A band known for its musical diversity, Fishbone was a pioneering Funk Metal band that incorporated Ska based elements into their music. They came out of the same set that produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but they struggled to get the same type of attention. They did get a taste of larger success with the Alternative boom, but they quickly went back to being a solid band with a devoted fan base that is happy to keep them away from the mainstream.

Richie Havens is best known for his opening set at Woodstock and this just seems appropriate to us. While most Folk stars seemed content to play in a mellow fashion, Havens pounded on his guitar as if his life depended on it. With his gruff voice and poignant messages, Havens was a brilliant protest singer and easily among the best live acts in Folk. Looking back, was there really anyone else who could have kicked off Woodstock better than Havens?

Generally, if your musical instrument of choice is a child’s toy, you wouldn’t expect to be a musical success. Augustus Pablo bucked that belief with his electric use of the melodica and as such ushered in a new sound in Reggae. Pablo was very much an accomplished musician who was capable of utilizing other instruments to create beautiful music, but he will always be best known for the additional layer he added to Reggae in the 70’s.

A rare case of an American band finding success in Europe yet virtually unknown in their own country, the Sparks were probably not a group designed to find success in America anyway. Looking like a Novelty act, Sparks was constantly reinventing their sound running the gauntlet of Glam Rock, New Wave, Synth Pop and Chamber Pop. Far more crafted than at first glance they were a key influence on many acts of the New Wave era. British acts are in the Hall, but as a rule they struck it big in the States. Despite their influence and British success, there really isn’t a lot of reason to think that an American band with virtually no American success will get in.