10 Hard Rock Bands From The '80s That Should've Been Bigger

The Brisbane indie favourites garnered plentiful acclaim thanks to the song-writing chops of founding members Grant McLennan and Robert Forster.

Songs such as 'Cattle and Cane' ensured this new wave-influenced indie outfit got some notice but they never quite turned into mainstream superstars either. Formed in 1977, the group first really hit their stride with 1983's sophomore effort, 'Before Hollywood'.

Their blend of more folk-style acoustics with rock-friendly electronic stylings, coupled with the band's focus on thoughtful, often emotionally mysterious lyrics set them apart from the rest of the Australian rock scene at the time. As the '80s rolled on, The Go-Betweens went from artistic strength to strength. They remained a big deal in Australia and even started breaking into the charts in the UK. The US, however, remained a frustratingly impregnable market.

1988's '16 Lovers Lane' marked the end of the band's hot, original run. While McLennan and Forster eventually reformed the group with a new line-up in the noughties, their time on top ended with the original 1989 disbanding. Considering their thoughtful and innovative approach to alternative rock, it's a head scratcher that The Go-Betweens never got bigger than they already were at their peak.

In Australia, the group's influence remains strong in the 2010s and 2020s where they've been cited as a primary influence on the dolewave subgenre. Born in the Melbourne indie scene, dolewave is often eerily similar to The Go-Betweens' stylings as groups continue to try and capture the Queensland crew's musical magic.