Music: Most Overrated and Most Underrated Rock Band in History

[Shareefruck]

I find the Rolling Stones pretty underwhelming, and outside of historical context, don't understand this status they have as the 2nd greatest rock band or whatever.

I also find it difficult to buy their sincerity whenever they sing about anything (which is also the case with Led Zeppelin for me-- I only feel their sincerity in wanting to make fun/entertaining aesthetic sounds to please crowds with and be showmen-- all the actual lyricism/emotion/melodrama in their music always tends to feel like fake posturing to me). Which may in reality be the case for a lot of artists, but I just find the illusion particularly unconvincing with them.

 

[VMBM]

I find the Rolling Stones pretty underwhelming, and outside of historical context, don't understand this status they have as the 2nd greatest rock band or whatever.

I think they're a great singles band, but in terms of albums the Beatles and many others wipe the floor with them.

 

[Mikeaveli]

To me the most underrated has to be The Beach Boys, despite the acclaim they receive. Most only really give them credit for Pet Sounds. Records like Smiley Smile, Sunflower, Beach Boys Today!, Adult/Child, etc. are all severely underrated. They have countless great singles (and random album cuts) from both early and later into their career. And of course, the Smile Sessions compilation has like 7 different tracks I would consider to be among the greatest of all time. Personally I prefer their discography to The Beatles.

 

[Voight]

I find the Rolling Stones pretty underwhelming, and outside of historical context, don't understand this status they have as the 2nd greatest rock band or whatever.

I also find it difficult to buy their sincerity whenever they sing about anything (which is also the case with Led Zeppelin for me-- I only feel their sincerity in wanting to make fun/entertaining aesthetic sounds to please crowds with and be showmen-- all the actual lyricism/emotion/melodrama in their music always tends to feel like fake posturing to me). Which may in reality be the case for a lot of artists, but I just find the illusion particularly unconvincing with them.

Honestly, I have a similar opinion but switch The Rolling Stones with The Beatles.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Most Overrated: Pearl Jam or U2, can’t decide

Most Underrated: The Velvet Underground (however I’m a former Logan Square hipster so that might be influencing it)

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Overrated Led Zeppelin
Underrated Tesla

 

[Roo Returns]

Saying Zeppelin or The Beatles are overrated is cliche at this point. Just for songwriting and arrangements alone.

For the former, Bonham was the best hard rock drummer of the 70s. JPJ is also a genius (and I'm sure someone won't read and start throwing prog rock drummer names around in the next hour).

 

[Roo Returns]

Further, I think what's happened here and what would tell a lot is if there was an age poll associated with this thread. There are certain bands or artists who behaved what is now considered misogynistic or inappropriate by today's standards, and therefore get labelled as overrated by the Gen Zers.

It's very pick and choose and only applies to certain categories. If you look at let's say Pitchfork Media's top 50 of this year, many of those artists have said outright offensive stuff and will never have the global draw that some of these legendary bands or artists have. But it's ok because they're contemporaries, and hate on the dinosaurs,

 

[WetcoastOrca]

To me the most underrated has to be The Beach Boys, despite the acclaim they receive. Most only really give them credit for Pet Sounds. Records like Smiley Smile, Sunflower, Beach Boys Today!, Adult/Child, etc. are all severely underrated. They have countless great singles (and random album cuts) from both early and later into their career. And of course, the Smile Sessions compilation has like 7 different tracks I would consider to be among the greatest of all time. Personally I prefer their discography to The Beatles.

I’m kind of the oppposite. I find the Beach Boys to be somewhat overrated. For me, Pet Sounds is one of my top albums of all time and I love a lot of their singles. But most of their other albums have some pretty weak songs.
For underrated I’d say Velvet Underground at least in a commercial sense.

 

[Roo Returns]

I’m kind of the oppposite. I find the Beach Boys to be somewhat overrated. For me, Pet Sounds is one of my top albums of all time and I love a lot of their singles. But most of their other albums have some pretty weak songs.
For underrated I’d say Velvet Underground at least in a commercial sense.

Pet Sounds is a great album but it's another hipster trope. The equivalent of Pierre talking anything Pittsburgh.

We get it. It was very influential and for the time the arrangements and production were innovative. It's not the end, only the beginning.

The album doesn't especially boogey or groove. It's rich.

 

[Voight]

Most Overrated: Pearl Jam or U2, can’t decide

Most Underrated: The Velvet Underground (however I’m a former Logan Square hipster so that might be influencing it)

Spot on.

I think PJ benefitted from Cobain dying and Nirvana disbanding, i.e. they became the "face" of grunge. Plus they were "different" because they didn't wanna make music videos and I feel like that got them a lot of attention.

 

[SniperHF]

Almost all of Pearl Jam's timeless songs / hits predate Cobain's death though.

 

[Mikeaveli]

I’m kind of the oppposite. I find the Beach Boys to be somewhat overrated. For me, Pet Sounds is one of my top albums of all time and I love a lot of their singles. But most of their other albums have some pretty weak songs.
For underrated I’d say Velvet Underground at least in a commercial sense.

