I think you know I'm not much of an absolutist myself, apologies if I am coming across that way. Without being too redundant, hopefully, I will try to refine my point a little.

There are always insider audiences that apprehend things directly and are more likely to have an early appreciation the work of talented individuals within that niche, and a wider mainstream that can only access the niche through gate-keepers or more familiar intermediaries. For the outsider audience, there is always a convoluting factor, then, which may prevent a similarly discerning appreciation from forming.

I think this dynamic is always at play, even historically, and the convolution prevents those who aren't already in the know from "knowing" until sufficient time has passed as to develop a widespread consensus reality. I recognize what you say that the people who eventually become regarded as widely influential must, by necessity, have been popular enough to gain traction in the first place.

I suppose it might help to know who you are thinking of in terms of the talented who aren't recognized? There is surely a niche or sub-niche that does recognize them? Do you think that time will not bear them out? How does it relate to unsung heroes throughout music history? The niche, insider audiences of jazz and classical do recognize their own heroes, but how is this not true of electronic music?