# Music knowledge and bands you absolutely MUST recognize **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479 "2009-06-02T13:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/1 "2009-06-02T13:05:19Z")
This is a spinoff of the [Opening acts, yea or nay?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=519414) thread. In that thread, **DfrntBreign** posted the following list of bands that he had seen as opening acts: Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Lake Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway Shooting Star Stevie Ray Vaughan Zebra Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard Aaron Squirrel Band Joe Cocker Later in the thread, **Martini Enfield** mentioned that he had heard of few of these bands and I agreed with him. We were jumped on by a bunch of people who called us stupid (and ignorant of music made decades before we were born) for not knowing of these “internationally known” artists. But when pressed, no one could say why they were internationally known. So the question is, how many bands _should_ the average person know about? And why? And how many of the bands in **DfrntBreign** ’s list do you recognize? Should age factor into it? ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/2 "2009-06-02T13:20:25Z")
Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Lake Dixie Dregs _ **Blue Oyster Cult** _ Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway Shooting Star Stevie Ray Vaughan Zebra Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band _ **Lynyrd Skynyrd** _ Kenny Wayne Sheppard Aaron Squirrel Band Joe Cocker I’ve \*\*\*\*\* the only artists’ names I recognise, and to be honest other than that reaper song I couldn’t tell you what songs either of those groups perform. In fact, the only times I’ve ever heard their names are from American movies, I’ve never heard them played in my country on the radio, tv or on tour. In terms of international recognition, I’d dispute that for all of those artists listed. If we’re talking about international groups that “everyone should know” then really it’s groups like The Rolling Stones, Beatles, etc. who were MASSIVE internationally… Age Factor I’m 30 Nationality Factor Australian ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/3 "2009-06-02T13:23:11Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > This is a spinoff of the So the question is, how many bands _should_ the average person know about? And why? And how many of the bands in **DfrntBreign** ’s list do you recognize? Should age factor into it? I know 25 or so off that list pretty well, and have heard of several more. I don’t know about age having to do with the number of bands you know, but I note that a good number of those bands would be most familiar to a person of a certain age - say in their late 30s early 50s. The other day on the golf course I was surprised to learn none of my 3 playing partners had heard of Spirit. One guy won a few skins and I started calling him “Mr. Skin” and singing a tune I just figured EVERYONE would know. I may be familiar with a pretty broad cross-section of music, but there are huge areas that I know nothing about. Rap for instance - I know names of performers from seeing news stories and the like, but wouldn’t know a Snoop Dog from Public Enemy from whoever. I am also ignorant of much music that is presently popular. I was the most into music when I was in college. So even now at age 48, music from the late 70s early 80s is the music I know best. But lately I have been getting more and more into punk, rockbilly, and their variants, so I know of quite a few obscure performers in those genres that I imagine relatively few folk konw about. Can’t list a specific number of bands one should know, but I will offer that to be considered musically literate a person should be able to recognize a few “classic” performers. Maybe we could list 20-30, and to be considered literate a person should recognize 1/2 to 2/3 of them. For instance, you should recognize at least a few of: Beatles Sinatra Simon and Garfunkel The Clash Buddy Holly Elvis (Presley and Costello) etc. Heck, should probably add a few show tunes and maybe a symphony or 2 to the list. Maybe implicit in what I’ve said already, but I think the musicaly curious individual ought to know music from more than one era and style, with at least one of those era being other than his contemporary one. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/4 "2009-06-02T13:36:37Z")
