Most Over Rated Band of All Time?

[X. Benedict]

I guess you would have to be rated to be considered overrated....so I'm not sure if Nickelback qualifies......

 

 

The Pretenders are probably the most overrated as they are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their breakout hit was a Kinks cover. Some nice songs, but really, was Chrissy Hynde really a more seminal artist than Annie Lennox or even Pat Benetar.

[bbb]

I guess you would have to be rated to be considered overrated....so I'm not sure if Nickelback qualifies......

 

 

The Pretenders are probably the most overrated as they are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their breakout hit was a Kinks cover. Some nice songs, but really, was Chrissy Hynde really a more seminal artist than Annie Lennox or even Pat Benetar.

 

I don't consider Stop Your Sobbing their breakout hit. It was Brass in Pocket.

[X. Benedict]

I don't consider Stop Your Sobbing their breakout hit. It was Brass in Pocket.

 

I seem to remember Martha Quinn touting the first one. Blah.

 

Although Brass in Pocket and Chain Gang and some other songs stand up, If you had to throw one act out of the Rock and Roll hall of fame I would throw out the Pretenders.

[Rob's House]

I seem to remember Martha Quinn touting the first one. Blah.

 

Although Brass in Pocket and Chain Gang and some other songs stand up, If you had to throw one act out of the Rock and Roll hall of fame I would throw out the Pretenders.

In fairness to The Pretenders, they did lay down Rush Limbaugh's theme music.

[bbb]

In fairness to The Pretenders, they did lay down Rush Limbaugh's theme music.

 

How did he end up using such a far far left liberal's music, anyway?

[The Dean]

Lest we forget Wilson Phillips.

 

 

I already had forgotten.

[LeviF]

How did he end up using such a far far left liberal's music, anyway?

I just look at it like Reagan using "Born In The USA"

[ExiledInIllinois]

I just look at it like Reagan using "Born In The USA"

 

Also:

 

Raygun's campaign wanted to use "Pink Houses" and was flat out told "no" by Mellonhead.

 

 

How did he end up using such a far far left liberal's music, anyway?

 

 

Same thing with Palin using "Barracuda"... Didn't Heart put an end to it?

 

About The Boss, I think he tried to stay ambiguous early on...

[bbb]

 

About The Boss, I think he tried to stay ambiguous early on...

 

I don't know how early on you are talking, but the Reagan thing is more of a myth as far as I'm concerned. He never mentioned BIUSA:

 

On September 19, 1984, at a campaign stop in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan added the following to his usual stump speech:

 

"America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about."

 

So, I saw Bruce at the Aud 5 days later, and distinctly remember him hammering Reagan. I've seen clips of him in Pittsburgh in between the 19th and the 24th, where he plays Johnny 99 and says I wonder if this is Ronny's favorite song........I am a Bruce fanatic, but I think he's totally wrong on Reagan, then and now.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I don't know how early on you are talking, but the Reagan thing is more of a myth as far as I'm concerned. He never mentioned BIUSA:

 

On September 19, 1984, at a campaign stop in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan added the following to his usual stump speech:

 

"America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about."

 

So, I saw Bruce at the Aud 5 days later, and distinctly remember him hammering Reagan. I've seen clips of him in Pittsburgh in between the 19th and the 24th, where he plays Johnny 99 and says I wonder if this is Ronny's favorite song........I am a Bruce fanatic, but I think he's totally wrong on Reagan, then and now.

 

True... We didn't live in a media blitz like today... Most probably didn't hear too much which made it look like he was more in the middle.

[Kelly the Dog]

I don't know how early on you are talking, but the Reagan thing is more of a myth as far as I'm concerned. He never mentioned BIUSA:

 

On September 19, 1984, at a campaign stop in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan added the following to his usual stump speech:

 

"America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about."

 

So, I saw Bruce at the Aud 5 days later, and distinctly remember him hammering Reagan. I've seen clips of him in Pittsburgh in between the 19th and the 24th, where he plays Johnny 99 and says I wonder if this is Ronny's favorite song........I am a Bruce fanatic, but I think he's totally wrong on Reagan, then and now.

Yeah it's wiki, but I remember hearing about this... that it was actually George Will's idea. That makes it funnier... Just after they were rebuffed, Reagan said what he did without officially mentioning Born in the USA. But everyone, especially the Springsteen camp, knew what he meant, and they didnt like him saying it even more because they had just told them no.

