Verified answer

Nazareth: They were a bunch of great musicians who knew how to play some good rock 'n roll music and they were also good songwriters

Uriah Heep: They had a wide diversity of music yet they were great at performing them, they also had a songwriting wizard in the group (Ken Hensley).

Starz: These guys knew how to rock and they should've been as huge as KISS & Aerosmith, fortunately they were a huge influence on the hair bands.

Cheap Trick: You never really hear alot of their music on the radio and these guys knew how to make good music and they also had great songwriting skills

ELO: They knew how to write catchy tunes and Jeff Lynne is one of the greatest songwriters in rock history, why you don't hear these guys on the radio alot is beyond me

UFO: One of the best hard rock bands of all time yet you barely hear any of their music on the radio, they should've been as huge as Sabbath and Zeppelin.

Most underrated probably Cat Stevens and Jefferson Airplane.

Cat because he brought sentimental meaning to folk-rock. He kinda bridged the gap between hippie protest songs of the 60s to more middle-America friendly folk-pop that was big in the early 70s.

Jefferson Airplane because they were the only psychedelic rock band that didn't get lost in trying to convey the alternative lifestyle message. they just stayed true to the fact that they were there to have a good time. Sadly their brilliance was lost in the train wreck of an 80s band Jefferson Starship :(

Blue Oyster Cult

Cream

Velvet Underground

REO Speedwagon

Grateful Dead

Moody Blues

Joe Walsh's solo career

Doobie Brothers

ELO

Haha I was going to say Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and ELO as well but others beat me to it!

Other underrated bands/artists:

- Traveling Wilburys

- Steve Miller Band

- Supertramp

- the Byrds

Love

The Babys

Mountain

Black Oak Arkansas

Todd Rundgren and Utopia

Big Star

Badfinger

Sweet

UFO

Heart (in the 70's)

Rory Gallagher

Ted Nugent (yes, I said it!)

Deep Purple

Yes

Jethro Tull

Santana

The Band

Joni Mitchell

Max Webster

Badfinger

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Boston

most of the bands listed above were pretty well respected back in the day...one of the most under rated guitarists was roy buchanan....

but for arguments sake i would say

johnny winter

leon russell

boz scaggs

elvin bishop

spirit

spooky tooth

ROBIN TROWER....day of the eagle