The Top Ten Most Overrated White Musicians
Don’t get me wrong. It isn’t as if I think these artists suck. Most on this list I find to be very talented.
Also, if anyone requests their music during one of my deejay gigs, I’ll be more than happy to play it.
Yet, I am getting sick and tired of mainstream media always telling everyone how great these people are. Why do white musicians who perform “black music” receive more press than the folks who created it? When the all white Beastie Boys’ Licensed To Ill reached number one on the album charts, people made a big deal about it being the first rap album to do so. Yet, few folks wanted to admit The Beastie Boys’ skin color may have contributed to it.
Sometimes, it don’t even have to be about white musicians performing “black music”. Some white musicians are just plain over hyped.
So here I go. If this list offends, it wasn’t intended that way.
10. Aerosmith
If it wasn’t for Run-DMC covering one of their songs, you wouldn’t be seeing lead singer Steven Tyler on American Idol. Before Run-DMC remade “Walk This Way”, Aerosmith was considered has-beens. Run-DMC’s version pushed Aerosmith back into the public spotlight. Yet, some Aerosmith fans seem to ignore that important fact.
9. Eric Clapton
I don’t get it. Why are folks labeling him one of the best blues guitarists ever? What makes him stand out among B.B. King and Muddy Waters? A great guitarist Clapton may be, but a great BLUES guitarist?
8. Britney Spears
Since day one, never were there any intentions on presenting Britney as a true artist. All she had to do was shake her titties and sing.
7. Lady Gaga
When shock artist Marlyn Manson ripped from Alice Cooper, there was at least some originality to it. When I see Lady Gaga, I see a too obvious and unoriginal rip from Madonna.
6. George Michael
This pertains to an incident in the late eighties. The American Music Awards possessed the audacity to award George Michael the Favorite Soul/ R&B Male Artist. This over Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown, two dudes who created way more soulful albums than George Michael. And it wasn’t because they were black either.
5.Kurt Cobain
After Nirvana’s “Smells Like Team Spirit” became a hit, folks labeled front-man Kurt Cobain the voice of his generation. At this time, I was a few years younger than Kurt. Even though I liked the song, I resented folks saying this white man spoke for me. Public Enemy spoke more for me than Kurt ever did. After Kurt committed suicide, he instantly became more important than he should have been. Well, at least, white people aren’t going around saying he faked his death and moved to Paris.
4. Jim Morrison
For awhile, white people who grew up in the sixties kept going on and on about the man. Some still do. One time, I bought a book of Jim Morrison’s poetry. That shit sucked. It’s a bunch of ramblings that don’t make sense. I’ll take Charles Bukowski’s poetry over Jim Morrison’s.
3. Eminem
Back in the day, black rappers faced constant criticism for talking about bitches. Eminem raps about bitches and folks crown him an important poet. What’s artistically different about a black guy rapping about slapping hoes versus a white guy rapping about killing his baby’s mama? Yet, the baby mama killer is considered the true artist.
2. The Rolling Stones
These dudes borrowed heavily from American blues music. They even named themselves after a Muddy Water’s song. Yet, forgetting that the blues already existed in the States, white Americans sucked these British guys’ dicks and proclaimed them one of the best bands in the world.
1 Elvis Presley
There was nothing original about this man. He just happened to be a white man performing music created by black artists. Just like with Emimen, many white people were more comfortable with that versus appreciating the folks who created the music. How the hell do you name a Caucasian the king of music created by black people? I’ve been saying this for nearly twenty years, and I’ll say it again. Fuck Elvis.
UPDATE: After some Internet chatting, I’ve had second thoughts about Eric Clapton. Several folks suggested I put Justin Timberlake on the list. Seeing that Mr. Timberlake is another overrated white artist who sings black, it makes sense. Okay, Justin Timberlake takes Eric Clapton’s place.
As for Lady Gaga, a white female friend pointed out she borrowed her fashion from Grace Jones. Borrowing from a black woman makes Lady Gaga stay on the list.
Explore posts in the same categories: Lists, White PeopleTags: aerosmith, American Music Award, brtiney spears, DJ Stone Crazy, elvis presley, eminem, eric clapton, geore michael, hip hop, jim morrison, kurt cobain, lady gaga, music, nirvana, recording industry, Run-DMC, the doors, the rolling stones, white rappers
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The DJ Stone Crazy Spot 
May 9, 2011 at 2:24 pm
i soooooooooo freakin agree on elvis!! well on the others too…. i get your point on them all.. but if the stones come on the radio im turnin ‘ it up!! LOL probably wouldn’t request any of the above mentioned at a club tho??? LOL
great thoughts tho!
May 9, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Usually, I play in bars. In those spots, I can be more lenient with the music requests.
May 9, 2011 at 4:31 pm
I was fine until I saw Jim Morrison. You had to poke the bear, didn’t you Patrick? I love The Doors, but yeah, I’m not a fan of his poetry so I agree with you there. I really dig this blog post and look forward to reading more!
