What Does it Mean to Be Overrated?

jackory

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A band is overrated when they don't live up to the hype surrounding them. Which, of course, is entirely subjective. I think the Beach Boys Pet Sounds is one of the most overrated albums in pop/rock history. Does that mean it is? No, it just means I think it is. If I say I think your band is overrated, it's not the same as saying they suck. It just means that "I don't get it, what's the big deal?" People shouldn't take it so personally. As important as it is, it's only music. It's not worth hurting anyone's feelings over.
 

ThinLizzyFan

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to me its when: "False adualtion is placed on a fugazy artist, who is being hyped to the masses as great, when the songs are not.."
 

Dairenn

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It's pretty hard to nail down what overrated truly means, but I think the easiest way is to figure that out is just how likely it is that the music in question will sound dated in just a couple of years... Like, in the last ten years or so, the majority of what's winning Grammy awards these days is going to sound ridiculous in the next 10-20 years because of all of these dated references. For example, back in the late 90s, you had a lot of Y2K references like Will Smith's Willenium album. You'll get songs that talk about texting, YouTube, etc. How stupid would the music we enjoy from the 80s sound today if they made all these references to characters from Alf, Pam-Am Airlines, Atari video games or cassette answering machines?

Another kind of music I find "overrated" is preachy, "socially conscious" music... All of a sudden (around 1993 or so), it became acceptable for music to tell us how to think. Say what you will about the party tracks that sang things like "all I wanna do is drink and get some ass," at least they were talking in terms of, "leave me alone, this is my life, and I'm gonna have some fun." These days, we've got all these rockers talking about how this is one world we all have to live in and we all need to think about what we need to give back... That's great... For an anthropology class. But I don't want some guy with a copy of Fruity Loops and Pro-Tools pushing their personal philosophy or social ideology on me through their music.

The reason I call this overrated because for every one of me who thinks, "oh just shut the hell up" when listening to someone like Paula Cole or Sheryl Crow, there's another person who CAN identify with music like that. So that adds up to an army of people who think this music is great, not because they're brilliant pianists, composers or otherwise amazing at coming up with catchy guitar riffs... But because they write "deep" music, whatever that means. All I can think is, what's deep to you might be pure B.S. to me. Thus, overrated. :rolleyes:
 

METALPRIEST

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It's because for a lot of people there music isn't connecting with them enough to distract them from focusing negativity on things they hate. Angst and bitterness come out of boredom. People with music that connects to them and means something don't have that boredom! Once again saying things are overrated is the most overrated thing of all! :grinthumb

:bow: :hab: :clap:



So True!! So True!
 

Soot and Stars

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It's pretty hard to nail down what overrated truly means, but I think the easiest way is to figure that out is just how likely it is that the music in question will sound dated in just a couple of years... Like, in the last ten years or so, the majority of what's winning Grammy awards these days is going to sound ridiculous in the next 10-20 years because of all of these dated references. For example, back in the late 90s, you had a lot of Y2K references like Will Smith's Willenium album. You'll get songs that talk about texting, YouTube, etc. How stupid would the music we enjoy from the 80s sound today if they made all these references to characters from Alf, Pam-Am Airlines, Atari video games or cassette answering machines?

Another kind of music I find "overrated" is preachy, "socially conscious" music... All of a sudden (around 1993 or so), it became acceptable for music to tell us how to think. Say what you will about the party tracks that sang things like "all I wanna do is drink and get some ass," at least they were talking in terms of, "leave me alone, this is my life, and I'm gonna have some fun." These days, we've got all these rockers talking about how this is one world we all have to live in and we all need to think about what we need to give back... That's great... For an anthropology class. But I don't want some guy with a copy of Fruity Loops and Pro-Tools pushing their personal philosophy or social ideology on me through their music.

