15 Underrated Rock Albums

Written: 11th May 2025

Every band has that one album (some more than one!) - the oddity, the misfire, the one (some) fans skip over or critics quietly dismissed. This is not a list of the best or most important records by these artists. In fact, I would not argue that all of them are flawless. Some are misunderstood, some are definitely underrated, some are amongst my favourite albums by the band / artist and some are simply overlooked. However, these are albums I find myself returning to again and again.

I expect some disagreement but that is half the fun. After all, every album is potentially someone’s favourite - even St. Anger by Metallica, presumably. Somewhere, someone heard that biscuit tin snare drum and thought, “Yes, this is it!”

What follows is a personal collection of rock albums (my fifteen underrated metal albums are coming soon!) that, for one reason or another, deserve you to give them another listen. They may have slipped through the cracks, suffered from bad timing, or simply failed to meet impossible expectations. But they are worth your time. You might just hear something you missed the first time - or discover why I keep coming back to them. Leave your comments of agreement or of outrage at the end! :)

AC/DC – Flick of the Switch (1983)

Following the massive success of Back in Black and For Those About to Rock, Flick of the Switch was a deliberately stripped-down effort that returned AC/DC to their raw, unfiltered roots. Self-produced and intentionally minimalist, the album rejected the polish and grandeur of its predecessor in favour of a lean, aggressive sound. While it baffled critics and some fans at the time, I’ve always felt it thrives on its simplicity and unpretentious power. Tracks like Rising Power bristle with energy and swagger. It captures the gritty essence that made them iconic in the first place and remains my favourite post-Back in Black release.

Three favourite tracks: Rising Power, Flick Of The Switch, Guns For Hire

Bryan Adams – Into the Fire (1987)

After the success of Reckless, Bryan Adams ventured into more mature territory with Into the Fire. While it did not produce as many chart-toppers, the album is stronger in its thematic cohesion and emotional depth. Songs like Native Son – a contender for his best song of all - and Remembrance Day explore personal, spiritual, and political themes that show a bold evolution in his songwriting. The production is moodier, and the tone is more introspective. For me, this album reveals Adams as an artist growing into his own voice, rather than relying on the formula that worked before.

Three favourite tracks: Heat of the Night, Native Son, Remembrance Day

Def Leppard – Slang (1996)

Slang is Def Leppard’s most radical departure from their arena-rock sound. The album was an attempt to connect with the grunge movement and offered a darker, more raw side of the band. It alienated some fans who expected another Hysteria or Adrenalize, but to me, it feels like the most emotionally honest album they have made, confronting vulnerability and disillusionment with real heart. The return of Rick Allen’s organic drumming was a welcome change, and Joe Elliott's vocal performance has never been more heartfelt. Slang may have been misunderstood at the time, leading to them returning to type quickly but I find it to be a bold, brave and successful risk.

Three favourite tracks: Work It Out, Blood Runs Cold, Pearl Of Euphoria

Dire Straits – On Every Street (1991)

After the monumental success of Brothers in Arms, one of the UK’s best-selling albums ever, it was inevitable that Mark Knopfler would seek further new avenues of expression as he did with his soundtracks and side projects. On Every Street blends elements of Brothers in Arms (Heavy Fuel, The Bug) and returns to the more mysterious moments of Love Over Gold (You and Your Friend, Planet of New Orleans), alongside Knopfler’s ability to write dark lyrics hidden beneath a glossier sheen (Ticket to Heaven). It’s not a perfect album - there are a couple of superfluous tracks - but it offers a more satisfying overall journey than its predecessor.

Three favourite tracks: On Every Street, You and Your Friend, Planet of New Orleans

ELO – Zoom (2001)

Zoom is Jeff Lynne cutting the gloss and getting back to the bones of what makes a great song. The orchestral layers are mostly gone, but what remains is sharp, clean and full of soul. There is something disarming about how direct it all is - no grand concept, just Lynne writing with instinct and confidence. Moment in Paradise glides with effortless charm, while Lonesome Lullaby aches in all the right places. It is not without its weaker moments and it does sometimes miss the input of his ELO colleagues but there is enough warmth, melody and heart here to make it more than worth revisiting. This was never going to be a chart-bothering comeback, and it barely registered when it landed, but Zoom is Lynne at his most unfiltered.

Three favourite tracks: Moment In Paradise, State Of Mind, Stranger On A Quiet Street

Fish – Internal Exile (1991)

Following the wonderful Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors was never going to be easy, but with Mickey Simmonds and Frank Usher returning and Robin Boult joining in the studio, Fish delivered an album that maintained a high standard of songwriting and performance. Internal Exile has become somewhat overlooked - perhaps due to weak promotion from Polydor, the more overt nationalism (reflected in the cover), or the fact that it does not flow as seamlessly as its predecessor. The subtitle - A Collection of a Boy’s Own Stories - hints at its patchwork nature, but taken individually, the songs remain strong. Dear Friend is a hidden gem, and despite the title track needing more punch, the lyrics shine throughout.

Three favourite tracks: Shadowplay, Credo, Dear Friend

Genesis – ...And Then There Were Three... (1978)

With Steve Hackett gone, …And Then There Were Three... marked a pivotal moment in Genesis’s evolution, a time when they began to move away from their sprawling, progressive sound. For fans who followed the band in the 1970s, the album’s stripped-back, synth-driven style was, perhaps, an understandable shock. While Follow You Follow Me might have been a step too far for some with its more commercial appeal, it was an important step in the band's evolution. The album has a quieter, more vulnerable feel; Burning Rope and Down and Out reveal a band rethinking their direction. Undertow, in particular, highlights their ability to craft a powerful, emotional song. This is an album where Genesis embraced change, reinventing themselves rather than clinging to the past.

