Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

Some of the songs in this list have gone on to become legendary. However, this does not mar the fact that they are overrated.

1. Light my Fire- The Doors

This popular song is boring and the chorus is dull and an insult to anybody who listens to it. While it is definitely vocally dull, something that comes as a shock when someone like Jim Morrison is singing, it is also lyrically dry. This ordinary song is definitely overrated.

2. Radiohead – Creep

Even though Radiohead is a splendid band and have undoubtedly released songs that are incredible, “Creep” isn’t one of them. It came out during the 1990s when the American culture was going through an awkward phase. The lyrics represent the situation at hand and therefore, ruin the song. However, it became very popular and thus, overrated.

3. Every KISS song

KISS did very well as a band but all their songs are extremely overrated. If you listen to all their songs at a stretch, you can practically feel your brain turn to mush. Their lyrics are senseless and their music is boring- what more can one ask for?

4. Sexyback- Justin Timberlake

While almost all his songs are literally mind-numbing because of his high-pitched voice, this one really takes the cake. The beat is catchy which is why the song did well but the listeners clearly learnt very long back that they must tune out his lyrics. A single verse is repeated again and again and then the song ends. The reason it did well is quite a mystery.

5. Unforgiven by Metallica

While this is definitely not as bad as the above mentioned songs, it is definitely overrated. The lyrics are okay, the beat is okay and the vocals are pretty average too. Other songs by Metallica such as “Master of Puppets” and “One” are definitely much better than “Unforgiven”.

The sounds of Celtic music are both entrancing and enlivening. Celtic music can be a haunting melody, a storytelling accompaniment, or a lively dance tune. Songs may be sung in English, Irish, or Gaelic. And whether it’s for a party, called a Ceilidh, or at a pub, the music will definitely be danceable! Celtic musical instruments tend to be simple and portable, so that the party can go anywhere, at any time. The Celtic music diaspora has spread from Scotland and Ireland across the world. There are hundreds of well-known musicians in the Celtic tradition, including Julie Fowlis (who was just featured in the Disney movie, Brave), Cherish the Ladies, the Chieftans, the Clancy Brothers, Le Vent du Nord, Capercaillie, the Box Club, Calum Alex MacMillan, Sharon Shannon, Cantrip, Aine Minogue, Eileen Ivers, Matt and Shannon Heaton, Eddi Reader, the Ocean Orchestra, Altan, Long Time Courting, and Cathie Ryan.

But how to get these enchanting sounds? Here are the top ten Celtic instruments:

1. Celtic Harp

Probably most well-known, globally, because of its placement in the logo of the Irish Guinness Stout! The Celtic Harp is also the symbol of Ireland. It’s an ancient musical instrument, used by musicians for thousands of years to entertain, enhance their stories, and enliven gatherings. The stringing used to be gut-strung, but is now wire strung (bell-like tones) or nylon strung (soft tones). Modern Celtic Harps stand 4 feet high and boast 34 strings.

2. Pipes

Whether traditional Scottish Highland bagpipes or Uillean pipes, these instruments are made from a leather bladder, inflated through a pipe by the musician. Yes, work on your lung capacity! The musician presses the bag underneath his/her arm and plays the tune by deft fingerwork on the chanter (which looks like a recorder).

3. Fiddle

Probably the most well-known of Celtic instruments, the fiddle provides haunting, soulful sounds, or rollicking, danceable tunes. It’s a very familiar sound. A fiddle is strung with steel, while a violin is usually strung with gut or nylon. The musical instrument itself is the same. The techniques involved in fiddling are different from playing the violin – sharper, shorter bursts, and quick fingerwork. There are definitely regional variations in fiddle playing.

4. Tin Whistle

The easiest to carry, the tin whistle has been a mainstay in Celtic music for ages. It is closely related to the flute. The tin whistle is a metal cylinder, like a recorder, with 6 stops on which the musician can finger the different notes. The instrument is held vertically. The tin whistle is mostly used for accent notes, as well as the main melody in a song.

5. Flute

Celtic musicians tend to prefer the old-fashioned wooden flutes to the more modern, metal flute. The instrument is held horizontally. It is a simple system transverse flute. The tone holes are covered with the fingers to produce different notes. It plays in a major scale. There are usually no metal keys. The flute can be used to achieve ethereal accents, or also contribute to the main melody.

Are you an independent artist trying to make your music go global? Answered yes? Well, you must have then thought of engaging in the task of licensing your music for making the composition available for movies and television shows. After all, a licensed music always holds a better chance of crediting you with the recognition rather than making you fall prey to the illicit activities dominating the musical industry.

Authenticating the music composition under your name helps attaining potential career boost, as it helps gaining international credibility and visibility. However, when it comes to music licensing, most young artists fail to take a good start at the action. Here is a quick look at the top 10 tips that might help an independent artist secure position in the industry with his or her composition, when the task of licensing come up-

1. Maintain a Perfect Format and Level

Mastering your tracks with the correct formatting and volume level holds the main key. When it comes to file format, remember to keep it diverse ranging from low-rez MP3 to higher-rez AIFF or WAV files.

