The 22 Most Overrated Bands and Musicians of All Time

Rock stardom isn’t a meritocracy. And if a band is successful? Maybe that doesn’t mean they’re good. Because terrible bands rocket to fame all the time. So here are the bands and musicians people most tend to overrate. Above all, don’t believe the hype.

Cardi B Is Overrated

I loved Cardi B on “Love and Hip Hop.” She was so funny and honest-to-God likable. Even now I admit she’d be fun to hang out with. But not if hanging out with her included listening to her music, which is dreadful.

When “Bodak Yellow” took off, it surprised me because it’s such a bad record. But, hey, bad records become hits all the time. And then her album dropped and everyone went bananas for it. Now Cardi B is the biggest thing in music and I’m like a stranger on my own planet. — Dan Tucker.

Green Day Is Overrated

[dx_custom_adunit desktop_id=”RTK_K67O” mobile_id=”RTK_5yk0″]

I remember how huge “Dookie” was when it hit in 1994. I also remember how anyone with taste or punk bona fides hated Green Day with white-hot passion. And for good reason. Because Green Day have always been poseurs. With their discount-Descendents hooks and fake British accents.

But the lesson of Green Day is clear. Stay around long enough and people will call you a legend. When new generations see you as an elder statesman, they’ll assumed you earned it. Suckers. — Matt Fayerweather.

The Beatles Are Overrated

It’s not like the Beatles suck. The Beatles are great. But a band that people worship as much this band can’t be anything but overrated. Yes, they recorded plenty of worthy classics. Of course they did. But can we all admit that a lot — like, a lot — of Beatles songs are mediocre to bad?

For every “Hey Jude,” there’s a “Rocky Raccoon” or “Run for Your Life” that Beatles fans twist into pretzels to justify. And no band that’s not overrated would’ve recorded “Revolution 9.” No way. — Marion Eddy.

Radiohead Is Overrated

Is there a flavor of music snob from the last few decades more insufferable than Radiohead fans? The band should have been a one-and-done. If “Creep” had been their only thing, I’d say they were among the great one-hit wonders of the ’90s. Even “The Bends” has some good songs on it.

But starting with “OK Computer,” Radiohead’s studied noncommercialism got more and more contrived. And almost 20 years later, “Kid A” is still the platonic ideal of the musical emperor’s new clothes. — Darren Barlow.