The reason I call this overrated because for every one of me who thinks, "oh just shut the hell up" when listening to someone like Paula Cole or Sheryl Crow, there's another person who CAN identify with music like that. So that adds up to an army of people who think this music is great, not because they're brilliant pianists, composers or otherwise amazing at coming up with catchy guitar riffs... But because they write "deep" music, whatever that means. All I can think is, what's deep to you might be pure B.S. to me. Thus, overrated. :rolleyes:

I like what you wrote! You actually express motives behind your thoughts! Having said that, that usual raises my curiosity more. I'm curious as one of the few Paula Cole fans if yours was an example of someone liking her for the wrong reasons when she's actually a good songwriter, musician, talented pianist or do you really think she's too melodramatic, preachy or anything that classifies the audience as liking something because it's "deep". :heheh: I admit she has the formula for this as she comes off as a hippy and her roots are mostly through Jazz which is automatically roots for very expressive or "deep" music as you said. To her credit she's not preachy or overly political like some artist so her depth is at least more personal and doesn't create people spouting off her views. :grinthumb The audience, her fans, just gets a sense of catharsis through her music because she puts herself into it.

Keep in mind, that this is coming from a major fan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, etc. who's music could all be accused of the same crimes and if you dislike all the named artist it is likely just a matter of taste which is cool. I personally don't believe most people attach themselves to a musician just to say they like something deep and authenticity of fans or what musicians want their music to do is hard to measure. It doesn't win popularity contest. Something musically has to connect IMO.

Also, I never saw Sheryl Crow do anything too deep in her music. She seems to be more about fun pop songs. I've never heard any go "Oh God! Sheryl is deep!" :heheh:

Just food for thought trigger by yours and a rare excuse to spout about Paula Cole. It's interesting to here these things from a musicians point of view so feel free to indulge me with your thoughts a little more. Either way it's cool! :grinthumb
 

Gearjammer

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Overrated is definitely a subjective term, but not neccesarily a negative one. It's just when you perception of a musician (or I guess anything in life) is less than the public at large. There are a number of bands that come to mind that I think have auras(sp?) of greatest, most influential, etc, that I just don't see, while at the same time, I like their music well enough.
 

Dairenn

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You make a good point about Sheryl Crow; she's not going to knock out the Indigo Girls or anyone like that with thought-provoking music. I guess people just don't know how to make good party music anymore? For what it's worth, I felt the same way about the Knight Rider that was on NBC a couple of years ago... They tried to go for that sexy/cool/spy thing the 80s Knight Rider had, only, unlike the original, completely failed at it.

By the same token, there was plenty of party music from the 80s *coughPoisoncoughs* that sucked pretty bad (I mean, seriously, Talk Dirty to Me is the first song I think of whenever someone who didn't like the 80s complains about it to me).

I'm curious as one of the few Paula Cole fans if yours was an example of someone liking her for the wrong reasons when she's actually a good songwriter, musician, talented pianist or do you really think she's too melodramatic, preachy or anything that classifies the audience as liking something because it's "deep".

I think that's my point. It's sad too because you know what, she is a good piano player. Hell, you know what? Lady Gaga (when you strip away the costumes, the auto tune, the Kindergarten lyricism) is a good musician. As I think through this more, I don't honestly blame the artist... THEY have to make a living. That's what makes money. I think my biggest problem is the demographic shift, AND the industry's ceaseless pursuit of it. All of a sudden, you got these Liberal Arts majors coming out of college buying music; so we heard a whole different kind of "rock" in the 90s than we did before. I don't know what's going in this decade, heh. It seems to be a complete regression to infantilism.

But it's why people hate the radio. I think most people are confused, and think it's the industry trying to tell us what is awesome music. I don't think they're trying to tell us, I think that once they find what sells to 65% of us, the 5% of us with an ear for melody, harmonies, instrumental ability, etc. are totally ignored. So, it's those of us who feel ignored by the music "world" that end up coming out and saying so-and-so is overrated. (I don't know how the people in the 30% range feel, hehe.)

There's a theory of mine anyway.
 

Vehicle

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Bumping this thread. It was at the bottom of the 'most overrated 70s band' thread.

Thought I'd stick my two cents in.

By definition, to overrate is to rate or appraise too highly; overestimate

For me, it's a band. or song, or actor, or whatever that receives far more adulation and praise than I personally feel they deserve.

An example, for me, is Taylor Swift. She's not bad, mind you. But I don't see how she wins awards.

Her vocals are average, her range is average, her songs aren't particularly creative lyrically, and I don't even notice the music. That's probably worse than disliking her music.

So to me, Taylor Swift is overrated. I just don't think she's all that.


It's a personal feeling.
 

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