Most Overrated Bands of All Time

This Tuesday, Pitchfork releases its book about the 500 best songs from the Punk era through today. For those who don't know Pitchfork is a music website known for their somewhat snarky reviews and their love of some bands that are just unlistenable. In honor of their book I figured it might be a good time to come up with a list of some overrated bands that they will no doubt be fawning over.

NIRVANA
I actually like Nirvana and thought they were a good band, but much like Jimi Hendrix they are given too much respect because the early demise of each causes people to wonder what might have been. In that vein Nirvana has been given complete and total credit for the birth of alternative music and causing the death of hair metal. A few problems with that theory.

- Groups like Guns and Roses and Metallica had already become hugely popular before the dawn of Nirvana and their success caused the hair metal bands to change their approach and adopt a different style.

- Alternative acts such as Jane's Addiction, Faith No More and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had already broken into the mainstream. Not to the extent of Nirvana, but change was upon us.

I'm not going to say that Nirvana is a lousy band and undeserving of praise, but when you see polls listing Kurt Cobain as one of the all time greatest guitarists there is clearly a disconnect between perception and reality.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE (MBV)
If you look at any list of best CD's from the 90s you are sure to see MBV's "Loveless" in the top 2 or 3. I've listened to this CD several times and simply do not get it. The songs have no melody and the lyrics cannot be understood. It seems like a case where people want to say this is a great CD simply to show you that they are more musically enlightened than you are because it can't be because this is truly a great CD.

U2
Never has a band gotten more mileage from essentially recycling the same riff over and over again.

SCOTT WALKER
He shouldn't be confused with Milwaukee's County Executive, but my guess is our County Executive could create a better CD. If Walker releases a CD it's sure to be in any lists Top 10 of the year. I'm thinking this is another case of trying to be on a higher plane than the unwashed masses, but I challenge you to get through one of his CD's. I know I failed in my attempt.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Jimi Hendrix - For many of the same reasons Nirvana is
The Ramones - If The Clash had no talent they might sound like these guys
The Fleet Foxes - I liked it the first time when it was Crosby, Stills and Nash
Bruce Springsteen - Great live, but not very many truly memorable songs for the amount of output he has