Is a word "OVERRATED" overused when it comes to judging music?

[WildRanger]

Most people often call some acclaimed or popular bands or albums, that are not to their taste, overrated.
Do you think that word is overused?

[KevShmev]

This thread is overrated.

[WildRanger]

This thread is overrated.

Nope!

[Crow]

the word "overrated" is overrated

[King Postwhore]

This thread is overrated.

You son of a bitch.  You beat me too it.

[ChuckSteak]

Overrated is merely "I don't like this as much as other people do and therefore I can't understand why everyone likes this or why is it so successful."

A pretty common attitude of someone who thinks his tastes are the absolute truth of the universe and can't understand that the next guy may like something different.

It's the same with underrated. "Oh this band deserves more attention! Why? Because I say so!!"

[Indiscipline]

The mere concept of rating music is vastly overrated.

[TAC]

The mere concept of rating music is vastly overrated.

...and overused.






Bosk, anytime now.....

[MirrorMask]

Overrated is merely "I don't like this as much as other people do and therefore I can't understand why everyone likes this or why is it so successful."

Queen's Another One Bites the Dust is vastly overrated.

.....or it is? 

[IDontNotDoThings]

Overrated just means not understanding the popularity of the music, which is perfectly fine. It's only really an issue when people use it to be condescending.

[Zantera]

I think overrated is a fine word to use for music you like well enough, but its reputation is so massive you don't feel it's on par with the hype. However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

[MirrorMask]

However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

Just like the word "filler" - a filler is a song written specifically to fill up an album otherwise too much short, and that's the precise reason why Sabbath's Paranoid and Priest's You've Got Another Thing Coming were written - both worldwide smashing hits.

Nowadays people use it to label songs on an album they don't like that much, "I don't like this song therefore I'm sure they wrote it only to have more songs on the album".

Also in this day and age there is no longer the need for "fillers". A filler had its purpouse back in the vynil days where albums were 45 minutes long and if you had a 37-ish minutes long album you'd felt inclined to write just one more song to round it up.

[King Postwhore]

I think overrated is a fine word to use for music you like well enough, but its reputation is so massive you don't feel it's on par with the hype. However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

You can use it when it comes to a band that has popularity and you don't like the music or think their impact though big isn't justified.

[Zantera]

I think overrated is a fine word to use for music you like well enough, but its reputation is so massive you don't feel it's on par with the hype. However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

You can use it when it comes to a band that has popularity and you don't like the music or think their impact though big isn't justified.

Sure but what I mean is - if you're someone who listens exclusively to rock/metal and don't like anything outside of it - then calling artists like Ed Sheeran or Kanye West "overrated" is not the right word IMO when it's clearly music that doesn't appeal to you either way.

As an example I would say Rolling Stones are overrated to me - I like some of their songs and think they're an okay band - just not close to the level of hype. I wouldn't use that word for someone who is big in a genre I don't like - for example Pavarotti / cause I don't like opera music.

[lordxizor]

I think the only issue with the word is when it's used as if it is some objective truth instead of that person's opinion.

[ClairvoyantCat]

I do think that it's kind of inherently snobby to say it but when the whole music community is nutting over something and I find it to be some weak shit, how can I help myself?  The word just forms in my mouth.

[The Walrus]

Overused? I dunno. I think it's misused pretty often but not overused. The only times I think I roll my eyes at it is when there's a discussion amongst fans of a particular genre or subgenre and they talk about some obscure band being overrated. Really?? A good portion of a fanbase for a niche type of music loving something doesn't equate to 'overrated' imo. I tend to reserve the term for well known bands or artists who have been around a long time. I think Metallica is overrated for several reasons related to their popularity and mass appeal, but not necessarily because of the music itself: lots of people only know a handful of songs but love them to death. I know a few guys who don't own any of their albums, just know the hits, but have Metallica stickers on their trucks, for example. That lends to the idea of them being overrated, but it's not because I turn my nose up at their music (although I do for most everything after RTL).

[King Postwhore]

I think overrated is a fine word to use for music you like well enough, but its reputation is so massive you don't feel it's on par with the hype. However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

You can use it when it comes to a band that has popularity and you don't like the music or think their impact though big isn't justified.

Sure but what I mean is - if you're someone who listens exclusively to rock/metal and don't like anything outside of it - then calling artists like Ed Sheeran or Kanye West "overrated" is not the right word IMO when it's clearly music that doesn't appeal to you either way.

As an example I would say Rolling Stones are overrated to me - I like some of their songs and think they're an okay band - just not close to the level of hype. I wouldn't use that word for someone who is big in a genre I don't like - for example Pavarotti / cause I don't like opera music.

