The most underrated band Nikki Sixx ever heard: “They should have been one of the biggest”

Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx says the Ramones were among the most underrated bands he had heard, arguing they had the songs and image to become one of the world’s biggest acts. His view highlights the gap between the band’s lasting influence on punk and their more limited commercial success.

Sixx compared the Ramones’ hooky punk and power-pop songs and distinctive image with Kiss, which achieved far greater mainstream popularity and played stadiums. The article also describes Sixx’s admiration for artists including David Bowie, the Beatles and Cheap Trick, whose music he says resonated with him personally or marked a turning point.