Top 5 most overrated artists of 2011
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It seems that with each passing year, the swelling amount of hype and buzz that surrounds certain bands and musicians eclipses and eventually drowns out any of the music that they produce. That is certainly not the band's fault (in most cases), but a lot of music fans get turned off by seeing and hearing certain artists everywhere they turn. But at the same time, a LOT of people buy into the endless hype and promotion of these bands, making the artists themselves very famous and wealthy in the process, which only feeds into the backlash.
So while I'm sure that for every person who agrees with some of my selections of the most overrated bands and musicians of this year, there will be three people that love those very same artists passionately. But who knows, by this time next year, they might be sick of them too. I know I am.
I've
tried with EMA, I really have. But I just can't get into her sound at
all, really. It doesn't help that her show at the Entry was terrible,
but even on record I still find her lacking. A lot of people whose
music tastes I respect love EMA, so I keep giving her a chance, but I'm done trying. I'll take PJ Harvey every day of the week.
4. Dawes
Most
people I know in the Twin Cities love this band. A lot of my friends
who live in other cities don't even know who they are. Local music fans
are absolutely rabid for this band, And while I certainly get the
appeal of Dawes (having seen them live a couple of times), I really have
no idea why they are THAT popular around here. But it's a love affair
that clearly goes both ways, as the California band chose to play
Minneapolis for their New Year's Eve show. Me, I've got other plans that
night.
3. Adele
I wonder if anyone at
Adele's 2008 show at Theatre De La Jeune Lune had any idea she would go
on to become one of the biggest selling acts of the last few years.
Sure, she's got a good voice, and she works with talented producers and
songwriters (including local boy Dan Wilson) who have helped her get
where she is. But seriously, she bailed on First Avenue (twice) because
she felt she should be playing arenas in the U.S., and not dingy
nightclubs (I don't totally buy the voice excuse, even with her recent
surgery). It's just added drama that this diva-in-the-making can use to
write more flimsy songs of woe.
2. Odd Future
When
I was in High School (before grunge broke), all I listened to was rap
music. Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, Boogie Down Productions. I
loved all of that. And the reason I identified with that particular
style of hip-hop was that there was a message being delivered there by
some truly talented poets. Words of wisdom that weren't necessarily
directed at a white kid living in suburban Milwaukee, but I still took
their message to heart and learned something about black culture in the
process. I don't hear any of that in the rhymes of Odd Future. All I
hear is misogynistic, violent, homophobic garbage from a bunch of kids
who don't know shit over tired bedroom beats. There are plenty of other
hip-hop acts that deserve the kind of attention the Odd Future crew are
currently receiving, I just hope raps fans find them and forget about
these guys until they learn to grow up.
1. Foster The People
The
continued, growing appeal of this band just baffles me. On the strength
of one smash-hit which I'm not even going to type here, Foster The
People are set to play the Target Center next year. And they will
probably sell-out the place. But where these fans come from and, more
importantly, WHY, is beyond me. Their music sounds like nails on the
chalkboard to me, and comes across as soulless and thin. I'm not saying
that they are bad people (I've actually heard that they are all very
nice), I'm just saying they make bad music that is clearly not for me.
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