3 Forgotten Rock Bands From the 20th Century Worth Rediscovering

These forgotten rock bands that were active in the 20th century deserve to be remembered. They were incredible and influential outfits. If you want to add some underrated gems to your go-to playlist, take a look at our list below.

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Silver Apples

Silver Apples, in its original (and groundbreaking) iteration, was active in the late 1960s. Their debut self-titled album from 1968 and Contact from 1969 are absolutely legendary pieces of work. When they were originally active, no other rock band was using synthesizers yet. The idea of synthesizers remained something that academics tinkered over. Frontman Simeon put together his own primitive synth and crafted some of the most unique music of the late 1960s. It’s a shame that legal troubles and time stole much of the band’s potential early on, and they had to disband in 1970. But at least we have two absolutely incredible electronic rock albums to enjoy today.

The Pretty Things

The Pretty Things came to be during the British Invasion. Judging by the sheer volume of English bands that vied for attention on the charts, it seems like The Pretty Things might have slipped through the cracks in the years since they had their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Sadly, as of 2020, this blues rock outfit is no more. But considering they had several hits in the UK (from “Don’t Bring Me Down” to “Honey I Need”), I think they’re worth remembering. You might remember them from their collaborations with The Yardbirds or possibly their “stock” albums (the Electric Banana series) used for film and television in the 1960s and 1970s.

Pavlov’s Dog

How about a little bit of folk in your prog-rock coffee in the morning? Pavlov’s Dog blended the two styles seamlessly on albums like Pampered Menial from 1975 and At The Sound Of The Bell from 1976. This American outfit, oddly enough, never quite broke through in the US but was quite popular in Australia. They broke up in the late 1970s and reunited on several occasions through the years, and are still together today. But nothing beats those first two albums from the 1970s. It’s a shame they’re on this list of forgotten rock bands of the 20th century, and I think they deserved way more love during their early years.

Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns