There’s a divide between modern music and that of 20 years ago. Where even the most indie of bands could make a comfortable living out of their craft in 1995, 2015 sees many new bands having to maintain a day job along with the much-vaunted bringing of the noise, as this fascinating Vice article attests to.
Whether it’s a culmination of a life spent shifting pints before selling seats or a breakdown in the band dynamic over time, it seems like there are more and more bands out there that don’t last the distance. Promising acts can have one breakout album which is adored, but with the music industry as it is in its eroding state, chances of turning a profit are slim, especially with the way modern record labels regulate their contracts.
With that in mind, here are ten contemporary bands that for one reason or another never quite received the acclaim they deserved before their split.
1. The Chariot
The best live act you never saw, The Chariot were an almighty noise whenever they took to the stage in a run which lasted from 2003 to 2013. After the immense success of One Wing, you could place a safe bet on them really making it. However, the album proved to be their last following an amicable split shortly after its release.
It’s not all bad though. Frontman Josh Scogin went on to form ’68, one of our new favourite bands.
2. Dananananaykroyd
Tragically known more for appearing in FIFA 10 than anything else, the impossibly named Dananananaykroyd knew how to raise an eyebrow. If the fact that the Scottish act had two drummers doesn’t fascinate you enough to check out either of their fantastic albums, I don’t know what will.
3. Shitdisco
Maybe it was the abrasive name or the saturated “nu-rave” market in the second half of the noughties, but something about Shitdisco never quite clicked with a wider audience. Just take a listen to the typically irreverent I Know Kung Fu and try to tell me that they didn’t have more legs in them than the one album they released, Kingdom of Fear.
4. Reuben
Anyone who likes their rock to bend genres should be familiar with Reuben. Leapfrogging from heavy metal to post-hardcore with unashamed pop rock thrown into the mix, there are still many fans out there that champion the band, some 7 years after their indefinite hiatus in 2008. The UK threepiece were on the cusp of something huge.
After a long time in the wilderness, frontman Jamie Lenman came back to the music scene in style and we had the pleasure of talking to him last year.
5. Japanese Voyeurs
One of the casualties of the short-lived grunge revival during the tailend of the noughties, Japanese Voyeurs were led by the irrepressible Romily Alice. Plenty was expected of the band following the release of their first LP Yolk but that was to be their lot as they split one year later in 2012. Alice seemed to disappear following the break-up, which led us to an unsuccessful Tumblr campaign to track her down.
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