In the past twelve months, they appeared on Conan, Kimmel, Letterman, SNL, and FNMTV; landed the covers of Spin and NME; played over 150 gigs including virtually every major music festival; and collaborated with Chromeo, Fucked Up, Peter Gabriel, Andrew WK, and Nick and Norah. They are Vampire Weekend and they handily won "Most Overrated Act" of 2008. We're no Nate Silver, but one thing we've come to learn in past Gummys is that bands riding high from critically acclaimed albums poll very well in this category, too. (Arcade Fire, for example, went from #1 last year to nowhere on this list.) Some surprises, though: Animal Collective at #14 and Guns N' Roses at #20 (we had no idea GN'R were even rated). Vivian Girls took #21, though this seemed like a late-minute surge post Blooming-Onion Gate.
10
No Age
9
Radiohead
8
Lil Wayne
7
Deerhunter
6
of Montreal
5
Fleet Foxes
4
Coldplay
3
Kanye West
2
MGMT
1
Vampire Weekend
Half of this thing is like the Pitchfork Hall of Fame
Score = 4
That's not particularly surprising. It's hard to be overrated if you weren't rated by one of the biggest indie rock outlets, right? Plus, an overabundant number of people spend an overabundant amount of their posts on this site talking about how they hate Pfork, and they are the people who vote in this poll.
Score = 13
funny that you're hating on pitchfork when stereogum covers way worse music and stereogum is basically a pitchfork wannabe. how kanye isnt number one blows my mind, he is the most overrated act of all time, no question.
Score = -3
I think you mean all of it?
Score = -2
I honestly didn't think that Vampire Weekend appealed to anyone other than Dave Matthews who grew up, but then I saw them popping up on Best Albums lists. I will never understand what people see/hear in them.
Score = -19
Obviously I meant to say "mathews fans who grew up"..
Score = -7
I hate to be the guy defending Vampire Weekend, William Trinity, but the simple answer is that it's extremely listenable. I don't think many Vampire Weekend fans would argue that it's innovative musical genius, but simply that they can enjoy listening to it. Vampire Weekend fans probably will tolerate (or even possibly admit to liking) a generic, radio-friendly garbage pop song now and again. While bands like Deerhunter and others may be pushing the envelope, they're also more likely to have a few songs on their album that make the casual listener wonder what the hell it is they're listening to. For the average person who only partly forays into "indie" music, coming across something like Vampire Weekend is a bit of a rarity. That is, it's something that doesn't constitute completely brainless mainstream radio pop, but still offers up something that doesn't take a lot of EFFORT to enjoy. I would hesitate to say it's great, because I think being "great" requires some real innovation or at least the flawless execution of whatever it is a band is doing. But pull together a mixed crowd of self-proclaimed music snobs, indie-leaning people, and TRL watchers, and Vampire Weekend will find some supporters in each group. There's something to be said for that, at least.
You know how some people can enjoy a brainless comedy/action/horror movie from time to time and defend it by saying, "Hey, it's good for what it is"? Same deal.
Score = 41
Your are so fucking pretentious it makes me wanna puke
Score = -25
Sorry to make you sick, BJ.
It seemed like any posting that ever involved Vampire Weekend brought out two camps. There were the "Vampire Weekend sucks, I don't get it" people, and there were the "Leave Vampire Weekend alone!" people who posted, regardless of whether anybody had even criticized them in the first place. Nobody ever seemed to defend Vampire Weekend with any sort of substance or explanation, so I figured I'd give it a go. My apologies if that came off as pretentious.
(Interesting, though. I bet a lot of the people who blindly hate Vampire Weekend just look at them in their khakis and say, "They're so fucking pretentious it makes me want to puke.")
Score = 4
I love Vampire Weekend. They are exactly as good as the Cars.
Score = -1
.....I'm pretty sure that guy was joking. Your comment was probably the least pretentious thing to be written on a music blog in years.
Score = 7
how the fuck is animal collective not #1
Score = -17
because animal collective is not overrated and are in fact quite deserving of any praise they get.
Score = 13
Because this list would be more accurately titled if it read, "Most Popular/Sucessful Bands that we post about."
Score = 9
How are the Fleet Foxes overrated? That's insane
Yes, Animal Collective should be #1 with Deerhunter as a close second. Piss off all of you
Score = -11
and to you, I say, simple harmonies with questionable lyrical depth makes for listenable music but is no true innovation. an over-hyped for something so quaint (carefully worded, it's not a bad album).
Score = 7
Where's Metallica or AC/DC?
Score = 7
Are you honestly telling me you like hard rock and DON'T like ACDC? Is there anything about this generation that isn't finger-chewingly awful?
