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Solo Artists: Most Underrated And Overrated

May 16th, 2008 10:52am EDT Post a comment

In one week, "American Idol" will add one more solo artist to the music history. Whoever it is, they have their work cut out for them. America has a penchant for producing legendary solo artists. People like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Marvin Gaye all came from America.

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23 Member Comments

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Fri May 16 2008 11:01:31 By: Tom Sizemore (

18677)
Everything you say about Marley is wrong. I don't even have time to get into right now. It's just all wrong though.

Good stuff otherwise.

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Fri May 16 2008 11:12:56 By: * * Stargazer * * (

2009)
Gotta agree with Sizemore. Bob Marley is definitely NOT overrated. At all.

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Fri May 16 2008 12:12:50 By: Genemoney (

3)
I think your taste in music is terrible. You obviously don't know anything about Hip-hop so I won't get into it with you there. But it's your sense of musical history that's just plain horrible. Areatha Franklin had ground breaking success in the 70's. That's when she played the Filmore West and recorded the Amazing Grace album which she won a Grammy for. She also recorded the soundtrack for the movie Sparkle with R&B legend Curtis Mayfield. I'm surprised you didn't include Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen on your overrated list, to futher show you have no clue to what you're talking about. Guy's like you give bloging and internet journalism a bad name. Do us and yourself a favor, don't write anymore articles on music, you don't know enough.

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Fri May 16 2008 23:14:00 By: ewj (

1)
Andrew,
Your comments on Aretha, B.I.G (Jay-Z)and Bob Marley were way off base. I can only guess you don't really listen to music. SAD!
Thanks!

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Fri May 16 2008 23:30:16 By: springsteenfan (

794)
I don't listen to hip - hop so it is moot to comment on that, ALTHOUGH, I have to say that you, Andrew Payne, never mentioned ONE IOTA regarding the greatest funk and rap groups, respectively, and they would MOST DEFINITELY BE Parliament Funkadelic and Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five. These groups could JAM! And you did NOT EVEN give a mention to my MOST FAVORITE progressive rock band that comes from the Great White North of Canada RUSH.

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Sat May 17 2008 10:02:56 By: Guy Nacolojist (

1144)
wow dude, this took some serious cojones to write.
'
Rakim = who cares
Gabriel & Zevon should be in over-rated, not under-rated
Marley + Aretha shouldn't be on either list
Joplin + Biggie = definitely wayyyyy over-rated
Tupac should be here on your over-rated list, along with P(retentuious). Diddy, Rihanna, 50 Cent and Usher
MJ = come on dude? Really?
=
John Mayer, Fall Out Boy and Lily Allen should be on your under-rated list

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Sat May 17 2008 10:08:40 By: Guy Nacolojist (

1144)
@springsteenfan: Yeah, I'll kind of agree with the greatest band from the Great White North-- RUSH, but I don't think they'd make the top five under-rated. They are quite mainstream and well known amongst classic rock fans.
As for your funky side, I don't see any reason for any of those funksters to make an over-rated/under-rated list. They are what they are and they're kind of in their own niche. You want to put someone funk into the under-rated side, and I think that they could possibly fit nicely into this top five, I'd have to say Jamiroquai. Not a bad song out there from Jay-Kay & his crew, and this stuff should be played on top 40 radio like mad. It's incredible music that makes you move. These guys are huge 'across the pond' but aren't very well-known here and should be.

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Sat May 17 2008 10:23:37 By: IZOFBLOO (

1)
it's just a matter of opinion and taste. i love bob marley ! you could go anywhere in the world and people would recognize his music. notorious big,i loved him too. his music appealed to those who felt his words cause they lived them. he flowed NICE!And i didn't start liking his music because he died.