Well musically curious or not, it’s hard not to hear about The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Elvis etc. not because of their music’s current influence rather because of their fame. What I mean is, every now and then some movie will reference them or some anniversary of someone’s death comes around. It’s not like the music itself is in circulation much except for the occasional rehashed boxed set, it’s just the echoes of their fame. So even though people like me recognise the names, and the occasional popular song, I couldn’t list more than a handful of Beatles or Elvis or ABBA songs to save my life. I only know of them because they’re famous for being popular a long time ago. I’m not claiming to be proud of my ignorance, rather than simply stating the situation. In my opinion, people place far too much emphasis and importance of the assumed influence of their generation’s culture or their own tastes. And by extension, the value or lack of value in other people’s musical interests. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/5 "2009-06-02T13:38:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > But when pressed, no one could say why they were internationally known. They _might_ not be internationally known. But they’re known to rock the microphone. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/6 "2009-06-02T13:40:23Z")
From the OP’s list: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Know’em / like 'em Climax Blues Band - Know 'em, can’t remember 'em offhand West Bruce and Laing - Know 'em Sun Ra - Don’t know 'em Jack Dejohnette - Don’t know 'em Lake - Don’t know 'em Dixie Dregs - Heard of 'em, don’t know 'em Blue Oyster Cult - Know 'em, don’t think they held up Foghat - Ditto Tommy Tutone - Know 'em, can’t say I remember 'em Joan Jett - Know 'em, like 'em Golden Earring - Know 'em, don’t think they held up Blackfoot - don’t know 'em Saxon - don’t know 'em Fastway - don’t know 'em Shooting Star - heard of 'em Stevie Ray Vaughan - Know 'im, love 'im Zebra - don’t know 'em Dokken - heard of 'em Survivor - Know 'em, don’t think they held up Yngwie Malmsteen - never heard of 'em the Motels - heard of 'em Robin Trower - Know him, love him, seeing him in a couple weeks Guess Who - Know 'em, overrated. Heart - know 'em, love 'em Fabulous Thunderbirds - Know 'em, like 'em Foghat - Know 'em, don’t think they held up for the most part Atlanta Rhythm Section - Know 'em, love 'em, saw 'em Outlaws - Know 'em, like 'em Dave Mason - Know 'im, like 'im, in my collection Spirit - know 'em, like 'em, know a member of the band Little Feat - know 'em, love 'em Big Head Todd and the Monsters - know 'em, like 'em Screaming Cheetah Wheelies - Never heard of 'em Jeff Beck - Know 'im, in the collection Buddy Guy - Know 'im, in the collection Eric Johnson - Know 'im Derek Trucks Band - Know’em, love 'em Lynyrd Skynyrd - Know 'em, love 'em Kenny Wayne Sheppard - Heard of 'im Aaron Squirrel Band - Never heard of 'im Joe Cocker - Know 'im, love 'im, saw 'im, in the collection Music familiarity is weird. It depends so much on your taste! Most country/western fans wouldn’t know a thing about any of these bands. Many young people wouldn’t be familiar with them because they get very little airtime, even on the oldie stations. Unless you know older people who play this stuff a lot, you’re probably going to be unfamiliar with a lot of bands who make a big splash back in the day. Signed, Kalhoun - whose first Beatle album was purchased when it was actually a hit ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/7 "2009-06-02T13:48:44Z")
**Mahavishnu Orchestra** Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring Blackfoot Stevie Ray Vaughan Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who **Heart** Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws **Dave Mason** Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters **Jeff Beck** Buddy Guy Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard Joe Cocker I’ve heard of the ones I’ve listed. I’ve seen those bolded. The underlined are those I think everybody should know. The rest are second-stringers at best. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/8 "2009-06-02T13:50:40Z")
I’ve heard 28/42 bands which is 66.6% of the artists. I would be gettin’ a D. Of course, maybe that’s just band name recognition, if I heard a tune from a band like Spirit, I might know it by heart. (I actually tried this. I went to Rhapsody and found 6 bands by the name of “Spirit”. I tried all 6, including the one under “psychedelic” and didn’t recognize the music). On the other hand, the OP seems to have omitted the part where the comment seemed a bit dismissive [stating that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11196050&postcount=32)"So this just proves most opening acts are nobodies". If we didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t be aware of Aly and AJ but they are hugely popular group for tweens. They’re not nobodies just because I hadn’t heard them and that was the crux of the problem of that statement. As for why they’re “internationally known”, the obvious and simple answer for some of these bands is because their music was popular and listened to by many. I’m not sure what other explanation could be given for such an obtuse statement. Does age factor into it? Yes, obviously. I grew up in a house where my parents listened to a wide range of current and classics and classical. I was born in 73, but I knew seemingly most of the music from the 50s on forward. If I were quizzed on music from the 10s to the 40s, I’d be a bit stuck. Jazz and big wouldn’t be a big problem but “pop” music would be a bit daunting. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/9 "2009-06-02T13:55:55Z")
