I awoke Saturday to a crippling hunger as Friday night I replaced what should have been dinner with a couple glasses of red wine. While on my way to get lunch, I had one of those “zen” like moments of musical enjoyment where one hears a song they’ve heard all their life only to have it strike them as though it were the first time they had ever heard it. The song for me last Saturday was “Lady” by Styx.
As undoubtedly comical as that thought alone will be for some who read here, this experience motivated me to go to my local Walmart and purchase their greatest hits. I figured I’d drop $8-$10 essentially to purchase “Lady” which, to those who know me, is a perfectly reasonable price to pay for possession of a song I really love. To my surprise though, I worked my way through the cd and track after track were songs I’d always loved but never knew were by Styx, which got me thinking about…
My most underrated, most overrated, and most aptly rated artists/bands from 1970 until now.
The only criteria for these lists:
1. Must be able to make a thoughtful argument that the artist/band should be more recognized, less recognized, or are justifiably widely recognized.
2. The artist/band must have achieved their zenith since 1970. (ex. Zeppelin released I and II in 1969 but didn’t reach the peak of their relevance until after 1970).
3. We’re talking about people who actually created music…I don’t even consider the Fergie’s of the world to be artists.
My Most Underrated Artists/BandsBread – You know if things like melody, harmony, and lyrical intuition mattered to the average music “lover”, Bread would be one of the most notable bands of the 70’s. Instead, they’re “that band that sang ‘Guitar Man’”. (sigh)
America – Everything that I just said about Bread only they’re “that band that sang ‘Horse with No Name’”. An aside, I have a friend from college who gloats that I’ve never beaten him at Trivial Pursuit but that also spent the better part of an afternoon arguing with me that Neil Young wrote and sang “Horse with No Name”…
Styx – No, I am not just on a Styx high. “Best of Times”, “Renegade”, “Babe” – these are all songs that I always loved and never knew were Styx. I just missed these guys somehow, but the harmonies and ultra-cheesy rock piano ballads…I mean, come on…
The Cars – I know they were huge in the 80’s, but they have fallen prey to the 80’s band stigma (as my friend Robbie put it) in that people have forgotten that they wrote some great songs and were a pretty good band just because they happened in the 80’s.
Fleetwood Mac – I know they were and are big…I just don’t think they’ve ever been as appreciated as they should be…They probably never will be.
Alice in Chains – In my opinion, easily the most talented of the Seattle bands. They put out 5 great albums before succumbing to the usual trappings of rock stardom and were never fully appreciated. I know very few people around my age that didn’t like them, but still, every time I hear Nirvana or Kurt Cobain thrown around as “King of the Seattle movement” it makes me cringe.
Travis – If you love Brit-pop rock…You should love Travis. They’re one of these enigmatic bands to me in that I know loads of people that, by their usual tastes, should absolutely love them but don’t own any of their albums. They’ve released 5 remarkable albums which is more than most bands ever do. Still though, if I could have any band’s career, it would probably be theirs because they’re just big enough to make a ton of money and play to big crowds yet small enough to still live life on their own terms. As in, I’ve three of their albums, have been a fan for almost a decade, and probably couldn’t pick one of them out of a lineup.
David Gray - In my opinion, the best lyricist of my generation. Most people disagree. Most people have never really sat down and listened to him. I say David Gray and they think “Babylon” which could not be a poorer representation of his talent. His ability to say what you feel in a better way than you yourself is rare and should be celebrated. Songs like “Shine”, “Lead Me Upstairs”, “Gutters Full of Rain”, “As I’m Leaving”, “Falling Down the Mountainside”…I really could name about 20 more.
Hall and Oates – Like The Cars…Huge in the 80’s but hindered by the 80’s stigma…They were two soulful white guys who wrote a ton of great songs. I’m firmly convinced that everyone is a Hall and Oates fan…Only there are those of us who admit it and those who don’t.
The Black Crowes – A band that’s overlooked a lot because of their characterization as gritty, southern rockers. ..Which they are and is exactly my point…They’ve consistently done what no one else has consistently done since Skynard’s plane crash.
My Most Overrated Bands/Artists
Nirvana - Treated as rock royalty when really at best they were mediocre musicians who rode the credibility coat tails of their Seattle counterparts. (Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, etc…)
Green Day - Proof that all one has to do to get Rolling Stone in your corner is write an album criticizing any or all of the following: Republicans, Christians, or any other idea rooted in thoughtful moral consideration.
The Clash – I actually like the Clash. I just don’t think they should be as celebrated as they are. Other than that, I’ve nothing much to say about them.
The Sex Pistols – Proof that ignorant, unjustifiably angry people will always choose to listen to other ignorant, unjustifiably angry people, regardless of musical ability, instead of educating themselves to the point that they realize they’ve no reason to be so angry.
The Ramones – These guys just sucked. I’ve never understood the appeal. They’re just BAD musicians.
Note: I don’t hate punk, just bad musicians who were famous for being bad musicians.
My Most Aptly Rated Bands/ArtistsLed Zeppelin - Every bit as legendary as they should be.
Boston – There’s a reason their debut album held the record for such a long time (“it’s been such a long time…”). For most of my teen years I criticized them as being overrated…then I listened to them.
U2 – Over the last twenty-seven years or so, these guys have earned their status as legends. I think history will prove them as such.
Guns and Roses – Easily the best hard rock band in an era dominated by hard rock bands. I have no doubt that one day I’ll come home from work to hear “My Michelle” blasting from my son’s room…and commence worrying about him much like I’m sure my dad worried the first time he came home to the sound of me wood-shedding to his Zeppelin cd’s.
Pearl Jam – I may be a little biased here, but in terms of rock “movements”, I think the Seattle scene was huge, and PJ is the best of the few bands from that movement to consistently put out good music over an extended period of time. Now, of course, I’m sick of the whole political rock schtick that has replaced what was once the 90’s best band, but I believe they can and will eventually get it back at which time history will judge them as one of the greats.
Simon and Garfunkel – “I hear the drizzle of the rain, like a melody it falls…” If you can’t listen to “Kathy’s Song” (my personal favorite) or any of their other many, many great songs and not be drawn to some strong emotion, you’re dead inside…Now, if you cry profusely and writhe about on the floor upon hearing any part of a particular of their songs…You’ve issues.
The Bee Gees – Scoff if you must, but they achieved their notoriety for being an extremely talented dance music band which is precisely what they were.
Dave Mathews Band – I know it’s too soon for it to be cool to admit that you liked them, but they were the best group of musicians to have gained the kind of notoriety that they did since the 70’s, and they wrote some very intriguing stuff accomplishing what few others have…Creating music that both the “top 40” listener and the hyper-critical musician could enjoy.
Note 1: These are my MOST overrated/underrated/aptly rated, not my ONLY overrated/underrated/aptly rated.
Note 2: The lack of presence of more ethnic artists is not due to any racial bias. Rather, I tried to focus more on rock/pop-rock artists and feel that the R&B, Soul, and Hip-hop genres deserve their own lists.
cheers
Zeius
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