May 9, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Some folks think I’m picking names just for the controversy. Not true. If they don’t agree, more power them. Thanx for coming by, Kelly. That means a lot to me.
May 9, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Elvis would have had a bit more cred had he actually done something for the people/artist that he stole his style and music from. Hell, Elvis could have launched countless careers in his day, been a true pioneer. He could have been the Dr. Dre or Jay Z of his time. But Nope, it was all about him and he had to surround himself with people who were like him, who would just glam on, tell him all the things he wanted to hear about how great he was and pretty much suck his dick. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t HATE Elvis, I just think he failed on many levels to ‘Do the Right Thing’…As they say, “Mutha Fuck him and John Wayne…” Chuck D..HA!
May 9, 2011 at 7:09 pm
You said this a whole lot better than I could’ve. So true.
May 10, 2011 at 7:37 am
I wish I could disagree with your choices but they’re pretty accurate. Honorable mention goes to Jimmy Buffet & Dave Matthews.
May 10, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Thanx, BMF. I agree about Jimmy and Dave, too.
July 26, 2011 at 5:45 am
I do like The Rolling Stones, Kurt Cobain and Eric Clampton but I agree with the rest (except Jim Morrison…don’t know anything about him really). I don’t dislike Elvis, good looking man in his hay day ..just never really saw the hype in his music. I don’t nessesarily think it “stole” Black music but he wasn’t really an innovator either.
Nice blog. I like blog writters who have the tact to be objective. Will have to visit more.
July 26, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Thanx.
September 2, 2011 at 11:01 pm
A couple of points.
Yes, Walk this way re-popularized them, but it also gave Run DMC their first crack at the MTV generation. So to give one band more credit then the other doesn’t really make sense to me. Especially considering that Run DMC’s only addition to the track was to rap instead of sing the lyrics. I’d argue that Run DMC benefited more from the collabo (financially and media-wise) then Aerosmith did. Not to say it didnt help both groups though.
Clapton is called a great Blues guitarist, because a Blues guitarist is what he’s been from day one. And he’s damned good at it.
As far as Cobain goes. He was the voice of a generation, I think to take that label from him because it didnt apply to every single individual in that age group is a bit unfair. If that was the requirement then there has never been a voice of a generation. Not the Beatles, Not Public Enemy, Not anyone.
In so far as Eminem, he got intensely berated for his lyrics about women and gays. Remember the GLAAD protests? The hate speeches. He was the most rallied against rapper in the public eye since Snoop Dogg in the early 90’s. I dont think he got off easy, I think he outlasted those who were obsessed with critiquing him. Other then that, he is an immensely talented rapper, and one of the most introspective to gain massive popularity in a long time. For that reason, I think the comparison to Elvis is unjustified.
The Rolling Stones have always given their Blues influence their dues. Hell, their first few albums were nearly nothing but Blues covers. I think to call them over-hyped just because they’re a group of white artists who showed devotion to a black genre of music is again, unfair. Especially considering that they’ve been holding down Blues-Rock for decades.
September 3, 2011 at 5:20 pm
First, my complaint with Aerosmith is folks excluding Run-DMC from their history. Second, MTV would have eventually embraced hip hop anyway. Hip hop’s influence was already building. Second, I have second thoughts about Clapton. He is the only one I consider removing. Third, why is some white guy always labeled the voice of a generation? Another thing, I do remember the attacks Eminem went through. Yet, I still see double standards. I’m not taking any talent from the guy. Yet, it is pretty obvious his being white has helped him.
“I think to call them over-hyped just because they’re a group of white artists who showed devotion to a black genre of music is again, unfair.”
You misread this. People are getting sick and tired of seeing white artists gaining more popularity and money than the people who created the music. Like I said earlier, the only one I consider taking back is Eric Clapton. Yet, my opinions remain the same for the other artists. Remember, I didn’t say they suck. I said they were overrated.
May 7, 2013 at 2:58 pm
[…] The Top Ten Most Overrated White Musicians: I had to do […]
July 30, 2014 at 10:55 pm
I disagree about Elvis. Back then, he was the rawest, sexual, explosive white singer. Pat Boone and Perry Como where the true stealers of black msuic, watering it down really bad., making it acceptable for the conservative fifties society. Also I’d include Led Zeppelin, filthy thieves who stole songs fromWillie Dixon, until he sued them. I agree pretty much with Clapton, the Stones and Kurt Cobain. The firts oens were just middle class art school kids trying to be tough blackguys from mississippi. And for Cobain, he’s just overrated becuiase he died young. No good msuician.
Instead of Ms Spears I’d put Madonna. Great bussinesswoman, bad performer, obsessed with publicity stunts and shock value. Started as a Janet Jackson ripoff, which is much better. Enimem is also an attention whore who made a career cashing his childhood traumas and his mommy. Lame.
July 31, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Yea, I forgot about Led Zepplin. Thanx for the comment.