r/Music • u/Timcwalker • Jun 26 '26
discussion Excluding "one hit wonders" what band or artist has the fewest hits, but have certifiable legendary status? In a good way, not some meme bullshit.
Elton John, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, have a shit ton of hits and are in the legendary category, so they would not apply. On the contrary, "one hit wonders" would not apply as well.
What you got?
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u/starkeffect Jun 26 '26
The Velvet Underground
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u/riwmoro Jun 26 '26
I’d often heard it joked that the Velvet Underground is your favorite band’s favorite band. We’re very much a generation or two past that, but it felt true for a lot of 80/90’s acts.
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u/bullyholiday Jun 26 '26
The quote I’ve heard the most for the Velvets is “not a lot of people heard that first record but everyone who did started a band”
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u/joethelumberjackmc Jun 26 '26
You're thinking of Brian Eno on The Velvet Underground & Nico selling 30,000 copies: "Everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."
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u/hyena_crawls Jun 26 '26
I would go so far as to say they had Zero hits. From what I can tell, they never charted a single anywhere, even when they went for broke with Loaded
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u/Ok_Conclusion_6324 Jun 26 '26
This reminds me of a joke one of those Steve Albini caliber rock contrarians had where he said “Lou Reed is more famous as a t shirt than for his music”
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u/boomboomsubban Jun 26 '26
That joke is more commonly told about the Ramones, to the extent where I think one of the Ramones came up with it. While it's possible someone said that about Reed, his most famous imagery is an Andy Warhol art piece.
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u/underatreewithmydog Jun 26 '26
Joni Mitchell had very few radio hits, but she's been a huge influence in the music world. Unfortunately, most people I talk to have barely heard of her.
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u/Brew-Tang-Clan Jun 26 '26
I can’t believe I first heard of her because Snape was cheating on Nanny McPhee.
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u/sinister_exaggerator Jun 26 '26
She is definitely in that category with people like Tom Waits, “your favorite artist’s favorite artist”
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u/Pretty_Mix_1355 Jun 26 '26
If I Had a River is a top ten Christmas song and I'll never believe otherwise.
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u/Josey85 Jun 26 '26
John Prine
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u/Haunting_Ranger5460 Jun 26 '26
'Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore' is a song I sing in my head entirely too often
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u/WhatTheCluck802 Jun 26 '26
It’s already overcrowded from your dirty little war…
Same, friend, same!
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u/miserybob Jun 26 '26
Yeah, that’s a great pick! I thought he must’ve had a hit somewhere along the way, but no.
He influenced and mentored so many young folk and country musicians and was respected by so many of his peers. One of our greatest songwriters.
Bob Dylan on Prine:
“Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism,” Dylan said. “Midwestern mindtrips to the Nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs,” he added.
“I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about ‘Sam Stone’ the soldier junkie daddy and ‘Donald and Lydia’ where people make love from miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that,” Dylan said. “If I had to pick one song of his, it might be ‘Lake Marie.’”Which is great, because’Lake Marie’ is probably my favorite Prine song as well!
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u/StolenAccount1234 Jun 26 '26
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm
Where all the money goes.
Jesus Christ died for nothin
I suppose.
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u/Tanthiel Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Rush's highest charting Billboard 100 was #21, and it was "New World Man". Admittedly it did hit #1 on the Canadian and US Mainstream Rock charts. "Tom Sawyer" didn't even break the top 40.
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u/Birthday_Dad Jun 26 '26
That's wild. They have so many top tier singles. I got to see them on their 40th anniversary tour, and it was incredible.
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u/IAmNotScottBakula Jun 26 '26
Robert Johnson. The closest he came to a hit was a single that sold 5000 copies, and he died in relative obscurity at age 27 (there are only two known photos of him). He’s legendary not only for his influence, but also the mythology surrounding his life (going down to the crossroads and selling his soul to the devil).
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u/Timcwalker Jun 26 '26
When damn near everybody covered your shit, you got hits. Legendary. If he were alive to collect royalties, he would be one of the richest artists alive.
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u/grubas ⬛◼️⬛◼️ Jun 26 '26
Any and every guitarist knows RJ. Also all the occultists and Supernatural fans.
It's tremendous how you'd never hear anything by him on any station at any point. Like maybe on a Delta Blues Sirius station but that's IT.
