Huge, fine, but that enormous...?

[Emelee]

What artists do you feel deserve to be top sellers, but you don't understand why they're insanely popular?

Taylor Swift
I can't for the life of me understand how Taylor Swift "broke" Spotify when they released her latest album. Fine, yes she's good. But not THAT good. Most of her songs feel very plain. What's so special about Anti-hero?! Mediocre song.

Adele
Great voice and some nice songs. But they're not all that great. Hello and Easy On Me are snoozepills.

Ed Sheeran
Good lord, what is so insanely special about him? I like Bad Habits, but the rest feels like a dime a dozen.

Beyoncé
She deserves a lot of cred, Queen B. But she's not God. I listened through her latest album and I wasn't impressed with a single track. Long way from her Crazy In Love days.

Drake
He had like 9 of 10 songs on a most streamed songs of the week list once. I still don't understand how that happened.

 

[Toni]

What artists do you feel deserve to be top sellers, but you don't understand why they're insanely popular?

Taylor Swift
I can't for the life of me understand how Taylor Swift "broke" Spotify when they released her latest album. Fine, yes she's good. But not THAT good. Most of her songs feel very plain. What's so special about Anti-hero?! Mediocre song.

Adele
Great voice and some nice songs. But they're not all that great. Hello and Easy On Me are snoozepills.

Ed Sheeran
Good lord, what is so insanely special about him? I like Bad Habits, but the rest feels like a dime a dozen.

Beyoncé
She deserves a lot of cred, Queen B. But she's not God. I listened through her latest album and I wasn't impressed with a single track. Long way from her Crazy In Love days.

Drake
He had like 9 of 10 songs on a most streamed songs of the week list once. I still don't understand how that happened.

Not in Miss Piggy´s version!

 

[Ome]

I get that there will always be artists that attract so many fans to the point where the fandom outshines the artist, it's been happening for decades, however, it does frustrate me to see artists take over the charts with so many albums/singles.

That said, I hope the artists I love the most never get to this point, the idea of trying to get tickets for someone so popular would fill me with anxiety.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I didn't know what to expect when I clicked on the thread title....

 

[James from London]

What's so special about Anti-hero?! Mediocre song.

I mentally swoon every time I hear it.

Beyoncé
I listened through her latest album and I wasn't impressed with a single track.

I love the whole thing.

 

[Payton Cross]

What artists do you feel deserve to be top sellers, but you don't understand why they're insanely popular?

Adele
Great voice and some nice songs. But they're not all that great. Hello and Easy On Me are snoozepills.

I think Adele has a nice, distinctive singing voice, and has also made some beautiful songs, but I still can't afford to buy her music, I think it often sounds the same to me, too few variations in sound, I think she should made more uptempo songs.

"Someone Like You" is my favorite Adele song, very emotional which i can relate too.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Compared to legendary artists like Queen, Paul Simon and David Bowie etc I don't think the artists listed in the OP have had that much of an artistic impact, but you can't expect pop music to stop when these artist of yesteryear stop making hit songs.
Besides, every generation needs its own heroes regardless of their talent. It's not much fun for young people to keep worshipping the leftovers from the previous generation.
It doesn't concern me anymore.

 

[Emelee]

Speaking of yesteryears idols, I still don't know how The Beatles became so giganormous. Many of their lyrics are either repetative, sappy or plain LSD-written. Given the music of the 50s and before, I get that their sound was fresh. In the 60s. But why are they STILL giganormous?

 

[Willie Oleson]

Many of their lyrics are either repetative, sappy or plain LSD-written.

At least it sounds like great pop music.

But why are they STILL giganormous?

"They" are not, it's their legacy.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

It is all about hype, promotion, marketing, appeal to the most profitable demographic, etc, not pure talent.
I have a list of overrated,overhyped, undertalented performers (I do not call them artists)
who are lesser talents than the true greats. I will not name them,
because of the inevitable backlash.
Selling a large number of albums, singles, etc does not constitute quality,
only mass appeal based on good promotion
An example is the misnamed Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame.
There are performers and groups there that should never have even been considered,
and flagrant omissions that make one cringe

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Speaking of yesteryears idols, I still don't know how The Beatles became so giganormous. Many of their lyrics are either repetative, sappy or plain LSD-written. Given the music of the 50s and before, I get that their sound was fresh. In the 60s. But why are they STILL giganormous?

Personally, I have always preferred the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney as a solo act, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Neil Diamond.
I am not dismissing the Beatles, I like their music, but I do think they may be overrated at times. They were in the right place at the right time, were charismatic and well promoted. My favorite Beatles album is "Help"
Point of Trivia. People have said that Ringo's drum work on Abbey Road was excellent, but now I am
hearing that much of it was from Paul McCartney

 

[Ome]

I mentally swoon every time I hear it.

What about a little Dermot?

 

[James from London]

What about a little Dermot?

That's ... wow. It's just such a great song.

I think the Beatles still sound exciting. What's boring is all that "they're the greatest band in history, blah blah blah" stuff.

 

[Ome]

they're the greatest band in history, blah blah blah" stuff.

Yes, exactly. Take that away and then you can appreciate/enjoy any artist.

It’s like the whole awards thing. “It must be great because it won”

While I enjoy watching award shows, I’m often screaming at the screen and disagreeing, but that’s part of the fun.

I get the whole annoying angle when it comes to fandom but most of the time I can ignore it. Being a bit of a charts/stats geek I can get frustrated when I see most of Taylor or Drake in the albums chart, but that’s more on me letting it get to me.