BBC - 6 Music - Most Overrated Album in the World

Your suggestions

Years ago in the NME they had a chart of the 100 best albums of all time. The top 2 were Mavin Gaye 'What's going on' and Van Morrison 'Astral Weeks'. Not having heard either I went and bought them both (on vinyl, it was that long ago). I loved Marvin Gaye (which I was a little surprised about as I was never a Tamala Motown fan) but the Van Morrison album was dreadful just a tuneless plodding morass. I tried to listen to it several times but I never got on with it, and I've avoided 'Van the Man' ever since.

PS Andrew Collins is wrong about Captain Beefheart. Gideon is also wrong, the Coldplay album IS rubbish, but his mistake was ever thinking it would be classed as a classic.
Garry Clarke

I nominate Never Mind The Bollocks. Why? It's one idea stretched over 12 tracks. Repetitive riffs, a tinny sound and Lydon's grating delivery make it unlistenable after about 3 tracks. Nice to hear a single from the Pistols on the radio now and again but a whole album's worth? No thanks.
David Renfree, Birmingham

The Wall by Pink Floyd: pretentious, solipsistic, tuneless, and very, VERY dull.
Andrew Hebdon, Yorkshire

Coldplay's X & Y - it is no progression on from the last album and the guys got a horrible wimpy voice!
Graham Nunn

Can't agree with you comments on Floyd's Dark Side, Mark, but Coldplay's X&Y has to be the most over hyped and over-rated album of the year by far. Overproduced with a naff cover, mediocre songs at best and a horrible early eighties vibe-it is vastly inferior to "A Rush Of Heinz Ketchup To The Head". Hard-Fi's "Stars Of CCTV" X&Ys all over it!
Dirk St Louis Scarborough On The Rocks

Radiohead - ANYTHING! But especially OK Computer, it's just not as amazing as everyone assumes, I just really really don't see the thing with it...
Beth - Southport, Merseyside

Television's Marquee Moon is one of those albums that every critic loves to froth madly from the mouth over. It's not very good. Moreover, it's rubbish. End of story. By the way, Radiohead's best album is easily Kid A.
Sean, Harrow

Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf. What a load of rubbish. To this day I still change the station whenever Meatloaf comes on. Just writing this irritates me (lol).
K. Barry Vancouver, Canada

Pawn Hearts by Van Der Graaf Geneator: A horribly overdone album all for the sake of sounding different.The sound of the drums is laughable even on the most recent remastered copy. I believe Frank Zappa spoofed this sound on "we're only in it for the money.
Doug

My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless'. Inexplicably feted as some sort of 20th century classic by just about everyone - awful, ear-numbingly tuneless dirges in my book.
Helen, Bristol

The verve's urban hymns... it was rubbish then, and it's rubbish now! p.s. Dummy still sounds fresh.

Dr Def, Bristol

Pet Sounds....in fact everything that the Beach Boys have ever done. Why does anyone like this stuff? To K Barry of Vancouver. Dont listen to radio stations that think it is acceptable to have Meatloaf on their playlist in the first place. I have never heard any on Radio 6.
Joey, Hereford

Stone Roses - Stone Roses. It was good at the time and apart from I Wanna be Adored and I am the Resurrection the rest has aged. To be a great lp all the tracks have to be good and work together.
J. Richardson, Manchester

Anything by The Doors and Janis Joplin. They have propably become myths because they died so early but that´s all. Janis couldn´t sing and The Doors´s music is technically very average.
Chris, Northern Ireland

Michael Jackson - Thriller. The death of music as we knew it. The album is average at best and let's face it, its almost a greatest hits compilation thanks to the record company lifting every track off the album as singles which then had to be made into a multi-million dollar videos so MTV could boost sales by playing the bloody things. Corporate money making music started here and I loath this album for that fact alone. Its got about as much soul as a dead sheep. However, it can be looked at as a seminal album for LA's cosmetic surgery industry!
David M, Nottingham

