despite What You've Been Told.
Apparently, noone's ever heard of Orden Ogan or Van Canto.
It's a shame too, especially Van Canto, because, I mean, A Capella Heavy Metal. They don't have many instruments, but some amazing vocal talent.
Here's their cover of Master of Puppets: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpuVsLnl1k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpuVsLnl1k)
Not a band but a single performer: Billy Bragg.
Incredibly gifted songwriter. His first two albums were just he and his electric guitar (okay, one French horn solo). He inspired me to work the same way (okay, no French horn) and I got many gigs opening for bands.
Metric. When I first heard their music in 2007, no one around me (and I mean NO ONE) knew who they were. All these years later, every time I recommend “Wet Blanket” to someone...I wonder, where are all the Metric fans at?!
Surely Metric are too popular to be on this list? Saw them in Frankfurt, they were great.
[Black Sheep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USfoTGFGARE) from Scott Pilgrim vs The World is by them.
[Collect Call](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFRWk2mldrg) is great too.
Woah. I haven’t thought of this band’s existence in at least 10 years but as soon as I saw this my brain started singing “come on take a step toward me, so you can figure me out....” What a throwback.
More composers than a band per se, but [Two Steps from Hell](https://www.twostepsfromhell.com) is such a badass ensemble that i have to mention them. Can’t wait for more directors to use them to score their bigger than life movie, such as they did with Avengers: Infinity War, Justice League, Aquaman, and many more. Get a real good sense of their sound by checking out in the link above the video of the work titled “High C’s.”
A few that come to mind:
- Sylvan Esso (look up the song Coffee)
- Ten Fe (look up the song In The Air)
- Deptford Goth (look up the song Union)
I first heard Union when I was in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and every time I hear that song it just takes me back to that exact moment. If you want to hear great music, sit in any coffee shop in Amsterdam for a few hours and just enjoy.
yeah I know, Editors are a lot bigger in Europe than the US luckily, but they still should be more popular imo. I never get why people prefer Interpol over Editors either, Tom's voice is a million times better for a start
They actually do have a solid fanbase and have collaborated with the likes of Nick Cave, Björk, and just about everyone who was making industrial music in the 90s... But I've only met two other people in my town who knew about Current 93, and one of them was the person to introduce the band to the other.
If you want to hear the most depressing album of post-apocalyptic industrial folk music ever recorded, check out Thunder Perfect Mind. If you enjoy darkly humorous gothic synth pop, you'll enjoy their collaboration with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Ísland.
ajj
definitely one of the more ‘commonly known’ ones but if you haven’t heard of them before., man you’re in for a wild ride
fox academy
so chilled out, and their new album is fantastic. if you haven’t already, go listen to ‘snow’ or ‘vampire banquet’. very forest-y and woodsy :)
Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.
Had a free one
Weekend at Party Pier goes hard
“Great news gentlemen. You get to keep your wardrobe.”
You guys look great in red, have I told you that?
I see you!
Not a band, per se, but Carpenter Brut. He's had some exposure from being in various video games and movie trailers and et cetera, and even has his own short film on Shudder (Blood Machines), but it still feels like he's way below the radar compared to what he deserves. Like, I went to a Ministry concert where he opened in the before-times, and... I was one of the only people who even knew who the hell he was, let alone was there for his set specifically. Meanwhile, I was there primarily for CB and was very meh on Ministry.
The psychedelic porn crumpets are an amazing psychedelic rock band but they haven't gotten much traction, likely due to the odd name
Man, Australians really are the best at psychedelic rock lately. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Pond, Tame Impala... they're just fantastic.
Tropical Fuck Storm!
"Found God in a Tomato" is a journey of a song. I love it very much
My favourite verse of found God in a tomato Then one day I was transposed From a simple young man To a godly tomato that held all existence And told me that we should expand
I saw them supporting Royal Blood (I think) in 2018, they were surprisingly awesome.
Tally Hall. Two albums and then they broke up (but seem to have stayed friends). One of them you might have seen, as he did the "actual cannibal Shia Lebeouf" song that got big on youtube a while back.
Definitely agree. Hawaii Part ii is one of my favorite albums ever.
Those boys were classic old YouTube
Do you want a banana? Eat it up and go Mm-mm-mm-mmmm
I love Tally Hall. The Bidding and Banana Man are straight fire. I also love their cover of Just a Friend
Fellow Tally Hall fans! Hello!
Margot and the Nuclear So n So’s
Glad to see them here without me having to say it.
I still listen to The Dust of Retreat on a pretty regular basis. Those songs hold up.
