Famous Artists That Most People Couldn't Name a Single Song By

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Artists that will more or less outlive their songs in popular consciousness, or are well known for a sound but no particular song.

Jessica Simpson
Bright Eyes
The Cure

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

Dashboard Confessional

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

I think most people who've heard of the Cure could name a song by them. Or at least be able to say 'You know, that song that goes "dun dun dun etc."'

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Leonard Cohen

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Oum Kalthoum

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

The Grateful Dead

― ath, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Beefheart
Velvet Underground

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

I think most people who've heard of the Cure could name a song by them. Or at least be able to say 'You know, that song that goes "dun dun dun etc."'

I doubt that--talking purely about average music listeners here, they'd probably recognize The Cure as "that band who wears makeup and sings all those depressing songs" but not name any individual songs by 'em. Maybe "Friday I'm in Love," but event that's unlikely.

Ditto Morrissey and Radiohead (aside from "Creep," anyway).

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Beefheart

OTM!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Frank Zappa
Tom Waits

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

The Grateful Dead

Possible ("Touch of Grey"? "Casey Jones"? dunno), but Phish is an even better answer (and one of the bands I was thinking of starting this thread).

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Beefheart
Velvet Underground

but most people wouldn't recognize these names to begin with. I'm more looking for bands that are famous nation or worldwide and probably had a fair number of hits, but whose music is far outlived by their persona.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

nonsense on the Jessica Simpson thing. NO ONE whose soul has been forever scarred by the brutal auditory bowel movement that is her cover of "Take My Breath Away" will be able to forget it.

NO ONE.

*whimpers and hides at the mere thought of this cover*

― janni (janni), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

I seriously doubt that. I mean, that song came out close to a year ago, and I'd venture to say I haven't heard it in at least nine months.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

Grateful Dead
Phish
Public Enemy
Ozzy Osbourne

― Lyra Jane (Lyra Jane), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

not just to say that my experience is indicative of everyone in the world's, just saying--radio doesn't play it anymore, it didn't make any video year-end lists, I don't even think it cracked the top 10. Even "With You" was probably more popular.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Bright Eyes and Dashboard Confessional are good ones. Jessica (and I'd say Ashlee) Simpson, too. I agree with o. nate about the Cure, though. If the Cure is on people's radar screens at all, there's probably at least a passing familiarity with one or more of their songs. It's not like they're ubiquitous media presences or anything.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

(Oh, Lyra's are very good.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

Snoop Dogg?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

The Cure are fairly well known image-wise, though. They get namechecked by everyone (people like Linkin Park and Fred Durst as well as The Rapture and Hot Hot Heat), they had an MTV icons thing, they were covered on I Love the 80s, etc.

I think by now most people either know "Pieces of Me" or "La La"--if they're familiar with either of Ashlee's most famous blunders, they should be fairly familiar with those songs as well.

Lyra's are good btu I disagree about Ozzy--"Crazy Train" is probably one of the most instantly recognizable hard rock tunes ever.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:26 (twenty years ago)

Snoop Dogg?

nah, "Gin and Juice" is still one of those songs that everybody knows. Maybe "Drop It Like It's Hot," too, but that won't be clear for a little while.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:26 (twenty years ago)

Wu-Tang Clan, maybe.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Kate Bush
Laurie Anderson
Robyn Hitchcock
Frank Zappa

― darin (darin), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Yoko Ono

― darin (darin), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

Miles Davis (there is NO song titled "Kind of Blue".)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

Sex Pistols

― Doobie Keebler (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

Bullshit.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

Yoko Ono's not bad, but I bet you a lot of people don't even realize that she does music in the first place.

Miles Davis is good.

