Whom Are The Most Overrated Widely Known Musicians/Singers Of All Time ? (11/30) (1 Viewer)

[Ghost Rider]

That article reads like some awful link you'd see on yahoo.com, because it is. Plenty of flawed singers out there, but if you want a perfect singer, or close to it, go to the opera.

 

[Hastur]

I think a lot of people are confusing 'talent' and 'over rated' with what they deem 'good music'. For instance, I gladly acknowledge George Strait is a talented musician and very good vocalist. However, country music makes me want to shove ice picks into my ears. I just can't stand it.

Secondly, I see many people in this thread basing their opinions on just the radio 'hits' of artists. Someone basing their love/hate on an artist just because of what they hear on the radio is...well, unfounded. If someone doesn't like David Bowie because all they have ever heard is "Let's Dance" and "Ziggy Stardust", it saddens my heart. The corporate structure of radio is, sadly, based on many factors...none of which are talent or musicianship.

 

[bigbottom]

I Was Wrong by Chris Stapleton

Set Fire to the Rain by Adele

Oh Well by Haim (ok not much singing but a lot of rocking)

Calgary by Bon Iver

Halo by Beyonce (recording quality sucks but that highlights how naturally great Bey is)

The Weeknd warming up without his signature vocal fx

One more:

Chandelier by Sia

And another:

Breathe Me live in studio by Sia

Sia’s vocals are just incredible to me. And it’s not just the big notes that she belts out. It’s the quiet parts as well. As weird as she can be on stage, she taps into this emotional well in her performances like few others. When I watch her sing, it doesn’t feel like she’s performing (even though she’s quite performative). It feels like she’s experiencing the song.

P.S. Rhianna’s big hit Diamonds that she closed with at the Super Bowl? Yeah, Sia wrote that song.

P.P.S. One more:

Titanium by Sia

 

[bigbottom]

As for the thread topic, I think the “overrated” moniker when it comes to singers is a difficult one to assess because if people like a singer, it’s hard to say they are overrated. Seems to me that they are properly rated. Now, if the analysis is singers with voices that are not technically outstanding, well there are plenty of those. The aforementioned Dylan. Madonna also comes to mind. But there is so much more to a vocal performance than technical precision.

 

[Ghost Rider]

As for the thread topic, I think the “overrated” moniker when it comes to singers is a difficult one to assess because if people like a singer, it’s hard to say they are overrated. Seems to me that they are properly rated. Now, if the analysis is singers with voices that are not technically outstanding, well there are plenty of those. The aforementioned Dylan. Madonna also comes to mind. But there is so much more to a vocal performance than technical precision.

Honestly, I think there is a fair amount of rock snobbery when it comes to this sort of thing. I have seen it. A longtime friend, who hates pop and is very much a rock guy, is convinced that a pop singer has to be a great singer, while rock singers don't necessarily have to be because it's more about the music. As a fellow rocker at heart, I never agree with that, Pop music history is loaded with successful singers who wouldn't be called great from a technical standpoint.

I think what is key as well is how one identifies themselves. Neither Bob Dylan nor Taylor Swift would ever win a "who is the best technical singer" or "who has the most vocal range" contest, but I am 99% certain that if you asked both what they identify themselves as first, it would be "songwriter," not singer. Contrast them to Whitney Houston or Jim Morrison, both of whom I suspect would hear their names and, first and foremost, think "singer."

 

[bigbottom]

As for the thread topic, I think the “overrated” moniker when it comes to singers is a difficult one to assess because if people like a singer, it’s hard to say they are overrated. Seems to me that they are properly rated. Now, if the analysis is singers with voices that are not technically outstanding, well there are plenty of those. The aforementioned Dylan. Madonna also comes to mind. But there is so much more to a vocal performance than technical precision.

Honestly, I think there is a fair amount of rock snobbery when it comes to this sort of thing. I have seen it. A longtime friend, who hates pop and is very much a rock guy, is convinced that a pop singer has to be a great singer, while rock singers don't necessarily have to be because it's more about the music. As a fellow rocker at heart, I never agree with that, Pop music history is loaded with successful singers who wouldn't be called great from a technical standpoint.