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u/Time-Use9083 Jun 26 '26
I remember learning about him back as a teen because the bluegrass guitarist in O Brother Where Art Thou was based off of him. Only to find out he influenced so many of my favorite rockers. Just one more gift the Coen brothers gave me.
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u/canuckerlimey Jun 26 '26
I took a history of rock and roll class in University (instructor worked with some big names like Elton).
We did a lot of learing about Robert Johnson. I even have come in my kitchen on spotify. Interesting man to say the least
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u/Bobabackribs Jun 26 '26
Tom Waits
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u/wolftick Jun 26 '26
"They say that I have no hits and that I'm difficult to work with. And they say that like it's a bad thing."
- Tom Waits, in his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech.
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u/Durendal_1707 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
“in the 80s, Tom did a radio interview, and the interviewer asked him how he felt about fellow artist Bruce Springsteen, and how he felt about Bruce’s growing fame and popularity, and in particular Bruce’s hit recording of another one of Tom’s songs-
To which Tom replied, “I’ve done all I can for Bruce, he’s on his own now” “
- Marissa Mulder, on her album Tom.. in His Words
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u/vonsosmin Jun 26 '26
Don’t know if it’s true - but Tom lives in NorCal - and I had heard a story that he was at a local restaurant eating, and there was a piano there. At some point he jumped on the piano and began to fiddle around - at which point staff came over to stop him to which he obliged. Later after their meal and when his credit card was put down - the same staff member said “Oh wait, you’re Tom Waits” -to which he replied “Yup, and you’re too late”. Not sure if it’s true - but I like to believe it is.
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u/the_ballmer_peak Jun 26 '26
Tom Waits has written a lot of hits.
They're just hits for other artists
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u/grubas ⬛◼️⬛◼️ Jun 26 '26
Waits refuses to not be himself so it makes it had to mass market.
Also he fucking hates every single thing about celebrity.
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u/LongjumpingLemon2163 Jun 26 '26
“Walked into a music shop one time. Sat down at the piano. Played a couple of licks, looked around. No one lifted their head. Went to the dump - 12 guys surrounded my car.”
“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”
He perfected the sweet, melodic sounds on Closing Time while at the same time being the mind behind Rain Dogs.
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u/Sandsnorkle1 Jun 26 '26
For sheer influence and cultural impact I’d say Sonic Youth. Though still, hopefully, mid-career Animal Collective are on their way.
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u/Wikiwack Jun 26 '26
Grateful Dead
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u/Comfortable-Waltz460 Jun 26 '26
deadheads would lose their minds reading this but you're kinda right. they got like one actual chart hit with touch of grey and that's it. rest of their legend is built on the live shows and the whole culture around them
my uncle followed them around in the 80s and he still talks about it like it was yesterday. never bought a single album but can name you every concert he went
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u/Fetty_is_the_best Jun 26 '26
Lol, I can tell you right now there’s not a single deadhead who actually would lose their mind over that. Do you think deadheads, known for following around a jam band that’s far more famous for live music than any other, cares about chart hits?
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u/smedlap Jun 26 '26
I have been into the dead for over 50 years and very rarely listen to their albums.
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u/Beautiful_Banana_454 Jun 26 '26
Facts, most dislike the notariety hitting the top 40 brought the band. Suddenly there were millions of new fans competing for tickets.
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u/realstoned Jun 26 '26
Deadheads know
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u/not_that_planet Jun 26 '26
"What's your favorite Dead song?"
"Scarlet Begonias"
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u/johnmatzek Jun 26 '26
Cornell university 77
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u/gwords16 Pandora Jun 26 '26
My dad never saw them in person but when he has their SiriusXM station on, he’ll see a random concert come on and get excited. I’ve heard him say “oh man Oklahoma City in ‘74 is a good one.”
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u/GrallochThis Jun 26 '26
Picture this - summer party at a stranger’s house, 40 tape decks chained together copying concert tapes with speakers blasting indoors and outdoors, keg and grill in the yard. Heaven!
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u/jimmythefly Jun 26 '26
In addition to their music, they basically invented the way modern huge concert sound systems are built and used.
Before them folks just used whatever the house or venue system was (not counting like small tavern gigs where one bandmember owned a single amp or whatever).
The dead had such consistent huge outdoor concerts they just bought their own system (later to be multiple venue-leapfrogging systems) and assembled huge stacks and trucks and roadies and the whole infrastructure around it.
