We're nearing the halfway mark of 2012, and I'm already less-than-impressed with a lot of the music flying around in the top 10 of the US and UK charts. Here's a list of the most overrated and over promoted artists of this year so far.
Rita Ora - She was a dead giveaway since she had the title picture. I think she had a pretty good song with "How We Do," but it'd been done so many times, especially within the last year, so for that to be her first single in the US I was a bit disappointed. What's even more disappointing is that I know that song will eventually become a huge hit. Like Cher Lloyd is doing now, eventually Rita will do a circuit of radio interviews and they will, in turn, shove her music down our throats and make up a bunch of random records for her to break.
Cheryl - I just don't get it. I really think 2012 had just been the year of mediocrity and Cheryl pretty much defines that for me. Her album was just entirely too generic. A four-year-old have screamed all over over the tracks and they would have the same effect. I almost want to compare her to Rihanna. She's an absolutely gorgeous woman that defines trends in popular music, but at least with Rihanna she throws a little spice on her records to help them stand out. Cheryl is just kind of there on her records. Not adding anything but lyrics.
Lana Del Rey - I personally loved Lana Del Rey's album, but a lot of people are giving her a lot more acclaim than she deserves, comparing her to Adele and Amy Winehouse. I've even heard a few people claim she'll sweep the Grammy awards this year. If you ask the critics, she won't be touching any Grammy Awards any time soon.
Justin Bieber - I blame radio and Billboard for this. They always hype Justin Bieber up as if he's going to be the biggest thing to happen all year, but his fans often come up just short in the support department. He still doesn't have a #1 single, which doesn't really mean anything in reference to quality, but as much as he trends on Twitter and blows up for short periods on iTunes, you'd think he'd have a handful of them by now. Plus, I don't think he's released a "great" album yet... just pretty good ones that show of his producers' talent for creating top 40 material. I will say that in 5 years, if he lasts that long, he could potentially rule the industry. I'll just have to wait, I guess.
Sidenote: OMG, Pitbull without his glasses! No wonder he always wears them *shudders*
Pitbull/Flo-Rida - How does he keep getting hits? Everything he touches turns to gold platinum! How are you a one-hit-wonder a dozen times over?
The Glee Cast - They have too much power. Way too much. Now almost anyone can just send their song to Glee, have them cover it, and have an instant hit. I think the show is awful, too, but I do watch sometimes to see what semi-racist reference Sue Sylvester will make when addressing that black girl Mercedes that always seems to be yelling. Oh, and Santana needs a solo career.
Which artists do you think are the most overrated? Let us know on Twitter or in the comment section below!
I agree with everyone except Lana, if anything I think she's being underrated.
ReplyDeleteYou are so annoying. Rita is great. And how is she shoving her music down your std ridden throiat is gere to slay so cry me a river you douche.
ReplyDeleteYou mad, bro? http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3yj916cbT1qf0rpdo1_500.gif
DeleteNo I love you Martin bro. I just go all cray when people diss Miss Lady Rita. You will warm up to her watch.
DeleteYou're probably right. She hasn't even dropped her music, but that's mainly the reason she's so overrated right now. At the end of the year I'll do a "Top Turnarounds of 2012" list and maybe she'll make it on that list too! ;)
DeleteThe only one I truly agree with is Lana. The reason she is even famous is because people acted as if she was the second coming and over rated her so high that it hit mainstream that she was actually good. Then she performed on SNL and all that fluff that was holding her up crumbled. Her album is crap and will always be crap.
ReplyDeleteShe did a lot more performances than SNL but like people do with Britney's 2007 era you can't let it go... And her album is flawless, you just had to much auto.tune in your life.
DeleteThis is ridiculous. This blog has praised Lana plenty and has Cheryl as the Artist of the Month, and you're going to call them overrated? Oh please. Your blog needs to be a little more consistent and authentic.
ReplyDeleteAND JESUS CHRIST, if you want your pieces to be taken even a little bit seriously, have the decency to proofread your posts. It's laughable at this point!
DeleteI said in the post that I loved Lana's album, but I still think she's overrated.
DeleteMaybe you should start a blog. You seemed to be very concerned with how this one is run. Show me how it's done, babe. -Martian
Well, if you're going to try and make the push towards journalistic endeavors, you should take the criticisms of your readers a bit more seriously. If that's the sort of statement you're going to make to your readers in order to make yourself feel better about your shoddy writing though, good luck.
DeleteYou just take life a little to serious. I don't understand why anyone would waste so much energy being negative when they can could just go to another blog. Seriously, the internet is huge. Surely you can find a blog you like more. I get e-mails and tweets all the time with people making suggestions for the blog. I even have my posts featured on other, bigger blogs like Perez Hilton. I mean, everything is really a matter of opinion and at the end of the day that's all I can deliver. I'm not going to change up my opinion to please people. I'm just not. There are two other writers on this blog who both actively have a say in just about everything that goes on in this blog to make sure there's a good balance of positivity to counterbalance the things each blogger doesn't like, so sometimes you will run across conflicting opinions, but that's why each post identifies the writer. We will also never post about an artists for the sake of being rude. If an artist does something we like, we'll post about it and praise them. If they do something awful, we're going to talk about it. Cheryl being artist of the month is not her get out of jail free card for releasing a mediocre album.
DeleteI would never intentionally try to drive people away from the site, but there are two or three IPs in the comment section that are always just fucking rude and I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but at a certain point it just seems redundant. I can ignore stanning and actually enjoy it a lot of the time because it creates fun little debates in the comment section, but someone attacking the blog itself is a little irksome. I'm a pretty playful and easy going guy. I also have a life outside the blog, so typos here and there I'm not going to stress over. If people get the general idea, I'm satisfied. I just want to deliver good music and my opinion for those who care, and that's exactly what I do.
I don't agree with Cheryl or Lana at all.
ReplyDeleteI really have to agree with some of these comments. I don't understand how Lana is over-rated. I have never once heard her songs on a local radio station. Everyone I know that knows Lana, knows her because of me. None of them own her album. Her only recognition thus far is through the internet. She may be a hot commodity on the internet, but that does not mean she is over-rated. She is in no way overplayed, overexposed, or over-dramatic to garner attention. It seems to me she could use a lot more promotion and exposure. And she still wouldn't be over-rated because in todays music industry, it is all about club bangers. Which is not Lana's forte. As far as I'm concerned, she doesn't get the recognition she deserves.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, your list is pretty on point.
And remember people, this is Martian's blog. Meaning his opinion. You don't have to agree. But don't bash him just because his opinion differs from yours. Just state your opinion in a respectful manner and maybe, just maybe, Martian might take you seriously enough to value your opinion. But I wouldn't take half of you seriously with your childish behavior over defending your favorite artist.
"I will say that in 5 years, if he lasts that long, he could potentially rule the industry."
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of Bieber nor I like his music, but it's always hilarious when "time being big in the industry" is used an excuse to undervalue somebody for everything they have accomplished so far. "We'll see in xx years?" Like... the kid already has his achievements. We should judge people on what they've done, not on what we're expecting them to do or not to do.
I don't find Cheryl overrated, because she doesn't even get any kind of abrasive praise, just a little love here and there from pop music fans. Maybe you threw her around because you love Nicola (and I agree she should be WAY more successful), but neither's success or relative lack there of has to do with one another. People are successful on their own, not because they solely want to be ahead somebody/everybody else.
I do agree with Pitbull, how the fuck did he get so much power? I mean, feature him in your song and then you'll get support in USA (i.e. Run The Night). That's bullshit. But he's the male factor that's kind of front loading the Dance/Club domination so it's not that surprising.
In response to Bieber, time in the industry does change people's quality. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. In this case, Bieber is in a great position to learn a lot of things, make mistakes and still recover from it and be huge. It will work greatly in his favor and yes, one day he could potentially be a lot bigger than he is not, but we will have to wait and see.
Deletei totally agree with this post
ReplyDeleteLana overrated? The girl who's being continuously bashed for a performance she did in January? Let's be honest. How many times have you seen her videos on MTV? Or heard her songs on the radio? The only "hype" she's getting is because of the internet. She's the most underrated person this year. I love Lana and I think you guys are just being hypocrites with this post. And by the way, I won't even bring what critics said about her and Born To Die on the table, because we all know they hate her for no reason at all.
ReplyDeletei agree with the post overall. but lana overrated? really?! underrated maybe!! she had so many bash and flames, for no reason....
ReplyDeleteI support Lana del Rey. Sure, her music is great but at least she's somewhat different... Can't compare her music style with Adele's but man... Bieber is somewhat comparable to Gaga... Just another huge ass product meant to be famous. You sure adored his new album, didn't you Martian? Hahaha
ReplyDelete(Isn't that great)*
DeleteAdored? I gave it 6.5/10. No
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