The Magic Numbers- The Magic numbers. This album was MENT to be the must- have of the year. Howeever, after a couple of listens I've decided all the songs sound drearily the same- make some difference between the song or else an album just won't be interesting enough!
James Jacobs, UK

White Light/ White Heat by Velvet Underground is "cool" with capital Inverted Commas. It's quite simply drowning in the slobber that critics have drooled all over it.
Grae, Nottingham

Although I tempted to say anything by Radiohead I am afraid it has to be 'Never Mind'. One great single maybe but the rest is irritating second rate rock with mindless whining that had, has been and is being written everywhere by admittedly less pretty and tragic characters.
Greg Spellman, Northamptonshire

Controversial! Nevermind by Nirvana. I love my rock, grunge anything really and whilst I admit this is a clever album fusing this genre with pop and bringing it kicking and screaming into the mainstream, after a few listens....it just doesn't deserve quite as much accolade as it gets! Particularly Teen spirit, is it really still the 'anthem' it used to be? Tend to agree with the X&Y comments too!
Martin, Leicester

Want Two by Rufus Wainwright. How have people misplaced a grotesquely out of control ego for a talented songwriter? If you think his voice is good check the live DVD which came with this CD. No humanity, no emotion, just an endless drone. It's binary singing - "on" or "off".
How can Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica possibly be over-rated? It's like saying the universe isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Auntie Tooth's Rotten Hoof

Be Here Now - Oasis. At the height of Oasis hype, the pre-press went mad about it, with The Guardian devoting its front page to a review in which it compared the music to the Beatles and the Gallaghers' songwriting ability to Lennon & McCartney. But it was rubbish and unlike the Beatles, has proven totally forgettable.
Jim Curtis, London

Dark side of the Moon. Just plain awful. Save for Breathe its slow, plodding and just dull and as for it being a 'stoner' classic, what you really want when you're chilled is to hear a load of alarms and manic laughing. Overated tosh.
Andy Northcott, Manchester

Outkast - Speakerboxxxx: Yea, I know, I can barely remember that album either. And that was only a year ago, friends. Here in
the States, there were serious reviews on NPR (our verios of BBC Radio 4) and in the New York Times about how Outkast had re
-invented hip-hop with an whole new IQ.
I'm not sure if it's becasue my father would have slapped me purple had I done it with his snaps, but "shake-it, shake-it
shake-it like a Polaroid picture," makes -ME- shake.
Jon Savory, USA

I know I'm going to get shot down for saying this... but I have to say that loveless by my bloody valentine, after hearing
everyone bat over it was a great disappointment for me. It's just not all that great. It's kinda dull.
Greg

Play- Moby. The man and the music are utter caca. I want to vomit and become aggro violent when I hear anything he has done.
He makes his own tea now called TEANY for all his goofy do goody vegetarian fans. He also writes awful books and sits on the
couch with Oprah telling her that writting is like music or some dorky cliche saying. If you like his music you are just as
dorky and should stay home and punch yourself in the mug repeatedly. Im not a fan of Emenim but I 100% agree with his
aggressive behavior towards that pea head.
Hollis from NYC

Brian Wilson - Smile This is supposed to be a wonderful masterpiece however I just can't agree. I've listened to it a number
of times and still don't get it. Fair enough that Heroes and Villains, Roll Plymouth Rock and Good Vibrations are all solid
tracks but once Mr Wilson starts singing about pigs, wind chimes or his favourite vegetables the album loses any focus it
had. I love Pet Sounds because I can identify with the overall theme of growing up but with Smile it's substance is far too
introverted and personal to mean anything to me. Then if you take away the lyrics the actual music is repetitive and sedate
- it's beyond easy listening. The acclaim this album gets has far more to do with the story of the circumstances surrounding
the recording than to with the quality of the record.
Paul Tuffin

Totally agree with Beth from Southport. I just don't get the whole RADIOHEAD thing. Take your pick from "OK Computer" to "The
Bends". Whining and shrieking to equally whiny guitars. No thanks. And it's not for the lack of trying I can tell you.
Mooncat, Liverpool