Score = -1
ugh, where the fuck is vivian girls? they are THE WORST. has anyone actually seen them live?
THE WORST.
less bad not live.
Score = 0
how is fuck buttons not #1-10 on this list?
Score = 0
I was wondering the same thing. They got my vote!
Score = 0
Lil Wayne definitely should have been #1
Score = 10
Oh, absolutely, my friend.
Score = 5
The Killers didnt make this list, im amazed. but i think all the Anti-killers people split their votes between vampire weekend and coldplay. You guys are so cool. But i am happy to see Radiohead, MGMT, Kanye, fleet Foxes and lil wayne on here. none of them are bad, but all very overrated.
Score = -4
The Killers haven't really been overrated this year, I've seen a lot of long-time fans saying their new album is terrible, myself included
Score = 2
I feel a little pride in voting for VW
It's like I've almost accomplished something
Score = -5
To be overrated, or better put, to have so many people hold any sort of opinion on you only means you are being heard by a large amount of people, which is why a lot of crappy indie bands don't make this list. You have to have heard something to form an opinion on it.. except in the case of Radiohead, which is deemed as musical perfection by all men, and we live in the shadow of their collective glory, thus no listen required...
Score = 2
you know, bands like Radiohead existed (and had cred) long before Pitchfork came into existence.
No ur rock history!
Score = 5
Hi.
It seems ironic, how people calling MGMT and Radiohead and etc. over-rated and then saying something snidey about pitchfork are adapting the very Pitchfork mentality they hate(though in a reversed sense) and applying it against those bands.
Score = 5
you lost me there, johnny
Score = 0
Radiohead? Really Now?
Score = 3
I think that one is pretty understandable. Many people consider Radiohead the greatest band currently operating. So if one feels any differently about them, then they are overrated.
Score = 7
Fleet foxes suck. They should have been number one with a bullet. If I wanted to listen to 70 folk rock, I would go buy a Neil Young album and listne to someone who does it right and yeah I said album.
Score = -4
whoever voted for radiohead as overrated is a goddamn lunatic, i'm just sitting here thinking about all of the bands that somehow avoided this list, probably due to people resenting sites like pitchfork and stuff, for instance, what the fuck about sigur rós? i mean they by no means deserve the #1 here, but come on, sometimes they sound like helen keller using autotune and hitting a xylophone. it all worked out in the end though, the #1 is as it should be...
Score = 5
I pooped in Oprah's mouth. Twice.
Score = 7
I voted for Vampire Weekend myself and figured they would take this crown, but it was definitely a tough decision between them and Girl Talk. I'm kind of surprised he didn't make this list.
Score = 0
Let me first say - I think the Girl Talk record is a fun listen. I wouldn't take it serious, but a fun listen. Think of it as the indie-version of 'Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers.' Either way his album/"mash up" keeps popping up in the best of lists. Seriously people - best of! For that I have to say - overrated and should have found a spot on this list.
Score = 0
indie kids are too fickle.
Score = 3
The top 5 is dead on.
Though I have to say that I somewhat agree with Bob on the Vampire Weekend angle. They don't suck but they are not above average either. There are definitely worse things that could become popular (see the rest of the Top 5)
People vote for Radiohead as "overrated" because fans/critics praise them a bit too much, especially In Rainbows. I'm not one to question the legitimacy of Radiohead as the best band in the world right now, because of what they have accomplish with 2 masterpieces under their belt, but In Rainbows was indeed overrated!
Score = 2
This is not about an album being overrated, it is about a live act. Radiohead is still the best live act touring right now.
Score = 3
NUMBER 8 &6, should be 1 & 2. stereogum's mistake!
Score = 0
this whole blog is overrated.
your mom is overrated.
your face is overrated.
Score = 0
MIA should be on this list.
Score = 1
I don't know who this gentlemen is claiming to be Me, but rest assured, Black Jesus loves all his minions, the Vampire Weekends, the Deerhunters and the Animal Collectives among them (though He prefers the Panda Bear record). And OK, He doesn't love Vampire Weekend, but He sees the squeaky clean goodness and salutes.
The truth shall set you free: myspace.com/blackjesusrocks
Score = 1
Feel free to negative me out of existence for this, but I was discussing this with some friends and it seemed like a potentially funny concept. Any chance next year there could be an "Acceptable Guilty Pleasure" award? You know that band that you like but don't want your friends to see on your ipod? In the spirit of presidential pardons, we could make it ok to listen to somebody again.
(Black Kids are very excited about this idea.)
Score = 2
Of Montreal is underrated, not overrated. Have you heard Skeletal Lamping? Any band that can come up with the lyric, "He's the kind of guy who would leave you in a k-hole to go play halo in the other room," cannot be praised enough.
