Most Overrated Hard Rock Artists

The Top Ten
1 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 (Vocal), Jimmy Page (Guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass, Keyboard) and John Bonham (Drums) and was very much the child of Jimmy Page who even financed their first tour. He had tasted some previous success with The [original] Yardbirds and was friendly with some big names in rock. Page states it was Keith Moon of The Who that claimed the band could only go down, like a lead balloon -- thus prompting the iconic name of Led Zeppelin. The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors ...read more.

Christangrant and somekindofaguy, your comments are always based on ( and not only on this site ) covers by bands or individual artists. Led Zeppelin did covers, Elvis did covers etc... So what? Their covers are better than the originals. That's what makes artists like them great! Writing your own songs doesn't define talent. Led Zeppelin is overrated because they did a lot of covers? What about the talent as musicians of John Bonham? Jimmy Page? Robert Plant and John Paul Jones? If you're better or think that you're better and more talented, only then write something negative about Rock icons!

@Visitor Where did I or him say that we are better than Led Zeppelin besides I don't even hate Led Zeppelin, they "plagiarized" too many of their songs and yes this is a FACT all but one song on their debut were uncredited covers and the one song was just a boring instrumental. I prefer many hard rock artists over Led Zeppelin not just because they plagiarized songs but because the other artists make better music plus I'm allowed to have a negative opinion on Led Zeppelin its people like you that give their fans a bad name.

@Vistior "Writing your own songs doesn't define talent" then I guess The Beatles are bad because they wrote their own songs they did do covers guess by your definition those covers are their best songs

I could write an entire song using the song titles of the songs they ripped-off

2 Guns n Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1985. The classic lineup, as signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. Apart from hard rock they are also ...read more.
3 AC/DC AC/DC are a Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who continued as members until Malcolm's illness and departure in 2014 . They were fronted by Bon Scott until his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning in 1979, after which they hired Brian Johnson to front the band. Commonly referred to as a hard rock or blues rock band.

Dissagree entireley at least AC/DC didn't ripoff loads of songs like Led Zeppelin did

4 Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is a hard rock/pop rock band formed in 1983, which had a streak of successful albums in the late 1980s. The band originally consisted of lead vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Ritchie Sambora (left in 2013), bassist Alec John Such (left in 1994), keyboard David Bryan, and drummer Tico Torres. The band's most famous album is Slippery When Wet, released in 1986, and had multiple hit singles such as "You give love a bad name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead Or Alive". The band's success continued well into the 1990s and 2000s, and the group still makes music to this day. They have sold around around 83 million albums worldwide.The band's first four albums blended the glam metal ...read more.

Bon Jovi is actually over hated. People say Bon Jovi's voice is bad, which is causeless.

I hate bon jovi

5 Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were a Heavy Metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

The band became mainstream after improving after their debut album got panned. In 1978, Osbourne was fired and replaced with former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Who went to release 2 albums before leaving in 1983, only for Osbourne to return in 1992. ...read more.

I agree - they are very overrated.

6 Poison Poison is an American glam and hard rock band that achieved great commercial success in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.
7 Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach changed over the years. Originally formed as a progressive rock band, the band shifted to a heavier sound in 1970. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide. ...read more.

Usually my opinion is very similar to IronSabbathPriest's but here I slightly disagree.
Many people have heard of Smoke On The Water or their name. And this is all. Even people who call themselves metal fans believe Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath invented metal when Led Zeppelin were never metal. Deep Purple were much more innovative and creative than these 2 bands but Deep Purple don't get the credits they deserve.

I wouldn't call them underrated. They're extremely influential and, well, to put it bluntly everyone knows who they are. They're not overrated either though.

What? They are the most underrated rock and metal band of all time.
They have been at #1 for long time on the list Most Underrated Rock Bands...

False they are Underrated

8 Whitesnake Whitesnake are a rock band formed in England in 1978 by singer David Coverdale, after his departure from his previous band Deep Purple.

Yes, while people think their only good song is Here I Go Again they are totally overrated, I agree!

No, try underrated - would be closer to the truth.

They aren't overrated

9 KISS Kiss, often styled 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 stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s. Their shock rock-style live performances featured... read more
10 Motörhead Motörhead were an English heavy metal band formed in June 1975 by bassist, singer, and songwriter Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister, who was the sole constant member; guitarist and songwriter Larry Wallis; and drummer Lucas Fox. The band's harsh vocals and fast paced tempos helped inspire speed metal and thrash metal.

Nah here's a band that should be here except Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Guns n Roses...

The Contenders
11 Rainbow Rainbow are a British rock band led by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1993 to 1997. They were originally established with Ronnie James Dio as the lead singer and lyricist. Rainbow were ranked No. 90 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. The band has sold over 28 million albums worldwide. The band's early work primarily featured mystical lyrics with a neoclassical metal style.

Underrated is the better word to describe this band

Haha, in fact they are very underrated.

12 Queen Queen are 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, vocals). Before forming into Queen, Brian May and Roger Taylor had played together in a band ...read more.

Overrated in general.

13 The Who The Who is an English rock band formed in London, England in 1964. The most recognizable lineup was Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass guitar), and Keith Moon (drums). They are best known for their live performances and hit songs Baba O'Riley, My Generation, and Won't Get Fooled Again. Some noted achievements were their rock operas, Tommy (album), Quadrophenia (album), and A Quick One, While He's Away (song). ...read more.

I believe the Who were classified as hard rock by mistake. Actually they are hardly hard rock, and rest of their songs are more like heavier art rock songs, because the classical influence on their music is easily audible. And their earlier songs in the middle '60s were beat/pop rock stuff played wilder.

14 Nirvana Nirvana was an American grunge band that was formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. Nirvana disbanded after Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. The drummer of the band, David Grohl, went on to start the Foo-Fighters, an alternative rock band.

The band was comprised of Kurt Cobain (Vocals, Guitar), Dave Grohl (Drums) and Krist Novoselic (Bass). ...read more.

Wait a minute, how the hell this group didn't make it? Most overrated band in history.

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