I thought about the Sex Pistols--but I'd think most people recognize "Anarchy in the UK," at least as a slogan if not the actual song. Dunno if that counts.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

Miles is a really good one. The thing is, most "normal" people will really quickly recognize the melodies to a number of his pieces, and yet not be able to identify the song or, possibly, even the artist.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

NO ONE whose soul has been forever scarred by the brutal auditory bowel movement that is her cover of "Take My Breath Away" will be able to forget it

Actually I heard his for the first time the other day, and it wasn't till it was almost over that I even realized it wasn't the original. Admittedly it was playing in the background and I wasn't paying much attention, but as a cover, it seemed absolutely unremarkable - like it could have been done by anyone.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

2Pac (MAYBE "California Love")

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

Alot of people have heard the name, and probably could tell you a song title or two, and that that Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten were in the band, but how many have actually heard any of the music? (By "Alot of people," I mean EVERYONE, particualarly in the States)

(x-post)

― Doobie Keebler (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:33 (twenty years ago)

"California Love," "I Get Around," "Brenda's Got a Baby"--all fairly alive in the popular consciousness.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Merzbow

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

My bad, I was thinking this was a recognition thing (i.e. If someone heard a song, could they tell you who it was.)

― Doobie Keebler (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

Joy Division, I think.

I would say no to Snoop and Tupac.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:36 (twenty years ago)

What about Iggy Pop?

― Doobie Keebler (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

My bad, I was thinking this was a recognition thing (i.e. If someone heard a song, could they tell you who it was.)

No, your answer still makes sense.

JD's more in the pop. consciousness now than before, but still not so much that I think the average person would recognize the name. 100x for Merzbow, though if we were going by purely nerd standards, that'd be like the definitive answer.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

Garth Brooks

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

What about Iggy Pop?

Trainspotting and about three dozen commercials would disagree with this answer. I'd say just about anyone who knows who he is would know that song.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

Kenny G (36 million albums)

― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

perfect.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

That's a good answer. Though perhaps we should have a separate category for instrumental artists - since by nature their song names are harder to remember than artists with vocals.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

I don't know that many instrumental artists able to forge their way into the popular consciousness to begin with, though.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

Dude, everybody knows "Songbird."

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:47 (twenty years ago)

Also, though I don't think it's a satisfactory answer for this thread, for someone with about a half-dozen #1 hits Jennifer Lopez's songs are oddly anonymous.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:47 (twenty years ago)

Most instrumental artists would be the opposite of this: most people could name the song, or hum a few bars, but nobody (except maybe Ned) could tell you who did "Axel F".

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

or that it was called "Axel F".

I've already forgotten who it was that did the theme from Miami Vice. Jann something? Jann Hammer, maybe?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

Harold Faltermeyer.

sigh,

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to be extremely rude and combative for a moment:

A lot of the people posting to this thread are really fucking stupid. Listing Jessica Simpson basically points out that you're a gigantic snob who feels that a particular brand of commercial pop is "beneath" you, while listing Wu-Tang, Snoop, Public Enemy and 2Pac shows that you run away screaming from black people at the first opportunity. People who have heard about The Cure will instantly start talking about "Friday I'm In Love" by name. You would have to be mentally retarded to have heard of The Sex Pistols and NOT know "Anarchy In The UK" or "God Save The Queen".

The only people who've been listed so far who make any kind of rational sense are Miles Davis, Kenny G and Frank Zappa, and even there I think more people would remember "Songbird" than you would think.

(xpost: Did you really just try to play Harold Faltermayer like that, Huk???)

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 81 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I dunno man, you must not ever have been in a school band if you don't know Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4".

And Boston--"More Than a Feeling" is one of the biggest rock-radio staples ever, really.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

Slayer
Megadeth
Phish

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

Picasso

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

already listed, brilliantly enough.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

well it's still true!!

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

you actually read posts by geir??????

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

I suppose depending on who you are classing as normal some of these answers could look ridiculous, but i'm thinking an everyday average Sun reading deadbeat, not particularly a muso.

Slipknot
Boards of Canada (maybe not famous enough to the masses)
Pink Floyd
Nick Drake
Smashing Pumpkins

― dmun, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:46 (twenty years ago)

Heh, I can sing (bits of) songs by all those.

I was going to say Autechre, but someone beat me to it with Merzbow, so I'll have Picasso instead.

