Unsung is a musical documentary series on TV One that follows the lives and careers of R&B, Soul, and Hip-Hop artists, bands, and groups whose careers are deemed as not being able to reach their full potential, despite having had some success in the industry.
Airing since 2008, the series has had two spin-offs, Unsung Hollywood (which delves into various actors or film and television productions) and Unsung Films (which are biopics of a recording artist or group).
List of Unsung artists
- Blaquenote
- Bootsy Collins
- Chanté Moore
- The Clark Sisters
- DeBarge
- Deborah Cox
- Donell Jones
- Donna Summernote
- Donny Hathaway
- Dru Hill
- Florence Ballard
- Gerald Levert
- George Clinton
- Ike Turner
- Isaac Hayes
- Jon B
- Kashif
- Lenny Williams
- Lyfe Jennings
- The Manhattans
- Martha Wash
- The Marvelettes
- Michel'le
- Midnight Star
- Millie Jackson
- Minnie Riperton
- Mint Condition
- Monifah
- Nate Dogg
- New Edition
- Phyllis Hymannote
- Rose Royce
- Shirley Caesar
- Shirley Murdock
- Silk
- Soul For Real
- Switch
- SWV
- Teena Marie
- Teddy Pendergrass
- Tony Terry
- Vestanote
- Wyclef Jean
- Xscapenote
Related Tropes:
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The first four episodes were narrated by singer Al B. Sure! instead of Gary Anthony Williams.
- Formula-Breaking Episode: Sort of: while the show does focus on R&B and Hip Hop artists and musical acts (most of whom are Black), it occasionally showcases blue-eyed soul artists who crossed over, like Jon B. and The Jets.
- Gospel Music: The Clark Sisters and Shirley Caesar have been featured on the show, breaking away from its usual focus on secular artists.
- Sorrowful Stutter: Plenty of times in various episodes. During the Nate Dogg episode, his one child's mother and his younger brother both became overwhelmed when speaking about him.
- Token White: The series usually focuses on Black artistsnote in the R&B and Soul genres, but a few White ones have been featured. Teena Marie and Jon B are among this list.
- We Used to Be Friends: Quite a few of the subjects, especially if they were in a band or part of a duo, have falling outs with their bandmates, although falling out with managers, publicists, executives and the like aren't unheard of. Possibly the saddest example was the 1980s singing group The Jets, which consisted of a Sibling Team that have been estranged over the past several years with the women against the men and their elderly parents siding with the latter.
- We Were Your Team: Heavily implied in the DeBarge episode that oldest brother Bobby, in spite of his troubled past involving abuse he and his siblings suffered as children and a drug habit which lead to him being diagnosed with AIDS, was the glue holding the family together. When he died, his widow believed that it would bring the family closer together, only for the opposite to happen.
