Top 10 Most Overrated Music Artists

Music is one of those things that can really get people talking - and sometimes, disagreeing. There are artists who seem to be everywhere, praised constantly by fans and critics alike. But let's be honest, not every artist lives up to the hype. Some acts are more about image than actual musical substance, and sometimes the fame machine keeps them in the spotlight longer than they might deserve. That's what this list is all about: musicians and bands who seem to be more celebrated than their talent really warrants.

Overrated doesn't always mean bad, though. Some of these artists are undeniably talented but still get more credit than they might actually deserve compared to other, often overlooked acts.
The Top Ten
The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of the 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular... read more

The Beatles only land here because they exhibit classic symptoms of "OverHyped Syndrome" (OHS), which means the hype surrounding the band far exceeds the capabilities of any band. When a band has OHS, they will always fail to meet expectations because no band deserves the amount of hype that bands with OHS receive.

That said, The Beatles are still a decent band and defined a whole generation of music.

The Beatles weren't bad, but there were many bands, even from their time, that were as good. Before Sgt. Pepper's, the Beatles played what could be considered pretty cheesy music. I appreciate what they did after Pepper's, but they still don't come close to the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan in the early to mid-sixties. While they were good in the late sixties, they can't hold a candle to Hendrix, Cream, and again the Stones.

They were also surpassed by earlier acts such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard. However, my overall opinion of '50s and early '60s rock is negative, given it was heavily influenced by blues. Artists like Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, B.B. King, Albert King, and Robert Johnson make the Beatles sound lackluster in comparison.

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who began her career as lead singer of Destiny's Child. The group scored multiple Billboard No. 1 hits including "Say My Name," "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Survivor," "Independent Women," and "Bootylicious." After their split,... read more

Steals songs from others, then claims they are her own. All her songs are predictable, derivative, and boring. If you're going to steal songs, at least steal good ones!

She is really overrated. People obsess over Single Ladies when there are millions of better songs. She can't sing, and she's half-naked too much.

Beyoncé is very much overrated. She's a copycat and a thief. There isn't an original bone in her body. She is very shady, and her fans are mean. She doesn't even try to ask them to chill out.

Her song "Formation" had nothing to do with black power. It's more like Beyoncé power because the song is all about herself and "defending herself" against the haters. It even pushes stereotypes. She claims she's a lady, but ladies don't walk around half-naked, shaking their junk in your face, and telling the world what she does behind closed doors.

Also, she claims to be for the black community, but when bad things were happening to the black community, she was silent. She's even at one point worn a coon/Sambo jacket (a racist depiction of a black person). If you don't believe me, look it up. This woman is a walking contradiction who only does something to further her own agenda, which is to be rich and famous.

Sadly, no one cares or notices because she's pretty, can kind of sing and dance. I wish the world would wake up. What I think is sad is that our children lack good role models, so they have to look to entertainers as role models. These people are not heroes. They are just for entertainment.

The Jonas Brothers The Jonas Brothers are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network.

These guys are the definition of overrated. Let's be honest, the only reason they are relevant is due to the nostalgia from when they were on Disney Channel. Nothing sets them apart from other groups, and their music is mediocre in my opinion. They deservedly take the top spot.

By the way, overrated doesn't always mean that the artist is bad. For example, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Eminem are on this list despite massive critical acclaim and tons of fans. They are examples of good artists that are overrated to an extent. The Jonas Brothers, however, are both overrated and bad.

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone, known professionally as Madonna, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She has influenced many artists, including Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Beyoncé Knowles, and Britney Spears. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pop," she has played a significant... read more

C'mon! This girl is overrated as heck! When I hear her sing, I just want to rip my ears out. She's attractive, but that's really it. Her voice is cringey, and she sounds like a Muppet.

Has everybody gotten tired of her new songs and performances? Well, so have I, because she bores me. Another thing is that she made the people of Colorado mad at her for bringing fake guns, which means they had a fear of gunfire just like in the movie theater while watching The Dark Knight Rises.

