I was curious of people's opinions on who they believe is the most overrated rock band in history and who they believe is the most underrated rock band in history. Now there can be different ways to interpret this question, so you can answer in 1 or multiple ways or with 1 or multiple bands as answers. For example, you can gauge this overrating or underrating based on commercial success, or talent, or impact on music/future musicians, or impact on audience, or personal taste, or what have you.
I'll start.
Most overrated band in rock history to me would be Nirvana. I say this because I think their influence on music is overrated or misjudged, metal and punk/post-punk bands before and around the same time as them had been played around with what Nirvana was doing but just never hit commerical success or as much commercial success, post-grunge and nu metal bands that grew from/after their movement are imo a pretty bad genre with not many notable quality artists or music coming out of this sector, and lastly from a personal standpoint I just think their music is very rough on the ears. The elements in grunge, Nirvana's grunge specifically, for me just too many times sound like incoherent or unimpressive noise. I get heavy and distortion, I enjoy a bunch of metal bands that can do it harmoniously with much more appeal and intelligent feel to it. On the flip side of this topic, Elliott Smith is an artist who's place in history should be much greater than Nirvana. His lyrics, virtuosity, and overall talent are levels above Nirvana's work.
Most underrated rock band in history to me would be The Yardbirds. They started Clapton, Page, and Jeff Beck's careers. They played and influenced blues/blues rock, psych rock, pop rock, and early hard rock, showing a very wide range of successful music. The music and bands that directly and indirectly evolved from the Yardbirds were incredibly impactful and successful in rock. And of course they had a good amount of hit singles, with a decent range of music.
