Most Overrated Band of the 'Big Six'

Something is overrated because it has more popular opinions attributed to it than others. Therefore it is not good. Is this the "logic" behind this overrated idea?

However, the trouble here (for me) is there are other artists (e.g K West) who seem to achieve considerable acclaim yet to me is over rated (largely because to me he sounds like Frank Spencer fronting Motorhead)...

Still trying to reconcile all this overrating thing...


re the above 6 pop groups... Far and away too many fine albums by these bands.

Veto.

They are all essential except the one which i find rather Dull..

Edited by addictedtoprog - November 02 2015 at 11:34

I look at things in terms of popular critical opinion and, that being the case, ELP shouldn't be on this list as they've been whipping boys for decades (Jethro Tull isn't far behind in that respect). You might like them and say they're under-rated, but they're hardly critics' darlings so they can't be over-rated. Of this list, the truly respected bands would be Genesis (they're in the Rock Hall of Fame, which is some sort of indicator), Pink Floyd, and Crimson (even when prog took a critical beating, it was okay with hipper-than-thou critics to like KC and VdGG).

Of those three I like PF the least, from Dark Side forward (absolutely love Piper and Saucerful, though!) so that's where my vote went. Honestly though, I never considered them or JT part of the prog scene in the 70s (a lot of prog fans didn't, evidenced by a fair number of folks on here and progressiveears feeling the same way; Rolling Stone's Encyclopedia of Rock didn't include PF part of the prog scene either) but I know some people do, so fair enough.

Genesis aren't my cuppa anymore either, from any era.

Haven't heard any recent Crimson stuff (like, from the 90s onward) but I still like a lot of the 70s stuff.

I find Can, Magma, and VdGG far more interesting than any of these groups but they've sold a fraction of what these bands have sold so it's a pretty accurate / honest Big Six list. For instance, VdGG achieved modest success in England in the 70s, but where they might play to 1,500 (a respectable crowd at a nice theater), any of the bands on this list, barring KC, could be playing to 15,000 on the same night (certainly by the late 70s for Genesis).

Edited by bucka001 - November 07 2015 at 16:00

Reluctant to even answer this one, but have to go with Jethro Tull, even though I really love three of JTs albums (not including Aqualung). 

^ aye.

How Jethro Tull can be an overrated band if they are the least rated (in numbers and grades) of the above groups, and only two albums are in the PA Top 100 list?

I mean, ok you dont like it, but I guess that there is a faire number of like/dislikes on JT - enough for them to not be overrated.

When you say ''overrated'' do you mean in the real world or in the prog world?

Because overall only Pink Floyd achieved huge commercial success, Genesis is next but most people think of them after Gabriel was gone and it's not prog anymore so it doesn't really count. IMO Pink Floyd did 2 albums that were really prog: WYWH and Animals, maybe The Division Bell all the rest is space rock, art rock, acid rock, psychedelic rock, rock...

So overrated in the real world it can only be Pink Floyd, even tho I wouldn't agree, overrated on PA well I don't know.

TheLionOfPrague wrote: GKR wrote: How Jethro Tull can be an overrated band if they are the least rated (in numbers and grades) of the above groups, and only two albums are in the PA Top 100 list? I mean, ok you dont like it, but I guess that there is a faire number of like/dislikes on JT - enough for them to not be overrated. Thick as a Brick is number 2 and was number 1. ELP doesn't have an album in the top 60 or so.

Yeah, but thats only TAAB. I mean, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes and King Crimson are waaaayyyy better rated overall. I was thinking "overall".

Ah, this overrated things are too damn confusing!

Horizons wrote: GKR wrote: How Jethro Tull can be an overrated band if they are the least rated (in numbers and grades) of the above groups, and only two albums are in the PA Top 100 list? I mean, ok you dont like it, but I guess that there is a faire number of like/dislikes on JT - enough for them to not be overrated. I think that is the point. You always hear about them but in reality they aren't that special, that's why people rate them lower.

My definition of over-rated is based on degree of public acclaim for the band (e.g. advocacy or on PA forums and album ratings) vs my own enjoyment from the band's music. I'm open to any advice about how this could be anything other than subjective!



On that definition, for me it has to be King Crimson: apart from that first album, and a few other songs here and there, listening to the earlier KC albums leave me feeling like I've been mugged (e.g. Red) or subjected to improvisation that I don't "get", then the music on the '80's KC albums onward too often leaves me cold. That reflects my musical tastes to date of course - I'd much rather choose to listen to The Snow Goose or some Procol Harum than to most KC or VDGG for that matter. But...who knows - at some time in the future my musical palate may evolve to appreciate KC!