Boards
Influential artists that were never quite as popular as the bands they influenced (but were arguably better)...
I was thinking of Royal Trux, who arguably were one of the first decent boy/girl rock duos (I stand to be corrected of course), and who influenced (primarily) The Kills / White Stripes / Raveonettes and others who founded their image on being boy/girl rock duos.
Even if I'm off the mark here, I hope you can see where I'm going. Can you think of any other obvious ones?