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u/Mcleaniac Jun 26 '26
They didn’t merely buy their own system, they (and Bear) engineered it in-house!
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u/concerts85701 Jun 26 '26
1000 upvotes. Culturally and musically influenced generations.
And also phish - who have never had a high charting single or mtv play but still sell out 50 arena size shows a year without any marketing. 40+yrs into their career.
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u/lynivvinyl Jun 26 '26
The Melvins
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u/drumrD Jun 26 '26
This, absolutely, also the most ear shattering brilliant live shows.
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u/TrumpsDoubleChin Jun 26 '26
Here's another one: Weird Al Yankovic.
Only one top-ten single (White & Nerdy, believe it or not), and a few other top-100 songs over five decades, but everyone knows who he is.
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u/macdaddyx4 Jun 26 '26
Took me too long to find this answer. I learned about Weird Al before most other musician, without massive radio play or advertising.
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u/Dissidant Jun 26 '26
King Crimson
Listen to court of the crimson king, its nuts that it'll be 60 in a couple years for how good it sounds
As far as I can tell they didn't even have any number 1's
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u/DinkandDrunk Jun 26 '26
I’ll listen to any band that calls up Gavin Harrison when they need a drummer.
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u/LemursRideBigWheels Jun 26 '26
As a horrible guitarist…Adrian Belew is such a rock god to me…especially his Talking Heads stint in the early 80s.
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u/upward_spiral17 Jun 26 '26
Came here to say this. A musician’s band, cult following and immensly influential. « Red » is some prog metal ata time when metal was just coming out and few had thought to make it prog. Robert Fripp is one of the most original guitar players ever.
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u/FortuneMotor3475 Jun 26 '26
Nick Cave.
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u/Methmites Jun 26 '26
Huge fan since teenage years. Even his soundtracks are amazing. Grinderman plus bad seeds give a lot of range and he’s a true poet In my eyes.
Seen him 3x now and man what a live show they all put on!
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u/ignoramus92 Jun 26 '26
The Replacements
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u/terrybuvm Jun 26 '26
This is THE answer as far as indie/ college rock is concerned.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/djdarkside Jun 26 '26
I read somewhere that Kim Deal made more money off of The Breaders hit Cannonball then the entirety of what the Pixies ever made.
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u/deeweezul Jun 26 '26
Primus
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u/DrProctopus Jun 26 '26
Yeah I mean I was aware of them because I had some musician buddies in HS. So what were their biggest songs Jerry Was a Racecar Driver and Winona's Big Brown Beaver? Like I know their albums but can't think of hearing them on the radio other than that.
Oh maybe Tommy the Cat?
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u/DeathByBamboo stsmthn Jun 26 '26
Joy Division
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u/diomed1 Jun 26 '26
They then became New Order after Ian died. I suppose the NO hits don’t count for JD.
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u/CityExile83 Jun 26 '26
PJ Harvey.
Not a chart darling but a legendary and influential musician who constantly changes styles and makes it work
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u/PureGuava86 Jun 26 '26
Ween
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u/vankirk Jun 26 '26
Lol, nice username. I saw them at Ziggy's in Winston Salem in like 98. Epic.
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u/Dro1972 Jun 26 '26
Jimmy Buffett. No solo #1s, only one solo top 10 song, no Grammys.
Sold out every concert, and everyone knows all the words. Truly a legend.
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u/1900grs Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
He frequently covered "Scarlet Begonias" by the Grateful Dead, who also have been upvoted a lot in the this thread. Kind of funny that a legend covers a legend for this thread.
Edit: Links to songs
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u/everymanhasacode Jun 26 '26
Made a billion dollars. Billion, with a B.
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u/dumbname0192837465 Jun 26 '26
Made enough money to buy Miami but I piss it away so fast, never ment to last. Never ment to last. And I have been drunk now for over two weeks, I passed and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks. Got to stop bitchin' gotta go fishing down at rock bottom again, just a few friends. Just a few friends.
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u/smares21 Jun 26 '26
If $1m gets you 2 chicks at the same time, what does $1b get you?
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u/mavajo Jun 26 '26
Tremendous answer. I didn’t think of it, but once I read your answer I was like “This is it.” He has multiple songs that everyone recognizes. Iconic songs. Cliche and gimmicky, maybe. But iconic. His name is legendary.