I think what is key as well is how one identifies themselves. Neither Bob Dylan nor Taylor Swift would ever win a "who is the best technical singer" or "who has the most vocal range" contest, but I am 99% certain that if you asked both what they identify themselves as first, it would be "songwriter," not singer. Contrast them to Whitney Houston or Jim Morrison, both of whom I suspect would hear their names and, first and foremost, think "singer."

Great post. Agree with all of this 100%. And, yes, Taylor Swift is a good example.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Robert Plant for me. When he gets to that high pitched whine (like he does either some or a lot in every song), he sounds like his balls are in a vice.

 

[facook]

Robert Plant for me. When he gets to that high pitched whine (like he does either some or a lot in every song), he sounds like his balls are in a vice.

I mean...have you SEEN his pants?

 

[Sand]

I Was Wrong by Chris Stapleton

Set Fire to the Rain by Adele

Oh Well by Haim (ok not much singing but a lot of rocking)

Calgary by Bon Iver

Halo by Beyonce (recording quality sucks but that highlights how naturally great Bey is)

The Weeknd warming up without his signature vocal fx

One more:

Chandelier by Sia

And another:

Breathe Me live in studio by Sia

Sia’s vocals are just incredible to me. And it’s not just the big notes that she belts out. It’s the quiet parts as well. As weird as she can be on stage, she taps into this emotional well in her performances like few others. When I watch her sing, it doesn’t feel like she’s performing (even though she’s quite performative). It feels like she’s experiencing the song.

P.S. Rhianna’s big hit Diamonds that she closed with at the Super Bowl? Yeah, Sia wrote that song.

P.P.S. One more:

Titanium by Sia

Soon We'll be Found on Letterman. She's a bit of a looney tune, but she can literally do anything she wants with her voice.

Robert Plant for me. When he gets to that high pitched whine (like he does either some or a lot in every song), he sounds like his balls are in a vice.

Disagree here.

But, no doubt, Mick Jagger can't sing a lick.

 

[UncleZen]

"All my favorite singers couldn't sing." -David Berman

I really resonate with this. Some of my all time favorites are Willie Nelson, the Grateful Dead, Black Crowes, and Stevie Nicks. None of them would ever win a stupid show like American Idol but their voices are soulful and move me emotionally.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

"All my favorite singers couldn't sing." -David Berman

I really resonate with this. Some of my all time favorites are Willie Nelson, the Grateful Dead, Black Crowes, and Stevie Nicks. None of them would ever win a stupid show like American Idol but their voices are soulful and move me emotionally.

Big thumbs up for including Stevie Nicks here. She's probably my favorite female artist for the exact reason you cite. I'm not a big Janice Joplin fan, but she belongs here too.

 

[Don Quixote]

Can you adjust the title from "Whom" to "Who", please. It's bugging me.

Bumping this request.

 

[Ghost Rider]

"All my favorite singers couldn't sing." -David Berman

I really resonate with this. Some of my all time favorites are Willie Nelson, the Grateful Dead, Black Crowes, and Stevie Nicks. None of them would ever win a stupid show like American Idol but their voices are soulful and move me emotionally.

Plus, they can write songs. I mean, has anyone who has ever had a career a result of being on American Idol ever been recognized for their songwriting (vs the voice)?

 

[UncleZen]

"All my favorite singers couldn't sing." -David Berman

I really resonate with this. Some of my all time favorites are Willie Nelson, the Grateful Dead, Black Crowes, and Stevie Nicks. None of them would ever win a stupid show like American Idol but their voices are soulful and move me emotionally.

Plus, they can write songs. I mean, has anyone who has ever had a career a result of being on American Idol ever been recognized for their songwriting (vs the voice)?

It's called Karaoki.

 

[Tom Servo]

Probably alot people would disagree but I would have to say David Bowie is the most overrated. I never owned a 45, album, 8 track, cassette or CD. I don't even have him on my Spotify Playlist. I don't much care for him.

Blocked and reported

 

[TripItUp]

Bob Dylan

Rush

Bruce Springsteen

 

[TripItUp]

Seems like a disproportionate amount of female singers on this list.

My vote: Bono/U2

My vote as well. Bono’s vocals are boring song after song.

Fair, except for Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, which were magical. Everything U2 before and after those two albums is riding those coats.

everything before Achtung and including Achtung is great.

Everything after is ****.

You can say this about a lot of artists though....as a result, U2 doesn't make my overrated list.