In late August 1984, the Born in the U.S.A. album was selling very well, its songs were all over the radio, and the associated tour was drawing considerable press. Springsteen shows at the Capital Centre outside of Washington, D.C. thus attracted even more media attention, in particular from CBS Evening News correspondent Bernard Goldberg, who saw Springsteen as a modern-day Horatio Alger story. Yet more notably, the widely-read conservative columnist George Will, after attending a show, published on September 13, 1984 a piece entitled "A Yankee Doodle Springsteen" in which he praised Springsteen as an exemplar of classic American values. He wrote: "I have not got a clue about Springsteen's politics, if any, but flags get waved at his concerts while he sings songs about hard times. He is no whiner, and the recitation of closed factories and other problems always seems punctuated by a grand, cheerful affirmation: 'Born in the U.S.A.!'"^[4] The 1984 presidential campaign was in full stride at the time, and Will had connections to President Ronald Reagan's re-election organization. Will thought that Springsteen might endorse Reagan (not knowing that Springsteen was very much a liberal and thus did not support Reagan at all), and got the notion pushed up to high-level Reagan advisor Michael Deaver's office. Those staffers made inquiries to Springsteen's management which were politely rebuffed.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Kelly the Fair and Balanced Dog

[BillsFanNC]

I seem to remember Martha Quinn touting the first one. Blah.

 

Although Brass in Pocket and Chain Gang and some other songs stand up, If you had to throw one act out of the Rock and Roll hall of fame I would throw out the Pretenders.

 

There are a slew of bands that you can point to that make the Rock and Roll HOF a complete joke, but ABBA has to be at the top of that list.

[The Dean]

It just occurred to me:

 

The White Stripes. Jack Black seems to be everyone's darling, these days. I find his playing to be obnoxious and the songs to be horrendous.

[Cugalabanza]

It just occurred to me:

 

The White Stripes. Jack Black seems to be everyone's darling, these days. I find his playing to be obnoxious and the songs to be horrendous.

I'm ready to admit this too.

 

I liked their early stuff and the De Stijl album I thought was awesome. Ever since, they have been on a steady decline. Their sound just gets very stale in my opinion.

 

Oh, and it's Jack White. I often make the same mistake myself.

[The Dean]

I'm ready to admit this too.

 

I liked their early stuff and the De Stijl album I thought was awesome. Ever since, they have been on a steady decline. Their sound just gets very stale in my opinion.

 

Oh, and it's Jack White. I often make the same mistake myself.

 

 

 

I knew that.

 

Thanks

[bbb]

Yeah it's wiki, but I remember hearing about this... that it was actually George Will's idea. That makes it funnier... Just after they were rebuffed, Reagan said what he did without officially mentioning Born in the USA. But everyone, especially the Springsteen camp, knew what he meant, and they didnt like him saying it even more because they had just told them no.

 

I still don't know why it would be about the song. It was about Bruce, who was as hot of a star as anybody has been since that time in September 1984.

 

Even when I saw him 5 days later, Bruce didn't mention the song. Just being unwillfully co-opted by a president he didn't agree with.

 

The myth, in my opinion, is that Reagan mentioned the song. Neither Reagan or Bruce ever did.

[Chef Jim]

I think what becomes the challenge with bands that stay around a long time is their sound becomes just that, their sound and people tend to get bored with it and when you listen to the new album it's "meh, same old same old." I think bands that change producers over the years or are willing to cover other sounds they tend to surprise people with a different sound/concept but when you go out there with the same lineup and production team it's all the same.

 

Many people dis on the Grateful Dead and I get that because people atribute them to the spacey far out jams that to me are boring and I just skip right past those bits. But if you listen to their full repetoire they are influenced by everything from Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Disco (yes disco), Reggae etc so many of their songs have a wide variety of styles so they're not boring.

 

The Allman Brothers, another great example. They were influenced by the old time bluesmen but they also had their own sound. They were not afraid to cover some blues classics and mix in some of their original stuff. You mix old blues standards like Statsboro Blues and Stormy Monday with originals like Whipping Post and Blue Sky just opens you up for to a wide range of sounds.

[Rob's House]

I still don't know why it would be about the song. It was about Bruce, who was as hot of a star as anybody has been since that time in September 1984.

 

Even when I saw him 5 days later, Bruce didn't mention the song. Just being unwillfully co-opted by a president he didn't agree with.

 

The myth, in my opinion, is that Reagan mentioned the song. Neither Reagan or Bruce ever did.

I could be completely wrong b/c this was before I followed politics, but I thought they played "Born in the USA" at the Republican National Convention.