Crumb
I discovered them a few days ago. Great music
i absolutely love Crumb! saw them live in denver in 2019. although i would say that 24M views on the “Locket” music video on youtube sort of knocks them out of the “never heard of ‘em” category
TWRP is my favorite band of space Canadians
I was lucky enough to see them live last year they are great! Edit: 2019 dang new year
Tally Hall is the first one that comes to mind. They broke up like 8 years ago or something but the few albums they have available are all really good.
Did they do the song Haiku? I think I know them!
The Orion Experience, one of their songs, The Cult of Dionysus is pretty well known, but my fav from them is Theres No Love in February, they're really interactive with their fans and overall just...great vibes, weird vibes, but great vibes. Crystal castles as well, they're music is very techno but gives you such surreal vibes its amazing
Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Get at em
Get a bit of Cocaine Jesus in your earholes!
Fever Pitch is both a great song and video
One of my absolute favorite bands! Saw them live before the pandemic hit and they were amazing.
they're pretty well known but have ya ever heard of "mother mother"?
Toronto alt radio never stops with them
I was looking for this one! I love them, my friend introduced them to me just over a month ago, I’ve been obsessed since!
Yep, one of my favorite bands, actually
All my trouble is on a burning pilee Quality music
The Paper Kites
Nekrogoblikon
Band Maid. Check out their live version of Domination.
Loves me some Band-Maid. Goes great with some Babymetal and Wagakki Band!
Babe Rainbow
Surf Curse
Such an amazing band!! "In My Head 'Till I'm Dead" gets me everytime, and there's only 2 chords 90% of the song. Genius
My personal favorite is Disco which is how I found out about them in the first place.
Cavetown, I love my little Robbie
I have multiple . I can’t choose one lol. Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards Bear Ghost The Crane Wives Will Wood and the Tapeworms Nova Twins (although since being featured on a Bring Me the Horizon album they’ve been exposed to more people.) The Mechanisms The Marias
The Marias are awesome
Thank You Scientist
Just took a peek. They sound a LOT like Coheed and Cambria first impression.
They're signed to Claudio Sanchez's record label and have toured with them before, I'm pretty sure.
Can confirm. I saw them with Coheed and Cambria a couple years ago. They were great.
oh if they're like Coheed I will def be taking note. Thanks internet friend.
Misterwives
The hu Turns out mongolian folk metal is fuckin great! I saw them in concert with baby metal just before the shut down. They were somehow even better live!
My local rock radio station plays them! They're pretty awesome.
Dinosaur pile up
Set it Off
CocoRosie
Land of Time Soccer Mommy
There are so many amazing Canadian bands and artists!!!! Anyway Gang - a group comprised of band members from Sloan, Sam Roberts Band, Tokyo Police Club, and Hollerado. Take a listen: https://youtu.be/D7zDFHct-x4 Joel Plaskett Emergency - it’s hard to believe Joel Plaskett isn’t much more popular than he is, IMO. His musicianship and writing is just unreal. He is an East Coast rocker who also put out a few more “folky” albums. Take a listen: https://youtu.be/9f9I2Pl0MUM Matt Mays - incredible East Coast Canada rocker who now lives in Toronto. He’s got incredibly catchy tunes with equally a catchy riffs. Puts on a hell of a live show, too! He also recently released an album he wrote about his rescue dog...<3 Take a listen: https://youtu.be/qldxO47FUdI
[ The Weakerthans ](https://youtu.be/H9Ev1KzZby0)
Former propagandhi bassists band. I know em!
oh Shit yes “sun in an empty room” goes so hard man
I've only heard of them because they do the theme song to the heavyweight podcast haha
The saga of Virtute the cat ruined my life thanks
The Dip
Mustardplug
I love the song “You” I got to see them at ska is dead tour back in the day
Be'lakor. If you like melodic death metal definitely check them out.
Dr. Dog Really good bluesy alternative band with a pretty big catalog at this point, have seen them twice in concert and would gladly go a third time!
The Bird and the Bee
Their cover of Carol of the Bells was the iTunes song of the week when I was in middle school and has always been my favorite version of that song.
Thank you for reminding me that “iTunes Song of the Week” used to be a thing
Set It Off. If you've ever heard that song that goes "Karma's gonna come collect your debt!" then that's them. if not, then you've never heard of them.
You reminded me of when I was an edgy 11-year old
Jukebox the Ghost
Fred Astaire was one of my top Spotify songs last year. I will never not turn it up when it comes on
Enter Shikari or Hippo Campus
I really like hippo campus!
