How about those bands that, on paper, should've been far bigger than they were: ticking all the boxes for a level of success in their own field but which never quite got it, for whaterer reason.
My nominations?
Big Star:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BNKSs1J38EA
People laugh, stupidly, at the Monkees; thinking of them as just an attempt by the US music industry to cash in on the Beatles, but then ignore Big Star. The fools! It took bands like Teenage Fanclub to generate some recognition, but evem then, people just ignored them. Personally, I think September Gurls is the greatest three minutes in pop history. But then I think most of you know that by now.
The Go-Betweens:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VpRFuADsdxc
How crap like Crowded House achieved the success they did while fellow Australians the Go-Betweens never had a single hit, is pop music's own version of the crop-circle mystery.
Urge Overkill:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jS-WUsfdOgI
Yeah, they got some attention for their, frankly crap, contribution to the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. But the Urge's brand of Power Pop should've set radio-land aflame with their summer-friendly anthems. But wierdly not.
The Iveys:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dnF5t82tJvg
They'd signed to Apple, Macca gave them double thumbs of approval, they released 'Maybe Tomorrow' - a sure-fire swinging London smash, you'd think! But no. Treble odd.
And just to prove September Gurls wasn't just some brilliant flash in the pan:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Cn1t6l7UUPc
EDIT: This thread was brought to you by the Official Demonrail Big Star Boosting Federation:
