Most Overrated Rock Bands

The Top Ten

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

Nirvana has their place. They were by no means bad. Kurt had a talent for writing lyrics and a voice that inspired a generation. But the fact remains: they were not even the best in their genre. I wouldn't even put them in my top 3. Soundgarden is VASTLY superior in every single category outside of popularity. Chris Cornell compared to Kurt Cobain is like a 5 carat diamond compared to white dog. Much of the same can be said for Pearl Jam... and Alice in Chains. I would even say Stone Temple Pilots is a tier or 2 above Nirvana. I respect them and their body of work, but when every other well known grunge band has better singing, songwriting, musicianship, lyricism, longevity... Overrated.
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 Park... read more

Don't get me wrong, I do like Linkin Park. They're definitely in my top fifteen favorite rock bands. HOWEVER, they are not #1. People keep placing them above the Beatles, Queen, and other bands that honestly deserve a top spot. I wouldn't mind seeing them or their songs in a top ten, or an occasional top 5. But they are currently the #1 rock band on "best rock bands" list, which really isn't true. Not trying to offend any fans, just saying that they are kinda overrated.

Generic, awful, idiotic and whiny band. I have no idea what makes them incredibly popular, but my guess is probably because of the insane amount of emos and weeaboos on this planet. Those kinds of people just love eating this kind of music up, along with their pop punk and metalcore obsession as well. Linkin Park mean absolutely nothing to the music industry whatsoever.
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

I'm not a believer that all famous musicians have to be technically proficient, but these guys have been cutting corners for a while now, and don't seem to have improved that much. It still seems like the Edge uses his vast array of effects pedals to compensate for his lack of guitar skill. Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton always use the same, monotone rhythms to back every single song (does Clayton even use more than one strong on any song? ). As for Bono, he's not nearly as great as his devotees make him out to be. Has no-one noticed how clumsy and off-key he is on 'With Or Without You"? Perfect example of a substandard singer overreaching his grasp.
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.
The band is known for its blues-influenced rock sound and enduring hits such as Highway... read more

I think that what makes their songs so supposedly "stupid" is some of the best stuff about them. They don't put on any airs about sadness or romance. They just write awesome power anthems. May I add that they managed to rise from the ashes after their awesome lead singer, Bon Scott, sadly passed away. Not many bands could do that. Besides, Angus Young is an incredibly skilled guitar player, and his solos make up for the repetitive lyrics.

These guys are extremely overrated. So many middle aged men hail these people as one of the best of the best in rock, and why is that? They really bring nothing new to the table, their lyrics don't explore anything, they don't try to experiment, and they sound like a standard hard rock band. Maybe I'm missing the entire point of ACDC, but I don't see them fitting my music tastes.
Coldplay

Coldplay is a British rock band formed in 1996. The group includes Chris Martin (lead vocals, piano), Jonny Buckland (lead guitar), Guy Berryman (bass), and Will Champion (drums, backing vocals). Their manager, Phil Harvey, is often referred to as the unofficial fifth member.... read more

Coldplay were great to start with and deserved the accolades they got. Then they just produced nothing but filler but were still praised by critics. Hence why they are overrated. It's all sounded the same, very dull for years. The raw emotion has now gone and there songs now sound like there written by someone who's trying to hard. And failing

Listen to the piano rift from clocks... Listen to the piano rift from clocks... Listen to the piano rift from... Aww hell, I could've done this as a seventh grader... But then I didn't... Dang you Chris Martin!
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

This is the most overrated band in the history of rock music. How are they not in the top ten? At least Green Day and Avenged Sevenfold have a good amount of decent songs. LZ's music makes me want to kill somebody. Plant sounds like a toddler, their lyrics are pure idiocy, and Jimmy Page is a crappy guitarist who plagiarizes because he has no creativity.

This is one of the most overrated bands. 1st place of the best rock bands list. Oh mean. I never find anything good about this band. Their music sounds cheesy, bland and boring. The vocals sounds annoying and can be use as a siren for the ambulance or police cars. I never find anything special besides they plagiarize about 20 songs. They are the most controversial bands when it comes to copyright. I can name 100 bands better than them.
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

Nothing sadder, musically speaking, than reading the comments of those of you who think that the Beatles were/are overrated, and who seem to honestly believe that this musical myopia signifies that you are somehow more perceptive than the overwhelming consensual majority, whereas all it means is that you are inadequate. They are by no means my favourite band, yet anyone with half a brain and a complete set of chromosomes should give them credit for having been the fountainhead and inspiration for much of what came afterwards. There can scarcely be an artist or band (yes, including Queen), who has not been influenced, even indirectly or unconsciously, by their work. What they and George Martin achieved, with the technology at their disposal in the 60s, was nothing short of brilliant - reaching a peak with Abbey Road.
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

Their music is prosaic at best because they devoted all their creativity to their look and/or stage show. even their fanbase associates them most immediately with the makeup and the pyrotechnics. long as they had those bases covered, they could just play the Alphabet song for two hours straight and they'd get away with it.
What's more they'll actually take that as a compliment. (seriously, Gene Simmons would masturbate on stage if he thought he could get an audience for it. )

One of the biggest clowns in music industry. Their music sucks. Their songs are bland, cheesy, boring and awful. Most of their songs are bland and generic. Second, Gene Simmons is a big douchebag. They focus on the looks than music. People hate pop and rap music because it's all about sex but these guys do the same thing.
Green Day

Green Day are an American pop punk and punk rock band formed in East Bay, California, in 1987. The core members are Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass), and Tré Cool (drums), with Jason White often performing live on guitar. They blend punk rock, pop punk, and alternative rock, drawing... read more

They've had some of the most innovative punk songs ever. They've always had the spirit of pop but the intensity of punk. Definitely not overrated, especially when you consider each and every song from one of their albums is different in their own sense, ESPECIALLY Dookie, Nimrod, Insomniac, and 21st Century Breakdown.

I like Green Day. They're one of my favorite rock bands. But Green Day is overrated. Some people get into rock by them. but as you listen more rock songs, you'll understood why Green Day is overrated. I never wanted to admin that Green Day was overrated when I first started to listen them and rock songs.
30 Seconds to Mars

Thirty Seconds to Mars (stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of brothers Jared and Shannon Leto.
They released their first album, 30 Seconds to Mars, in 2002. It was a self-titled album with... read more

This list seems to be a joke. I only agree about this band, Leto and his band are really very overrated. I actually don't understand what Guns N' Roses is doing here? They are overrated? Come on, they maybe were the last performers of 70-80's rock, while the grunge and post-grunge were grabbing the world. The same I can say about the lots of bands in this list. It's very strange.

I like 30 Seconds to Mars, but Jared Leto just thinks too much of himself honestly. They have some very good songs, but I absolutely agree when you compare them to other great rock bands and standout albums. This Is War tries to be really "epic", and while it does have some awesome tracks, 30 Seconds to Mars is just trying to hard in my opinion.

The Newcomers

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Deftones

Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California. The band, which was founded in 1988, consists of Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Frank Delgado, Abe Cunningham, and Sergio Vega.
They have released a total of nine studio albums. Some of their most popular songs include... read more
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The White Stripes

The White Stripes were an American rock duo formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The duo consisted of Jack White (born Jack Gillis), who handled songwriting, vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboards, and Meg White, who played drums and provided backing vocals. Jack adopted Meg's surname after their marriage.... read more

The Contenders

Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1985. The classic lineup, 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. In addition to hard rock, they are also... read more

I laugh when people say Guns N' Roses are one of the greatest hard rock bands ever. They're just another bang average 80s hair band. Bands like these killed the entire genre of rock (until Nirvana revived it a couple of years later). I especially believe this band would be absolutely nothing without Slash. He's downright one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and he carried Guns N' Roses to fame. Meanwhile, Axl Rose is the most overrated singer of all time. Yes, he has an incredible vocal range, but the actual sound of his voice is so obnoxious. I also can't handle the band's lyrics. People call their debut album one of the greatest albums ever, and yet it's full of misogyny.
Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold is an American alternative metal band formed in 1999 in California. Their longest lineup consisted of M. Shadows (vocals), Synyster Gates (lead guitar), Zacky Vengeance (rhythm guitar), Johnny Christ (bass guitar), and The Rev (drums).... read more

This band has potential, I have heard many of their songs and can't seem to figure out what's not right. The vocals are good, the drums and guitar are even better; Avenged Sevenfold are very talented however it's the choice of songs which are very poor. If someone could actually write songs with proper lyrics and rhythm for a7x then they could possibly one of the best metal bands around. A song style similar to Disturbed or even Bullet For My Valentine could really do them good. For these reasons I think Avenged Sevenfold are good and outstandingly talented although their songs are specifically overrated.

Nu metal and metalcore type bands seem to attract a very whiny, overly-sensitive fanbase that feel the need to make a scene if anyone ever attempts to claim that band x is not the greatest band in the world. , Avenged Sevenfold and Slipknot probably being the two worst offenders. I like a few Avenged Sevenfold songs, but they're really not that great of a band.
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

In the real world, I think they are slightly overrated. On these lists, it's not even close. When I see Richie Sambora in the top ten songwriters and top 50 singers of all time, the answer to the most overrated band is clearly Bon Jovi. Living On a Prayer is a great song, as is Wanted, Dead or Alive. A lot of bands have made two great songs. The rest of their music is either pedestrian or downright bad (Have a Nice Day, It's My Life). It seems a lot of people on these sites are head over heels for Bon Jovi. They're okay, but mainly I just don't feel it, sorry.

The Justin Bieber of rock music. A real band does not make several Adult Contemporary songs. A real band would be like Led Zeppelin or Van Halen (okay with David Lee Roth). This band does not act badass no matter what their fans say, the opposite of rock and roll. Pure cheese
System of a Down

System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal band from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They're known for their politically charged lyrics, often addressing topics such as genocide and war, in songs like Holy Mountains, Prison... read more

They were good at first, but after listening to more of their songs, I started to get irritated at the constant and repetitive shouting, the obnoxious instrumentals, and strange lyrics. Maybe I'm too simple minded to understand their music, I don't know, but for now I'm not a fan of this band.

I do like some of their stuff but they sure as hell are extremely overrated imo. Their music is just too chaotic for me to enjoy. I'm massively into metal and hard rock, but SOAD really doesn't do it for me and I'm not too sure how they became so popular but one thing I can't deny is that they're certainly unique
Maroon 5

Maroon 5 is an American pop and pop‑rock band formed in Los Angeles, California. The group originally came together in 1994 under the name Kara's Flowers, when Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick were still in high school. They self‑released a demo and a studio album before... read more

Maroon 5 was good until they sold out. Now their songs are all about Adam Levine swearing and being a jerk.

If anything, Maroon 5 is underrated. They deserve their popularity because they're talented.

They used to be good but they got worser. They are the biggest sellouts in music industry.
Nickelback

Nickelback is a Canadian post-grunge band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. The band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair.... read more

The guitarist is unskilled (actually all the "musicians" are), their discography have songs that are indistinguishable from one another, their lead singer sounds constipated when singing, they are a derivative of Creed which in turn are a derivative of Pearl Jam whilst at the same time sounding like bro-country (shudders), the lead singer looks like a paedophile, they performed so terribly at a concert that people throw rocks at them, people actually petition for them to NOT perform, their songs lack class (e.G. Figured You Out, Something In Your Mouth), they only care about money when it comes to making music (I mean, as the almighty end all of all things), diversifying in music means bringing Flo Rida to guest in one of your songs, the lead singer is a douchebag as a person.
I just can't think of anything of merit about this band. If one is forced to listen to their music on the radio while at work, what will you expect to be the reaction?
Jonas Brothers

The Jonas Brothers are an American pop rock band formed in 2005. They gained widespread popularity through their appearances on the Disney Channel. Their debut album, It's About Time, was released in 2006, and they later became teen icons with hit songs and appearances in films like Camp Rock.

No, this band absolutely does not belong on this list. And it's not because they're good, they're complete crap, and that's why they shouldn't be on here. This list is of overrated bands, not bad ones, people really need to learn to distinguish between bad and overrated, because they have nothing to do with each other. The Jonas Brothers aren't overrated because nobody likes the Jonas Brothers, they have ten times as many haters as they do fans, almost to the point where it would be more reasonable to argue that they're underrated rather than overrated.
So no, the Jonas Brothers are garbage, but they're in no way overrated.

This is one of the only bands that belong on this list. Whoever voted for Metallica, Linkin Park, Nirvana, Queen, Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and many others, to be on this list can go jump in the fire, hit the floor, and ascend the Stairway to Heaven.
Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American funk-rock and alternative rock band founded in 1983 in Los Angeles. The current core lineup includes Anthony Kiedis, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith, and Joshua Klinghoffer, although John Frusciante remains the most acclaimed guitarist associated with the... read more

This band shouldn't be on this list. They deserve to be in the top ten best rock bands ever and they've earned it. The fact that Anthony and Flea are still touring in 2019 is amazing. Flea arguably the greatest bassist of all time in any genre, John Frusciante arguably the greatest since Hendrix, Chad Smith being able to keep up with a duo like flea and frusciante since 1988 is incredible. And their Slane Castle 2003 performance was other worldly. You guys on here who are saying this band is overrated, you don't know how wrong you are. They have so many underrated songs (some to me are better than their popular ones) that you guys don't even know. Wet Sand, She Looks To Me, Desecration Smile, Venice Queen, etc. Just listen to some of their live concerts from 2006 and their Slane Castle performance and you will see why this band kicks ass.
Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy and thrash metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup included James Hetfield (vocals and rhythm guitar), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), and Ron McGovney (bass). They first gained mainstream fame with their 1991 self-titled album (The Black Album... read more

Metallica is in no way a "bad" band. But overrated? HELL YES. Maybe one of the most overrated bands in the world. I loved Metallica until I was about 12 years old and started finding better music. I mean jesus christ, their drummer can barely hold the tempo... They are not very good live either. I mean sure, they have some good songs but it gets pretty bland, boring and repetitive quickly. I know they have a lot of diehard fans but I sincerely believe that they deserve to be on this list... and higher up.

