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The Challenge
To create the following playlist I asked some of the blogosphere’s best names for their most overrated song picks. I was not looking for the most hated song or even the worst commercially successful song, but a song that has garnered critical acclaim. Acclaim that they just could not understand. This is the type of list that is sure to create conversation and argument. Most of the tracks here are considered “classic” and as such will create some disagreement.
I would like to personally thank every blog that stuck their neck out for this experiment. Every pick includes the reason behind the decision and a link to the contributor’s website.
I urge you to add your own “most overrated song” picks to the comments or a reason why you think a particular song should not have been included.
The Playlist
1. “American Pie” - Don McLean
Listen... I understand it's a tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper all dying in the plane crash, but the song could've easily been a fitting tribute at the four minute mark. I'd even take five. But nearly nine minutes? Number one on my list of most annoying pub sing-a-long songs - best time to take a piss or a cigarette break outside.
Selected by Drake of Thus Spake Drake
2. “Light My Fire” - The Doors
There are some words that do not belong in a rock song. “Pyre” is one of these words. “Mire,” and “wallow” also fall into the category. All three of these words are featured prominently in the Doors “Light My Fire.” For some inexplicable reason, the Doors are viewed as some sort of spiritual counterpoint to the more hedonistic examples of rock decadence in the 60s. But “Light My Fire” illustrates an almost paralyzing lack of any redeeming qualities, a fact that seems to have been overlooked by critics and fans alike for more than three decades.
Bands that feature a piano or keyboard prominently are generally pretty goofy to begin with, but Ray Manzarek’s circus riff and odd organ stabs are headache inducing. The opening figures are some of the most memorable in rock history, because, like “Stairway” for shoddy guitar players, many aspiring rock pianists pick it out on whatever keyed instrument they find themselves in front of. Also, the shambling mid-song guitar/organ breakdown is a relic of an age of psychedelic rock that mercifully has passed for all but the heaviest drug users of the present day.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Sean
I nominate every song on Sgt. Pepper.
2 - Paul Herrington
Finally someone who agrees with me. Jim Morrison was just a junkie with an attitude problem. Real rockers like Jimi Hendrix, Joplin, and even Bowie, had more upstairs than morrison. He was and will forever be a no talent ass clown. A teenager who road his friends to fame and ruined himself on a cross of pop consumerism. I despise morrison.
3 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Great stuff Robert. i second (or third) the Morrisson diss. What a pretentious knob.Poetry???? "There's a killer on the road / his brain is squirming like a toad" is one of the most hilarious lyrics i've ever heard.
And kudos on The Fall, although i don't agree. but still, nice to see them get a slap.
or, "get a slapaaaaaahhh"
4 - Aaman
This list is a great playlist by itself, even it's mostly fetish music.
5 - Robert
I found it interesting how rare it is to find anyone who disses the Beatles or Rolling Stones publically. It's like Rock & Roll blasphemy or something.
6 - Tan The Man
I can't agree with “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. It's too brilliant. Everything else, I can understand - especially "Hey Ya" by Outkast.
7 - Eric Olsen
I disagree with everyone but me - thanks Robbert!
8 - Rodney Welch
Someone should have made a video putting bleak footage of pre-1989 East Berlin against the song "Imagine." That's the kind of utopia Lennon is describing.
9 - Eric Olsen
RE Morrison: to be dead 35 years and STILL be misunderstood by otherwise sentient, even intelligent, human beings is a shame of sepulchral solemnity
10 - SFC Ski
How did "Stairway to Heaven" not make this list?
11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Ha! Sir Olsen, do i detect an admiration for our fuzzy-eyed friend??
12 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
my idea for a superhero frontman - Jim Morrissey. the mental images conjured by such a hybrid are staggering.
13 - todd
I gotta agree wholeheartedly with the Bruce Springsteen remarks. I never ever got his early "rock" stuff that peeps rave on about.
Now "Nebraska", thats a different story, and the song, "The River".
14 - Rob
Pretty good list. I had my fill of most of these songs years ago, but the radio stations keep playing them anyway!Here's a few more that bug the crap out of me (even though I do like other songs by these bands):
You Shook Me - AC/DC
American Woman - The Guess Who (I was just starting to get this out of my system and Lenny Kravitz covers it!!)
Smoke on The Water - Deep Purple
Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (guess I had to be there? He's got much better stuff)
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin (I know, but they have a ton of better songs)
Like A Prayer - Madonna
15 - Matthew T. Sussman
When I began reading the list, I noticed a trend after the third song. They were all long. And I miss this about songs. Nowadays bands don't know what to do after three minutes except play more of the same chords or scream like a vulture.
If you can rock that guitar, don't stop the rockin'.
And in regards to the drum play on "Pour Some Sugar On Me", what do you expect? The drummer has one freakin' arm!
16 - Amanda
I am such a sucker for these group-contribution articles. I can't believe nobody picked the same song. Excellent list, I totally agree with Light My Fire, Freebird, and Def Leppard. "Wonderwall," however, was turned into a totally different song by Ryan Adams. Noel /Liam actually perform it like that now, from what I hear.
17 - Robert
I think that "Stairway to Heaven" is brilliant. It only bothers us because we have heard it 58 bazillion times. If I heard it for the first time ever today it would win me over by the word "hedgerow"
18 - drake
"Stairway to Heaven" would've been my selection, but it's not digitally available so it's not allowed for the list (in order to make a playlist.)
In fact, my top 4 most overrated songs are all not digitally available, which prolly says something.
19 - Eric Olsen
I would say the "overplayed" element contributes to all these choices, except mine of course.
Duker, I think Morrison was a crappy person and a dopey pretentious poet, but one of the great frontmen, lyricists and lead singers in rock history
20 - Eric Olsen
Robert, I have taken the liberty of adding a second, explanatory, paragraph to my section, which should help defend my antipathy
21 - Robert
Cool... Man you REALLY hate the song.
Poor Freddy. I am glad he'll never read that...
22 - Rodney Welch
Eric, I'll give you great frontman, but the rest of it can blow me. Have there ever been a set of lyrics as dopey as those to "The Soft Parade"?
When all else fails, we can whip the horse’s eyes
And make them sleep, and cry...
For years, a buddy and I used to recite these words to each other whenever we needed a quick and easy laugh.
23 - Barry Stoller
Led Zep should be included, if for no other reason than most of their early hits (including parts of Stairway) were ripped off so they don't fully deserve all their acclaim. Then there are the superstars whose position is way over-valued - Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Fripp, David Byrne, Lou Reed, maybe even the Sex Pistols and White Stripes. (You got U2, right on.) Of course, there's overrated with the critics and overrated with the public, often those lists are very different. Nice to see no Iron Butterfly songs there, ha ha.
24 - Rodney Welch
Who did Led Zep rip off "Stairway" from?
25 - HW Saxton
'Twas some English cult figure folkie(s)
Rodney. Im gonna call a friend and get
back here with the correct answer in a
short while.