When a band starts doing Diane Warren songs (ahem, Aerosmith), it has crossed over to the dark side of music-for-pure-profit. Aerosmith is overrated. DMB is overrated in the sense that so many people think it's the greatest music in the world. I'm not saying they're not good, cause they are. I also think they deserve every penny of fame and forture, for they toured their asses off from the begining and was very responsible for their own success. John Mayer isn't overrated, yet. He's just not that good. And relative quality doesn't mean real quality, so I don't want to read that "Mayer is good because he's better than other crap" stuff. Sheryl Crow is a commodity, and overrated, but here music is her own. No Doubt is overrated. They knew ska died and busted out into industrial and reaped the benefits of sell-out fame and fortune. Creed is overrated. Linkin Park is overrated. I think the whole N'Sync, BB, Britney group aren't overrated because not many people really respect them as writers or musicians, but rather fun, eye candy, performers.
More submissions . . . Bruce Springsteen - I like a couple of his songs, but alot of his stuff sounds like working-class Andrew Lloyd Webber (which admittedly is still better than the real Andrew Lloyd Webber) with cliched lyrics and histrionic accompaniment. Tool - Lead-footed music and sadomasochistic lyrics. No wonder every stoner that I've ever known thinks they're the smartest band ever. Sting (solo only) - Sting writes great choruses, but often talks through the rest of the song. Plus, anyone who leaves a band like the Police is stupid. Wynton Marsalis - (I know I'm going to get flamed for this one) Is almost wholly responsible for the stagnation of Jazz, and yet gets a Pulitzer for his Ellingtonian rip-offs. Lauryn Hill - Weak songwriter who got popular as a member of a nice cover band (Fugees).
Lauryn Hill's got more soul than all the other rapper/R&B singers combined. I don't know what's funnier. You thinking she's overrated, or you thinking the Fugees were a nice "cover band."
Wow..I couldn't disagree more...I think Sting's music has been amazing..he's put together a really nice body of work since he left the Police in various different styles and forms. To hear the evolution of the songs he's written starting from the Police and through Brand New Day is remarkable to me. He would never have been able to write and perform some of the music he has written if he had stuck with the Police. Can't see the Police doing, "Set them Free!" But I'm as biased toward Sting as I am towards DMB.... again...it's all about personal tastes I guess.
More soul than Aretha Franklin I didn't know I was telling a joke. In all seriousness, the Fugees made their mark with a Roberta Flack and a Bob Marley song. And I find Lauryn's solo stuff to be pretty boring. She's definitely talented, but hasn't produced enough quality material to deserve the accolades heaped upon her.
Sheesh, she's still recording music? Well, no. Not more soul than Aretha Franklin. I was just thinking about all the younger r&b/hip-hoppers. Don't get me wrong, I ain't some idiot who's gonna lash out at someone because they don't like Lauryn Hill. But to say she's one of the most overrated artist with all the other crap that's out there? That's just too much! I thought <i>Miseducation...</i> was a masterpiece and a totally original combination of old r&b, hip-hop beats, and rap. It was one of the best albums of the entire decade in my opinion! Maybe I just like it a little too much. And the Fugess may have gained most of their popularity from "Killing me Softly," but that album would still be a rap classic even without that song and "No Woman, No Cry." I just wish the Fugees would get back together and record another album.
i think outside of america, dave mathews band is an unknown. i heard of them through websites. the only dmb videos i've seen on mtv asia and channel v and other music channels are ants marching, crash into me, space between, stay (wasting time). and they play it like once in a blue moon. i guess they couldn't find time what with all the freaking a-teens and westlife crap so far, for a band not to be overated, they have to be not consider by too many people as the greatest music in the world? i just dont understand your post
Yea they arent that great, my friend went to Ozzfest here in Columbus and he said that System of a Down wasnt that great of a live show, said every song sounded the same and they didnt even close out with a big single of theres.
Its like what Jack Black says about "Chop Suey" by System of a Down: The lyrics are stupid...but who cares...the song just ROCKS!!!
I guess I can turn to Jeff's post to explain what I meant about DMB. His post that discuss what a great musician is and what a great song writer is. Anyhow, I think overrated means people are giving you more credit than you deserve. I think that of DMB. Don't get me wrong. I think they are great. But there are soooo many people blindly or shall I say deafly jocking DMB's music as this super-creative wonderful music that is the absolute best. For example, I consider Jeff's post an accurate description of DMB; however, I doubt there are many DMB fans that feel the same.
fba34: Certainly no knock on the rest of the world, but when it comes to pop and rock music, EVERY band around the world views the US as the best of the best. It's like the European basketball leagues versus the NBA. They are good, but the NBA is the best of the best which is why they come here to play. Same goes for pop and rock music. To be highly successful in the most competitive market on the planet is extremely significant.
Will you DMB fans chill. A lot of people think he's great, yippee for you. A lot of people think he's overated, why should you care? If I can take TOOL being labled lead-footed stoner music then you can take DMB being called overated.
Thank you for posting that. I will say the same for Radiohead. I can understand why people think they are overrated. When it gets to the point that people are calling an album "genius" without even listening to it first, then yeah, maybe that band has become overrated. However, you don't see me trying to go medieval on someone's buttocks for saying that Thom and the boys are overrated.
who freaked out about DMB being called overrated??? i was the only one who responded I think, and it was more of just a conversation between me and Jeff at that point, because I'm interested in his opinions on music. who freaked out??? I said this once before in a thread about Creed...arguing about what is good music is worthless...it's a waste of breath...if an artist's work resonates with you in some way, then it is good to you...you have personal likes and dislikes, the same way you do with food... I would say DMB is great music...I love their music...I'm not a songwriter, so I have no idea whether or not they're good at that or not...through the filters and perceptions of my life, I think they're great. how can you argue with that? because your perception is different?? we can't even quantify an argument like this...if we wanted to argue who was the better baseball player we could throw out some objectivity with stats...but you can't do that with music.
Me either. I do think there is a relation between LONG-TERM record sales/success a quality artist. Selling records after 20 years is a pretty good indicator of your influence in the market, but it is only ONE factor to consider.