She was nothing without Prince's help and thus became nothing but a memory, or at best, just gossip for the entertainment industry.

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin was an English hard rock band formed in London in 1968 as the New Yardbirds. The group consisted of Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboard), and John Bonham (drums). The band was largely the brainchild of Jimmy Page, who even financed their first tour... read more

Led Zeppelin is a very bad band, always plagiarizing, with no originality. People like this excuse of a band.

Led Zeppelin are a bunch of talentless hacks that nobody under the age of 70 listens to.

No doubts! Led Zeppelin is the most overrated artist, in my opinion.

AC/DC AC/DC is an Australian hard rock band founded in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Bon Scott was the lead singer until his death in 1980 from alcohol poisoning. He was succeeded by Brian Johnson... read more

I think when all music is considered, AC/DC is pretty good. But whenever people mention rock from the 70s and 80s, AC/DC is so loved. When it comes to back in those days, I think many other guitarists are better. There are also way better drummers and better lyrics.

One of the things I do like are the bagpipes, and I like them a lot. But just because I like them, doesn't mean I won't admit they're overrated.

Actually, they're overrated. I think they wrote only two to three good songs. They are a great band to know rock, but after that, there are many other musicians better than them, with greater riffs and melodic lines (not only the "aa" of Thunderstruck).

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter, born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. She developed a strong interest in country music around the age of nine after watching a Faith Hill documentary. Swift moved to Nashville as a teenager and, after signing with RCA Records, began... read more

Alright, I like her, but in my honest opinion, she is overrated. In fact, she does have some good songs and albums, but her fans treat her like a goddess.

Girl, you insane! She is a human! While I think her voice and songwriting are great and I like some of her songs, it really bugs me that her fans treat her like Jesus and will not let anyone who hates her go unharmed.

I can make a list of all the reasons she is overrated.

1. She uses feminism to promote her music but then gets on stage in revealing outfits, which seems contradictory.
2. She has been known to treat her boyfriends poorly, even though they are mostly nice people.
3. She doesn't sing particularly well and relies too much on autotune.
4. She frequently uses a private jet, which contributes to pollution.
5. She is not a strong songwriter.

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American alternative rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The current members include Mike Shinoda (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Brad Delson (guitar), Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass), Joe Hahn (DJ), Emily Armstrong (vocals), and Colin Brittain (drums). Linkin... read more

It depends. They are overrated by a lot of music fans and casual listeners, but I would also say they are overhated by many people who say they have no talent at all. Most critics don't think much of them, which is where I am. I think they are an okay band, not particularly good or bad.

Linkin Park is on every 'good' list. These talentless hacks should be nowhere near the Top 50 in any 'Best' list. They are overpraised and deserve far less recognition than what they are supposed to get. They are awful at all costs and the most overrated thing ever made in mankind. Zero out of ten.

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 best-selling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with... read more

"Best rapper ever?" That's just insulting. Eminem had three good albums and a sub-par one, so he's the best? Meanwhile, rappers like Nas and LL Cool J get swept under the rug because this guy hogs the spotlight. Andre 3000 is a better rapper than Eminem, Nas is a better rapper than Eminem, and J. Cole is a better rapper than Eminem.

I've also seen people say that 'Recovery' is better than 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'. What a joke. 'MBDTF' was amazing, while 'Recovery' would earn itself the proper Grammy if there was a category for "Let Down Of The Decade."

One Direction One Direction (commonly abbreviated as 1D) was a British and Irish pop boy band composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and originally Zayn Malik, who departed on March 25, 2015... read more

Come on, let's be honest. These guys are totally overrated. There are much better bands out there than 1D. They are only popular because of their looks and the kids and pre-teens who worship them. They aren't that good, people.

Not compared to many other bands. I'll respect Simon Cowell for putting them together because the man does know how to get the most income, even if it isn't talent-based.

This band has no talent at all. They can't write their own songs, they use autotune, they loop every chorus, they're famous because of their looks, and they're overplayed on the radio which makes their music stuck in people's heads.