I think your opinion is the popular one, which is why I would consider them underrated.

I agree that most of their albums have some mid tracks, but they've put out 25+ albums. IMO, the albums I listed in my last post are all very consistent aside from the skit at the end of Today! and the pitch shifting section on "She's Goin' Bald" from Smiley Smile.

However I will say they do still suffer from sequencing issues (as does Pet Sounds). There's no way "The Little Girl I Once Knew" and "Break Away" should have been left off Pet Sounds and Sunflower, but lack of success as singles led to them being left off their respective albums.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Further, I think what's happened here and what would tell a lot is if there was an age poll associated with this thread. There are certain bands or artists who behaved what is now considered misogynistic or inappropriate by today's standards, and therefore get labelled as overrated by the Gen Zers.

It's very pick and choose and only applies to certain categories. If you look at let's say Pitchfork Media's top 50 of this year, many of those artists have said outright offensive stuff and will never have the global draw that some of these legendary bands or artists have. But it's ok because they're contemporaries, and hate on the dinosaurs,

Age is not always a factor with the older music. I love the Stones, Hendrix, The Doors, The Band, and many others Zeppelin just does nothing for me. The song writing and storytelling was much better when I was younger. Nothing against the most recent music it’s just how I feel.
I graduated in 1984 so a lot of the music we grew up with is what you are going to like the most. I do think that is a big factor, it’s just not 100 percent true.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Out of the grunge/alternative genre Soundgarden is the best out of them all. Badmotorfinger was almost a perfect record. Besides Chris Cornell was one of the best frontmen ever.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Overrated: AC/DC (nails on a chalkboard)

Underrated: Hmmm...could go a number of directions here. How about 311. Never made it big time but has a huge cult following and mostly sells out whatever venue they play.

 

[Hippasus]

Overrated: AC/DC (nails on a chalkboard)

Underrated: Hmmm...could go a number of directions here. How about 311. Never made it big time but has a huge cult following and mostly sells out whatever venue they play.

Yeah, I think AC/DC is definitely overrated. Maybe it's the untimely death of their early frontman, Bon Scott, and high-pitched male vocals. I think they were going for pure or raunchy rock as well as rock anthems, but just didn't have much to say, musically or otherwise. They're one of those love 'em or hate 'em bands, but it's weird to me how many people like that stuff. KISS is similar in this regard. Maybe Pantera too for slightly different reasons.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Over: Anthrax, Ghost

Under: Voivod, Mastodon

 

[VMBM]

Yeah, I think AC/DC is definitely overrated. Maybe it's the untimely death of their early frontman, Bon Scott, and high-pitched male vocals. I think they were going for pure or raunchy rock as well as rock anthems, but just didn't have much to say, musically or otherwise. They're one of those love 'em or hate 'em bands, but it's weird to me how many people like that stuff. KISS is similar in this regard. Maybe Pantera too for slightly different reasons.

No offense, but I think that's a bit condescending.

It's like asking; why do people like the blues? Or R&B and ('50s) rock and roll? It's not 'clever' music by any means, but if it moves you, it moves you. Go figure, huh?

The reason why I personally like AC/DC (Bon Scott-era mostly) is probably the big riffs; Angus & Malcolm Young were just brilliant riff-writers imo, and their best songs are undoubtedly catchy. I guess many also like Scott's lyrics (filled with double-entendre/sexual innuendo), but I'm not a big lyrics guy to begin with, so... but they're probably at least a slight step up from your average blues/rock and roll lyrics. Plus I do think he was a charismatic frontman, with that sneer and all.

I like music from classical (Chopin, Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel...) to a bit of jazz (mostly Miles) to nearly all genres of popular music. Sometimes 'the ape in me' just wants to bang my head and raise my fist , and for that AC/DC is a pretty good choice. Maybe they're still overrated when e.g. compared to some similar but lesser-known bands, idk.

 

[Hippasus]

No offense, but I think that's a bit condescending.

It's like asking; why do people like the blues? Or R&B and ('50s) rock and roll? It's not 'clever' music by any means, but if it moves you, it moves you. Go figure, huh?

The reason why I personally like AC/DC (Bon Scott-era mostly) is probably the big riffs; Angus & Malcolm Young were just brilliant riff-writers imo, and their best songs are undoubtedly catchy. I guess many also like Scott's lyrics (filled with double-entendre/sexual innuendo), but I'm not a big lyrics guy to begin with, so... but they're probably at least a slight step up from your average blues/rock and roll lyrics. Plus I do think he was a charismatic frontman, with that sneer and all.

I like music from classical (Chopin, Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel...) to a bit of jazz (mostly Miles) to nearly all genres of popular music. Sometimes 'the ape in me' just wants to bang my head and raise my fist , and for that AC/DC is a pretty good choice. Maybe they're still overrated when e.g. compared to some similar but lesser-known bands, idk.

Some rock and blues can be poignant even in it's low-brow simplicity, like Robert Johnson and Black Sabbath for instance. Motorhead is also low-brow, simple, but really influential. But AC/DC? I just don't see the allure. Maybe it depends on the release to some degree.