Scissor Sisters: everyone loves them. Why? Their 'hilarious' Bee Gees/Pink Floyd cover stank and most of the time they sound
like Leo Sayer meets Elton John meets the Bee Gees. And aren't we all sick of these falsetto vocals doing the rounds at the
moment? I bloody am!
John Dawson

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew how can you say such a thing about Captain Beefheart! Your statement sums up the ignorance of many
music fans who simply don't get it. How many times have you actually listened to the whole record? I must admit it took me
about five years to properly appreciate the delicacies involved in 'Trout Mask'. Might I suggest you try reading the
biography of Captain Beefheart by Mike barnes for an intelligent critique of this album?
Andy Martin, Northern Ireland

Oasis with Definitely Maybe. Such a whingy, irritating voice and tedious songs, I've never understood the appeal myself
(although I have to admit really liking their latest offering!).
Mariana, South-West Wales

Psychocandy - Jesus and Mary Chain I remember reading in the NME or a similar magazine that "Jesus and Mary Chain" were the
greatest thing since the Sex Pistols. So being young and impulsive I went straight out and bought it. After listening to it 4
or 5 times I never played it again. Most of the songs sounded like the Beach Boys on "33" and rest were just guitar
distortion.
Steve, Wiltshire

Sly and the Family Stone - There's A Riot Goin' On: Like listening to a drunken party through a sack full of mud. If this is political funk, I ain't votin' for it!
David Allen, Tyne

Yes it has to be The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds. I bought it on good recommendation; what a mistake! Uncomfortable listening indeed. The only highlight is Sloop John B. I wonder how many of the people who think its trendy to drop Pet Sounds into every discussion of classic LP's actually own it!? PS. Also everything U2 have ever released!
Paul H, London

Q mag said after its review of X&Y that its now 'your turn Bono' as if to say to the Irish legends that they were goin to have to come up with something special to keep Coldplay off the 'Worlds Biggest Band' pedestal. Another review claimed 'Fix you' was up there alongside 'One' as an instant classic. Bono stated that as soon as U2 albums were perceived to be crap (his words) by the general public then it would be time to retire. Good advice for Chris & his mates methinks! X&Y(&Zzzzzzzz!)
Phil

I'm not to sure whether or not this has ever been lauded as a classic but as an example of how stupid and hellish most peoples taste in music is my choice has to be The Eagles Greatest Hits!!!   Biggest selling album of all time need I say anymore.
Chris, Edinburgh

U2 - The Josha Tree. Hypped to hell & back ,all those years ago. Nobody has listened to it since. I feel most sorry for the raft of boys named Joshua that appeared shortly after. You'd be weeping into your Hoodies to know what pretentious tosh you've been named after Josh.
Chris Swales, Northamptonshire

Down to Earth - Ozzy Osbourne. You can just hear the Brummie Rock God of Black Sabbath and some great solo albums being replaced with the Hollywood pantomime charicature of MTV... at it's best it sounds like a mild and inoffensive version of Ozzmosis at it's worst a mild and inoffensive version of lift music!
Peter, London

Definitely,Maybe...yes, definitely. Where does one find the words to describe the blistering mediocrity of this offering? Staid, dull, repetitive, monochrome, turgid...three and a half tracks in and it's obvious that Noel Gallagher has lost several pages from his copy of the Marc Bolan song book and has to resort to the recycling process which has marked Oasis' brand of stodge-rock ever since. It proves that the early 90's must have been a desperate time for music if this is considered to be a groundbreaking album for that period. At least "Morning Glory" attempts to crunch up a gear (albeit from "plod" to "shuffle"). It's a pity that they didn't "get on the bus" back to the pub circuit that they came from.
George Lee, Lancashire

"Unknown Pleasures" by Joy Division. If ever there was a case of the Emperor's New Clothes then this is it. Forget all the image stuff sold to you by Mr. Wilson.... this album is absolute poo. And their fans at the time were way more pretentious than any prog rock bore you'd bump into.
Terry W, Lancashire