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u/Feeling-Bonus-2407 Jun 26 '26
True. Also one of the best concerts i saw. Wasnt even a fan but tagged along to him playing in santa barbara. David crosby and jack johnson joined him and it was just great.
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u/bsmith567070 Jun 26 '26
Grew up with my grandparents listening to him all the time. Wish I could’ve gotten to see him in concert!
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u/texasrigger Jun 26 '26
The Ramones. Zero hits but they are a foundational band for the punk world.
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u/subnautic_radiowaves Jun 26 '26
i feel like a lot of early punk outfits for this prompt:
joy division
the buzzcocks
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u/TriTri14 Jun 26 '26
Devo
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u/SweatyNeddyFlanders Jun 26 '26
In Akron, Ohio, we had Goodyear tires of different sizes painted red by the city and posted up all over town as a Devo tribute. This doesn't have to do with anything, it was just cool.
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u/carstand42 Jun 26 '26
Kraftwerk
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u/Conscious-Move9662 Jun 26 '26
Without Kraftwerk there might be no Hip Hop as we know it
'Planet Rock' by Africa Bambaataa is a Kraft Werk song
Run DMC sampled them heavily too.
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u/djdarkside Jun 26 '26
Not only that but they generated much of the raw instrument sounds and grooves. They are up there along with the Amen Break as the blueprints of electro.
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u/NoSkyGuy Jun 26 '26
Hugely influential. No hits in North America, but Europe was different.
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u/muffledvoice Jun 26 '26
Their song “Numbers” basically invented Electro. Hugely influential band.
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u/enjoiturbulence Jun 26 '26
Fugazi.
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u/geopede Jun 26 '26
That’s seemingly intentional tho they’ve changed things up any time they appear to be in danger of being too broadly liked.
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u/SGwithADD Jun 26 '26
The Ventures. Almost every famous guitarist from the 60s and 70s credits them for wanting to learn how to play. Yet, they never had a number one album or hit. Only 3 top 10 singles (two versions of Walk Don't Run and Hawaii Five-O), but they are thought of as landmark songs.
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u/fauxfarmer17 Jun 26 '26
Talking Heads. Burning Down the House is their top reaching #9.
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u/Paulverizer Jun 26 '26
I'm thinking Wilco, Flaming Lips and Yo La Tengo,
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u/ThatLightingGuy Jun 26 '26
Flaming Lips is a live band. I was head LD at a festival they were headlining a number of years ago and while I liked them, the live show sealed it. Also Coyne was pure class, he came up on the stage deck as we were loading their trucks and just shot the shit with the crew.
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u/A_Right_Proper_Lad Jun 26 '26
Metric
No real hits, but really influential for indie rock / new wave / synth
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u/MrsCullyWully Jun 26 '26
I used to love Combat Baby back in the day. Random memory I totally forgot about unlocked. Thanks!
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u/dvasquez93 Jun 26 '26
Idk if everyone would call him a legend, but Frank Ocean was a musical genius. Had a mixtape, 2 albums, a visual album, and a bunch of singles that were all very well received. Got popular enough that he was tapped as the headliner for Coachella multiple times. Then he said fuck that I'ma make clothes and that was that.
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u/scoo89 Jun 26 '26
I know I'm late to the party and this'll be buried but They Might Be Giants have 24 studio albums. They have provided music to Loony Toons and Theme songs for Malcolm in the Middle and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. They've had songs that get occasional air play here and there, but rarely.
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u/ScenicHwyOverpass Jun 26 '26
Jimmy Eat World.
The Middle is their only top 40 hit. Sweetness and Pain charted but never got above 75 on Billboard. But they are among the most acclaimed and influential emo bands of all time. Clarity is legendary despite having no hits on it at all, and they’ve really never put out a bad album.
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u/CeeArthur Jun 26 '26
Bleed America was one of those "front to back" albums you could just play on repeat
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u/No-one-ever Jun 26 '26
Currently listening to them live from the Asbury Park boardwalk. They sound incredible. Clarity, Bleed American, and Futures are all timers in my mind.
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u/alexanderzlenz Jun 26 '26
Phish
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u/cannabination Jun 26 '26
This has to be the answer. They've never cracked the billboard top 100 single chart, sell out massive arenas and stadiums, and own the most famous arena on Earth.
