Is Pink Floyd overrated?

Absolutely no way are Floyd overrated. One of the all time great prog bands, and one of the most influential. They were involved right at the start of the prog movement, ie Atom Heart Mother suite, a true epic rather than a few songs thrown together. Their output from AHM through to The Wall was outstanding.

Wow, 5 pages already? This thread is overrated.

^ I would rate any discography by its best album ... maybe with really big discographies the top 2 or 3 albums. By that standard, Pink Floyd are underrated.

birdwithteeth11 wrote: darqDean wrote: [QUOTE=birdwithteeth11]   Before I started my response, I just wanted to point out a couple things from your post, which I hope you will read carefully before reading my response. First of all I'd like to thank you for taking the time in engaging me in a stimulating, intellectual debate, one of the things in life that I enjoy. I still stick by my statements that PF was influential in the progressive movement and goodness knows there would be many bands that wouldn't exist today, both inside and outside of prog, if they had never existed. However, that doesn't mean that I can't make the logical jump to saying they're overrated. For example, anyone that I personally know who isn't heavily into prog, or doesn't listen to it, tends to treat PF as if they are God incarnate, which is what in the end bugs me the most. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if many people on this site feel the same way. Let me give you a mainstream example and a prog example. Someone I know from my summer job told me a few days ago that he thinks that PF is easily one of the top 5 bands of all time and asked if I agreed with him. When I said they'd probably be in my top 150, he freaked out and asked how I couldn't like the greatest band in the world. As soon as I started explaining how PF made simplistic music, he said he had no clue what I was talking about and promptly continued, jokingly, belittling me for not liking PF enough, ignoring what I'd just said. Another example is of a friend of mine who has been listening to prog metal for a couple years now, but is just getting into the classic 70s material. Awhile ago, I remember making an anti-PF comment in front of him and he was on my case immediately, saying many of the same points that you've mentioned. I claimed that the fact that PF makes prog music simplistic enough for a mainstream audience to absorb it and immediately think that said band is God helps prove my point on why I think they're overrated. Some of their albums in particular are overrated in terms of how proggy they are. I wouldn't doubt for a minute that Animals, AHM, and WYWH are definitely albums that deserve more recognition, but albums like DSOTM and The Wall make me wonder how committed they are to the prog scene. Unfortunately I don't have enough time to cover everything I want to in your post, but if there is anything else you wish to debate/still don't fully understand about my opinion please feel free to respond to me again.

darqDean wrote: birdwithteeth11 wrote: *Cough, cough* Maybe you should go back and read what I originally posted. I believed I used this thing called "a well constructed and reasoned argument" that you speak of If you disagree with anything that I have to say, please let me know and I will be more than happy to debate you or anyone else on this thread that disagrees with me.   what?  this one?.... birdwithteeth11 wrote: There are a couple points I'd like to address on this post of yours febus. First of all, you can't honestly think that we should ban the use of the word overrated. I, for one, have called several bands on this website 'overrated', including, to be honest and since it relates to the thread, Pink Floyd. Part of this forum and website is so people can express themselves openly. Why do you think PA lets its members write their own reviews? Secondly, as much as I dislike Pink Floyd these days, I won't deny that they are an important contributor for progressive rock (and even mainstream rock) as well as many other bands that followed. Part of the reason I dislike PF may be that I listened to them so much as a young teenager for a period of about two years that I burned myself out on them, as well as the fact that I've discovered many other bands who I feel are better. One of my favorite bands of all time, Dream Theater, might not be the same band it is without its PF influence. Thirdly, the fact that PF is considered one of the 4 biggest/original prog bands, along with KC, Yes, and Genesis, and yet they make, IMO, more simplistic music than the other 3 says something. After all, aren't complex rhythms, rapid time signature changes, and so forth elements that distinguish progressive rock from other genres of rock? While I may disagree with you febus, I still respect your opinion. I would prefer to listen to PF over the garbage on the radio these days, but I think that in all honesty you might be the one who isn't being open enough to other people's opinions. If you wish to have a debate on this topic, I'm more than willing to engage you, but hopefully you can at least understand why I dislike PF.   Sorry, but no. You explained that you "dislike them", that you "burned myself out on them" and you found other bands you think are "better" but not why you believe they are overrated.   Your 'dislike' of any band is not a measure of how overrated they are. Just because lots of people like them and you don't does not make them overrated. Overrated does not mean they make music you once liked but no longer do. This is not simply an argument over semantics - overrated is not the opposite of 'rated', 'this band is overrated' does not mean 'I don't rate this band' (which is what you have implied).   Overrate : to rate, value, or estimate too highly   What it does mean when you use the word 'overrated' is that you believe they have received undeserved praise, adulation or reward - success higher than they are entitled too, but you haven't explained why you think that is the case. To the contrary you have stated how historically significant they are, not only to the initial development of Prog Rock but to the formative years of bands you do like. I think it is fair to say that Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth and a myriad of other bands you 'rate' would not be here if it were not for the influence of Pink Floyd (direct or otherwise). By your own admission, your formative years were guided by Pink Floyd - there appears to be a clear progression in your Prog-appreciation/development that started with Pink Floyd and moved through Pink Floyd influenced bands...   ...without Pink Floyd you wouldn't be posting here. ( have I just shot myself in the foot?)   Saying their music is 'simplistic' is nothing to do with how 'overrated' they are (or are not )... they have never been 'rated' or described as a band that makes complex music, yet from their entire back-catalogue there are numerous tracks that exhibit those elements you say distinguish Prog from other genres of rock - (Pink Floyd wouldn't be Pink Floyd without them) - complexity is not the be-all and end-all of Prog ... it's how you use those building-blocks that matters, Pink Floyd managed to make complex music that sounds simplistic, shame on them.   and going back to my original post:   some PF fanboy wrote: ...and what saddens me more is that the bands these 'bashers' like in preference I also like (but probably not as much)...   ...Your avatar - Mikael Åkerfeldt ... Opeth - great band - my absolute favourite Prog/Death Metal band - I have 'rated' them from the time when I first heard My Arms Your Hearse and now own every album they've released, I for one was not disappointed with Watershed ... Katatonia - loved his death growls on Brave Murder Day ... Ishahn - his vocals on 'Unhealer' are a highlight of Ishahn's new album AngL ...Ayreon - many don't like Fear's brief growl on THE - I love it ...   ...Your Sig - Steven Wilson ... Porcupine Tree - my favourite of all the modern Prog bands, from On the Sunday of Life to Nil Recurring I love them all ... No-man - my first introduction to Mr. Wilson's talents and a firm favourite in my collection ... Bass Communion - absolutely brilliant - all Prog musicians should release 'solo' albums that are outside the box and unlike anything they've done before ... IEM - the name says it all ... solo - have all his 'cover' singles so far and I will complete the set when he finishes them.   ...(one of) Your favourite bands of all time - Dream Theater - I bought A Change of Seasons solely because of "In The Flesh" on "The Big Medley" and haven't looked back since, though I think only every other album they release is a masterpiece . I even have their live cover of DSotM - which is okay, but for me cannot match PFs original or the live version on Pulse.     ...now I'm not saying because I like some the bands you evidently like means that you should in turn like the bands I like, that would be daft - everyone's taste is different, but that doesn't make the bands I like and you don't any less valid and it certainly does not mean that I 'overrate' them and I definitely would not claim that you 'overrate' the bands you like that I don't (whover they are )   When people express themselves openly the should choose the words they use carefully.