Three favourite tracks: Undertow, Burning Rope, The Lady Lies

Journey – Arrival (2001)

Arrival had much stacked against it: a new singer, a new era and a sound no longer in fashion. While replacing Steve Perry would have been an impossible task, Steve Augeri does an admirably sincere job. It could be argued that the album is two or three tracks too long but there is a defiance to much of the material. Journey were battling to stay alive in unfamiliar territory and it was a solid step into the unknown. The band’s evolving energy and passion are highlighted by both Higher Place that captures Journey’s classic sound with modern flair, and World Gone Wild - a reflection of societal tension.

Three favourite tracks: Higher Place, All The Way, Livin' To Do

Magnum – The Eleventh Hour (1983)

The Eleventh Hour is often overshadowed by the success of Chase the Dragon before it and the perfection of On a Storyteller’s Night after. This comparison, while understandable, has led to its unfair neglect. Bob Catley’s vocals exude a warmth tinged with vulnerability, while Tony Clarkin’s songwriting strikes a perfect balance between melody and melancholy. The Great Disaster is a prime example of Magnum’s heavier side, with powerful riffs and progressive moments. The Eleventh Hour may lack the bombast of its neighbours remaining honest and imperfect but full of ideas worth revisiting.

Three favourite tracks: The Prize, The Great Disaster, Hit and Run

Marillion – Radiation (1998)

Marillion have often claimed that each album is a reaction to their last. Never was this more evident than on Radiation. Embracing a rawer, more experimental production, the band took creative risks that polarised fans (and still do to this day). Yet, beneath the mix lies some of Steve Hogarth’s most emotionally charged vocals – Cathedral Wall is a top ten Hogarth era song - and Steve Rothery’s inventive and at times, abrasive guitar work. Having loved the album since day one, I see it as demonstration of Marillion’s refusal to stagnate. There is variety here too: from the ambient textures of A Few Words To The Dead, to the blues of Born To Run and the aggressive rock of Under The Sun.

Three favourite tracks: Born To Run, Cathedral Wall, A Few Words For The Dead

Pink Floyd – Obscured by Clouds (1972)

Obscured by Clouds – an album I did not discover until quite some time after becoming a fan upon the release of A Delicate Sound of Thunder - feels like a snapshot of Pink Floyd caught between two selves - psychedelic wanderers and conceptual giants. It is rougher, more instinctive, and less polished than what followed. That looseness is what I find so magnetic. There is no grand statement here - just mood, momentum, and that odd Floydian haze. As a standalone album, it might not get much love, but as a part of their evolution, I think it is one of the most quietly powerful.

Three favourite tracks: Burning Bridges, Mudmen, Childhood’s End

Rush – Power Windows (1985)

Timing is everything with my love of this album. I became a fan of Rush at the age of sixteen when in January 1989, I purchased my first of their albums: A Show of Hands. With very little understanding about the history of Rush at that point, I enjoyed each and every song, not realising that just one dated from before the start of the decade. Going back through their discography, I soon came to Power Windows and it is an album that has stuck with me ever since. The 1980s is my favourite era of Rush (I enjoy the others too!) but I completely understand why it does not appeal to fans who grew up with Hemispheres and similar albums as their own personal benchmarks. Power Windows blends sharp songwriting with layered production, while still tackling weighty themes. My favourite Rush album.

Three favourite tracks: Manhattan Project, Marathon, Middletown Dreams

Van Halen – Balance (1995)

Balance - yes, that is an awful album cover - often feels like the most atmospherically complex album Van Halen ever made. It is a darker, moodier record than their earlier work and that shift might explain why it is sometimes overlooked. The Seventh Seal and Feelin’ show a band pushing beyond the party-rock formula. There are moments dealing with inner struggles, disillusionment and soul searching. This is not what most fans wanted and there is sometimes a sense of a band wrestling with its own identity - nevertheless, it resulted in some compelling music. Balance isn’t just underrated; it’s one of their most revealing efforts, and well worth reappraisal.

Three favourite tracks: The Seventh Seal, Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do), Not Enough

Yes – Talk (1994)

Talk is possibly the last truly great album that Yes made. It may not have the sprawling complexity of their 1970s work, but it carries its own weight in ambition and craft. The production is crisp and the songwriting is strong, from the soaring guitars of The Calling to the sweeping majesty of Endless Dream. Anderson’s vocals remain celestial, his lyrics spiritual yet accessible, especially on tracks like I Am Waiting and Where Will You Be. What I love most is the sense of unity and clarity that runs through it. Talk feels like a band rediscovering itself.

Three favourite tracks: I Am Waiting, Walls, Endless Dream

ZZ Top – Recycler (1990)

Recycler sits at an interesting point in ZZ Top’s journey, where the glossy, synth-heavy sound of their 1980s commercial peak starts to loosen up. It still has some of that Eliminator polish, but there is more grit here - Gibbons’ guitar tone bites harder, and the rhythm section feels rougher, more alive. It is not a full return to their bluesy roots, but there is definitely a sense they were leaning back that way, even if only slightly. That blend gives the album real character and although sometimes dismissed, it is definitely worth another chance.

Three favourite tracks: Concrete and Steel, My Head’s In Mississippi, Doubleback

Listen to my playlist of my three favourite songs from each album below. Please note that the Marillion tracks come from the 2013 Remix of Radiation (a mix I feel is sonically richer but emotionally poorer) as these are the ones available on Spotify.