― mei (mei), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

Er and someone beat me to that I've just noticed.
Dammit!

― mei (mei), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

best answer by far: Oum Kalthoum

Do most people know this singer? I would be suprised when, if you'd drop this name outside of the Eastern world more than 50% of the people would actually know her.

It is a good call though if we're talking "music ermm. lovers/fans" then it's a great answer.

― Ludo (Ludo), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:56 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I could name Merzbow albums no problem. I just don't really think of his albums in terms of individual tracks (let alone 'songs'). I listen to the albums as entire works.

Anyone who's heard classic rock radio (or been to a hockey game or something) must have heard "More Than a Feeling" surely? It's gotta be better known than "The Final Countdown" (the Europe song, I'm assuming). Ditto for "Dust In the Wind" (one of the songs I teach the most). I think most people must know "Look Away", "You're the Inspiration", or "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago.

Slayer and Phish are good ones.

― the fucker that will burn you (sundar), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:59 (twenty years ago)

The factor being:

Famousness:
100% = your oldest auntie knows them
80% = newsagents, busdrivers
50% = the kids
30% = us lot in general
10% = Momus
1% = The artist themselves.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 08:06 (twenty years ago)

I'd be surprised if more than 5% actually know who Oum Kalthoum is.

Also, the average person has no idea who Boards Of Canada or Autechre is. And despite his Volkswagen commercial, I don't think most people would know who Nick Drake is either.

How well are Billie Holiday's song titles known to the average person?

― Lingbertt, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 08:41 (twenty years ago)

I am pretty sure most people cannot name a single song by George Clinton. Yet, his impact for today's popular music is undeniable.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

David Bowie possibly? i certainly know some people who that would apply to.

John Mellencamp.

i think that the most well known Cure track in the UK is probably the Love Cats. it's the one that always seems to get wheeled out on TV or the radio.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

I am pretty sure most people cannot name a single song by George Clinton. Yet, his impact for today's popular music is undeniable.

This is a good one.

Pink Floyd and Smashing Pumpkins are pretty out there--why would people have heard of them if not for their songs? It's not like they had a reputation or image that preceded themselves. Ditto JCM.

Bowie's possible, I suppose, but I bet a large chunk of the population could either come up with "Space Oddity," "Changes" or "China Girl".

so I'll have Picasso instead.

Three brilliant people on one webboard! Amazing!

And yeah, no one knows who Boards of Canada, Autechre or Nick Drake are, and I have absolutely no clue who Oum Kalthoum is.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

Picasso, maybe?

― Lee F# (fsharp), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:41 (twenty years ago)

> How well are Billie Holiday's song titles known to the average person?

I would think most people know "Strange Fruit," if nothing else.

How about Pat Boone, Perry Como, Andy Williams, et al?

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

David Bowie possibly? i certainly know some people who that would apply to.

If they were young in the 70s, they have heard "Space Oddity", "Starman" and "Life On Mars"

If they were young in the 80s, they have heard "Ashes To Ashes", "Let's Dance" and "China Girl"

Sure, they may be people younger than 20 years old who have yet to know any Bowie songs. But then, at 19, I didn't know any songs by such a big act as The Doors yet, and I think I knew more songs than most people my age did. Today's teens will eventually learn songs by Bowie later on.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:53 (twenty years ago)

while listing Wu-Tang, Snoop, Public Enemy and 2Pac shows that you run away screaming from black people at the first opportunity

Read the header. It says "most people". Most people are not black, and most of those who are black live in Africa and may never have heard a Western popular song in their entire lives.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:56 (twenty years ago)

Most of those who aren't old enough to remember "Heart Of Gold" being a hit wouldn't be able to name a single song by Neil Young

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

i did a quick poll in the office and a number of people couldn't name any David Bowie songs. i win!!