Sgt Peppers! They were trying to make "big" classic album to be remembered by and instead they made a pretentious, bombastic, "serious" (tra-la-la) cutesy piece of fluff!
BigMamou, Manchester

Abbey Road - Most of the songs are incomplete, it is only highly regarded because it is a Beatle's album.
Michael Higgins, London

Totally agree with the Van Morrison - Astral Weeks comment. The lyrics just don't fit the songs. It's woeful. I actually quite like the grumpy old bugger, but Astral Weeks was one of the few albums I really regret buying.
Damian Leslie,  Wear

The Clash's first LP and Horses by Patti Smith. Don't get me wrong, I like both, but the praise lavished upon them is out of all proportion to the tunes therein.
John, South Yorkshire

Odelay - Beck Just sod off mate! Where are the songs?
Paul Plume, London

White Blood Cells by the White Stripes. This awful screechy schoolboy stuff is just awful. The only time i've ever taken an album back to the shop because it was so bad, and I own a Debbie Gibson album.

John Burden, Coventry

Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill. Why have so many people bought this album??! I was one of the few that DIDN'T cos I think she's awful. Her voice is really grating and she totally misses the point of irony in the song 'Ironic'.... Or is that meant to be the irony.....? I doubt it!! Very very over-rated album.
Kirsty Telford, Kent

Jethro Tull - 'Aqualung'. OK, not a bad album by most people's standards but coming after the heavenly 'Benefit', this sounded utterly turgid and uninteresting. There again, when viewed against so much of the sound product of today (simpering boy bands, wailing girl groups, rap 'artists' bellowing and grunting like rutting stags) then perhaps it's not so bad after all.
Chris Marsh, Wales

Nirvana's Nevermind is quite clearly the most overrated album of all time... the reason? Everyone who claims to be a Nirvana fan will own it, yet all will prefer either In Utero (my personal favourite for the passionate playing and the actual agony in Cobain's voice) or Incesticide (also good for raw emotion though the recording's shoddy)... Don't get me wrong, Nevermind had its place, it saved us from the back log of the dirgey crap from the 80's and the near nauseating rise of dancehall mixed with casio-designed beats. But when you compare it to they're other material, it seems shallow, cold and weak.
Charlie Thomas, London

The Beatles' White Album, roughly enough material for half an album, stretched and padded out over four sides of vinyl. I hate it more because it's the only time I ever felt short-changed by the Beatles, why did they do it?
Peter, Manchester

I too am nominating "Astral Weeks" by Van Morrison. I just do not get that album. What is it that people thought made it great? It's beyond me. Oh and by the way those people who suggested any Radiohead are just wrong!!!
Mo Lyall, North-East Scotland

Pulp - Different Class - Why? because that album above all else represents everything I hate about Britpop. Its twee and and full of this faux britishness. I like indie but without the pretentiousness.
Kev Bianco, Essex

Antony & The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now. As much as i really wanted to love this album, i just can't listen to his voice for longer than a song or two. A bad Jeff Buckley on Helium. i appreciate his song writing skills but just can't listen to it, which i would think is a bit of a stumbling block for a great album?
Rachel, London

Both of Rufus Wainwright's recent offerings - some pleasant songs, but have a good listen - they're not THAT good are they Elton? Perhaps more controversially I'll nominate Jeff Buckley's "Grace" - really like the album, great voice etc., but have never thought of it as the classic some claim it to be.
Tony, Berkshire

The Strokes-"Is This It". This watered down excuse for a rock band sounds like a 10th generation frat-bar band trying to do Cheap Trick covers. The fact that people and especially the Press hailed them as some kind of "Re-birth of Rock 'n'Roll" only makes it worse. The Strokes are about as Rock 'N' Roll as Lobo or Dan Fogelberg.
Johnny Murder, NYC

I too go for Urban Hymns by The Verve, the best song on it was actually by The Stones, the rest was badly written, whiney cack. Can't understand why this did so well and their earlier, better albums are pretty much unknown.
Darren Green

