What artist do you put above all others in terms of lack of talent but somehow has achieved success?
For me Madonna has to be the queen of mediocrity (mediocre being a compliment in this case) - can't sing or act and what's with the fake english accent after living there a whole two years. And don't get me going with all these new female jazz "singers" with that vomit inducing vibratoless whisper that seems to have become mandatory in that genre today......Jones clones.
Boston. It really was more than a feeling? Foreigner. Try not to cringe when listening to Hot-Blooded. Styx and Stones. Enuff said. Styx: still waiting for the spaceship. The Stones: also break my bones for dialing it for three decades. Kiss: should never base a career on a tongue. Which is also the case of the Stones? Wow. Hair Metal: came and felt the noise: was bored like wet Spandex.
But don't feel so bad, there is always 2010:
Lady Gaga: should probably focus on a career in fashion.
I gotta join in bagging Diana Krall, Patricia Barber, and Norah Jones. After reading audiophiles go on and on about them, I had to download a few cd's to see what I was missing out on. That's just music-lite. Not saying they don't have talent or good voices, it's just their music is soooo bland.
Phil Collins is another talentless gasbag. Even his drumming is sappy(though skilled). He's as cheesey as Bolton and Yanni.
Green Day deserves special attention for claiming to be punk, or even punk-inspired. They're just David Cassidy with spiked hair and tattoos.
Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston have a special place in Lame Duck Land. How they've gotten away with the vocal masturbation for so long, I don't know.
And while I'm at it, can we ban the word "Diva" for the rest of this century. The only ones who have any right to assume that title these days are Drag Queens. At least they have originality.
I'm gonna through The Eagles under the bus, too. Loved them in the 70's, but listening to them now just highlights how incredible schmaltzy they were. Really, "Tequila Sunrise" and "Disco Strangler"?
Sheryl Crow is this generation's Barry Mannilow - her talent is in writing 30 second tv commercial jangles.
Hey, I'm loving this thread, it's kinda cathartic.
Ouch! Panning Billy Joel.....and Patricia Barber? Have another listen and get out of your rut. Sorry, but both are brilliant! Innovative artists always seem to have the hardest challenges. Of course.
Absolutely agree. Bought one of her albums and thought it was ok, bought more and not only will she make you doze off but they all sound exactly the same, no flavor whatsoever. Funny thing is now you have all these other chicks trying to emulate her. The name too.......sounds like a little old lady with a sewing machine.
Yeah, I was listening to my local jazz show the other night, and thought, "Jeez, what is this?" It was Patricia Barber, and just horrendously awful (not that she has "made it," but still really bad.)
Why is it that people like Michael Bolton, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald & Joe Cocker live so long and folks like Roy Orbison & Elvis Presly, aned Pavorotti, did not?
Possessing a wonderful voice is apparently terminal.
Another vote for Sheryl Crow. Also, your'e gonna hate this, but, the Black Eyed Peas and U2. It seems, the more popular artists become, the more I am dumbfounded by their lack of talent. Hey, Kristopherson CAN write.
All of the other bands you mention have given Metallica gigantic heaps of recognition for their influence. And it is one behemoth of an influence.
If you're actually going to badmouth Metallica's first four records while exalting the joys of Megadeth and Slayer, I have no words for that level of silliness!
I will have to defend Metallica also as I really think their earlier albums (Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, the Black album) defined heavy metal and were very well done.
Stevie Nicks - Most $ ever extracted from half an octave of range.
Joe Jackson - Listen to something new - Joe'll rip it off in next album
Bono's got talent up the wazoo next to "the edge". Same guitar riff (shuffle actually) on every track - AND, he made #26 on best guitarists - Bwhahahahahahah
Kenny G. is a popular guy to knock just like like Barry Manilow but his album "Classics in the Key of G" is an excellent album, audiophile quality and very well done. I don't have a comment on any of his other stuff but this one is really worth a listen.
Metallica has to be the most over rated and non deserving band. They were just really lucky and are the most over paid garage band in all of music. Slayer, Megadeth, Priest, Maiden can actually write and create worthy material.
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