And the idiot named Niall thinks he can play the guitar if he can just strum a three-chord song, which is very easy for a six-year-old kid. He bought a Gibson Les Paul. I bet that guitar was crying for a real guitarist. And they make ugly synth beats.

The Newcomers

? David Guetta Pierre David Guetta is a French DJ, songwriter, record producer, and remixer who has sold over nine million albums and thirty million singles worldwide. In 2011, Guetta was voted as the number one DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll. He is considered a pioneer of the EDM genre and has collaborated with... read more

Lives off of the success of classic songs by unnecessarily sampling them.

? Rod Stewart Roderick David "Rod" Stewart is a British rock singer-songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. Stewart has sold over 250 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once as a solo artist and once as a member of Faces.

A lot of users might only know him from being spam-voted on various lists. However, he was actually enormously popular throughout the 1970s to 1990s and highly regarded by critics as well.

I don't really get why, though. His voice is pretty grating, and most of the songs I have heard from him are either boring or just unpleasant overall.

The Contenders
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 Pattie Mallette, an author... read more

Justin Bieber can carry a tune, but so can a lot of people. He isn't a songwriter, nor is he a great musician. He's a manufactured product of a subpar music industry and is marketed primarily to young teenage girls. He has catchy songs, but so does Britney Spears, and that doesn't make her a great singer (she's not). If Justin had any musical talent beyond just singing on key, that would be different, but he is basically replaceable by another good-looking young singer.

Mark my words, in a few decades, no one will really remember him, at least not for his music. Maybe for his outlandish antics. There's nothing "great" about him, and his music will not stand the test of time.

Nirvana Nirvana was an American grunge band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. The band consisted of Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums), who joined in 1990. Nirvana disbanded following Cobain's death by suicide in 1994... read more

Their music feels dry and tasteless, with little emotion. I find it depressing when I listen to it. In my opinion, they are seriously overrated as a band and as musicians. Kurt Cobain is not that great of a guitarist. He struggled with addiction, attempted suicide multiple times, and ultimately took his own life. These personal issues left a negative impression on me.

Krist Novoselic is an average bassist with a dull style, often mirroring what the guitar does. Out of the three members, Dave Grohl is the only one I respect. He is an incredible drummer. Nirvana and the grunge movement killed thrash metal just when it was gaining popularity and had pushed glam metal out of the spotlight. (This is not meant to offend. It's just my opinion.)

My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey, formed in 2001. The lineup since 2019 includes lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, bassist Mikey Way, and drummer Jarrod Alexander. Bob Bryar was the drummer from 2004 to 2010. The band has released critically... read more

This band is not artistic. They are not good. How can you people say that Zeppelin, Hendrix, and Avenged are overrated? They're great. The Beatles are great, but I can see where you're coming from since everyone always says they're the best.

As for Metallica, Lars Ulrich needed Pro Tools to keep him on time.

Especially bad. Avenged Sevenfold suck too, but there are absolutely no words in modern language to describe how awful they are.

Average band. They have some decent songs, but they're pretty whiny and the fanbase is cringy.

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is a hard rock and pop rock band formed in 1983. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora (who left in 2013), bassist Alec John Such (who left in 1994), keyboardist David Bryan, and drummer Tico Torres... read more

They are a three-hit wonder. No one remembers but three songs that you occasionally hear at karaoke night.

Queen Queen is an English rock band formed in London in 1970. The original lineup was Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), and John Deacon (bass guitar). Before Queen, May and Taylor had played together in a band named Smile. Freddie Mercury, a fan... read more

I just don't like the music, I guess. I think there was one song they had that I actually liked. Obviously not all that much, because I can't even think of it.

Hate the screaming in most of their stuff. It's like rock with ballet and theatre.

I love Queen, but people only know about four of their songs. Freddie Mercury is not the best singer ever. Brian May is not the best guitarist ever. John Deacon is not the best bassist ever.