[DC Tom]

I think what becomes the challenge with bands that stay around a long time is their sound becomes just that, their sound and people tend to get bored with it and when you listen to the new album it's "meh, same old same old." I think bands that change producers over the years or are willing to cover other sounds they tend to surprise people with a different sound/concept but when you go out there with the same lineup and production team it's all the same.

 

Nice thing about Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, they're always exploring new things. Even when Satriani's explorations have sucked (his "cool jazz" experiment is definitely not one of my favorites), I still have to appreciate the effort. And Vai...once the lead guitarist of Whitesnake, he's writing classical/pops compositions now. Who'd a thunk it?

[bbb]

I could be completely wrong b/c this was before I followed politics, but I thought they played "Born in the USA" at the Republican National Convention.

 

I could be wrong, too, but I don't think they did........I'm sure they wanted to, though.

[John Cocktosten]

I think your argument for why the beatles are great is directly contractictory to the thread. A band is over rated when they sell tons of albums, but are nothing but bubble gum pop. Hey Jude, really?

 

I'm over 30, but the beatles are great to most of you because of the memories associated with them and their "legend". They are not a good band.

Seriously, this post made me puke in my mouth . The Beatles were music. They created and refined almost every genre of music until it was perfect. They had 3 of the best writers and singers of all time. They were and remain the pinnacle for every band in regards to artistry. There is no comparison and by saying they are overrated you are just trying to get a reaction...and you did.

 

Overrated:

1-Dave Mathews- every song sounds the same and his voice sounds like Kermti the Frog on Roids.

2-The Eagles- One great song and a bunch of crap after that. They are way better on an individual basis than they are together.

3-Zepplin- While individually they were some of the greatest musicians ever, they stole a ton of their music.

4-Anything Springstein - Super underrated voice and some great musicians in that band, but he's a classic example of why the great bands need multiple writers.

5 Pearl Jam- One great album. Their stuff is so dated when you go back and listen now.

[rockpile]

If you want to get really technical, the Beach Boys were ripping their **** off Chuck Berry, almost word for word, note for note

 

The entire British Invasion and American rock and roll in general was "ripping off" old blues artists. The good ones started with the old blues riffs and updated the genre to make it their own (Eric Clapton, Led Zep, etc)

 

I personally love the Beach Boys 'Holland' album.

 

I had a great respect for Levon Helm of The Band, who threatened to walk away when producers were going to cut Muddy Waters out of 'The Last Waltz' and leave NEIL DIAMOND in!

 

Muddy Waters and his peers were the foundation of The Band; a sound perfected with Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan.

MY Most Over Rated Band - The Bee Gees !

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Seriously, this post made me puke in my mouth . The Beatles were music. They created and refined almost every genre of music until it was perfect. They had 3 of the best writers and singers of all time. They were and remain the pinnacle for every band in regards to artistry. There is no comparison and by saying they are overrated you are just trying to get a reaction...and you did.

 

Overrated:

1-Dave Mathews- every song sounds the same and his voice sounds like Kermti the Frog on Roids.

2-The Eagles- One great song and a bunch of crap after that. They are way better on an individual basis than they are together.

3-Zepplin- While individually they were some of the greatest musicians ever, they stole a ton of their music.

4-Anything Springstein - Super underrated voice and some great musicians in that band, but he's a classic example of why the great bands need multiple writers.

5 Pearl Jam- One great album. Their stuff is so dated when you go back and listen now.

 

I agree with your general statement about the Beatles, but you absolutely can't say they had 3 of the best singers of all time. It's just not true.

[rockpile]

I knew this thread was going to turn into a music pissing match. I kind of look at music like wine. You drink what you like and if others don't like it, hey all the more for you. Music is typically written to be enjoyed by those who like it and for them it typically makes them feel good, whether it's me sitting, relaxing and listening to Vivaldi or reliving my teenage angst and banging my head to The Who. Both of which by many (and even some here) can be considered overrated. What does that even mean, well I guess that means the person that considered them overrated didn't like them. Ok, fine but don't ever let me catch you drinking white zinfandel.

 

You drink what you like and if you did not BYOB, you "love the one your with." LOL

White Zin = BLL

 

I always love to read threads that argue that if you LIKE something you are wrong.

 

EX: You unmitigated moron - PINK is your favorite color!

[bbb]

Seriously, this post made me puke in my mouth . The Beatles were music. They created and refined almost every genre of music until it was perfect. They had 3 of the best writers and singers of all time. They were and remain the pinnacle for every band in regards to artistry. There is no comparison and by saying they are overrated you are just trying to get a reaction...and you did.

