Ben Folds
While the world went Nirvana crazy, Ben Folds Five beat against the tide by calling up the ghosts of Supertramp and ELO in a series of witty pop singles. The piano-thumping leader has gone his own way, and promises us he will be Rockin' the Suburbs on his forthcoming solo debut.

Pat McGee Band
John Ondrasik has played gigs with the Pat McGee Band's titular singer/guitarist. Both live and on record, PMB's folky nucleus is fleshed out with banjos and saxophones. They aren't Dave Matthews-sized yet, but last year's Shine saw Talking Head Jerry Harrison adding to their polish.

Superdrag
With "Sucked Out" and a major-label bidding war, Knoxville, Tenn.'s Superdrag looked to be the band to lead us out of the rock mire of the mid-'90s. As acclaim faded, leader John Davis started playing piano and went for baroque. 1998's lost classic Head Trip in Every Key continues to echo in most of today's hits.

Matthew Sweet
Ten years on, Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend still has so much to answer for. With his work in the late '80s, Sweet convinced many that it was possible to be a one-man band. Then with hip helpers like Richard Quine and Robert Lloyd, he convinced pop that it could survive in a flannel world. FFF owe him money.