Music: What are your most overrated songs?
- Thread starter Elvis P
- Start date
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Psycho Killer, Imagine, Stairway to Heaven, This Charming Man, A Day in the Life, Another Brick in the Wall, Creep, Lost in the Supermarket, Rock the Casbah, Last Nite. I'd say I flat out hate these songs.
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tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
First one that comes to mind is Imagine. Like, I get it, but it's not exactly a musical masterpiece and the "replay value" is actually pretty low for a song that gets trotted out for every cultural event.
Rodgerwilco
Entertainment boards w/ some Hockey mixed in.
- Feb 6, 2014
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Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Bohemian Rhapsody is a great call. Christ, I find it to be such an assault. As for Eminem, he's got a ton as well. But I just generally think he's about the most ovverrated artist of all-time in regards to critical acclaim. Him and Lady Gaga - if she fits. She's critically acclaimed, I think?
Rodgerwilco
Entertainment boards w/ some Hockey mixed in.
- Feb 6, 2014
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The looks I get from peers when I don't sing along to Bohemian Rhapsody are almost cult-level. They're flabbergasted that anyone could actually dislike it.
While Eminem is a very talented rapper (and I love rap), I agree that he's generally pretty overrated as an artist. My favorite Eminem was his goofier style around The Eminem Show and Encore.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I love rap and hip-hop as well. I think Eminem is an artist with a decent amount of technical skills as an emcee/vocalist but he's just got the most obnoxious sensibilities. He's like a cartoon rebel to me. Like, he's the accepted rebel among an MTV audience that just comes across as shtick and as hella faux instead of anything organic or skillfully weaved. And because of that, I find the music reeks of it, but I'm not sure whether it's the image or the music that came first in that regard. Either way, I've always found it to be a weak look. Lady Gaga is an artist that suffers from something similar but I find she has even less of a personality and is the epitome of the 'I'm so weird!' gal who doesn't know what strangeness/only appears to have a superficial viewing of it while being super normal and well-adjusted.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
You asked. Nor did you specify. What an odd request. How the hell is Imagine anymore challenging of a call than Bohemian Rhapsody?
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
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My least favorite song in the history of recorded music is still the New Radicals' You Get What You Give so I'm going to go with that one.
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Walk - Pantera
Raining Blood - Slayer
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Walk - Pantera
Raining Blood - Slayer
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Shareefruck
Registered User
I really dislike anthemic and ballady (not sure if those are the correct adjectives) songs in the vein of Imagine, Yesterday, and Let it Be, personally. Just feels very schmaltzy and cloying, and both artists regularly had at at least 3-5 significantly stronger songs every year during their prime, in my opinion. A lot of the stuff that doesn't necessarily stand out in their catalogue like Wait and You Won't See Me even strike me as way stronger. What I find extra frustrating is that Imagine seems to define John Lennon for everyone, even though his actual vibe and persona in general is nothing like that, and that song almost feels more like he's trying to do the McCartney thing instead or something.
But yeah, stuff like Bohemian Rhapsody are worse. I'm not a fan of Stairway to Heaven either.
And yeah, Creep and Wonderwall, obviously, but I feel like the backlash of those ones are so widely acknowledged that it's hard to even consider them overrated anymore.
But yeah, stuff like Bohemian Rhapsody are worse. I'm not a fan of Stairway to Heaven either.
And yeah, Creep and Wonderwall, obviously, but I feel like the backlash of those ones are so widely acknowledged that it's hard to even consider them overrated anymore.
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Stairway To Heaven
Everytime I listen to this song, I struggle to figure out what exactly is the memorable part. The guitar solo borders on Grateful Dead-levels of just-feels-okay but am demanded to think of it as being super awesome. It's very forgetable.
Rock the Casbah
Despite the idiom having similar impact as "blowing the popsicle stand", the song has the feeling of nebbish dudes just plunking out on their guitars at the local bar. And I haven't heard any covers convey the impact of the idiom. And for the life of me, there is no sense of irony that I get.
Everytime I listen to this song, I struggle to figure out what exactly is the memorable part. The guitar solo borders on Grateful Dead-levels of just-feels-okay but am demanded to think of it as being super awesome. It's very forgetable.
Rock the Casbah
Despite the idiom having similar impact as "blowing the popsicle stand", the song has the feeling of nebbish dudes just plunking out on their guitars at the local bar. And I haven't heard any covers convey the impact of the idiom. And for the life of me, there is no sense of irony that I get.
