There’s something special about music duos who dive into the music scene each decade. They don’t consist of several band members, but they also aren’t considered solo artists. Duos exist when two musicians come together to record and release epic music together.
Unfortunately, some musical duos never receive as much attention and clout as they probably deserve along the way. Here’s a breakdown of some of the world’s most underrated musical duos ever. Now is as great a time as any to give their music a chance!
To gather this list of the top music duos in history that haven’t garnered enough attention, 24/7 Tempo consulted several entertainment websites. These include Digital Dream Door, Music Grotto, Rolling Stone, Singers Room, and Famous Fix.
The Veronicas
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso of the The Veronicas performs during the LA Pride 2019 on June 09, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
The Veronicas are a pop duo that formed in 2004 in Albany Creek, Australia. Identical twin sisters, Lisa and Jessica Origliasso, wanted to make waves in the pop music industry – and that’s exactly what they set out to do. Some of their biggest songs include “Untouched,” “You Ruined Me,” and “On Your Side.” To this day, many music lovers still haven’t heard a single song by the Veronicas, leaving them in the underrated category.
The Louvin Brothers
The Louvin Brothers are a musical duo that formed by in the late 1950s. They continued releasing music until they ultimately parted ways in 1963. Ira and Charlie Louvin got along while making music until Charlie realized he couldn’t deal with Ira’s drug addiction or reckless behavior any longer. Their music fit into the gospel, country, and bluegrass categories with songs like “When I Stop Dreaming” helping them create a fan base.
René & Angela
R&B is the musical genre, René & Angela fit into as a talented duo. They formed in 1977 releasing songs like “I’ll Be Good,” “You Don’t Have to Cry,” and “I Love You More.” Another highly beloved songs of theirs was “Wanna Be Close to You.” Things were on the up-and-up for René & Angela until they parted ways in 1986. René Moore and Angela Winbush were the only two members.
McFadden and Whitehead
Another R&B duo to make this list is McFadden and Whitehead. The 70s was certainly their era after they realize they wanted to pursue music as a team. Gene McFadden and John Whitehead crossed pads for the first time in school back in the 1960s. Their love for music let them down the path of releasing songs like “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” “That Lets Me Know I’m in Love,” and “Do You Want to Dance.”
Jan and Dean
As far as underrated musical duos go, Jan and Dean certainly deserve to be added to this conversation. The duo joined together to record music in 1958. Their goal was to make music that fit perfectly into the rock genre. Their music is reminiscent of beach vibes that encourage people to take vacations in Hawaii or California with a surfboard. This duo originally linked up in Los Angeles. “Surf City” happens to be the name of their biggest song.
The White Stripes
Have you ever heard of The White Stripes? This underrated rock duo formed in 1997 consisting of a once married couple. Jack White and Meg White were focused on achieving success in the indie rock world through the early 2000s before their divorce. Some of the most memorable songs include “Seven Nation Army” and “We’re Going to Be Friends.” Another big hit from this duo was “Fell in Love With a Girl.”
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara is the name of a pop duo consisting of two identical twins named Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin. They’re quite similar to The Veronicas aside from the fact that they began building their career a few years earlier in 1998. They decided to pursue success in Calgary, Canada and they fit into the indie pop genre. Some of their biggest songs include “Everything is Awesome,” “Walking With a Ghost,” and “Back in Your Head.”
Roxette
Roxette is a pop duo that formed in Halmsted, Sweden. Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle are the two people who came together to create this band in 1986. The underrated duo released songs like “It Must’ve Been Love,” “Spending My Time,” and “Listen to Your Heart” in the late 80s and early 90s. Fredriksson took on the vocals while Per Gessle sang and played guitar. Fredriksson’s 17-year long battle with cancer ended when she died in 2019.
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep is an underrated hip-hop duo that formed in Queens, New York back in 1991. Prodigy (whose real name is Albert Johnson) and Havoc (whose real name is Kejuan Waliek Muchita) released eight studio albums between 1993 and 2014. Their first album was called “Juvenile Hell” and their final album was called “The Infamous Mobb Deep.” Arguably, “Survival of the Fittest” is the biggest hit.
Air Supply
Air Supply is an underrated group that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1975. The duo consists of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock. While Hitchcock was already residing in Australia, Russell relocated from England. Their music fits perfectly into the soft rock and contemporary musical genres. Some of their biggest songs were “Making Love Out of Nothing at All,” “Two Less Lonely People in the World,” and “Every Woman in the World.”
Tears for Fears
Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal linked up to form Tears for Fears in 1981. It all began in Bath, United Kingdom. Their music falls into the pop rock, new wave, and synthetic pop genres with songs like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” on their roster. Other hits include “Head Over heels” and “Break it Down Again.” Although Tears for Fear doesn’t list any upcoming tour dates on their official website, they offer links to all of their streamable music and music videos.
Brotherhood Creed
Recording music for the R&B genre is exactly what Brotherhood Creed was about when they first signed two MCA Records in the 1990s. In 1992, they released their debut album for music lovers to enjoy. It was self-titled to get people more familiar with them. Brotherhood Creed consisted of two talented musicians – Tyrone Ward and Sean McDuffie. Some of their bigger tracks were “What’s Really Going On” and “Dance With Me.”
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are a rock duo that formed back in 2001. Originally, they’re from Akron, Ohio. The duo consists of two talented musicians named Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. Rock music is something these men took seriously when they were first getting started in the music industry. They didn’t hold back from releasing rock songs people could jam out to. Some of their more noteworthy tracks include “Gold on the Ceiling,” “Little Black Submarines,” and “Too Afraid to Love You.”
Chloe X Halle
Chloe and Halle Bailey are two talented sisters who individually have a lot going for them regarding their careers. When they spent time working together on a joint music career as Chloe X Halle, it didn’t necessarily do them any justice. Both of these sisters ended up succeeding and thriving beyond with anyone would’ve expected when they separately chose to pursue solo careers. As a duo who started making music together in 2012, they were completely underrated. While we’re on the topic of talented music stars with great songs, click here to discover the absolute best songs in history.