10 Amazing '80s Bands That Everyone Forgot About
7. Fine Young Cannibals
Another group you’ve almost certainly heard but perhaps couldn’t name or recollect outside of a couple of hits, Fine Young Cannibals found substantial success in the mid to late ‘80s, but their star burned out unfairly quickly.
As a pop-soul act, they had it all. Great tunes, fantastic choice in covers (their version of “Suspicious Minds” is almost definitive), and, in frontman Roland Gift, a true pop idol. Indeed the overwhelming star power of Gift may partly be the reason FYC aren’t remembered as seriously as other bands of the era. He shot straight to sex symbol status; what’s more, his voice, while well suited for the music, is pretty easy to make fun of, which undercuts the act’s swagger.
If the band is best remembered for a handful of singles - “She Drives Me Crazy”, “Johnny Come Home” - that’s not a bad legacy at all, and the latter will get any night going without fail. Both of their albums, though, are consistently impressive, showcasing the band’s ability to bring something retro but new to modern soul-pop.