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Rundgren has been labeled, over and over, as underrated, underappreciated, a pop maverick who turned away from mainstream success, a cult fave, a musician’s musician and an album artist (as opposed to a singles artist).

The message: This guy is a mega-talent who never quite got the breakthrough he deserved.

“You become kind of a known factor, you know? People make assumptions about what you do and how you do it,� Rundgren said in an interview. “Having been in the business as long as I have, I sort of liken myself at this point to Tony Bennett, who never stopped doing it, and then suddenly another generation discovered him.�

That may be happening to Rundgren right now. Since touring resumed after the COVID-19 shutdown, he is getting better offers from concert promoters and seeing bigger crowds at his shows, he said.

“We were selling out in, like, the Carolinas,� Rundgren said. “I’ve never sold out in the Carolinas.�

As for why that’s happening, your guess is as good as Rundgren’s. There’s longevity — this is a man who has been consistently putting out great pop-rock records since 1970 — but there’s also the possibility of new fans finding his music thanks to:

• Its prominent use in popular TV shows. (“Hello It’s Me,� for example, played a pivotal, recurring role in the “Sex and the City� sequel “And Just Like That…� a few years ago.)

• His recent collaborations with younger artists like The Roots, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and like-minded pop duo The Lemon Twigs. (“Getting exposed to a broader audience,� he said, “I think that helps.�)

• The current state of pop music, which Rundgren said may be driving younger listeners into the past in search of something more substantial. (“Eventually you get tired of the music of your own generation,� he said, “so you start looking for influences and you can’t travel into the future, so you go into the past.�)

• The fast-paced nature of sharing music these days, and the availability of just about anything via streaming services. (“Kids communicate with each other a lot, and if they hear something they like, they can get it,� Rundgren said. “It can go viral pretty fast.�)

• The simple passage of time and the natural accumulation of Todd-Heads both young, old and in between who are drawn to one of the most inventive and entertaining pop-rock catalogs of the past five decades.

“The fact that so many younger people are showing up, I can’t quite put my finger on it,� Rundgren said. “I always got a certain amount of my original fans’ kids. Now I’m actually getting grandchildren of my original fans.