Top 10 Most Overrated Musicians

The Top Ten
1 Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber (born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He currently resides in Ontario, Canada and is Christian. He is the son of author Pattie Mallette... read more

I really don't want to be part of the Justin Bieber hate train at all, but he is indeed very overrated, which is something I can agree on. Yes, Justin Bieber can sing, but he sounds almost identical to a number of other male singers. His voice is reminiscent of Jacob Sartorius and Justin Timberlake to some extent. When he collaborated with Ed Sheeran on I Don't Care (2019), I couldn't even tell them apart the first time I listened to it, though I can now.

Even Shawn Mendes stands out when he sings with others because I feel like he has a far superior voice compared to most of these people here. No hate, though. I'm not saying they're untalented, but they are very overrated.

2 Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, is an American singer and actress, who started out in the popular pop/r&b girl group Destiny's Child. They had multiple top 5 hits such as "No, No, No", "Say My Name", "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Survivor", "Independent Women", "Bootylicious", and "Jumpin', Jumpin" from... read more

People literally worship her! What?! She might be a good singer and all, but she isn't THAT good. And her whole image is so disingenuous, so controlled and curated. She is literally not a human, but a walking machine that says what people like to hear. There is absolutely nothing special about her or her music, which she doesn't even write or produce herself. A true testament to how gullible humans are.

All of my friends absolutely LOVE her, and I'm just standing there, thinking about making some new friends.

Also, someone said on a YouTube comment that Beyoncé is trying to replace Michael Jackson as the best entertainer of all time, and honestly, I agree with that person 100%.

3 Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Swift is best known for writing personal songs and has won 13 Grammy Awards... read more

At the moment we're in right now, she ought to be #1. My goodness, the Justin Bieber hype died down after merely 4-5 years, meanwhile, Swift has been around longer and still does her thing, but gets more and more attention. Deserved? Well, this depends.

Personally, I never liked her. All her big songs are about relationships, and it can get stale no matter how much beat is put into it. She's made some horrible relationship decisions, and I don't think her relationship with Travis Kelce is going to last (even if it probably means bringing the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win). And being TIME Person of the Year eclipses Justin and Beyonce (the latter was a runner-up at one point). Her hype exploded further than most other musicians overall.

4 Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress.

On the start of her career, she performed at an event called the Lollapalooza Festival during 2007 whereby a record label company Interscope found her due to her performance... read more

Lady Gaga can definitely sing and play the piano. Unfortunately, she tends to obscure her actual talent behind some of the worst pop songs around, with terrible lyrics, visual gimmicks, and cringe-worthy production. She deserves to be ranked ahead of Madonna on this list since, at the very least, Madonna's best songs are tolerable. Like a Prayer and Papa Don't Preach don't make me want to go deaf like Poker Face or Bad Romance do. Lady Gaga chooses to make bad music.

Personally, I don't understand the high praise she endlessly receives. Most of her songs range from perfectly fine (Alejandro, Born This Way) to utterly atrocious and unlistenable (Bad Romance). Her extravagant persona is far more alive and interesting than the music she produces. That is all you need to know.

5 Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone, known professionally as Madonna, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She influenced a lot of singers such as: Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Beyonce Knowles and Britney Spears. She is known as Queen of Pop and at modern pop culture specifically... read more

Madonna is the worst vocalist. She has no vocal range, be it high or low. She just keeps to sexual themes. Who made her the Queen of Pop? It's Lady Gaga who is a trained classical musician, rock dance fashion icon.

Moreover, her fake blonde hair signifies she is not proud of being a brunette, as if being a brunette is a sin. Madonna is of Italian origin but has not done anything for the Italian music scene.

Her body is just like a man's, and her vocals like those of a zero-rating vocalist.

I just couldn't get it. She's an attractive beauty, I'll give her that. But she just sounds so terrible even in her best songs. I've tried a couple of times, but I just couldn't enjoy her singing voice.