Yup.  That's what I was saying as well.

[Stadler]

I'm sensitive to this, because I'm usually the guy yelling that "good" is subjective.   I kind of just reserve this for the cases where someone is trying to objectify their subjective opinion.   Like calling "The Beatles" overrated.  I'm not sure how anyone can credibly say that "The Beatles" are overrated.   They've touched SOOO many people, that the fact they didn't touch YOU is more about YOU than the millions and millions and millions of people that might have over-stated their talent/good looks.

It's a similar story with "underrated", which I believe you see way more often.   I tend to believe that the cream rises to the top.   There's a reason why Aerosmith are legendary, and the 101 knock-offs from the Sunset Strip are now doing package casino tours with four other bands with 3/5 original members.   So when someone says "Steven Wilson is underrated" I tend to think "no, he's rated just right, but you don't agree with that".   

But that's me.  Then again, I think Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers are way overrated, and Asia and Night Ranger are underrated. 

[TAC]

    Then again, I think Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers are way overrated,

Wrong...

and Asia and Night Ranger are underrated. 

...and wrong.

Stadler..

[The Walrus]

TAC, I'ma let you finish, but Alpha is one of the best albums of all time. I'm dead serious.

[Stadler]

TAC, I'ma let you finish, but Alpha is one of the best albums of all time. I'm dead serious.

And Night Ranger belongs in the "bands who's first four records are amazing..." category.

Couple that with Anthony Keidis sounding like he picked the key at random, and Billy Joe Armstrong being a punk ass bitch, and, well, there you go. 

[The Walrus]

TAC, I'ma let you finish, but Alpha is one of the best albums of all time. I'm dead serious.

And Night Ranger belongs in the "bands who's first four records are amazing..." category.

Couple that with Anthony Keidis sounding like he picked the key at random, and Billy Joe Armstrong being a punk ass bitch, and, well, there you go. 

Well... 2 outta 3 ain't bad... 

[TAC]

And Night Ranger belongs in the "bands who's first four records are amazing..." category.

Night Ranger has four albums? I just thought every tour was the Sister Christian tour.

[King Postwhore]

Funny, I heard of UFO from Kerrang but God knows heard them on USA radio. 

I thought they were fake.

[Stadler]

And Night Ranger belongs in the "bands who's first four records are amazing..." category.

Night Ranger has four albums? I just thought every tour was the Sister Christian tour.

You hurt me.   

[Indiscipline]

Funny, I heard of UFO from Kerrang but God knows heard them on USA radio. 

I thought they were fake.

A lot of abducted people swear they were real.

[King Postwhore]

Funny, I heard of UFO from Kerrang but God knows heard them on USA radio. 

I thought they were fake.

A lot of abducted people swear they were real.

They were just talking out of their asses or something like that.

[TAC]

Funny, I heard of UFO from Kerrang but God knows heard them on USA radio. 

I thought they were fake.

A lot of abducted people swear they were real.

They were just talking out of their asses or something like that.

It's a common occurrence in Southern New Hampshire.

[Sacul]

Only saying something is overrated has no value at all because you're not saying why you think something gets more praise than it deserves, you're no arguing, not giving genuine criticism, only talking out of your ass and hoping others will understand you, but they won't. It's no different from saying 'it sucks!', 'spicy', or 'awesome'.

[Zook]

I think overrated is a fine word to use for music you like well enough, but its reputation is so massive you don't feel it's on par with the hype. However, I notice most cases people use overrated when talking about bands making music that just isn't for them - which I personally think is wrong choice of word.

You can use it when it comes to a band that has popularity and you don't like the music or think their impact though big isn't justified.

Sure but what I mean is - if you're someone who listens exclusively to rock/metal and don't like anything outside of it - then calling artists like Ed Sheeran or Kanye West "overrated" is not the right word IMO when it's clearly music that doesn't appeal to you either way.

The right word to use is shit.

And I don't listen exclusively to rock/metal.

[WildRanger]

Overrated is merely "I don't like this as much as other people do and therefore I can't understand why everyone likes this or why is it so successful."

A pretty common attitude of someone who thinks his tastes are the absolute truth of the universe and can't understand that the next guy may like something different.

It's the same with underrated. "Oh this band deserves more attention! Why? Because I say so!!"

Very well said.

I don't really think there are overrated or underrated bands, just bands that you dig more or less, or not, or bands that made it big more or less, or not.
I never liked AC/DC that much but that don't make them automatically overrated only because millions of people around the world love them. And if I say they are overrated it actually means that I think those millions of people who are AC/DC fans shouldn't love that band because I don't. It's absurd.