Most Overrated Bands/Artists?

[Bader]

In order to be overrated, one must first be praised. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything equivalent to "nickel back is awesome"; people either say nickelback is junk or they begrudgingly admit to being able to tolerate them.

You may not hear it, but someone loves the **** out of this terrible band. They keep releasing the same ****** album over and over and must be making money because they keep touring and pumping it out. Huge in Asia maybe? Good lord they suck.

It kills me to say it but I agree with Angie, Weezer has to be up towards the top of the list. If my Blue album CD was vinyl I'm pretty sure it would be worn through at this point but their last 2 or 3 albums reek of "just write me the check and I'll do it". Why Rivers...why??

[azepp]

I think I may have not explained myself well. I think the entire career of, say, the Foo Fighters is overrated. I will still listen to The Colour & The Shape (skipping "My Hero"), because I think it is overall a very good album - but I think they have been doing the same thing over and over again since then or shortly thereafter. Weezer (the blue one) and Pinkerton were phenomenal albums, but where has Weezer gone as a band since then? Do they deserve the same credit today when they put out the same crap with a slightly different melody? They started off great, but it's just hard to think that they should still get the same credit as innovators today when they're NOT innovating as they did back when they did.

The idea that a band must evolve or innovate is flawed in my opinion. It's really a lose/lose proposition for them. If they don't evolve they catch flak for putting out the same music over and over again. If they do evolve, they risk alienating their fan base. There are very few bands that can continually innovate and "win" while doing it. I would put Radiohead in that category, but even they haven't really evolved that much over the last decade, IMO.

I'm fine with bands that choose not to evolve and to stick to what they know and they're comfortable with.

[CYCLNST8]

You sir, are insane. Except for Zeppelin. I agree with that one. Wouldn't any sane person take The Who or The Rolling Stones over them any day?

The Who definitely. Stones = yawn.

[Angie]

You may not hear it, but someone loves the **** out of this terrible band. They keep releasing the same ****** album over and over and must be making money because they keep touring and pumping it out. Huge in Asia maybe? Good lord they suck.

It kills me to say it but I agree with Angie, Weezer has to be up towards the top of the list. If my Blue album CD was vinyl I'm pretty sure it would be worn through at this point but their last 2 or 3 albums reek of "just write me the check and I'll do it". Why Rivers...why??

I agree with every word of this.

[Angie]

The idea that a band must evolve or innovate is flawed in my opinion. It's really a lose/lose proposition for them. If they don't evolve they catch flak for putting out the same music over and over again. If they do evolve, they risk alienating their fan base. There are very few bands that can continually innovate and "win" while doing it. I would put Radiohead in that category, but even they haven't really evolved that much over the last decade, IMO.

I'm fine with bands that choose not to evolve and to stick to what they know and they're comfortable with.

Like I said, I'm cool with that - if they're honest about it (see my Cake example).

[MNCyGuy]

Like I said, I'm cool with that - if they're honest about it (see my Cake example).

How much of this is stuff that bands are actually saying though? Honestly asking, because I don't really read a lot of band interviews and stuff like that, but I have to think that a lot of claims of a Pearl Jam or Foo Fighters album being innovative or a new direction are just floated out there by the music media because they have been identified as "good bands" and that's just what you say about a new Pearl Jam album.

[dmclone]

I don't really worry about bands being overrated. Some groups have more songs than I like than others. Nearrly every group that has been listed has some songs that I like.

Kings of Leon-I like songs like Molly's Chamber, Back Down South, Knocked up, and a few others. I don't understand the hate.

Foo Fighters-After watching the documentary, Dave looks like a real dick. Songs like Everlong, Pretender, Times like these, This is a call, and many others are great songs.

U2-Are you serious? They haven't made anything good in a long time but some of their early CD's are great from start to finish. Just because they continue to make music doesn't mean they are overrated. If they would have stopped after 5 years no one would be calling them overrated.

Nirvana-I agree that after Kurt died, a lot of people were putting them on a different level but now after 20 years I still like listening to a lot of their music which I can't say for many other bands during this time. CD's like From The Muddy Banks of Wishkah are great from start to finish.

[azepp]

Like I said, I'm cool with that - if they're honest about it (see my Cake example).

I guess I never got the impression that the Foo portrayed themselves as "innovators".

As for overrated - I'll put Van Halen out there. Eddie Van Halen is not the guitar god that he is often made out to be.

[dmclone]

If someone says Jack White I'll punch them in the throat

[Angie]

How much of this is stuff that bands are actually saying though? Honestly asking, because I don't really read a lot of band interviews and stuff like that, but I have to think that a lot of claims of a Pearl Jam or Foo Fighters album being innovative or a new direction are just floated out there by the music media because they have been identified as "good bands" and that's just what you say about a new Pearl Jam album.

Maybe it's just their labels promoting them as innovators. I've seen interviews with Green Day, for example, where they talked about how they were really searching themselves and going in a new direction with their whatever new album... which just ends up sounding the same. Maybe their labels are telling them what to say, etc., and they just do it to get through the interviews.

[3TrueFans]

I don't really worry about bands being overrated.

If someone says Jack White I'll punch them in the throat

[CLONECONES]

Maybe it's just their labels promoting them as innovators. I've seen interviews with Green Day, for example, where they talked about how they were really searching themselves and going in a new direction with their whatever new album... which just ends up sounding the same. Maybe their labels are telling them what to say, etc., and they just do it to get through the interviews.

the labels/producers have alot of say in the direction the band goes... some sign deals saying they've gotta do 7 albums within the lifetime of the contract thus forcing the crappy cookie cutter tunes.

[Angie]

the labels/producers have alot of say in the direction the band goes... some sign deals saying they've gotta do 7 albums within the lifetime of the contract thus forcing the crappy cookie cutter tunes.

I'll be honest - I listen to mostly indie stuff, partially because of this. I don't mean that in a pretentious "rock snob" way, I just find bands that I like that have the room to be more creative because they're not banking their entire career with a label on every song they put out.

[3TrueFans]

I must say I like a good number of bands listed. Always been a big Foo Fighter fan, yeah nothing will probably match the level of awesome of their early stuff, but I still think they're a solid rock band who writes good songs. Also like Linkin Park, probably the new stuff even more than a lot of the early more screamy stuff. Still like Green Day, their new stuff is miles apart from their early stuff, different but good if a little preachy at times.

[CYCLNST8]

I guess I never got the impression that the Foo portrayed themselves as "innovators".

As for overrated - I'll put Van Halen out there. Eddie Van Halen is not the guitar god that he is often made out to be.

So much fail. Frankenstrat you strike you down. Have you listened to their entire catalog?