 

[Shareefruck]

Yeah, speaking for myself, even ignoring that, I feel like the feeling of something genuinely "moving you" is also quite a bit different and more valuable than something JUST being "undoubtedly catchy" which is a pretty superficial and dispassionate feeling in comparison, no? Even if we accept the idea that the actual talent, complexity, or ground being broken is the same, that almost doesn't matter to me.

Even the feeling of "the ape in me" being moved can be a more interesting/compelling feeling than just something being catchy, so I'm not crazy about that being the focus. Personally, I actually don't feel like AC/DC does a particularly good job of appealing to that ape. Feels too polished, safe, structured, and sterile for that, IMO. Bands that aren't afraid to be a little more uncompromisingly unhinged seem like they could potentially do a much better job of appealing to that primal feeling, to me.

I feel like most of my enjoyment is strictly about a guttural feeling and not actual intellectual appreciation for what went into the process anyways, but to my ears, AC/DC just sounds dull and boring, and like they're not really accomplishing much of anything beyond that straight-down-the-middle hollow catchiness.

 

[Shareefruck]

Honestly, I have a similar opinion but switch The Rolling Stones with The Beatles.

I can maybe see that with McCartney, but personally, I think Lennon and Harrison have more of a knack for coming across as feeling sincere in that type of music (regardless of any real-life contradictions).

Just on a surface level, without any deeper analysis, when I hear Mick Jagger, I'm just thinking "yeah right this is something you care about" the whole time, and Robert Plant, I'm just thinking "this guy's in love with hearing his own voice and probably treats lyrics like nothing more than a means to that end or something."

And maybe they actually are sincere, but as artists, I feel like they're pretty bad at creating that illusion/image when they do it, or at least that's how they come across to me.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Overrated gotta be AC/DC

Two "singers" that are indistinguishable in their talentless screeching.
Songs that all sound pretty much the same.
Drumming could not be more boring and could be performed by any drum student after a month of lessons at most.
Lyrics that are uninspiring and lame.

 

[VMBM]

Yeah, speaking for myself, even ignoring that, I feel like the feeling of something genuinely "moving you" is also quite a bit different and more valuable than something JUST being "undoubtedly catchy" which is a pretty superficial and dispassionate feeling in comparison, no? Even if we accept the idea that the actual talent, complexity, or ground being broken is the same, that almost doesn't matter to me.

Even the feeling of "the ape in me" being moved can be a more interesting/compelling feeling than just something being catchy, so I'm not crazy about that being the focus. Personally, I actually don't feel like AC/DC does a particularly good job of appealing to that ape. Feels too polished, safe, structured, and sterile for that, IMO. Bands that aren't afraid to be a little more uncompromisingly unhinged seem like they could do a much better job of appealing to that primal feeling, to me.

I feel like most of my enjoyment is strictly about a guttural feeling and not actual intellectual appreciation for what went into the process anyways, but to my ears, AC/DC just sounds dull and boring, and like they're not really accomplishing much of anything beyond that straight-down-the-middle hollow catchiness.

Hmmm, if I read this post ten times, then I'd possibly get your point(s). At least right now I'm struggling a bit; it's Saturday afternoon, and apparently I'm feeling, er, too good.

The best AC/DC songs and albums have legendary riffs AND they are 'undoubtedly catchy' AND they really move ('the ape in') me. That's good enough as far as I'm concerned, and it's not as simple or easy as it maybe sounds imo. What, should their music also make me cry too? Or make me have some deep thoughts? There's plenty of other music for that, but on the other hand, it doesn't 'kick ass' as hard as the best of AC/DC does. Musical development or challenges, that's not AC/DC, but in their own niche, I don't consider them overrated.

Only my opinion, of course, and admittedly, I haven't listened to their post For Those About to Rock (1981) material in ages, so my rants concern mostly the earlier stuff.

Some rock and blues can be poignant even in it's low-brow simplicity, like Robert Johnson and Black Sabbath for instance. Motorhead is also low-brow, simple, but really influential. But AC/DC? I just don't see the allure. Maybe it depends on the release to some degree.

Robert Johnson, now there's an overrated one! Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Muddy Waters (plus Willie Dixon as a songwriter) are all better and more significant. Johnson died young (reminiscent of someone we've been discussing here?) and there's also that story about him selling his soul to the devil, which has given him some extra mystique and legend. I have his recordings and they are fine for what they are, but some divine blues? Nah. He undoubtedly influenced at least some of those aforementioned superior (imo) artists, so I'll give him a little bit of credit.

 

[Lshap]

Overrated gotta be AC/DC

Two "singers" that are indistinguishable in their talentless screeching.
Songs that all sound pretty much the same.
Drumming could not be more boring and could be performed by any drum student after a month of lessons at most.
Lyrics that are uninspiring and lame.

Yeah, their drumming is basic, but don't mistake that for student-level easy. Producing a big groove and keeping it up still takes a pro.

I'm not an AC/DC fan, but it's hard to deny the great guitar work and epic anthems. Credit where it's due, IMO.