- Jun 23, 2020
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Out of the big bands I'm familiar with:
Black Sabbath - "War Pigs"
Dio - "The Last in Line"
Iron Maiden - "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law"
Metallica - "Seek and Destroy"
Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again"
Rush - "Tom Sawyer"
Slayer - "Dead Skin Mask"
Stuff off the Paranoid album are often overrated (except for "Hand of Doom"), and the non-Ozzy/Dio albums are criminally underrated (and all but expunged from the band in the popular consciousness, thanks to Ozzy having essentially forced Black Sabbath to hitch themselves to his wagon for decades). They could have retired every song off Paranoid and, even if limiting themselves to Ozzy-era songs, had great setlists.
I'm not as familiar with Dio as I am with other big bands, but "The Last in Line" is one of his most radio-played songs, and I just don't see the appeal.
Putting "Hallowed Be Thy Name" has to be some kind of blasphemy, and it's not a bad song by any means, with Bruce's vocals being quite good, the lyrics emotional and impactful, and the musicianship also good, but I think the song is just lacking something. "Run to the Hills" is also pretty overplayed, but I think I'd rather listen to it than "Hallowed..." Of course, I don't think Iron Maiden ever topped the two Di'Anno albums.
I don't know of anyone who actually listens to Judas Priest extensively who really likes "Breaking the Law," but I feel like its their signature song, largely for image reasons.
"Seek and Destroy" is boring. I'm not in the "Metallica was always overrated" camp, but play something else (like "Phantom Lord").
Ozzy's solo career really is overrated - he was always the least important member of early Black Sabbath from a musical perspective. I think I'd rather listen to obscure songs like "S.A.T.O." or even "Believer" before "Flying High Again."
You know what's surprisingly underrated? Synth Rush. "Tom Sawyer" is just overplayed and people who bash post-"Moving Pictures" Rush are missing out. Give me more "Afterimage."
"Dead Skin Mask" is just awful, but I think it was a live staple for some unfathomable reason.
Black Sabbath - "War Pigs"
Dio - "The Last in Line"
Iron Maiden - "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law"
Metallica - "Seek and Destroy"
Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again"
Rush - "Tom Sawyer"
Slayer - "Dead Skin Mask"
Stuff off the Paranoid album are often overrated (except for "Hand of Doom"), and the non-Ozzy/Dio albums are criminally underrated (and all but expunged from the band in the popular consciousness, thanks to Ozzy having essentially forced Black Sabbath to hitch themselves to his wagon for decades). They could have retired every song off Paranoid and, even if limiting themselves to Ozzy-era songs, had great setlists.
I'm not as familiar with Dio as I am with other big bands, but "The Last in Line" is one of his most radio-played songs, and I just don't see the appeal.
Putting "Hallowed Be Thy Name" has to be some kind of blasphemy, and it's not a bad song by any means, with Bruce's vocals being quite good, the lyrics emotional and impactful, and the musicianship also good, but I think the song is just lacking something. "Run to the Hills" is also pretty overplayed, but I think I'd rather listen to it than "Hallowed..." Of course, I don't think Iron Maiden ever topped the two Di'Anno albums.
I don't know of anyone who actually listens to Judas Priest extensively who really likes "Breaking the Law," but I feel like its their signature song, largely for image reasons.
"Seek and Destroy" is boring. I'm not in the "Metallica was always overrated" camp, but play something else (like "Phantom Lord").
Ozzy's solo career really is overrated - he was always the least important member of early Black Sabbath from a musical perspective. I think I'd rather listen to obscure songs like "S.A.T.O." or even "Believer" before "Flying High Again."
You know what's surprisingly underrated? Synth Rush. "Tom Sawyer" is just overplayed and people who bash post-"Moving Pictures" Rush are missing out. Give me more "Afterimage."
"Dead Skin Mask" is just awful, but I think it was a live staple for some unfathomable reason.
When it comes to Ozzy’s solo tunes, I’d say “Crazy Train” is a hell of a lot more overrated instead of “Flying High Again.”
“Rat Salad” (along with “Hand Of Doom”) is another criminally underrated track off of Sabbath’s “Paranoid” album IMO.
“Rat Salad” (along with “Hand Of Doom”) is another criminally underrated track off of Sabbath’s “Paranoid” album IMO.