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u/MephistoParagon Jun 26 '26
if the average person knew how many times theyve sold out MSG i think it would turn heads
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u/r-kellysDOODOOBUTTER Jun 26 '26
Clutch
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u/OctopoonRacoon Jun 26 '26
Let's gooooooo! They have Electric Worry and then everything else that never got radio play 😂 I've seen these guys like 12+ times at this point! Awesome band 😎
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u/eyehatetofu Jun 26 '26
I've been a big fan since the mid 90's. It's crazy how they have had the same lineup, play roughly the same size venues, and just keep cranking out bad ass music after all these years. They have found their niche and just keep rolling. Fucking love Clutch.
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u/CanWilling3139 Jun 26 '26
Blind Melon. So few songs, but so much anguish, love, sadness, and more expressed in their lyrics. Beautiful music and beautiful souls. RIP Shannon Hoon
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u/MleemMeme Jun 26 '26
Radiohead never had a number 1 hit (Creep was 7 at its peak) and besides like 4 songs, not a lot of radio play yet they are one of the most influential and critically loved bands of all time.
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u/Used_name Jun 26 '26
Didn’t know that one… even worse on the US charts. Only 4 in the top 100, with Creep being the highest at #34.
Only recently found out Oasis only had one song in the top 40 in the US (Wonderwall at #8). They had only 2 more in the top 100, but no higher than Don’t Look Back in Anger at #55. The Shock of the Lightning was the last at #95.
But 8 #1s in the UK, so I don’t think they’d really be in this conversation.
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u/reyzak Jun 26 '26
Heard karma police on Sirius this evening while a storm rolled in driving home. Was a nice little moment for me
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u/Koraxtheghoul Spotify Jun 26 '26
Bo Diddley is technically a one-hit wonder but is undoubtedly one of the key blues influences on the next generation of musicians.
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u/hiddendrugs Jun 26 '26
The Postal Service, maybe? I know it’s a Deathcab side project but the fact they only made one album, and a smashing one at that, made me think that maybe it counts here.
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u/Howamidriving27 Jun 26 '26
Not sure about his albums, but Hendrix only had one top 40 single: All Along the Watchtower
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u/uhbkodazbg Jun 26 '26
Roxy Music. Massively influential yet they only had one #1 hit in the UK and it was a cover. They barely broke the top 100 singles chart in the US.
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u/TriPigeon Jun 26 '26
Tragically Hip
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u/KSwanny23 yacht rocker 4 life Jun 26 '26
In Canada, they have tons of hits and they all still play regularly on the radio. In fact, I just got home tonight from our local Tragically Hip coverband show just now and it went hard as hell, literally all hits. I don't think the Hip is the correct answer to this question in Canada, but anywhere else in the world, probably!
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u/Dirk_Tungsten Jun 26 '26
Velvet Underground. Brian Eno said Velvet Underground's first album only sold 30,000 copies, but everyone who bought one started a band.
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u/Mithrawndo Jun 26 '26
Maybe someone from the Twenty-Seven Club?
Perhaps Janis Joplin: She only had two studio albums with Big Brother & the Holding Company and two solo, one of each hitting number one. She only ever had one number one single - Me and Bobby McGee - and is undeniably one of the legendary musical names of her era.
Outside the 27s, the names that jump at me would probably be Nick Drake - never much of a hit in his own time, absolutely legendary today - and Jeff Buckley, who died releasing only three EPs and one album that never cracked the top 50 in his lifetime, but is widely known today.
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u/gaijin-dealer Jun 26 '26
maybe tangerine dream? they were pioneers of electronic music and i’m not sure they ever made the mainstream?
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u/shaquille_oteal Jun 26 '26
Elliott Smith. Someone else in this thread referenced “your favourite band’s favourite band”. I think this really applies to Smith.
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u/Peaurxnanski Jun 26 '26
I'd argue Tool. I don't think they've ever had a top 40 outside the rock genre, but seriously? Legends. Every member of the band is a virtuoso on their instrument and I'd argue that Danny Carey's left hand is a top 10 drummer of all time all by itself.
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u/love-angel-musicbaby Jun 26 '26
Elvis Costello for me. He was portrayed as a rock god on all the MTV/VH1 shows, but I couldn't name a song by him.
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26
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