Neal Augenstein, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – In today’s list-crazy, click-dependent digital world, a compilation of bad music is bound to get people’s attention.
But the latest installment — “Top 10 Overrated Songs of All Time,” on the late Andrew Breitbart’s site — has many asking, “Are you kidding?”
In his list, Ben Shapiro isn’t saying these songs are overplayed. He contends they were just never that good.
From the bottom up:
- 10. Any song by Lady Gaga
9. “One” by U2
8. “My Generation” by The Who
7. “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen
6. “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
5. “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones
4. “London Calling” by The Clash
3. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
2. “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan
1. “Imagine” by John Lennon
Rather than start with what’s wrong with this list, let’s look at the two correct assertions. “London Calling” is a mediocre, two-chord offering from a band that recorded some of punk’s best songs (See: “Safe European Home”)
And I’ll bet Lady Gaga’s on this list because Gaga gets clicks.
“Like a Rolling Stone,” “Born To Run,” “My Generation” and “Imagine” all speak to generations of music fans.
“Stairway to Heaven” is about as good a record as was ever made.
Like a kid who misbehaves because of the attention it generates — even if it’s negative attention — this Breitbart list seems to exist to encourage scorn.
Still, what’s your choice for Most Overrated Song of All Time? Post a comment in this story, comment on WTOP’s Facebook Page or use #WTOPTalkback on Twitter.
Follow Neal Augenstein and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)