6 Mariah Carey Mariah Carey, born March 27, 1970, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She is one of the biggest best-selling women in the music industry, with 18 number 1 records to her name. She is regarded as a sex symbol through her songs and music videos, and she is "well known" for her over-the-top... read more

I admire her talent, but an integral part of her job is respecting fellow musicians. Unfortunately, she seems to have dissed Ariana Grande for being compared to her, has shown disdain for Eminem - one of the biggest rappers of all time - and acts as if Nicki Minaj doesn't exist. I'd suggest it's not wise to disparage those who have a substantial fanbase, have had a number-one song in the past five years, and can offer more than just a remix of a Christmas song that gets played every Christmas Eve. I love your music. You just need to get it together!

7 Drake Aubrey Drake Graham, known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, born on October 24, 1986 in Toronto, Canada. He started his career on Canadian reality show "Degrassi: The Next Generation".

I am not even sure you can consider him talented. Autotune talking.

There is no need for explanation. He simply is overrated.

He pales in comparison to actual rappers.

8 Eminem Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is an American rapper, actor and music producer born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem has sold over 300 million records making him the bestselling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with Royce... read more

Eminem is probably one of the most overrated rappers of all time. Sure, his flow and lyrics are awesome, but many of his fans treat him as the omnipotent god of hip-hop. Just go to any top ten list on this site that is rap-related (and even some lists that are not rap-related) and you will see him in the #1 spot. His first few albums were great, but 'Encore' and the albums that followed were kind of mediocre. His newer songs are mainly popular because they feature popular singers like Rihanna singing the hook, and they appeal more to the pop music fans who would not normally enjoy hip-hop. While I still think he is a cut above lame rappers like 2 Chainz, he certainly isn't the king of the game, so stop treating him like he is.

9 Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears, born on December 2, 1981, is an American former singer and actress. She was born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana. As a child, she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows, such as "The Mickey Mouse Club," before signing with Jive... read more

Kirk Hammett has more talent in his pinky finger than this overrated pile of garbage has in her entire body. As Metallica would put it, it's "Sad But True".

She actually sounded normal in the early 2000s, but now, drugs have made her sound like a troll.

She cannot sing! Her body sold her music. Now, her voice is all autotune or electronic.

10 Michael Jackson Michael Jackson (Michael Joseph Jackson; August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. He donated (at least) a remarkable 500,000,000 dollars to charity. Michael... read more

I do not get the hype in the slightest. Trying to listen to a song just bores me. All the ones I've listened to have just sounded so similar, and the voice is just plain unappealing.

Then again, maybe I just expect too much since I prefer Queen and David Bowie, who bring variety and a voice that I find pleasant (in my opinion, though I know Jackson was probably influential in some ways).

He's not bad, by any means. Also, he is not just "good". He is very good! But look at all the credit you give him. On the Internet, he is a god, but what about John Lennon, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Bob Marley, Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Tupac Shakur, Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, Prince, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, or even composers like Beethoven, Bach, or Mozart? If Michael Jackson is a god, they must be gods, too.

And "Thriller" is often named as the best album ever! But what about "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Abbey Road", "Rubber Soul", "The White Album", "Pet Sounds", "Animals", "The Wall", "Dark Side of the Moon", "Led Zeppelin I-IV"? This list could go on. There are certainly 50 albums as good as, if not better than, "Thriller". And songs like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", "Bad", or "Beat It" dominate the airplay on all mainstream radio stations around the world! "Stairway to Heaven", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Imagine", "Sweet Child o' Mine", "Comfortably Numb", "Let It Be", "Hey Jude", "Here Comes the Sun", "Like a Rolling Stone", "Jailhouse Rock"... This list, too, could go on, but you get what I mean.

Remember: I like Michael Jackson. I'm not a hater, and not all of those artists/albums are better than his - some are as good as him, and some are slightly worse. They're only examples!

The Contenders
11 50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, record, film, and television producer.