 

Overrated:

1-Dave Mathews- every song sounds the same and his voice sounds like Kermti the Frog on Roids.

2-The Eagles- One great song and a bunch of crap after that. They are way better on an individual basis than they are together.

3-Zepplin- While individually they were some of the greatest musicians ever, they stole a ton of their music.

4-Anything Springstein - Super underrated voice and some great musicians in that band, but he's a classic example of why the great bands need multiple writers.

5 Pearl Jam- One great album. Their stuff is so dated when you go back and listen now.

 

Couldn't disagree with you more about Springsteen. And, actually I think his voice is not good.....Now, it's like a worn in baseball mitt that feels just right, but when I first bought Born To Run because I heard it was great, I thought this guy has got to be kidding with that voice.

 

I'd like to know which Bruce songs you think are so bad that he could have used another writer?

 

But, I'm also curious about what the one great Eagles song is?

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Couldn't disagree with you more about Springsteen. And, actually I think his voice is not good.....Now, it's like a worn in baseball mitt that feels just right, but when I first bought Born To Run because I heard it was great, I thought this guy has got to be kidding with that voice.

 

I'd like to know which Bruce songs you think are so bad that he could have used another writer?

But, I'm also curious about what the one great Eagles song is?

 

Hotel California, I assume.

[bbb]

Hotel California, I assume.

 

Actually, I was thinking it would be Take It Easy, because that was much earlier (and IMO better) than Hotel California.

[Chef Jim]

 

 

But, I'm also curious about what the one great Eagles song is?

 

Probably the one that never got any airplay.

[The Dean]

Couldn't disagree with you more about Springsteen. And, actually I think his voice is not good.....Now, it's like a worn in baseball mitt that feels just right, but when I first bought Born To Run because I heard it was great, I thought this guy has got to be kidding with that voice.

 

I'd like to know which Bruce songs you think are so bad that he could have used another writer?

 

But, I'm also curious about what the one great Eagles song is?

 

 

I'm no Eagles fan and I believe they are very overrated. With that said, there is probably at least one good song on most every Eagles albums (I don't know about the last one or two). Sometimes the songs sound better done by other, better, artists:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNmtBpM-EE

 

One very wimpy Eagles song, is actually a very good song...just wimpy:

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17uy7_the-eagles-i-cant-tell-you-why-live_music

 

It strikes me that some songs you think really suck, turn out to be OK when performed by a good (and in this case VERY underrated) artist:

 

Edited September 8, 2010 by The Dean

[rockpile]

I had three LPs by Black Oak Arkansas and I saw them live.

We both must be living in our own private Idaho.

 

What about Chicago? Do they not make the cut because they started as the Chicago Transit Authority?

 

 

Not only do I have 2 Toronto albums, I've seen them live.

 

Really simple criteria.

 

To be overrated one has to have a hit(s), be highly touted and then proceed to suck or get unlistenable. Sounds like Rush to me... I guess it all boils down to the ears of the beholder... But first that beholder has to admit that the person/group's artwork was good at one time. IMO, all other arguing about the group/person is immaterial.

 

OK, if there are going to be rules I do not want to play any more.

[John Cocktosten]

I agree with your general statement about the Beatles, but you absolutely can't say they had 3 of the best singers of all time. It's just not true.

Paul and John go without saying (Don't let me Down and Hey Jude are perfect examples). I always loved George's voice too. It fit perfectly with the music and had a sincerity about it (Something and Here comes the Sun). Grant it, put his up against Areatha, Marvin or Etta and none of them can hold a stick. But with the greats in their genre, 3 of the best IMO.

 

I'd like to know which Bruce songs you think are so bad that he could have used another writer?

 

But, I'm also curious about what the one great Eagles song is?

 

I don't think Bruce's songs are bad. Thunder Road, Badlands, Atlantic City and Born to Run are phenominal songs. The River is a perfect example of a great idea for a song that went the wrong way IMO. Great opening bu the hook and chorus fall flat. JMO...and I love his voice. There is a version of him coevering Jackie Wilson's "higher and Higher" that is awesome. The dde has serious range.

 

I'm a sucker for Hotel California. The lyrics were dark and the duel solos were great.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Bands I fricking DESPISE:

 

Steely Dan -- shoot me in the head (the Cuervo Gold? really?)

