Most UNDERRATED and Most OVERRATED Artists Ever...

As proven by the critical acclaim of my last entry (hold for applause).... I will continue with the tim honored tradition/ fact that every one loves a good "best/worst" list!! So here is my take on what is an oft debated subject "Best Music Artist". I'll take it a step further, I'll tell you who are the most UNDERRATED musical performers ever and match them up with a corresponding OVERRATED musical artist.

Hold onto your butts...

90's Alternative Rockers
Underrated - Tonic. Calling Tonic alternative is sort of stretch but they came along during the era of Alt-rockers and ended being played on the same radio stations, countdowns, etc. The fact of the matter is that noone made more solid and listenable tunes in that genre than Tonic.
Overrated - Nirvana. Don't get me wrong their music was good and quite catchy but the whole Kurt Cobaine "I'm so miserable" routine wore thin pretty quick. People often wonder how successful the band could have been had he not taken his own life. Let me fill you in, they would have followed the same path as STP and Pearl Jam... performing at the Cambria County Fair.


Rock Pioneers
Underrated - Buddy Holly. Before losing his life prematurely in a plane crash ("Bye, bye, Miss American pie") Buddy Holly was well on his way to rebuilding the American music scene. His rendition of "Bo Diddley" is as authentic as the original.
Overrated - The Beatles. I'm so tired of hearing about how GREAT the Beatles were. Enough already! They started off making mediocre pop music and progressed into ridiculous psycodelic mumbo-jumbo. "I am the walrus, coo-coo, cachoo"... wow, that's groundbreaking stuff.


Pop Princesses


Underrated - Kelly Clarkson. Yeah, she won American Idol but unlike most young pop-stars (see below) she makes really good music. I recommend her new album to anyone who likes well written, quality pop music.
Overrated- Britney Spears. One look at her goofy antics on that ridiculous reality show and you can see that the train for Crazy-ville is leaving the station. Britney, do us all a favor move back to the trailer-park with Mr. Federline and have a bunch of no-talent kids.

Country Music Crooners
Underrated - Jerry Reed. Listening to JerryReed conjours up real images of what it must be like to be a honky-tonk singer. Playing in smoky bars, hitchhiking from town to town. Too many modern day country singers just don't seem like the genuine article (see below.)
Overrated - Toby Keith. Again, not a bad singer per se but WAY overrated for what his music actually is.... a watered down version of George Strait or Alan Jackson.

Hip-Hop Icons
Underrated - Mos Def. Quite simply the most talented rapper out right now... and the most underappreciated. Probably because he doesn't rap about some fake gangsta lifestyle like most of today's stars. Just true, smart lyrics.
Overrated - (Tie) 50 Cent& Tupac. 50 Cent was hailed as the "next big innovator" in rap and then proceeded to produce the same 4-5 songs over and over again (tell me there is a difference between "Magic Stick" and "Candy Shop" come on, really.) If not for an overblown feud with Notorious B.I.G., Tupac would be just another so-so rapper. I'm still not convinced his death wasn't a set up to sell more records.

Well there you have it folks. "Let the debating begin..."