A kind of awful baker's dozen off the top of my head:
Halleujah, Leonard Cohen
Creep, Radiohead
Lady Madonna, The Beatles
Hotel California, The Eagles
Ramble On, Led Zeppelin
He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)--The Hollies
Shout, Tears for Fears
Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve
Moon Dance, Van Morrison
This Wheel's on Fire, Bob Dylan
Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin
Sweet Home, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
Halleujah, Leonard Cohen
Creep, Radiohead
Lady Madonna, The Beatles
Hotel California, The Eagles
Ramble On, Led Zeppelin
He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)--The Hollies
Shout, Tears for Fears
Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve
Moon Dance, Van Morrison
This Wheel's on Fire, Bob Dylan
Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin
Sweet Home, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
Touch Me I'm Sick - Mudhoney
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
Once in a Life Time - Talking Heads
All You Need Is Love - Beatles
Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel
Never Talking To You Again - Hüsker Dü
As far as a general rule, anything that is deliberately low-fi.
I can sound like that in my garage, that's not what I want from professional musicians and production.
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
Once in a Life Time - Talking Heads
All You Need Is Love - Beatles
Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel
Never Talking To You Again - Hüsker Dü
As far as a general rule, anything that is deliberately low-fi.
I can sound like that in my garage, that's not what I want from professional musicians and production.
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angusyoung
Back in the day, I was always horny!
Habsfunk
Registered User
Beatles - Yesterday is number one for me. I have never understood why that treacly song is heralded as one of the Beatles masterpieces. It's sappy and just not that interesting a song. Generally, I feel many of Paul McCartney's songs fit this thread.
Imagine is basically John Lennon's equivalent. Remember last year when a bunch of celebrities thought it would be a good idea to sing it together on Zoom? That's probably the low point for pop culture during the pandemic.
The Doors - Light my Fire is a classic example of a song that gets overrated because it has a long solo built in. IMO, it's just tedious.
Imagine is basically John Lennon's equivalent. Remember last year when a bunch of celebrities thought it would be a good idea to sing it together on Zoom? That's probably the low point for pop culture during the pandemic.
The Doors - Light my Fire is a classic example of a song that gets overrated because it has a long solo built in. IMO, it's just tedious.
Mr Jiggyfly
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2004
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Any song by the Beatles... except Yellow Submarine.
The last time I expressed that opinion, two of my college roommates wanted to fight me.
The last time I expressed that opinion, two of my college roommates wanted to fight me.
NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
Part of the reason the Beatles end up on a lot of these lists is because they are overplayed.
It's like the song Lightning Crashes by Live.
Hearing it 10,000 times kind of skews your opinion.
I love almost all of these songs.
For me, it’s more songs that are just so overplayed. For example, I love Brown Eyed Girl but I think I’ve heard it a dozen times alone by buskers in my travels. A lot of 60’s and 70’s music gets played way too much. It’s just the same songs over and over again like Another Brick in the Wall, instead of mixing it up with other songs from the same albums. I still like the songs though.
My overrated list would probably be almost anything by AC/DC except Back in Black.
For me, it’s more songs that are just so overplayed. For example, I love Brown Eyed Girl but I think I’ve heard it a dozen times alone by buskers in my travels. A lot of 60’s and 70’s music gets played way too much. It’s just the same songs over and over again like Another Brick in the Wall, instead of mixing it up with other songs from the same albums. I still like the songs though.
My overrated list would probably be almost anything by AC/DC except Back in Black.
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Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Pale Blue Eyes
In the Aeroplane over the Sea
Sympathy for the Devil
Suzanne
So Long, Marianne
Also, I like The Beatles okay enough, but yeah, the more I listen, the less they seem to do for me. There's just number of acts I find way more interesting, IMO. Even the tracks I adored don't hold up as much as my favorite tracks from other artists. They've been an automatic skip lately on my playlist.
In the Aeroplane over the Sea
Sympathy for the Devil
Suzanne
So Long, Marianne
Also, I like The Beatles okay enough, but yeah, the more I listen, the less they seem to do for me. There's just number of acts I find way more interesting, IMO. Even the tracks I adored don't hold up as much as my favorite tracks from other artists. They've been an automatic skip lately on my playlist.
Unholy Diver
Registered User
The Star Spangled Banner - Francis Scott Key
I am an American, so this is not meant to be a political thing, but I think whoever made the call picked a poor national anthem, it's a war song, yeah America is very proud of its history but for the 800 millions times I have heard it at sporting events or wherever the hell I was at the time, I feel like America the Beautiful is the better song and would have been a better choice
I am an American, so this is not meant to be a political thing, but I think whoever made the call picked a poor national anthem, it's a war song, yeah America is very proud of its history but for the 800 millions times I have heard it at sporting events or wherever the hell I was at the time, I feel like America the Beautiful is the better song and would have been a better choice