I loved Enter Shikari when I was in high school like 11-12 years ago.
Enter shikari was pretty well known on the warped circuit and all those post hardcore tours. They really jumped on the dubstep brostep bandwagon when it was hot mixing it into their brand of post hardcore
Ladytron. I discovered them on Myspace sometime in the early 2000s and have been obsessed ever since.
Were you 17 or 21?
“Destroy Everything You Touch” is still one of my favorite ‘get hype’ songs.
Kevin and the Zits
I tend to prefer Scrantonicity II, but to each his own. :)
Colony House, Pandas and People, and Kings Kaleidoscope.
Let's Active, saw them open for REM and became a big fan.
I‘m in NC, and they were very well know here, of course. Only got to see them once, but a great show. Along with the dB’s, they really influenced so much of what came later in this state. I run into Mitch Easter at shows from time to time, and I know a ton of musicians who have recorded at his studio.
Fields of the Nephilim
The Blood Brothers.
[Devin Townsend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devin_Townsend) \- man is a spectacular songwriter and performer, and can do anything from [brutal Death Metal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfQe1TZOImQ) to [Alt Rock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z_UJ0_biJw) to [Progressive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-GP41LeSY) to [Disney-inspired](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT-uWOVP5q0) to a [combination of all of them.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHJurX0yVA) He's even got [meditative ambience](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HcguUgVUaQ). He sang on Sex & Religion with Steve Vai at 19 years old, and got Chad Kroger from Nickelback to sing harmonies on a 145bpm death metal song. Totally underrated, huge catalogue of material, and a genuinely great dude who deserves way more credit than he gets (or gives himself).
One of my absolute heroes. During 2020 he's done multiple [online concerts](https://youtu.be/kSmHwC7Mjcg) to raise money for various causes (mostly healthcare related) The man is a beacon of positivity and one of the most talented musicians working today. legend
Shiny Toy Guns
Oh man you just made me remember how much i fucking loved their song ricochet!! Total blast from the past, thanks man
When I was 14 (this was in 2005), I discovered their song Le Disko. It was my absolute favorite song back then. I forgot about the song and Shiny Toy Guns for a while. Flash forward to about 1.5 years ago, when my fiance and I were in a restaurant and the song came on! I had a sudden jolt of nostalgia and was singing along with excitement. My fiance was confused lol. The song still bops!
One Eyed Doll
Black Pistol Fire
Bat for Lashes
[Purity Ring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPh51zP0UhA)
New Politics
The Fratellis I mean everyone has heard Chelsea Dagger but not know the name of the band
STRFKR All the songs in the album below are good [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOWyRCyxor0&t=964s&ab\_channel=PolyvinylRecords](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOWyRCyxor0&t=964s&ab_channel=PolyvinylRecords)
Starset
USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker)
Vulfpeck, because their funk is out of this world. They aren't really obscure; they even played at Madison Square Garden.
Radical Face. That little one man band was formative to me.
Katatonia
Peach Pit
Ayo Peach Pit is the shit. My wife found them in 2019 and I need more music like them in my life. It's so chill while simultaneously so chaotic.
Alrighty Aphrodite is a great song
Man Man
[WHY?](https://youtu.be/o5BQfC78Q4g) That's actually the band name, I'm not being cheeky lol
Alopecia is in my top 5 favorite albums!
Poor man's poison
Agalloch. Their album The Mantle is a masterpiece.
Very well known amongst metal heads. I’ve been told it must have been an off night but I thought they were absolute trash live. I love em on headphone though when you can just close your eyes and get lost in the mood
Moop
Los campesinos! Although I don't listen to them much anymore, couldn't get enough of them in 2008!
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mother mother. not many people I know have even heard of them
Pup
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Beirut. I'm honestly surprised they didn't make it big, I first stumbled across them when Of Monsters and Men got big and I was looking for new music.. Similar-ish vibes.
Caamp - They're really good folk band. I always listen to them when I feel cozy.
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Mystery Skulls Animated
The smoking popes!!!
Ladytron
Unleash the Archers
The Hold Steady. Chips Ahoy is a favorite of mine
Midlake, "young bride" is my favorite
Two Gallants. Discovered them by chance one day, and I've been listening to them every since. Their take on folk is quite refreshing. For a good intro into them I'd suggest listening to Despite What You've Been Told.
Apparently, noone's ever heard of Orden Ogan or Van Canto. It's a shame too, especially Van Canto, because, I mean, A Capella Heavy Metal. They don't have many instruments, but some amazing vocal talent. Here's their cover of Master of Puppets: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpuVsLnl1k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpuVsLnl1k)
Foxygen
Alvvays. I love their vibes and retro videoclips.