Fleetwood Mac -- If you're so !@#$ing miserable, why don't you shoot yourselves instead?

Anyone who ever sang on American Idol -- die, die, die...

Springsteen -- dude sings like he's constipated

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Paul and John go without saying (Don't let me Down and Hey Jude are perfect examples). I always loved George's voice too. It fit perfectly with the music and had a sincerity about it (Something and Here comes the Sun). Grant it, put his up against Areatha, Marvin or Etta and none of them can hold a stick. But with the greats in their genre, 3 of the best IMO.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, just have to disagree. Paul is a good singer, John was a VERY good singer. But compared to the likes of Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Steve Perry, Chris Cornell, Geoff Tate, etc...neither is truly in the pantheon of the greatest vocalists in rock history.

[Rico]

10 pages and I don't think anyone has mentioned The Police.

[bbb]

 

There is a version of him coevering Jackie Wilson's "higher and Higher" that is awesome. The dde has serious range.

 

I'm a sucker for Hotel California. The lyrics were dark and the duel solos were great.

 

Yeah, I got to see him doing Higher and Higher twice last year, and even with all his great songs, that was the song going thru my head for the next week.

 

Hotel is great, but I think there are many great Eagles songs - what I call the Glenn Frey Trilogy - Take it Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling, and Lyin Eyes..........Desperado is great. There are others.

 

Now, crap like Witchy Woman, Somebody's gonna hurt someone (whatever that is called), etc. I hope to never hear again.

[Peace]

I'm no Eagles fan and I believe they are very overrated. With that said, there is probably at least one good song on most every Eagles albums (I don't know about the last one or two). Sometimes the songs sound better done by other, better, artists:

 

I appreciate that the Eagles songs are simple musically--absolutely a 4 chord first position band--but those guys put together some beautiful songs in that simplicity. Are they one of the best ever? no. But they could write some pretty songs.

 

Did stojan really say the Beatles weren't that good of a band? The Beatles? I have no nostalgia for them as I was not alive in 1970 when Let It Be (their last LP) came out. Paul McCartney is an amazing guitarist. Not styled like Clapton, Hendrix, or Eddie VH but amazing in his own way. Harrison can play too. Their voices (esp. Paul's) are great individually and can evoke emotion on any scale together. As songwriters, there isn't a band in the same galaxy as the Lennon-McCartney team. They are Mozart-Beehtoven-Bach musically. People will never forget the music they wrote, and rightfully so. And meanwhile George Harrison just happened to be penning little ditties like "Something," "Here Comes the Sun," "Taxman," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." And you know EVERY one of those songs--and he's the worse of the 3 of them. Stop with the Beatles stuff. It gets you attention to be "the guy" who says they were no good but it's silly.

 

Overrated: Grateful Dead. I don't get it at all and never have. Tom Petty too, though I love American Girl.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Peace

[bbb]

10 pages and I don't think anyone has mentioned The Police.

 

Wow - good call! They are the poster child for over-rated!

[Rico]

Wow - good call! They are the poster child for over-rated!

Hard to believe they were playing some football stadiums a few years ago.

 

Oh yeah, just got Social D tix for November, they are extremely underrated.

[bbb]

I appreciate that the Eagles songs are simple musically--absolutely a 4 chord first position band--but those guys put together some beautiful songs in that simplicity. Are they one of the best ever? no. But they could write some pretty songs.

 

Did stojan really say the Beatles weren't that good of a band? The Beatles? I have no nostalgia for them as I was not alive in 1970 when Let It Be (their last LP) came out. Paul McCartney is an amazing guitarist. Not styled like Clapton, Hendrix, or Eddie VH but amazing in his own way. Harrison can play too. Their voices (esp. Paul's) are great individually and can evoke emotion on any scale together. As songwriters, there isn't a band in the same galaxy as the Lennon-McCartney team. They are Mozart-Beehtoven-Bach musically. People will never forget the music they wrote, and rightfully so. And meanwhile George Harrison just happened to be penning little ditties like "Something," "Here Comes the Sun," "Taxman," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." And you know EVERY one of those songs--and he's the worse of the 3 of them. Stop with the Beatles stuff. It gets you attention to be "the guy" who says they were no good but it's silly.

 

Overrated: Grateful Dead. I don't get it at all and never have. Tom Petty too, though I love American Girl.

 

And, George's best stuff came after The Beatles. All Things Must Pass proved that he was so great and wasn't able to fully express himself with the band. This is one of the most beautiful songs ever:

[dhg]

Hands down, it's Nirvana