I like \*\*Kalhoun’s \*\*approach, so I’m going to steal it. From the OP’s list: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Sounds familiar, but I don’t think I could identify them. Climax Blues Band - Know 'em, because in 10th grade, my girlfriend loved them, and we had “our song.” Shut up, I was 15. West Bruce and Laing - Don’t know 'em Sun Ra - know 'em, but not that familiar Jack Dejohnette - Don’t know 'em Lake - Don’t know 'em Dixie Dregs - Know 'em. Never had any of their albums, but I did have a few Steve Morse solo things. Blue Oyster Cult - Know 'em. Saw 'em. Was a pretty big fan. Foghat - Ditto Tommy Tutone - Know 'em. Any American from the 80’s probably does. 867-5309. Joan Jett - Know 'em, like 'em Golden Earring - Know 'em, because of their only hit, _Radar Love_. It was okay. Blackfoot - Know 'em. Had a couple of their albums. Saxon - Know 'em. Didn’t like them. Fastway - Know 'em. Not that familiar with them. Had that cool black n white checked logo thing. Shooting Star - Sounds familiar. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Know 'im, love 'im Zebra - don’t know 'em Dokken - Know 'em. Saw them at Monsters or Rock. They sucked. Survivor - Know 'em. Eye of the Tiger? Come on, they stink. Yngwie Malmsteen - Know 'em. Not that impressed. My impression of anyone of his songs: diddlydiddlediddlediddlydiddlediddle - squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel - diddlydiddlydidddlediddle. the Motels - Know 'em. Kind of liked them back in the day. Robin Trower - Know him, love him. Became a big fan in college. Guess Who - Know 'em. Saw them (and by them I mean their original drummer and 4 other guys) at a fieldhouse in extreme northern rural Maine. Go figure. Heart - know 'em. Saw them a couple of times. Not a huge fan of their later stuff. Fabulous Thunderbirds - Know 'em, like 'em Foghat - Know 'em, I was a hayuge fan. Still am. Atlanta Rhythm Section - Know 'em, not that familiar with them. Outlaws - Know 'em, like 'em Dave Mason - Know 'im, not that familiar. Spirit - Don’t know em Little Feat - know 'em, love 'em Big Head Todd and the Monsters - Heard of them. Screaming Cheetah Wheelies - Heard of 'em Jeff Beck - Know 'im, big fan. Buddy Guy - Know 'im. Eric Johnson - Know 'im. And share a birthday with him. Derek Trucks Band - Heard of em Lynyrd Skynyrd - Know 'em, another big part of my youth. Kenny Wayne Sheppard - Know 'im. Heard a few things on radio, thats about it. Aaron Squirrel Band - Never heard of 'im Joe Cocker - Know 'im. He’s alright. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/10 "2009-06-02T14:03:30Z")
I don’t know the following acts: West Bruce and Laing Lake Shooting Star Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Aaron Squirrel Band although I have at least heard the names of Shooting Star and Screaming Cheetah Wheelies somewhere. I would guess that West Bruce and Laing involves Leslie West and Jack Bruce, since they both show up in a lot of all-star bands like this. Of all the bands on the list, the only one I’ve seen live is, of all bands, Zebra! Twice! Unless you count Joan Jett showing up to play an encore with the Indigo Girls. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/11 "2009-06-02T14:09:08Z")
I don’t think everyone “should” know or not know any particular band. I’ve heard songs by at least half of the bands listed, though. Just remember that it works both ways, and that when I’m mentioning bands that are even **more** obscure than these I’m not trying to make coolness points, I really just am talking about bands that I really like, and by the same token when I have never heard of the latest soul-pop sensation or rhinestone country artist, it doesn’t mean that I’m ignorant, either. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/12 "2009-06-02T14:19:47Z")
I’ve heard of most of those bands, and I’ve heard at least a few songs by the majority of them, but that list is no litmus test of musical knowledge unless it’s from the section of the test labeled “Blues and Blues-Influenced Mid-Level Rock Bands From 20 to 40 Years Ago”. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/13 "2009-06-02T14:32:42Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > On the other hand, the OP seems to have omitted the part where the comment seemed a bit dismissive [stating that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11196050&postcount=32)"So this just proves most opening acts are nobodies". Exactly. Then he went on to claim that everybody on that list was, or was equivalent to, someone selling their demo out of their car. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Golden Earring - Know 'em, because of their only hit, _Radar Love_. It was okay. Radar Love wasn’t actually their only US hit (I assume you’re American, because of your comment on Tommy Tutone) - Twilight Zone actually did better. (It went #1, whereas Radar Love topped out at #13.) Golden Earring, BTW, are still around, with part of their original lineup, which puts them ahead of a LOT of their contemporaries. To address the OP, despite how he’s characterizing my posts in the original thread, my answer to the question in the OP is… There is absolutely no musical knowledge that everyone absolutely needs to have. Unless you’re going to present yourself as musically knowledgeable enough to declare a band ‘nobodies’. I know about 1/2 of the performers on that list, actually have music by 1/2 of the ones I know. Couldn’t actually name a song by a couple that I recognize the band name. But I don’t claim that not knowing half of the list at all, and only knowing OF several of them says anything about anything other than my own knowledge. I’m ignorant of them, but that doesn’t say anything about them, or anything other than the extent of my own musical knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/14 "2009-06-02T14:37:57Z")
I think it would be odd if somebody hadn’t heard of the Beatles or Elvis or some other band that figures prominently in pop culture, but I don’t think you could expect most people to have heard many of the names on this list. Here’s how it shaped up for me. I know these bands/artists fairly well. Kenny Wayne Sheppard Blue Oyster Cult Stevie Ray Vaughan Big Head Todd and the Monsters Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Buddy Guy Yngwie Malmsteen Jeff Beck I know these bands because of a single song. Foghat Joan Jett Fabulous Thunderbirds Guess Who Heart I’ve heard these band’s names before but have no idea what they sound like. I think Dokken is a hair band but I’m not positive. Joe Cocker Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Tommy Tutone Dokken Survivor And I’ve never heard of these at all. I may have heard songs by them at some point but if so I didn’t know who was singing the song and I guess wasn’t interested enough to find out. Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette Lake Dixie Dregs Golden Earring Blackfoot Saxon Fastway Shooting Star Zebra the Motels Robin Trower Atlanta Rhythm Section Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Aaron Squirrel Band FTR I’m 30, and while I listen to a lot of music most of the stuff listed here is simply not the kind of music I’m into. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/15 "2009-06-02T14:38:46Z")
I saw that thread. I’m sorry, I thought it was more than a little snotty. We _must_ know these bands? Well, we don’t all listen to the same music. I gather my “must-have” list is probably vastly different than yours. Out of that list: Blue Oyster Cult Tommy Tutone Survivor Guess Who Heart Lynyrd Skynyrd Joe Cocker Those are the bands I recognize. I admit I am fairly ignorant of bands and artists to start with. I guess I just don’t care. If they play good music, I’ll listen, and buy the track, but I won’t try to memorize their name or anything. Beyond that, I kind of feel like this. If someone likes to follow bands and know lots of stuff about them and know lots of bands, more power to them. But if the rest of us don’t know your bands, it’s not because we’re ignorant - more likely we just don’t care or haven’t been exposed. I am willing to be educated. I am not willing to be lectured. One more thing I want to add. I’m 33, but…my parents are immigrants to this country, and that makes a huge difference, really. When I was growing up, they weren’t listening to any of the Western songs of their generation. They were listening to their own music. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/16 "2009-06-02T14:42:06Z")
There are maybe four I don’t have an active knowledge about. But as many posters point out, this has a lot to do with growing up in the era most of these bands had whatever form of heyday they were going to have. In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=513269), we discussed what rock music might be like 100 years from now. Well, with _this_ thread we are illustrating that - even a generation or two past a music’s heyday, history has filtered out most of the names and over time fewer and fewer bands will be used to “represent” that era - and those remaining few will have note-for-note tribute groups famed for their ability to replicate…rock rebellion. So it goes. Anyway - so, yeah, I know most of 'em, but am not the least bit surprised that most folks don’t. Well, except for [Jeff](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508278) [Beck](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514132) (each word is a separate link to a different SDMB thread) - take the time folks; totally worth it… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/17 "2009-06-02T14:51:16Z")
