# Most Overrated Bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924 "2003-02-05T11:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MemoryGongs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@MemoryGongs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MemoryGongs)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/1 "2003-02-05T11:14:04Z")
These are the ones I am so sick of hearing about The Strokes The Vines The White Stripes Wilco REM The Beatles (Amazing of course but I think we need to spend some time apart) anything with Jack Black Avirl Lavigne (can anyone else not notice how horrible this music is?) Vanessa Carlton Alicia Keys Sum 41 (the worst band to emerge in years; absolute rubbish) let the flaming begin ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/2 "2003-02-05T13:11:01Z")
Creed. They are utter crap. ---
**Author:** ![big\_alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@big\_alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_alex)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/3 "2003-02-05T13:17:28Z")
ditto The strokes and Avril Lavigne and Creed, man did I get sick of hearing that song? IN fact all of the metal/“punk” bands that there are now. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/4 "2003-02-05T13:30:42Z")
“Overrated” by whom? Obviously, we all have different opinions as to who’s good and who’s bad. If you mean simply “Who gets way too much media attention,” well, I could point to obvious candidates like Ms. Spears and J Lo… but they don’t get taken very seriously, so you couldn’t really say they’re overrated. I’d be inclined to go with bands and artists who’ve had virtually no commercial success, who have hardly any fans, but continue to get front-page treatment and fawning press. Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground come to mind. To paraphrase Brian Eno, “The Velvets only sold a hundred records- but every one of those hundred people became a music critic, and has spent the rest of his life writing about how great they were.” - Oh, and then there’s the Boss. Look, Springsteen has made some brilliant music in his time… but his time ended 15+ years ago. Since then, he’s made one lousy album after another. Yet, each time he comes out of seclusion, the media treat it like the return of Christ. Worse yet, reporters sit wide-eyed at his feet and listen to him spout off cliches, then write as if he were a prophet! Springsteen today is a nostalgia act, nothing more. People sit politely through his boring speeches and the crud from “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” just to hear “Rosalita” again. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/5 "2003-02-05T13:34:20Z")
Radiohead. Christ almighty I am so tired of hearing about how amazing tuneless warbling over static is. Smashing Pumpkins. Imagine if the Jesus and Mary Chain came back with an awful singer. ---
**Author:** ![Sejal\_Traurig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Sejal\_Traurig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sejal_Traurig)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/6 "2003-02-05T13:34:40Z")
Overrated? _ **RUSH** _ ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/7 "2003-02-05T14:13:36Z")
Strangely enough, I found this over-rated bands thread directly above the answer (which was in the form of a question, Alex): **Van Halen** Just plain terrible. On the very talented, but gawd I never wanna hear him again side: Billy Joel. ---
**Author:** ![Novus\_Opiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Novus\_Opiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novus_Opiate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/8 "2003-02-05T14:32:57Z")
I agree with the Creed comments. First, you heard them once a day, then once every few hours, now, can’t even turn on the frigging radio without hearing their wanna-be rock music. “My Own Prison”, my ass. And, my god, if I hear “With Arms Wide Open” one more time… Well, I won’t be responsible. Novus ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/9 "2003-02-05T14:39:31Z")
Did somebody mention _The Doors_? ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/10 "2003-02-05T14:50:19Z")
How about U2? I’ve never understood what everyone seems to think is so great about them. I’m not saying they suck, but I’ve never gone out of my way to hear a U2 song, either. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/11 "2003-02-05T15:09:48Z")
U2 Aerosmith Van Halen Rush Creed Barenaked Ladies ---
**Author:** ![thirdshiftgrottoslack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@thirdshiftgrottoslack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdshiftgrottoslack)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/12 "2003-02-05T15:16:29Z")
how can wilco be overrated? no one even knows who those guys are. maybe as far as critical acclaim goes, i guess. but not in popular opinion by a longshot. most overrated: lenny kravitz. ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/13 "2003-02-05T15:47:06Z")
**5-HT** , if you think Rush is overrated, then obviously you don’t understand their lyrics, and that they’re “technically” incredible. In fact, I’ll bet you must never have heard them! 😉 LOL ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/14 "2003-02-05T15:53:55Z")
Silverchair. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/15 "2003-02-05T16:24:22Z")
The Rolling Stones. Fire at will. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/16 "2003-02-05T16:25:19Z")
Tool. Constantly, my students tell me how amazing and talented This band is. I reply with a “m’eh.” They then tell me that if I were to just listen to them, I’d love them too. The problem is, I have listened to them and find them to be utter crap. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/17 "2003-02-05T16:42:05Z")
Another vote for U2 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/18 "2003-02-05T17:35:44Z")
Creed. They’ve got several hit songs, with videos for every one of them. When will they come out with a second song? > [@](#): > > Look, Springsteen has made some brilliant music in his time… but his time ended 15+ years ago… People sit politely through his boring speeches and the crud from “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” just to hear “Rosalita” again. **A-MEN!** ---
**Author:** ![disruptive\_entity\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@disruptive\_entity\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/disruptive_entity_1)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/19 "2003-02-05T17:42:53Z")
The Grateful Dead. They’re boring even when you’re on LSD. Can’t forget Rush, either. If one more person tells me what great musicians they are, they’re gonna get smacked. I don’t care how musically competent they may be, they need to start writing some songs that don’t suck. The Doors are another one, too. Jim Morrison was not some sort of shamanistic poet. He was just a moron who took way too many drugs and forgot how to shut the hell up. As for Pink Floyd, I believe the world woud be a much better place had they never existed. Boy, my hatred of classic rock is really coming out here, isn’t it? To balance things out a little here, I nominate Godsmack too. Simply put, boring repetitive music with positively dreadful lyrics. They’re mutiplatinum selling rockstars. How bad can that guy’s life really be? Their only statement seems to be go away, leave me alone. I didn’t think they could possibly wring another album out of that theme, but I’ll be damned if they didn’t ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924/20 "2003-02-05T17:45:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dwc1970 \* > \*\*How about U2? I’ve never understood what everyone seems to think is so great about them. I’m not saying they suck, but I’ve never gone out of my way to hear a U2 song, either. \*\* U2 _was_ great, but they haven’t put out anything by tripe in over a decade. I’d second (or fifth or sixth) Creed, The Strokes and Van Halen and add: Dave Matthews Band Rage Against the Machine System of a Down [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-overrated-bands/152924.md?page=2)