Talented singers whose music is average?

[StrawberryBlond 14,820]

I was just thinking earlier on when I was listening to some albums that there's a lot of talented people in the industry but when it comes to their actual musical output, you wonder why their talent isn't really being applied. There are some great vocalists, instrumentalists and even songwriters (the production is their Achilles heel) that for whatever reason, don't produce the best actual songs and it's so annoying when you want to like them but can't or think their music is decent but never getting to the point of "amazing." Here's some of mine (be prepared for lots of hot takes):

Halsey - Loved her early style but she fell away for me with her next two albums and has now started redeeming herself with her latest but at most, her music is just above average to me. She's got amazing work surrounded by some really skippable tracks and it takes down the overall quality.

Kacey Musgraves - She drives me crazy. She makes fantastic songs with every album and yet...only half the album is like that. The rest are just bland filler. I just listened to her new album yesterday that I was so sure was going to take her over the top but then it was the same old story and that's what inspired this thread. What's odd is that all her albums get great reviews and she's won Grammys so I don't get why no critic seems to point this out. Surely you can't compare her greatest tracks to the other ones and think they're remotely of the same quality?

Doja Cat - She's so unique and her way of expressing all those different ways of singing Say So was very creative but yet, her music, especially her earlier stuff is kinda...weird and niche. She's improving since she's hit the big time but its baby steps. I'm still annoyed that the bland Say So was what gave her her big break and not the amazing Rules from the same album, which is probably her best ever song.

Kanye West - His music was once really good and then it all went downhill after Yeezus. It's getting back there with Donda but that definitely wasn't a perfect album either. I think he's talented but the stuff about him being a genius really went to his head and he started to think anything he made was worthy of praise and seems to be surrounded by yes men at this point.

Pink - She's got it in her to create an amazing album but so often, her albums just go above average for me and her last 3 have just been average at best. She's also pulled back on all the rebellious, shouty anthems she used to do which is where she shone and is focusing more on dull ballads these days. I know she's getting older but artists can still totally do a louder style at an advanced age, it's just about doing it right.

Mariah Carey - Great voice but her actual songs were never really for me and she just does the same style with literally every album, she's just modernised the style she had since she debuted in 1990. Her only deviation from her formula was for Glitter but that was only because it was for a movie set in the 80's and was reflecting that time. She just seems very resistant to change.

Taylor Swift - She's got better with time but claims of her being a great songwriter always confused me for years. Her writing up until very recently has been very juvenile and one note. She's finally maturing lately but she's in dire need of better production. She's one of the few artists who, apart from her singles, I can barely differentiate one song from the next per album, they're just so devoid of memorable beats.

Little Mix - I'm rooting for these girls to one day make an album that's better than above average but they continuously fall back on generic beats and lyrics for a good half of an album. How I wish I could just merge the best from every two albums into one.

Ariana Grande - I wish she'd stop trying to do a modern RnB sound and just use her great voice to do amazing ballads. As it is, she just seems to be chasing hits with middle of the road tunes that are all about what's trendy. I'm fine with 7 Rings kinda style but Positions and 34+35 is not it.

 

So, what are some of yours?

[Oyster 2,458]

I disagree with you on so much here (Kanye, doja, Ariana, Taylor). Agree with pink. I’d also say Jessie J. Super talented but the music not that good

[Dojo 19,365]

Halsey

Chris Tina

Demi is talented but the production of her songs is super basic and rushed

[flyaway 15,350]

TW: This opinion may offend some of you, but I feel Gaga has yet to release an album up to her talents as an artist, a songwriter and a vocalist. An artist like Gaga truly deserves a masterpiece album, and I know she could make it. BTW was a close effort.

Don't get me wrong, she already has many great songs and amazing ideas. But her albums often feel half baked, unfinished or too constricted to appeal to the masses. And when it comes to Chromatica, it was mostly conceived by her producers.

 

[Dojo 19,365]

2 minutes ago, flyaway said:

TW: This opinion may offend some of you, but I feel Gaga has yet to release an album up to her talents as an artist, a songwriter and a vocalist. An artist like Gaga truly deserves a masterpiece album, and I know she could make it. BTW was a close effort.

Don't get me wrong, she already has many great songs and amazing ideas. But her albums often feel half baked, unfinished or too constricted to appeal to the masses. And when it comes to Chromatica, it was mostly conceived by her producers.

 

BTW is truly her best album and i feel like one day she will release a full, intense, solid cohesive album that will give us chills from head to toe. 

[dynamite 58,612]

P!nk, her music has become SO samey and lame for like 4 albums in a row

[Robinladen 1,527]

Just now, flyaway said:

TW: This opinion may offend some of you, but I feel Gaga has yet to release an album up to her talents as an artist, a songwriter and a vocalist.

Don't get me wrong, she already has many great songs and amazing ideas. But her albums often feel half baked, unfinished or too constricted to appeal to the masses. And when it comes to Chromatica, it was mostly conceived by her producers.

 

I kind of agree. So far when she moved away from dance music with Joanne and ASIB she also moved away from her bigger than life persona. I kinda want a non-edm era where she still brings the grandness that comes with being Gaga. Preferably a bit rooted in darkness as she does truely shine the most when things are a bit sinister.

Often I'm also more impressed by live performances of Gaga then the studio track. Then I think couldn't they have captured this on the studio track? 

[alsemanche 93,634]

Ariana Grande 

[holy scheisse 22,254]

9 minutes ago, flyaway said:

TW: This opinion may offend some of you, but I feel Gaga has yet to release an album up to her talents as an artist, a songwriter and a vocalist. An artist like Gaga truly deserves a masterpiece album, and I know she could make it. BTW was a close effort.

Don't get me wrong, she already has many great songs and amazing ideas. But her albums often feel half baked, unfinished or too constricted to appeal to the masses. And when it comes to Chromatica, it was mostly conceived by her producers.

 

I think this is a weird comment lol. This whole threads weird tbh. But if Gaga has yet to create an album that showcases her talent.... When will she ever? I think you're projecting some kind of expectation and vision of her talent onto her that doesn't exist. Gaga puts her all into her albums and if it doesn't come off as talented to you, you might just be delulu over what you think she's capable of 

[BlondeQueenOfGGD 25,454]

Taylor imo

[Celloo Deng 54,843]

100% agree with you on Taylor, P!nk and Little Mix. 

I would also add Xtina, I loved her debut album and Stripped, but nothing since then 

[053Timo 1,682]

18 minutes ago, flyaway said:

TW: This opinion may offend some of you, but I feel Gaga has yet to release an album up to her talents as an artist, a songwriter and a vocalist. An artist like Gaga truly deserves a masterpiece album, and I know she could make it. BTW was a close effort.

Don't get me wrong, she already has many great songs and amazing ideas. But her albums often feel half baked, unfinished or too constricted to appeal to the masses. And when it comes to Chromatica, it was mostly conceived by her producers.

 

I disagree, fully. 

[js4754394o9823 6,882]

z

[Guest]

JoJo

All of you sleep on this queen so much.

She’s such an incredible singer but her sales and fanbase are very limited. 

[Blastertoyo 22,728]

30 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Mariah Carey - Great voice but her actual songs were never really for me and she just does the same style with literally every album, she's just modernised the style she had since she debuted in 1990. Her only deviation from her formula was for Glitter but that was only because it was for a movie set in the 80's and was reflecting that time. She just seems very resistant to change.

Um 

How can yall call Gaga queen of versatility and say these are all the same