I think enough people loved them to get reissued:

Howard Johnson's entire A&M solo catalog (KEEPIN' LOVE NEW, DOIN' IT MY WAY, THE VISION)

Stanley Clarke's ROCKS, PEBBLES, & SAND and STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

Herbie Hancock's 1978-82 records (only MR. HANDS, an album I trumpet here frequently and THE PIANO, which until recently, was a Japan-only acoustic piano release got consistent props over time, SUNLIGHT did post-Dilla)

lately it's been the works of Robert Brookins, like '81's MATINEE by his once-group AFTERBACH (kind of hard to believe he was 19 @ the time that was recorded), and his solo album IN THE NIGHT (@ 24, that's a damn good and mature record).

the works of Pages, a group headlined by Mr. Mister members Richard Page and Steve George, they had three albums from '78-81. On Soulseek, someone messaged me that the had played on those records, and had lost their cassette copies years ago.