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Sun May 18 2008 09:41:59 By: Ben_Jamin (

1)
I think you suck. Bob Marley especially. "Fun times on the beach blah blah..." Yeah he did have a lot of children and a lot of women, but you say we shouldnt remember him for his (you make it seem almost fake) political activism. In December 1976, two days before "Smile Jamaica", a free concert organized by the Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley in an attempt to ease tension between two warring political groups, Marley, his wife, and manager Don Taylor were wounded in an assault by unknown gunmen inside Marley's home. Taylor and Marley's wife sustained serious injuries, but later made full recoveries. Bob Marley received serious injuries in the chest and arm. The shooting was thought to have been politically motivated, as many felt the concert was really a support rally for Manley. Nonetheless, the concert proceeded, and an injured Marley performed as scheduled. He constantly spoke out against injustice and the hope for the unification of Africa. You're a jackass. He is a legend.

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Sun May 18 2008 18:27:29 By: obfuse (

2)
WOW. What an ignorant jackass who should go back to listening to his emo crap and let the rest of us enjoy good music.

Bob Marley: "...but essentially he was a rich man's Jimmy Buffet"
You, sir, are an idiot.

Michael Jackson: UNDERrated? Is the author 15 years old?

What a mind-achingly retarded article. Please stop watching MTV and stop writing while you are at it. Very rarely are opinions wrong - but this takes the cake.

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Sun May 18 2008 20:14:40 By: Andrew Payne (

15)
Hey everyone - thanks for all the great comments. It's always a pleasure to see what readers think about my opinions.
I perhaps need to clarify what I said about Bob Marley as I've lived up to the suggestion of his first tour.
First of all, it should be noted that his most political work came as a member of the Wailers. This is not part of his solo career and while nobody can know for certain about the inner-workings of the band, fellow member Peter Tosh was far more politically active than Marley, and he may have been the impetus for that direction of the band.
Secondly, I'm not impugning Marley's musical ability. He's a fine musician, wrote some killer songs. I've been to the Bob Marley museum in Jamaica, so I know the man's work.
It's more that I'm referencing the perception of him in whole. As an example, I don't have the exact quote but in 1999 each writer for the Arts department at the New York Times was asked to select a piece of art that would last the next 1,000 years. The pop critic selected "Burnin'" - a Wailers album. That's silly in itself to think that he's outlast the Beatles or several other bands, but his reason was far more absurd. This isn't an exact quote but he said something like, "When the third world rises up to rule the earth, Bob Marley will be hailed as a saint."
To literally be placed on a plane equal with Jesus Christ, Muhammad or Buddha is as overrated as one can be. And it seems this opinion isn't unique to that writer.

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Sun May 18 2008 21:23:35 By: obfuse (

2)
"To literally be placed on a plane equal with Jesus Christ, Muhammad or Buddha is as overrated as one can be."
That's quite an assumption you've made there - that Bob Marley scores high on the Jesuslikishness scale, in terms of infamy. And you are the only one making it, I believe.
Anyways, this article is complete dreck. I certainly won't be coming back for more starpulse.

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Sun May 18 2008 23:49:46 By: Andrew Payne is a douche (

2)
His deeper cuts did reveal a political fire burning within, but essentially he was a rich man's Jimmy Buffet with his most well-known songs being "One Love" and a cover of "Stir It Up"
//Dude, you are a tool bag. I can see you have no taste in music & that you cannot recognize musical talent. I can only assume you are trolling because nobody would ever say the things you have about these musicians.
I mean Michael Jackson as the #1 underrated musician??? WTF!
////I don't know who greenlit this Piece of Kuck "article" you vomited onto this thread, but I hope they fire you & then proceed to take themselves off the internet & news stands for allowing you to write such nonsense.
////I hope you DIAF, or at least study what music/performance is really all about.
Schmuck.

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Mon May 19 2008 05:55:45 By: doggy149 (

2)
all of these were fads most of em were useless junkie layabouts that could sing. most of em were either shot died of overdoses that says a lot about american culture live by it die by it thats what i say.

