Unsung Favorites

Neglected classics. The songs that got away. Lost gems. Buried gems.
Let's face it. We all love lists.

The greatest movies of all time, the top albums of the 20th century, the finest books of the year; the media certainly generate enough of them. Usually it feels like a stamp of honor to see your favorite book, movie or song right up there with a trusted critic's. But it can also feel frustrating to champion a work others ignore or overlook.

XPN presents Unsung Favorites. We pay tribute to an underrated song or album - a work that didn't top charts; earn a Grammy or otherwise endure.

XPN hosts and producers weigh in on their personal Unsung Favorites. We are also featuring commentary from working musicians, and will introduce you to new works and revive forgotten gems. Don't expect to hear "Born in the USA," but that doesn't mean we won't give The Boss any air-time.

Produced by Tracey Tanenbaum with Assistant Producer Beth Warshaw-Duncan.

Staff Selections

Listen to audio profiles of the staff picks that make up XPN's Unsung Favorites series by selecting a link below.

The Bee Gees
On Time

Bruce Warren on a little-known song by the Bee Gees
Listen

Marshall Chapman
Why Can't I Be Like Other Girls?

Kathy O'Connell muses about a country-rock anthem by renegade Marshall Chapman.
Listen | Amazon

Bobby Charles

David Dye on an underrated Louisiana native and his self-titled 1972 album recorded with The Band.
Listen | Amazon

Dorothy Love Coates
Strange Man

David Dye on a stirring song by his favorite gospel singer Dorothy Love Coates
Listen | Amazon

Betty Davis

Beth Warshaw-Duncan introduces us to the words and music of Betty Davis, not the actress.
Listen | Amazon

Kevin Gilbert
Thud

The late Kevin Gilbert is best known for kickstarting Sheryl Crow's career. But Helen Leicht wants folks to know about his album 1994 Thud.
Listen | Amazon

moe.
Rebubula

Mike Vasilikos explains why the 1996 moe. song "Rebubula" takes the listener on a worthwhile journey.
Listen | Amazon

Tracy Nelson
Down So Low

Michaela Majoun ponders why blues performer Tracy Nelson is not better known. Her song "Down So Low" may have something to do with it.
Listen | Amazon

Paleface

Dan Reed muses about the iconoclastic New York singer-songwriter Paleface and his self-titled 1992 debut album.
Listen | Amazon

Genya Ravan
Urban Desire

Kathy O'Connell talks about Genya Ravan's Urban Desire, an album she discovered in her early days of radio.
Listen | Amazon

Wendy Rene
After Laughter Comes Tears

Bruce Warren talks about a little known gem recorded on the Stax label by Wendy Rene in 1964.
Listen | Amazon

Annie Ross
Farmer's Market

Michaela Majoun on her jazz hero Annie Ross. Ross wrote the popular "Twisted" but Majoun really loves her lesser known song "Farmer's Market".
Listen | Amazon

Royal Crescent Mob
Midnight Rose's

Dan Reed recalls the funk-rock band from the mid 80's the Royal Crescent Mob and their 1990 album Midnight Rose's.
Listen | Amazon

Rolly Sally
Killing the Blues

Gene Shay first heard this song in the mid-70's. After years of obscurity, the song is finally getting its due.
Listen | Amazon

Sister Nancy
One Two

Eschewing the usual superstars of reggae, Mike Vasilikos talks about one of its heroines, Sister Nancy, and her 1982 debut album One, Two.
Listen | Amazon

Bruce Springsteen
Captain Billy's Wild Circus

Gene Shay talks about a little known Bruce Springsteen song that defies rock 'n' roll convention.
Listen | Amazon

The Tubes
Completion Backwards Principle

The Tubes had their 15 minutes with the 1981 work Completion Backwards Principle. Bob Bumbera muses about the new wave album.
Listen | Amazon

Visage
Fade to Grey

Robert Drake says Visage's song "Fade to Grey" introduced him to the joys of electronic dance music.
Listen | Amazon

Jim White
No Such Place

Tracey Tanenbaum relates the joys of an album about outcasts written by a brilliant outsider, Jim White.
Listen | Amazon

Nancy Wilson
Something Wonderful

Bob Bumbera recalls childhood memories of Nancy Wilson's smashing 1960 debut album Something Wonderful
Listen | Amazon

Musicians' Favorites

Hosted by Tracey Tanenbaum

Rodney Crowell on Mickey Newbury

San Francisco Mabel Joy

Rodney Crowell reflects on the songwriting genius of the late Mickey Newbury, including his song "San Francisco Mabel Joy".
Listen | Amazon

Bela Fleck on Andy Statman

Flatbush Waltz

Banjo great Bela Fleck waxes about Flatbush Waltz, mandolin player Andy Statman's 1980 album.
Listen

Guy Davis on Odetta

This Little Light of Mine

Blues artist Guy Davis hopes a song you probably sung as a child doesn't go out of fashion.
Listen | Amazon

They Might be Giants on Frank Black

Manitoba & Strange Goodbye

The men of They Might be Giants think Frank Black - best known as Black Francis from The Pixies - is underrated as a solo artist.
Listen | Amazon

Erin McKeown on Spouse

Relocation Tactics

Musician Erin Mckeown talks about the pop band Spouse and their latest release Relocation Tactics with Tracey Tanenbaum.
Listen | Amazon

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Neglected classics. The songs that got away. Lost gems. Buried gems. Let's face it. We all love lists.

Staff Selections

The Bee Gees On Time

Marshall Chapman Why Can't I Be Like Other Girls?

Bobby Charles

Dorothy Love Coates Strange Man

Betty Davis

Kevin Gilbert Thud

moe. Rebubula

Tracy Nelson Down So Low