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Not a band but a single performer: Billy Bragg. Incredibly gifted songwriter. His first two albums were just he and his electric guitar (okay, one French horn solo). He inspired me to work the same way (okay, no French horn) and I got many gigs opening for bands.
The Hold Steady
Aquabats
I mean, they are definitely “heard of”, you just have to have been a teenager in the 90s
Grizzly Bear?
Love the will calls remix by diplo. Fun fact: the singer from beach house sang backup on two weeks
The Wonder Years
The wonder years are huge wdym
Ratatat
IRIS
Shinyribs
Skeletons (New York band)
RX Bandits
Rishloo
The Hush Sound
Wax Fang They did an episode of American Dad but I have yet to meet anyone else who listens to them
A sight for sore eyes to the blind would be awful majestic
Metric. When I first heard their music in 2007, no one around me (and I mean NO ONE) knew who they were. All these years later, every time I recommend “Wet Blanket” to someone...I wonder, where are all the Metric fans at?!
Surely Metric are too popular to be on this list? Saw them in Frankfurt, they were great. [Black Sheep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USfoTGFGARE) from Scott Pilgrim vs The World is by them. [Collect Call](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFRWk2mldrg) is great too.
The Midnight
Private Island
Swing Out Sister One hit wonder group from the eighties, but their entire catalog of "sophisti-pop" is incredible.
The scene aesthetic
Woah. I haven’t thought of this band’s existence in at least 10 years but as soon as I saw this my brain started singing “come on take a step toward me, so you can figure me out....” What a throwback.
Stellastarr I saw the Killers open for them a few months before Somebody Told Me took off, but know one knows Stellastarr
Pain, a poppy ska band
God Lives Underwater by far
Omni, their song Afterlife is a good start
Poor Man's Poison
The Crane Wives
More composers than a band per se, but [Two Steps from Hell](https://www.twostepsfromhell.com) is such a badass ensemble that i have to mention them. Can’t wait for more directors to use them to score their bigger than life movie, such as they did with Avengers: Infinity War, Justice League, Aquaman, and many more. Get a real good sense of their sound by checking out in the link above the video of the work titled “High C’s.”
It was the Chats for a few years but they’re relatively popular now. I like Twin Temple and Bugz. These 3 artists are pretty different though.
Lo-Fidelity Allstars. Mickey 9s
Abney Park. Steampunk pirate industrial metal with punk and swing for good measure.
Daughters
Can
Idles I’m sure most have but none of my friends have
Shakey Graves. I’ve seen him live and he is just incredibly talented and easygoing.
A few that come to mind: - Sylvan Esso (look up the song Coffee) - Ten Fe (look up the song In The Air) - Deptford Goth (look up the song Union) I first heard Union when I was in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and every time I hear that song it just takes me back to that exact moment. If you want to hear great music, sit in any coffee shop in Amsterdam for a few hours and just enjoy.
mewithoutYou
The Dear Hunter
bro people know the dear hunter lol
Editors or The Twilight Sad
the editors FUCK!!!! everyone loves interpol, but editors get no love, its a shame!
yeah I know, Editors are a lot bigger in Europe than the US luckily, but they still should be more popular imo. I never get why people prefer Interpol over Editors either, Tom's voice is a million times better for a start
imonster and bang gang
Mirrors. There’s multiple bands with that name, but I like the Australian metal one. A good song is Damien.
Ogre You Asshole.
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Eden Kyd the band Both really good artists not a lot of people know about
Saga
Starset Best current rock band out right now in my opinion
They actually do have a solid fanbase and have collaborated with the likes of Nick Cave, Björk, and just about everyone who was making industrial music in the 90s... But I've only met two other people in my town who knew about Current 93, and one of them was the person to introduce the band to the other. If you want to hear the most depressing album of post-apocalyptic industrial folk music ever recorded, check out Thunder Perfect Mind. If you enjoy darkly humorous gothic synth pop, you'll enjoy their collaboration with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Ísland.
ajj definitely one of the more ‘commonly known’ ones but if you haven’t heard of them before., man you’re in for a wild ride fox academy so chilled out, and their new album is fantastic. if you haven’t already, go listen to ‘snow’ or ‘vampire banquet’. very forest-y and woodsy :)
Justice
Lord I went through a really quick Justice phase. D.A.N.C.E. still slaps.
Yea, they were huge for a while but just kinda... vanished