P.S.
Look at photos of their live shows. Kevin Barnes rides a white horse on stage while wearing only a gold lamme speedo. Points for originality if nothing else.
Score = 3
Kanye West and his ego could take up all 10 spots.
Score = 5
This isn't going to make me look very good. But I like Fleet Foxes AND Dave Matthews (I know)- I DON'T like Vampire Weekend!
Score = -3
...? How did fleet foxes win best album and most overrated act?
Score = 4
seriously? half the 'overrated' acts are also the 'best albums' !
You people are fickle. Coldplay, Kanye, Radiohead, MGMT, Lil Wayne, sure, I can see them being 'overrated'
but you cant love them on one page and diss them on the next! If they're amazing, they arent overrated! Its that simple.
I thought Fucked Up might make this list, since it seems alot of people hate that other people love their record. (I'm in the latter camp)
and Deerhunter? to me, after fluorescent grey, they can do no wrong. weird era cont kills it. And their live show is orgasmic.
Other than that (and No Age who also rules live), this is a solid list. I think alot of these guys get WAY too much credit, but it annoys me that YOURE THE ONES GIVING THEM THE CREDIT AND THEN SAYING THEY DONT DESERVE IT
there. if you made it through my rant, congrats.
Score = 3
wait. arent most of these your top bands?
Score = 0
Awesome job putting half these bands in most overrated AS WELL AS a bunch of other categories. YEAH! Overrated, but we still love 'em .
Score = 0
ha. it's quite fitting for stereogum to have a most overrated category of awards. i'm not surprised by any pretentiousness that comes from a blog, however. i think it is the most pretentious qualities in a person that drive them to write, or write for, a blog. what does surprise me is that vampire weekend is the number one spot here, as the new indie-blogger normally waits until the sophomore album to pick apart a band for every or any small move away from the band's original style. i guess even vampire weekend's first album became too popular for the underground to be able to appreciate it anymore.
Score = 0
Hype is what you make of it.
Score = 1
sooooo now these bands are overrated? You know, I think I might lay off the blogs for a while. Finding out about new bands isn't quite worth this.
Score = 1
I'm disappointed
Score = 1
maybe the collective disappointment of 2008 caused all of this best album/most hyped list transcending.
unless i'm the only one who was disappointed...
Score = 0
This list is bullsh*t. Radiohead!?!? Coldplay?!?!!? MGMT?!?!?
I've never seen any band put on a show like Coldplay in concert. They are amazing.
Radiohead evokes emotions without even cohesive lyrics, and MGMT has introduced sounds that I can't describe (electric feel is amazing!)...
I agree with the rappers... They need to be on the list. But don't dilute an otherwise good list with kick ass bands.
Score = 0
This is such a... pointless list. Is it a "critically acclaimed artists that we don't personally like" list or a "bad popular music" list? If it's the latter, then the award is merely a well defined "worst of" list and should be called that. If it's the former, then by design it will always resemble "best of" lists very closely... confirming its validity other than anything.
Argue all you want about who "deserves" to be on this list or not, the whole thing comes off as elitist.
Score = 0
I couldn't agree more with your top pick
Score = 0
MGMT is incredibly overrated. For all of the people who will say they are genius--your bible, Oracular Spectacular, came out in 2007. 2007. Half of you MGMT-worshippers have probably heard Time to Pretend and Electric Feel, and then maybe some random other song by them that was actually just a remix of Time to Pretend and then heralded them as musical gods. Of course, there are some people who actually like them and have actually heard their whole album, but I doubt most of the fanatics have.
I mean that's not to say they don't have the talent to become legendary, but let's wait for them to put out another album or at least a single. Oh, and I know you all who think MGMT puts the stars in the sky will shout that they have Climbing to New Lows as well after doing some research on wikipedia, but come off it. Has anyone actually heard that?
That having been said, I have both Electric Feel and Kids on my ipod and I listen to them both quite frequently and find them to be fun tracks.
Score = 0
I don't really understand what this list is supposed to be... isn't every band on this list on the best albums list? That kind of disqualifies this from being anything meaningful.
Score = -1
and the boy... what's his name?... ah I remeber:
SANTOGOLD?
what's happen with him?
Score = 0
Love Santogold, don't really like Vampire Weekend.. at all, any more.
Score = 0
Perfect.
Score = 0
Perfect.
Score = 0
How the fuck are you even going to put The fleet foxes, of montreal, vampire weekend and for god sakes radiohead(the best fucking band ever!!!). Who ever wrote this blog is a fuckin super hater. The guys from vampire weekend are not pretentious. They are actually very nice guys. this is obviously coming from someone who has never met or hung out with them before.
Score = 1