It is a sad reality that an early death can make a star into a legend, and in the case of 2pac, he turned into a martyr.

Love him or hate him, 2pac would become the face of Gangsta Rap and did so not only as a rapper, but also as a very solid actor.  The man born Tupac Shakur, would emerge from being a back-up dancer for the Digital Underground would became the voice of the East Coast Gangsta lifestyle and spent as much time in jail as he did in the recording studio.  

Not that ever could be another Kate Bush, but it could be argued that Tori Amos may have been the closest to achieve that.  As a successful Singer/Songwriter with a 90’s Alternative flair, Amos had a broad appeal and quickly became a darling of the critics.  As of this writing, Tori is still building a legacy and could strengthen her position in years to come.

Ignoring the impact of the Velvet Underground proved to be impossible for even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Still, we wonder of Yo La Tengo who have been the critical darlings of the last twenty years and a clear disciple of the Velvets have any reasonable shot at the Hall. Despite the huge acclaim they have, they never sold a ton of records and this will be a real test of acclaim against commercialism.

They may not be responsible for the Lo-Fi movement (though some they were), Guided by Voices were the preeminent Lo-Fi band of the 90’s. Their main Lo-Fi works had the dual attack of being both strange and catchy which is no easy musical feat. Though primarily in the indie ranks, it is possible that their heavy output of music could work in the favor but the odds are solidly against them despite how much more quality material they put out.