Five superb bands that should have been so much bigger than they were

The Gaslight Anthem 

Coming from New Jersey, The Gaslight Anthem always has inevitable comparisons with Bruce Springsteen. They have been more on obviously influenced by The Boss, but probably also by The Ramones and many others. The band does have a punkier style to their rock. Formed in 2008 they played through to 2015 and then have been on an on/off status with a few break ups along the way, up until their most recent album History Books in 2023. 

Always a popular live band they have played at many top festivals around the world. But their chart successes have been limited. Three of their six studio albums achieved rankings for sales in the UK, one gold and two silver. But nothing from the RIAAA in the US.  Of those albums, Handwritten (2012) made it to number three in the US charts. A fourth album, Get Hurt, didn't rank for sales but still achieved a number four position in both the US and the UK.

Without a doubt, it’s pretty respectable and definitely successful, but ranking below where their music and live gigs deserved to be. Their music covers all you’d expect. It’s fun, sing-along guitar rock. It’s about cars, girls, and glory days in New Jersey, without being Springsteen soundalikes. They got mellower over the years but can and do still rock. Maybe they just needed a blockbuster hit or some other breakthrough to boost them higher and upwards.

The Blue Nile

A very classy band from Glasgow with a neat sound originally based on electronics and synths but progressively adding more guitar. Formed as a trio they did rather shun the spotlight and try to stay under the radar somewhat personally. Their at times jazzy, melodic, tuneful songs with wistful lyrics were highly acclaimed critically. 

Four albums over 20 years from their first A Walk Across The Rooftops in 1984 through to High in 2004, tell another story.  Second album Hats should really have quickly followed their first. But although they hit the studios in 1985, they weren't ready with songs written that they liked enough to cut a follow-up. Eventually returning to record in 1988, Hats came out in 1989. Even longer gaps followed for the final two albums.

That debut album carries their classic track “Tinseltown In The Rain” a poem to Glasgow, its sparkling times and weather. It’s a brilliant example of what they were capable of. All the albums had many highlights and deserved the acclaim received. The debut album though only reached number 80 in the UK charts and their best chart album was the final one, High. That peaked at number 10 there. Total sales are estimated at around 120,000 for all four albums combined. A ridiculously low total for such a brilliant band and sound. 

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