It pains me to choose Metallica here, but they certainly deserve it. They deceived their loyal followers by releasing one long bowel movement of awful albums and then tried to blame it on their fans. "Our fans wanted something new! " – No Lars, we wanted Metallica. Their last two albums are hailed as the return of the messiahs, but they are both just average hard rock releases with a stigma of being something really special. Linkin Park, U2 and Coldplay can all go lube each other's sphincters for all I care, but Metallica needs to be way up on this list.
Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters are an American alternative rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. The band was founded by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl after Kurt Cobain's death and Nirvana's breakup. The current lineup consists of Dave Grohl (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, primary songwriter), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar... read more

Was forced to see them at last Love Ride their best songs were covers from real bands who wrote good music. Dave Grohl sitting on his throne/motorcycle lamenting about not being able to get out in the wind and ride how pathetic? The insufferable douche bag cusses so much because he can't come up with anything interesting to say so he curses and his moronic fans scream in delight because they heard the "F" word. This just reinforces his need to be a jack ass on stage. I have seen Robert Plant and Pink Floyd so many times and never have they needed to dropping "f" bombs to get their fans into the show

Overrated? The only reason people say that is because Dave Grohl was in Nirvanna. In my opinion that is a reason they deserve their fame, it would be extremely hard to rise from the ashes of a really popular band. Dave recorded the first album on his own, he played all the instruments.
The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass), and Charlie Watts (drums).... read more

They were a solid rock band but baby-boomers believe them to be almost as groundbreaking and historically important as Elvis. I'm actually a fan of a few of their songs but they made some stinkers too. The fact there is a successful magazine called "The Rolling Stones" is enough proof that this band is way overrated and not only that but able to use their magazine to release top 100 songs of all time that list their own songs way too favorably near the top every time.

The most overrated band ever. There are no questions. Seriously Mick Jagger is a great performer don't get me wrong, but that is the only reason that these guys are considered influential. His voice is nothing special, Keith Richards is a so-so guitarist and Brian Jones there only stand out musician was rejected and killed himself.
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

None of them were exceptional at playing INSTRUMENTS?!
Now I'll agree, Bohemian Rhapsody and Another One Bites the Dust are songs loved by people who want to seem "aesthetically different", so they are overrated JUST A BIT.
BUT, let me tell you that Brian May is one of the GREATEST guitarists who ever lived! Listen to the complex guitar harmonies off of Queen II and Jazz! Especially listen to the flamenco bit in Innuendo. And John Deacon and Roger Taylor were gifted musicians as well.

There are plenty of bands on this list that aren't even overrated at all. Now, before you Queen fanboys hop on me, Queen are definitely one of the Top 10 bands of all time. However, they are simply not as good as bands that many people nowadays compare them to. Queen have just been so overhyped by so many people in the past two years. It's an absolute shame that the two greatest bands of all time (The Beatles and Led Zeppelin) are at 6th and 11th while a band who are way more overrated are placed at 76th.
Scorpions

Scorpions are a German rock band formed in 1965 in Hanover by guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Early members included vocalist Klaus Meine and guitarist Michael Schenker, later replaced by Matthias Jabs. The band first gained international attention in the late 1970s, and has since explored styles ranging... read more

The Scorpions never really acheived superstar staus in the USA and only briefly in the 1980s when they started to shine but faded soon after the arrival of the 1990s. Much like Thin Lizzy and UFO they stars shone much brighter in other parts of the world. They did put out some top notch albums and always had killer songs throughout their career but were they ever really over exposed? Not a band that should be on this list for the very fact that if you asked people who the Scorpions they would be like who? and if they knew the name they probably couldn't name but one or two songs.
Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas is an American musical group originally consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and singer Fergie.
They achieved global success with hits like Where Is the Love?, I Gotta Feeling, and Boom Boom Pow. Since Fergie's departure in 2017, more recent releases have featured... read more

This is not a rock band but they are overrated though and they suck
Tokio Hotel

Tokio Hotel is a pop rock band from Magdeburg, Germany, formed in 2001. The group consists of Bill Kaulitz on vocals, Tom Kaulitz on guitar, Gustav Schäfer on drums, and Georg Listing on bass and keyboard.
They rose to fame in Germany with their 2005 debut album Schrei, when most members were... read more