Also copying Kalhoun’s approach Mahavishnu Orchestra - have heard the name, know nothing else about them Climax Blues Band - know them, probably own a few songs by them West Bruce and Laing - haven’t heard of them (though, if Bruce is Jack Bruce, at least I know him) Sun Ra - Have heard his name many times over the years, can’t say I’ve ever heard any of his stuff Jack Dejohnette - have never heard of Lake - have never heard of Dixie Dregs - have never heard of Blue Oyster Cult - know 'em, have a few songs by them Foghat - know 'em, have a few songs Tommy Tutone - know 'em, have Jenny on my iPod Joan Jett - know her, have always liked her Golden Earring - know them, own several of their albums on vinyl Blackfoot - have heard the name, know nothing else Saxon - have heard the name, know nothing else Fastway - never heard of them Shooting Star - never heard of them Stevie Ray Vaughan - know him, remember when he died, was never a huge fan Zebra - never heard of them Dokken - know of them, don’t own anything by them Survivor - know them, have some music by them. Before “Eye of the Tiger”, they used to rehearse down the street from my wife’s house Yngwie Malmsteen - know of him, can’t say I’ve ever heard anything he’s done the Motels - know of them, liked them back in the day Robin Trower - know of him, own a song or two by him Guess Who - know them, own quite a bit of music by them Heart - know them, own several albums Fabulous Thunderbirds - know them (fronted by Stevie Ray Vaughn’s brother), remember their hits from the late 80s, but never owned anything by them Foghat - know them Atlanta Rhythm Section - know them, own a song or two by them Outlaws - know them, own a few songs Dave Mason - know him, he did one of my favorite songs (We Just Disagree) Spirit - know a little about them, own one song by them (Got a Line On You) Little Feat - know of them, never cared for them Big Head Todd and the Monsters - know of them, probably would recognize one song if I heard it Screaming Cheetah Wheelies - never heard of them Jeff Beck - know him, but don’t own any of his stuff (probably the biggest omission in my collection on this list) Buddy Guy - know him (he’s very well known here in Chicago), but I’m not into the blues Eric Johnson - know him, own an album Derek Trucks Band - have only heard of him recently, but Rolling Stone seems to love him these days Lynyrd Skynyrd - know them Kenny Wayne Sheppard - know the name Aaron Squirrel Band - never heard of Joe Cocker - know him, own a few songs So, I’ve heard of most of these artists, own music from quite a few of them. But, I’d say that the list definitely skews towards rock and blues, and towards bands that were big in the 1970s (with some exceptions). As I’m 44, and into classic rock, I’m not surprised that I’m familiar with most of these artists…but someone who’s younger than me, and / or not into that genre, wouldn’t have heard of many of them. And, I don’t think there’s more than a handful on that list that I’d consider to be “household names”. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/18 "2009-06-02T14:55:48Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Radar Love wasn’t actually their only US hit (I assume you’re American, because of your comment on Tommy Tutone) - Twilight Zone actually did better. (It went #1, whereas Radar Love topped out at #13.) Golden Earring, BTW, are still around, with part of their original lineup, which puts them ahead of a LOT of their contemporaries. Oh yeah. I forgot about that one. It was alright too. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/19 "2009-06-02T14:55:52Z")
I am guessing this is the first time in the history of the universe these two artists have been adjacent in a list. . . Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Recently heard on **Bones** Seely Booth: So she’s sort of your Yoko Ono? Death Metal Singer: What? Is that a Bible reference? ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479/20 "2009-06-02T14:57:38Z")
I’m marking the acts I don’t know with +++ Mahavishnu Orchestra Climax Blues Band +++West Bruce and Laing Sun Ra Jack Dejohnette +++Lake +++Dixie Dregs Blue Oyster Cult Foghat Tommy Tutone Joan Jett Golden Earring +++Blackfoot +++Saxon +++Fastway +++Shooting Star Stevie Ray Vaughan +++Zebra Dokken Survivor Yngwie Malmsteen the Motels Robin Trower Guess Who Heart Fabulous Thunderbirds Foghat Atlanta Rhythm Section +++Outlaws Dave Mason Spirit Little Feat Big Head Todd and the Monsters +++Screaming Cheetah Wheelies Jeff Beck Buddy Guy Eric Johnson Derek Trucks Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Kenny Wayne Sheppard +++Aaron Squirrel Band Joe Cocker For the record, I was born in 1970. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-knowledge-and-bands-you-absolutely-must-recognize/498479.md?page=2)