Before I started my response, I just wanted to point out a couple things from your post, which I hope you will read carefully before reading my response.

First of all I'd like to thank you for taking the time in engaging me in a stimulating, intellectual debate, one of the things in life that I enjoy. I still stick by my statements that PF was influential in the progressive movement and goodness knows there would be many bands that wouldn't exist today, both inside and outside of prog, if they had never existed. However, that doesn't mean that I can't make the logical jump to saying they're overrated. For example, anyone that I personally know who isn't heavily into prog, or doesn't listen to it, tends to treat PF as if they are God incarnate, which is what in the end bugs me the most. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if many people on this site feel the same way. Let me give you a mainstream example and a prog example. Someone I know from my summer job told me a few days ago that he thinks that PF is easily one of the top 5 bands of all time and asked if I agreed with him. When I said they'd probably be in my top 150, he freaked out and asked how I couldn't like the greatest band in the world. As soon as I started explaining how PF made simplistic music, he said he had no clue what I was talking about and promptly continued, jokingly, belittling me for not liking PF enough, ignoring what I'd just said. Another example is of a friend of mine who has been listening to prog metal for a couple years now, but is just getting into the classic 70s material. Awhile ago, I remember making an anti-PF comment in front of him and he was on my case immediately, saying many of the same points that you've mentioned. I claimed that the fact that PF makes prog music simplistic enough for a mainstream audience to absorb it and immediately think that said band is God helps prove my point on why I think they're overrated. Some of their albums in particular are overrated in terms of how proggy they are. I wouldn't doubt for a minute that Animals, AHM, and WYWH are definitely albums that deserve more recognition, but albums like DSOTM and The Wall make me wonder how committed they are to the prog scene. Unfortunately I don't have enough time to cover everything I want to in your post, but if there is anything else you wish to debate/still don't fully understand about my opinion please feel free to respond to me again.

birdwithteeth11 wrote: *Cough, cough* Maybe you should go back and read what I originally posted. I believed I used this thing called "a well constructed and reasoned argument" that you speak of If you disagree with anything that I have to say, please let me know and I will be more than happy to debate you or anyone else on this thread that disagrees with me.

Okocha wrote: Treasure wrote: I think most of their early psychedlic stuff was pure garbage and they've really made nothing of interest since The Wall.   Are they overrated?   Yes       1) IMO The Wall is the one of the worst albums by PF !!!    2) The Dark Side of the Moon 3) Atom Heart Mother 4) Wish You Were Here 4) UmmaGumma(Live) etc...   2,3,4.... :This is why PF are great !!!

Edited by darksideof - June 17 2008 at 14:36

Sorry for the many posts but I really liked your answers !!!

someone_else wrote: It seems that you have aimed an arrow at a sacred cow. They've earned their place in prog history by producing lots of interesting and influential stuff, especially in the period 1968-1977. I don't think they're overrated...

darksideof wrote: Treasure wrote: I think most of their early psychedlic stuff was pure garbage and they've really made nothing of interest since The Wall.   Are they overrated?   Yes  pure Gargage?!!! no wonder you are a newbie!!!