3 Underrated Heartland Rock Bands From the 1970s That Should Be Household Names Today

If you loved heartland rock and were around in the 1970s, you got fed good. It was an incredible time for the genre, and many heartland rock bands and solo artists rose to fame during the 70s. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers… the list goes on. Some bands, though, didn’t get as much love as they deserved. Let’s look at a few examples that deserved better, shall we?

Iron City Houserockers

This hard-rockin’ heartland band dished out the bulk of their work in the 1980s. However, their debut record, Love’s So Tough from 1979, is still such an underrated gem among heartland rock albums from the 1970s. It’s an influential and delightful rock and roll romp from start to finish. Joe Grushecky’s punchy vocals are on another level. And yet, that album just barely missed making it to the Top LP’s chart. It’s tragic, honestly.

Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes

New Jersey birthed many a heartland rock band in the 1970s, including the criminally underrated Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes. This heartland rock band has historically worked with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band often through the years. But they really do stand strong on their own, especially in albums like This Time It’s For Real from 1977 and Hearts Of Stone from 1978. Steven Van Zandt was a big factor in the success the band enjoyed, though I can’t help but feel like they deserved way more fame.

Kansas

I know what you’re thinking. Kansas? The band that dished out bangers like “Dust In The Wind” and “Carry On Wayward Son”? What are they doing on a list of underrated heartland rock bands from the 1970s? 

While Kansas had their moment with a handful of big hits, I really do think that much of their earlier 1970s discography is sorely underrated. Their early work, particularly on their self-titled debut record from 1974, is more heartland rock than much of the rest of their discography. And their unique approach to prog during those years was quite different from other prog-leaning bands. Where many groups at the time were influenced by jazz and classical music, Kansas took inspiration straight from America’s unique heartland genre. And yet, that unique debut album barely made it to the Billboard 200 at No. 174. What gives?

(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

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