Not a band, but Eric Clapton.

Even without the racism, Eric Clapton.

Even without the Covid denial, Eric Clapton.

Cream, fine, whatever, but Eric Clapton? No thank you,

best hated for me: Smashmouth (at least they're just a footnote now)
NOFX (sadly influential) and Social Distortion (barf) come close

As awful as Meat Loaf is, I can’t help but admire him and his career. At some point, this larger man who sweats profusely decided to record the worst kind of late-70s Broadway pseudo-rock schlock, without any obvious singles or nods toward commercial viability, and . . . somehow pulled it off. I’m in favor of nerds who win. (See also: Hamilton.)

I can’t stand Steely Dan, either, but again, I admire their dedication to their particular, idiosyncratic soft rock. They at least had vision and a hell of a work ethic.

The Doors get dinged by many because of the whole “Jim Morrison is a genius” nonsense. But he had a great voice, and the band recorded plenty of good songs, and the lyrics—while still 1000 miles from poetry—were no worse than anything in a Hendrix or Cream song. Nobody would hate them as much as they do if they’d been as popular as, say, The Music Machine.

RHCP are pretty bad but not entirely irredeemable.

Nickelback deserve all the hate.

But Maroon 5 are the worst band mentioned in this thread so far. Everything about them is the worst, and the fact that they remind you so much of their much better influences (namely, Stevie Wonder) makes them all the more offensive.

My city does this thing every summer where they pay bands of teenagers to play in public spaces, like a summer job. Most of these bands I've seen are really, really good and inventive.

One of them turned out to be a Steely Dan cover band. Most bizarre thing I think I've encountered.

Phish and RHCP probably bug me more to listen to, but stuff like Maroon 5 and Nickelback sound like bands that were created in a board room. maybe the music is less offensive, but there’s something especially damnable about how cynically contrived it is.

Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:25 am But Maroon 5 are the worst band mentioned in this thread so far. Everything about them is the worst, and the fact that they remind you so much of their much better influences (namely, Stevie Wonder) makes them all the more offensive.

Might well be, but it's offset for me by having never encountered anybody into them. They're mall muzak to my ears and, repulsive as that is, its sheer blandness just washes right over.

I've met people who will say Meat Loaf is the best of all music. Straight faced, the lot. Utter state of it. I'm going to watch that YouTube clip again. The one of him collapsing onstage. Simple pleasures.

Marone 5 songs are so instantly forgettable I can't even conjure up the energy to hate it. It'd be like hating Coldplay.

edit: FM AMWT beat me to it.

penningtron wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:52 am Marone 5 songs are so instantly forgettable I can't even conjure up the energy to hate it.

same for me, I can only think of one M5 song from memory

I don't know if they're the worst band ever, as that distinction probably rests with Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock's collective. But I had the misfortune of seeing RHCP in the late 90's at the Fleet Center (now TD Garden), and they sounded horrible even by arena standards.

Narrowed down to worst bands I’ve seen. Both were total lazy hacks that weren’t trying at all.

Akron/Family and Joan of Arc.