Hip hop/rap was cool in the '80s. Then it got annoying real fast, except for the more abstract and soulful stuff no one knows about.

I will never spend a penny on this artist. This is trash... I mean, garbage!

50 is this guy's I.Q. He can't sing and doesn't play an instrument. He should be at the top of the list!

12 Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was discovered by Brian "Baby" "Birdman" Williams at a very young age, and was signed to Cash Money Records, where he would be one quarter of the rap group Hot Boys. In the years to follow, he would go on to find his own... read more

This clown sucks! He got booed off the stage at Bonnaroo. His lyrics are terrible, he's a whiny little prick. He repeats his lyrics because he's a poor songwriter.

Why the hell are Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, Bono, U2, and Eminem even on this list? The people who are voting to put these individuals, who actually have talent, are thick and uneducated. They haven't listened to good music.

Honestly, this guy is garbage, and before you ask, yes, I've listened to The Carter II. It was okay. Lil Wayne fans will never shut up about how great this guy is. They always talk about how The Carter II was a classic. These people have no taste in music and need to listen to someone who makes good music.

13 Bono Paul David Hewson, known by his stage name Bono, is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, venture capitalist, businessman, and philanthropist. His original nickname was Bono Vox which means "big voice".

U2 is a terrible band that had one average album 30 years ago. The rest were well below average. This guy tries too hard to live like a rockstar, all we can do is just laugh and let him do whatever it is he does.

What a double-faced guy who talks about helping poor people but wants to see those who send his pirate merchandise to jail. What a hypocrite!

I liked U2 in the '80s. Now everyone thinks they're the greatest musical contribution in the history of mankind... They would be in my list of top 50 rock bands of all time... nothing more.

14 Chris Brown Christopher Maurice "Chris" Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. Born in Tappahannock, Virginia, he was involved in his church choir and several local talent shows from a young age. He is most well known for his physical assault towards the singer Rihanna in... read more

He should be No. 1!

And I will never understand why he is so popular.

He's not attractive and cannot sing. He annoys the crap out of me, ugh!

Why does he get so much praise?

Stop beating women and actually focus on your music career for once.

He shouldn't even be counted as a musician!

15 Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj, known professionally as Nicki Minaj (born December 8, 1982) is a Trinidadian/American rapper / pop music artist. Minaj is most known for her songs such as "Anaconda", "Super Bass", "Starships" and her feature on "Bang Bang"... read more

Why is this chick not at number 2? She has millions of followers, which I can't understand why at ALL! She has no talent. Her voice sounds like she was possessed by Satan himself, and keeps on torturing her inside, making her voice more awful.

Sure, it takes talent to rap like that, but it doesn't change the fact that her lyrics make no sense at all. I'm a junior in high school, and literally, everyone is obsessed with Nicki Minaj. Nicki's music is WAY too overrated, and she should be nearer to the top of this list.

16 Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks is an American singer and songwriter. His integration of rock and roll elements into the country genre has earned him immense popularity in the United States.

Garth can be credited with one thing: he is hugely responsible for turning true down-to-earth country music into what it is today - a pandering pop-influenced genre. Adding insult to injury was his annoying pop twang singing, which has gone on to be used by every country music hack since. The guy essentially ruined country music.

Overrated piece of crap. First, if you have been in the business for 20-30 years and someone can count the number of good songs you've made on one hand, you're not that great. Second, he doesn't write most of his songs. Third, the only reason people like him is that he's a marketing genius. I'll give him that. It takes a genius to sell complete and utter crap.

17 Kurt Cobain Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1987, he started the grunge band Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands ever. He was a talented yet troubled grunge performer. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend in the 1990s with his band. He committed suicide at his... read more

I'm going to have to go with Cobain just because most of the rappers and pop stars on this list do not deserve to be called musicians. I really never understood why he is one of the most praised guitarists ever. I honestly think that if Kurt Cobain had not changed the world with his simple music, somebody else would have beaten him to it. His vocals and guitar playing are both very average and unimpressive. While I would say that the most overrated guitarist is definitely Slash, Cobain is the most overrated all-around musician. I know he started grunge, but I would honestly rather listen to the bands that followed in his footsteps.

