What Does it Mean to Be Overrated?

[gregjohnson1229]

When we say a band, song, album or artist is overrated, what do we mean? Is it their ability? Is it their popularity? Overrated is a word that gets thrown around a lot on forums. I want to know what the members here think overrated means.

Personally when I say something or someone is overrated it is related to hype. If the ammount of attention or acclaim a band or artist gets isn't warranted IMO then thats when I call it overrated.

 

[Magic]

Hype is one aspect of over-rating a band/artist.

To me overrated means overplayed. You know how some people try to push their thoughts and beliefs down your throat, well that is how some radio stations try to push a song.....and to me this is a classic definition of over-rating a song. Trying to force you to like a song by repeating it over and over and over.....

Another way a song is over-rated is by the professional critics. If one critic gives a song a good rating, then they all do. I refuse to let critics tell me what is good and what is bad. I reserve that right to my own ears.

 

[ladyislingering]

To me overrated means overplayed. You know how some people try to push their thoughts and beliefs down your throat, well that is how some radio stations try to push a song.....and to me this is a classic definition of over-rating a song. Trying to force you to like a song by repeating it over and over and over.....

That's why I don't listen to the radio.

Ever.

It's always going to be the same old song by any given artist that the charts went ga-ga retarded over back in the day. Kind of like how you only hear the Knack's "My Sharona" and rarely to never any other song by them, regardless of how catchy or melodic their music was and continues to be. In a way it seems like bands shouldn't wear a number one song as a badge of honour, but a hindering wretch of a situation where people just want to listen to that song without really caring about the entire body of material.

Occasionally you find a cool radio station that might play some "deep tracks", but usually those ones are pretty well known as well. You just can't win with the radio.

 

[davorp]

IMO, no classic rock song can be overplayed - ever!

 

[Hey Man]

Overrated generally means that the masses think something (movie, music, etc.) is better than it really is. So if you didn't like The Beatles for example, you would say based on popular opinion that they are so overrated.

 

[ladyislingering]

Overrated generally means that the masses think something (movie, music, etc.) is better than it really is. So if you didn't like The Beatles for example, you would say based on popular opinion that they are so overrated.

They made a name for themselves and were able to sail on their international popularity based on their placement. It's the whole "right place, right time" kind of thing. I love them, dearly. They just get way too much attention for being a staple amongst so many others that were similar to them. There's not a lot of originality (with the "White Album" being a bit of an exception, I will admit) but that's why their records sold.

There are just too many things that were milked to death in the mainstream; the mainstream is part of the problem as to why nothing particularly interesting ever really stems from it.

 

[Dave78]

When we say a band, song, album or artist is overrated, what do we mean? Is it their ability? Is it their popularity? Overrated is a word that gets thrown around a lot on forums. I want to know what the members here think overrated means.

I use the term overrated as a way to describe a band or artist whose musical appeal to me is very low or non-existent, yet the media and public at large just can't get enough of (see: Britney Spears, Black Eyed Peas and John Mayer). On the other hand (and I didn't take notes), I believe the few here who commented on Pink Floyd and Van Halen as being overrated were young, so they never experienced Pink Floyd and Van Halen's music the way we did, so it appears their opinion may be biased the other way.

So for some it could be a generational thing, and for others it may simply be ability and popularity (or lack thereof).

 

[Lynch]

the term "overrated" can mean a slew of different things ranging from "I don't understand they hype" to "these guys suck". Every person's personal definition probably varies slightly from poster to the next. I would also assume that the term itself has varying definitions depending on the artist that's being spoken of as being overrated.

ie: For me, I could use it in smiliar contexts yet mean something different based on the artist:

U2 is way overrated.... which would mean that the hype and fanbase this band has is way over my head. I dont' get their draw, they are NOTHING special. They don't suck, but they certainly don't seem to deserve the attn that they get.

Radiohead is the most overrated band in history ... which would mean quite simply "Radiohead sucks" because.. well.. because they do.
​

make sense?

 

[Lynch]

Oh, and ''What Does it Mean to Be Overrated?'' mean?

Listen to a U2 or a Radiohead album and you'll know fast enough.

 

[Groovy Man]

I tried to delete it....but Lynch, you're too quick!

I don't want to piss anyone off...

I think I might be too late.