And I hate how people think "uniqueness" is some argument as to why they're the best. Look at any praised band from the 60s-70s. Look at the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, etc. Stop trying to act like Queen is the most influential band of all time. Stop trying to act like they're the only unique band.

Kiss Kiss, often stylized as KISS, was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. The original members were Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals). Known for their face paint and elaborate stage... read more

Just because they make fun rock beats doesn't automatically mean good music.

Glam rock is awful. Strutter is good... and that's that. Gene Simmons is a huge douchenozzle too.

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey, born March 27, 1970, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She's one of the best-selling female artists in music history, with 19 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100... read more

The one thing that bugs me about Mariah is her inability to make a consistent album. Somebody needs to watch over her while she's making these albums, because you don't put a super upbeat song, then a sad emotional ballad, then another upbeat dance jam, and then a mid-tempo just at the start of the album! Her songs are great as stand-alone songs, but trying to listen through her albums is very hard.

I also think she lacks emotion in her ballads. A lot of the time, I find her ballads very boring and unfinished, and I actually love good ballads. Artists like Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Nicole Scherzinger, James Ingram, Peabo Bryson, and Whitney Houston have made some great ballads. They have the right amount of emotion where they can make you just feel it in your soul, and even get emotional. Mariah does not have that. She's much better at making upbeat songs, or sexy songs. Ballads are not for her. Sometimes her voice even cracks in her more recent ballads, no thanks!

U2 U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk and gradually evolved to incorporate elements of alternative rock, electronic, and pop music. Known for their anthemic sound and use... read more

The Edge doesn't play guitar as much as he plays pedals.

Blink 182 Blink‑182 is an American pop‑punk band formed in 1992. The original lineup featured Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals), Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals), and Scott Raynor (drums). Raynor was replaced in 1998 by Travis Barker. The band rose to mainstream success with the album Enema of the State and has released... read more

Blink-182 isn't meant to be taken seriously! When will people learn? They're an amazing band, and I'd take them over some other insufferable garbage like Megadeth.

Doja Cat Amalaratna Zandile Dlamini, known professionally as Doja Cat, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter from Los Angeles. She is known for her songs "Mooo!", "Juicy", and "Say So", the latter of which reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
ABBA ABBA are a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

Despite fantastic tracks such as "Dancing Queen," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," and "The Winner Takes It All," I don't believe ABBA should have sold over 300 million copies of their material. I don't think they're a bad group at all, but I don't think they should be listed among the best-selling acts in history alongside The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Queen, and Madonna.

The word "overrated" means something is more highly praised than it probably should be, and ABBA fits that definition. That said, they are still one of the greatest acts in music history and will likely be remembered for generations. So, while I don't think they deserved all their success, I still say: Thank you for the music, ABBA!

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

Early in her career, she performed at Lollapalooza on August 4, 2007, as part of "Lady Gaga & The Starlight Revue," where she was noticed by Interscope Records executive Vincent... read more

She's mediocre at best. Die with a Smile is fire, but the rest of her songs are trash. Not to mention she's weird, and she's not even that attractive either!

Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher "Ed" Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was born on February 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. He's known for hit songs such as "The A Team" (2011) and "Shape of You" (2017)... read more

Ed Sheeran has maybe two great songs. However, he is nowhere near the top 10, let alone the top 50, best musicians of all time. I feel like only teenage girls think he's really that good.

Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Provo, Utah, now based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The band's lineup consists of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and touring drummer Andrew Tolman... read more

People think that this band is everything, but they really aren't anything. Their music isn't anything special, and they are overrated as hell.

Slipknot Slipknot is an American metal band that formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1996. They're recognized as a key force in the New Wave of American Alternative Metal from the late 1990s through the 2000s. The band is also known for their black and red jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks... read more

The first time I saw a band photo of Slipknot, I thought they were some Gwar-style comedy metal band making fun of wannabe tough-guy nu-metal.

With the masks and the nine band members, I thought there was no way this band was serious. It had to be a joke. But no, they were actually a real band.

In my opinion, Slipknot is not a good band. But somehow, everybody is talking about them. I don't know why. They are very overrated.

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