18 Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer. She is best known for songs like "Come & Get It", "Good For You", "Same Old Love", and "It Ain't Me". Selena Gomez's voice is mezzo-soprano but she usually sings in alto. She is best known for her role as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place.

She's only popular because she dated that Bieber kid. It doesn't matter that she was famous before he was around, but she wasn't talked about much until she began dating him. She's talentless. She isn't much of a good singer. She should just stick to acting, even if she isn't that good of an actress.

Selena Gomez seriously just annoys the crap out of me, having to see her untalented and half-nude body EVERYWHERE. I've tried my hardest to avoid the sound of her voice, but it's basically impossible. She's nothing but a rich, spoiled, decent-looking, untalented girl who has slept her way out of Disney and into the industry. If I ever have to hear, I love you like a love song, baby, and I keep it on repeateateateateat or baby slow down the song, I will dig my ears out. Please, people have some sense. She's a horrible role model, and her music is just plain bad. Don't let your children listen to this.

19 Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Hemsworth (born Destiny Hope Cyrus), known as Miley Cyrus, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus. Her voice type is Mezzo-Soprano and has 4 octaves. She became a teen idol starring as the... read more

I don't want to diss anyone's idol, but I'll say this: I honestly don't see why people like her. I'm so irritated by her brainwashed fans calling it "doing her own thing" when she's going onstage almost naked and twerking, so you can see her entire behind... and apparently, she's a "nudist" now? Really? I want to give her a Snickers so she can go back to the amazing, talented girl she was.

Rubbish. People don't talk about whether she is good or not. They talk about her goofy faces and goofy things she does with her body.

She's just as bad as Justin Bieber. And she's been looking so desperate lately, it's literally sickening.

20 Psy Park Jae-sang, better known by his stage name Psy, stylized PSY, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, record producer and rapper.

The jackass sang about killing US soldiers.

Yeah, there's something wrong with this dude. He's on something. No wonder he's here.

21 Cher Cher is an American singer and actress. Described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry, she is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances during her five-decade-long... read more

I'm a gay man and refuse to accept Cher, Madonna, or Lady Gaga as my icons. Burn in hell, all of you!

22 Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar (born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. Born and raised in New York City, she became an Internet celebrity by achieving popularity on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television... read more

She's such a ratchet singer. Why did she even get a Grammy in the first place?

I hate her. David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Bono, MJ, and Madonna should not be above her on the list!

23 Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16th 1979 and died August 25th 2001. She was a dancer, an actress and an R&B singer. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Detroit, Michigan and died at Marsh Harbour, Bahamas... read more

This is the definition of overrated. Pretty, but with an average voice and okay/average music.

24 Snoop Dogg Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr., (born October 20, 1971) known professionally as Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and television personality from Long Beach, California.

All he does is sell himself out, rapping with artists like Big Time Rush, Jason Derulo, Lil Wayne, and even promoting artists like Wiz Khalifa and Far East Movement. This guy is truly a sellout.

Excuse me, but why is everyone hating on Eminem? Just because you don't like rap and don't understand what real rap is doesn't mean you can just hate on Eminem. He's a beast. But Snoop Dogg sucks. He doesn't even rap, he just talks without any beat or rhythm.

I never liked this man! Songs about marijuana will only get you so far, Snoop. Give it up, just retire and go live in Pakistan or something!

25 Meghan Trainor Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer and songwriter. Trainor's work has been recognized with several awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award, Music Business Association's Breakthrough Artist of the Year accolade and two Billboard Music Awards.

Please don't bring back the '50s music style. The last thing pop music needs is to go backwards in progress, if there's even any progress today.

She was good when she made bubblegum pop. Now she's so bad I want to puke.

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