The Kaiser Chiefs - Employment. It's a good job this album didn't win the Mercury Prize. But how it was even favourite, i'll never know! Hardly ground-breaking is it?!
Zak

At the moment, Anthony and the Johnssons seem to be entirely overrated. 'I am a Bird now' tragically combines a wonderfully endearing voice with mediocre and drab songs and seems now destined to inhabit all those record collections for persons who desire a token "left-field" addition to provide talking point to an otherwise un ecclectic library. Also, may i Add that Radiohead are the finest and most inventive musicians of our time and dismissing them as "Whinging and whining" displays lack of musical integrity and a fasilure to understand anything above, or rather to the side of , the norm.
Jonny, Leeds

The Clash, London Calling The Greatest punk band inthe world? My arse. They are a pub rock band who somehow managed to get some credibility for their turgid, overblown pub rock. It may have an iconic cover, but putting a Picasso on the front of Bravo Two Zero doesnt make it classic literature.
Then, of course, the destroyers of prog rock go on to make the triple concept white boy reggae album Sandinista. None more prog.

Stewart Love, London

So many to choose from...Oasis, Coldplay, but I think I'd like to nominate David Gray's White Ladder as one of my most overrated. Whiny voice, horrid cover of 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye'. Bought it, played it once, never again....
Don't agree with the criticism of Abbey Road - the songs only sound unfinished if you play it 'random' on the stereo/pod - play them in order and suddenly it's lots of songs making one whole....
Emma, Manchester

Cast your minds back to (I think) the early nineties: the High Llamas' Gideon Gaye was hyped by every music journalist on the planet. Why? It just meanders in a mildly inoffensive way for a bit, then peters out. My goodness, the drugs must have been good in those days.
Dave, Liverpool

Coldplay - Parachutes... What is it all about? Mediocrity and inoffencsiveness in its entirity, no wonder it appealed to so many.
Simon Green

Oh.. the agony of choice. Urban Hymns, as has already been pointed out was a dreadful turkey (when the drugs clearly DID work). Then there are easy targets like Bloc Party, The Kaiser Chiefs, The Libertines and The Futureheads, but for me I'd have to go far the first Franz Ferdinand record. Something about 35 year old men dressed as teenagers makes me feel very queasy. Give me a proper rock n roll band every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Malcolm McKenzie, London

I would like to nominate 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' by The Velvet Underground & Nico. Half an album of twisted, but good pop songs by Lou Reed and half a pretentious load of old twaddle ('European Son' and anything featuring Nico's dire vocals). Influential it may be, great it isn't.
James Costin, London

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Some excellent songs spattered accross durge: Kind of like thinly spread butter over 2 slices of toast. No need for a double album
George Wells, London

Has to be Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish & The Hot-Dog Flavoured Water. At the time of release the so-called 'nu-metal' scene was just starting up, with everyone predicting that this genre would be just like punk rock i.e. blow everything else out of the water. In the case of CSATHGFW it was hyped as a great album, but in reality it's full of one-dimensional rap-metal laden down with excessive hard language, with almost every song having the same basic riff and structure.
Mark, Essex

I Am A Bird Now - Antony and the Johnsons... No, it's not rubbish, actually I quite like (parts of) it. But to hear Jo Wiley et al go on and on like he's the second coming is ridiculous, some of it is OK, most of it is padding and the rest of it is so tedious it barely deserves a mention. Mercury Music Prize? Doesn't make it any better, in fact all the more embarrassing that this probably was the best album nominated. What is it with Kaiser Chiefs? Just sounds like a northern Chas'n'Dave, only pretentious!!!
DLV, Bristol

Abot a year ago I bought Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" after reading several gushing articles about it in music mags. What a load of toss. "Just Like a Woman" may be a fine track, but it's the only one amid a sea of whining. Admittedly, Dylan has written some classic songs over his career, but they almost always sound better when someone else covers them !
Mike Burrows

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