― Lee F# (fsharp), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:01 (twenty years ago)

Picasso has been mentioned four times now, so he must be the ultimate winner ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

Tom Waits

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:14 (twenty years ago)

George Clinton would work if not for "Atomic Dog", which, in America at the very least, is like a 3rd string national anthem.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

Personally, I didn't even know that "What's My Name" was based on "Atomic Dog" before I heard "Atomic Dog"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

Marilyn Manson. If you exclude all their covers. EVERYONE knows who he is but unless you're a very angry teenager, chances are you wouldn't be able to name a song by the guy. I certainly can't.

― Roz, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

ELO? I know I can't name anything of theirs...

― What we want? Sex with T.V. stars! What you want? Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Personally, I didn't even know that "What's My Name" was based on "Atomic Dog" before I heard "Atomic Dog"

Yeah, me neither. I think George Clinton is a pretty great example of this.

But who knows ELO for something besides their songs?

Tom Waits

Hm, that's not bad, though I'm not sure exactly how famous he is to begin with.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Yanni

― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Marilyn Manson

This is a good answer. I think his notoriety in American culture post-Columbine far exceeds any specific knowledge of his songs.

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Tom Waits is not known, my parents and older people I talk to have never heard of him, I thought he may have had somewhat more of a presence in his softer phase in the 70's but no. Marilyn Manson pwns I think.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

Marilyn Manson is an excellent suggestion. "The Dope Show" was a minor hit of sorts, but most people don't know that one either.

Also, hadn't it been for "Loser", then Beck might have been the answer here.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 15:59 (twenty years ago)

I'd thought "Beautiful People" was really well known but I may have been wrong. I can see how his reputation precedes his music in any case.

― the fucker that will burn you (sundar), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

Yanni is a great answer!

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

Now if Jessica Simpson did a cover of Love Cats...

― Jay Watts III (jaywatts), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 16:32 (twenty years ago)

Stop saying The Who. Have you not heard of CSI?

― Huk-L, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

ELO - > Traveling Wilburys and the comebacks of George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Del Shannon.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

I thought Electric Light Orchestra was a 70's stage show of some sort that involved roller skating until late last year, so that sounds about right.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)

Taj Mahal - Leavin' Trunk
Johnny Winter - Black Cat Bone
Little Feat - Sailin' Shoes
John Prine - Angel from Montgomery
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Pride and Joy

How about

Muddy Waters?
BB King?
ZZ Top?
Jeff Beck?

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:20 (twenty years ago)

Come on, everyone knows "Legs". And anyone who knows of Jeff Beck at all surely knows of him for his music.

― the fucker that will burn you (sundar), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

I think this is one of those threads that emphatically proved we do not live in a global village.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Jeff Beck has little rep. outside of his music.

B.B. King--"The Thrill is Gone"? I have no idea how it goes, but the title is firmly burned in to my brain for whenever I think of B.B. King, so I assume there's a reason for that.

And yeah, ZZ Top has a ton of famous songs.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:28 (twenty years ago)

I would be willing to bet that many more people know BB for either his cameo with U2 or his diabetes ads than for his songs.

Without resorting to a poll of my class, ZZ Top totally exists in more people's minds as
1)Those guys with the long beards
2)Those guys with the fuzzy guitars
3)Those guys with the hot rods in their videos

Than they do as Texas blues gods

And I really think that Miles Davis is the best answer here.

― Nardis (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:54 (twenty years ago)

Alba OTM. I keep feeling like I live among freaky space aliens. Hehe.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)

Stop saying The Who. Have you not heard of CSI?

Um, I don't think "That song from CSI" would count as a proper answer if you asked the average american to name a Who song. Would any CSI fans even know that was the Who? Do they write THE WHO-> really big at the beginning of the opening titles or something?

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:31 (twenty years ago)

MY GENERATION

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:41 (twenty years ago)

Ravi Shankar?

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

MY GENERATION

Sure in the UK. In the US, My Generation = #74 on the Billboard charts, Zero oldies radio play. I'm sure more people have seen "THE WHO" as a t-shirt or bit of graffiti scrawled somewhere than have heard "My Generation."

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

The Partridge Family

― dlp9001, Thursday, 7 April 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.