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Mon May 19 2008 08:24:03 By: rastagirl09 (

12)
You are an ignorant individual.If you were educated you could simply tell the music creativity between bob marley and michael jackson. Although, michael jackson has many fans, bob marley is a cult figure,merely immortal to the eyes of musicians.john lennon made incredible music and is also a cult figure. you should swap the list because the overraters are underrated for their creativity.ive never seen mj perform after weeks of being gunned down at his home.people seem to underestimate marley's credibility b/c of his use of ganja. he is one of the best artists ever.

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Mon May 19 2008 09:15:57 By: Squints (

2818)
Andrew Payne is a douche:
Get out of your mom's basement. Seriously.

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Mon May 19 2008 09:25:54 By: Tom Sizemore (

18677)
Guy just called Fall Out Boy underrated?
*voids all Guy comments*

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Mon May 19 2008 15:56:57 By: Andrew Payne is a douche (

2)
Mon May 19 2008 09:15:57 By: Squints ( 2032)
Andrew Payne is a douche:
Get out of your mom's basement. Seriously.
//Well Squints. I can see you also have no taste in music, nor can you recognize talent or lack there of.

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Wed May 21 2008 11:32:22 By: say (

25)
Seriously, did you pop a cat tranquilizer b4 you wrote this garbage? Aretha paid her dues, John Lennon? Bob Marley was a brilliant song-writer,political activist, spiritualist, and a proud father. Who the hell are you to disrespect him and his family??? You're a royal X@@##!! You really need to check yourself !

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Wed May 21 2008 17:28:40 By: LifeCarnie (

2)
Everything you say about Marley is wrong. I don't even have time to get into right now. It's just all wrong though.
**********************
Preach it!

This whole article could be used as a prime example of why information on the internet is not credible.

Have you ever seen video of Bob Marley live? He was nothing like
Jimmy Buffet in concert.
************************
//all of these were fads most of em were useless junkie layabouts that could sing. most of em were either shot died of overdoses that says a lot about american culture live by it die by it thats what i say.//

One person died of substance abuse. So I suppose that means they all did. Including John Lennon and Biggie Smalls, who were actually shot to death.

Bullets are apparently a form of substance abuse in your mind.

Bullets

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Thu May 22 2008 18:01:27 By: czarhelix (

1)
Bob Marley? Overrated? Give me a break. There has not been another artist on this earth that has had as much of an impact as Bob. Go to any country, anywhere in the world and you will find Bob. From the rich to the poor. This was the worst article I read all day and the author should be beaten with rotten potatos. Preferbably in the head, neck and chest area.

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Thu May 29 2008 20:49:26 By: dmoney (

1)
I agree with some of your artist selections. First, Rakim could be boosted as high as number one in your underrated list. The popularity of hiphop music has grown exponentially. He is definitely the most influential rapper ever. The way he put together rhymes is true poetry. But, anybody who doesn’t recognize the importance or abilities of Micheal Jackson probably never listen to a single one of his albums. He is a true artist. But on the most overrated artists I have to disagree. The Notorious BIG is by far the best rapper ever. His flow is truly remarkable and probably will never be duplicated. He rapped like a jazz musician playing trumpet or sax. He could take some as simple as the word notorious and rap it, "no, to, ri, o, us, you just laydown slow." He had hits, but he had songs with very simple beats that he killed. Beats that any other rapper would just sound stupid on, he made you listen to them hundreds of times. A true classic. Bob Marley? Have you ever listened to Natural Mystic? One of the best albums ever, something you could listen to over and over and not notice when the songs even changed. Find any reggae artist and see who their main influence was. They will all say Bob Marley. Also being a founding member of the Beatles, the most influential musical group ever should take John Lennon right off the list. He had Ringo, George and Paul, but without John the Beetles would have never been the Beetles.

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Thu May 29 2008 20:53:27 By: hazel leo (

4978)
Yeah, this little news thing is all wrong. Aretha has a VERY good voice, she's the queen of soul. She's NOT overrated. Bob Marley isn't overrated either and neither is Janis Joplin.

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