2. Go with your Best Composition Creation

When it comes to licensing and making a mark in the industry, it is always advisable that you choose your best creation. Take advice from friends and family in the matter of choosing the best creation.

3. Include All Information for the Music Supervisor

Be it a digital file or a hard CD, always remember to include all information that might be required by the music supervisor for going ahead with the task of music licensing. Information must include writers, names, tracks, publishers, label, and contact address.

4. Make your Composition Recognizable

Since, you are a beginner in the field trying hard for recognition, always consider associating your music composition with something that is more known and global.

5. Persistence is the Key

Since, the competition is strict in the industry, you must always learn to be persistent. Always remember that you are marketing your composition and therefore, you must push things to the farthest and never give up in the middle.

Success can be defined as an accomplishment someone aims or has aimed to achieve. Success can be measured qualitatively in numbers as well as quantitatively through praise. Many composers throughout history have lacked success. Mozart for instance is renowned today for his work, despite the opposite during his time.

Here are 10 examples of composers who did not reach success in their careers.

1. Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote 600 compositions during his short 35 years on earth, including 41 symphonies. He began composing and playing music at the age of 5. He traveled throughout Europe, playing music for royalties and the nobles since he was 6.

Throughout his life Mozart was not celebrated as much as he is today. He died penniless and left his friends and family in considerable debt. This was because he spent more money than he was earning. As was common at the time, he had a simple burial in an unmarked grave.

2. Franz Schubert

Schubert only lived for 31 years. Despite the short life, he composed a total of 1000 compositions. The man was shy and not appreciated until decades after he had died. He was also often rejected by schools including Gessellschaft der Musikfreunde and Kappelmeister at Laibach.

3. Antonio Salieri:

Many remember this composer’s name in the film Amadeus. The composer was indeed a rival of Mozart. Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher. He was also a loyal subject to the Habsburg monarch. In 1774, he was appointed to the position of director of Italian opera by the Habsburg court, a position he held until 1792.

His reputation disappeared in 1800s. No one heard of him until 20th century.

4. George Bruns:

Many children and also teenagers love watching Pirates of the Carribean. The plot is fantastic and the music is riveting. Hardly anyone knows who is behind the music. George Bruns is the name and he was a multi-instrumental and virtuoso tubaist. Throughout his lifetime he worked with many bands and studios, most notably Walt Disney Studios. He worked to compose the megahit for Sleeping Beauty.

5. Dmitri Shostakovitch

Shostakovitch was largely unrecognized for his achievements as a composer. Specifically in 1948, he and many other composers were criticized for formalism in the Zhdanov decree. He was believed to have written inappropriate music which was “Western”.

What many do not realize is that he was a mixture of everything we heard in the past from Bach to Beethoven to Mahhler to Berg. Many of his symphonies were musically conservative as well.

Led Zeppelin is an influential rock band that has made history in both 1960s and the 1970s. They influenced a number of artists today with their vocals, music usages and techniques. Some songs did not hit well and were terrible. Here are the 10 songs, I feel, did not take home the bacon.

1. “Stairway to Heaven”
This is by far the worst song by Led Zeppelin. The group came out with this song in 1970 in the album Led Zeppelin III. It was a complete let down. The wording of the lyrics was obscure and open to vague interpretation. No specific meaning could be applied.

2. “Four Sticks”
Great album: Led Zeppelin IV. It was one of my most favourite to have been released by the rock group. This song absolutely reeked. The vocals were off.

3. “Your Time is Gonna Come”

This song was released in 1969 in the debut album. The song is about a lady who is unfaithful and who pays the price for her betrayal. The song was only once performed in concert in Tokyo in 1971. It is generally a good song with an overload and a distorted bass. The distorted bass can distract you from enjoying the music.

4. “The Lemon Song”

The song was featured in the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. The song was recorded live in the studio with no electric devises. Some of the lyrics, “squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg,” can be attributed to Robert Johnson and his hit “Travelling Riverside Blues.” The song was an adaptation to Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor”. The group was sued over copyright infringement. Additionally, many critics believe that the song was overdubbed when in concert.

5. “For Your Life”

This was way to Blues for a band that is a Rock Band. It tends to repeat itself and gets a bit boring. The theme is good though, given that Robert Plant discusses a drug-addicted friend. The tune was excellent as well.

This list looks at some of the pitfalls of The Who. The Who was a great rock band in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Many of their songs could have been more meaningful if they were longer. Other songs were ruined by covers written by contemporary stars.

1. Squeeze Box:

This is one of the most perplexed songs I’ve heard so far. It’s not bad and it’s not good either. There is no apparent meaning to this song. Songwriter Pete Townshend even said it himself. He was unsure why his band even sang Squeeze Box. To this day I cannot imagine why someone would make a song about parents having sex and a father playing with a mother’s breasts.

2. My Generation:

This was first sung and released on November 5, 1965. The song was popular, especially on VH1’s list of 100 Greatest Songs of Rock & Roll and the Rolling Stones’ 500 Songs that Shapes Rock and Roll. Hilary Duff sung a cover for this song in Japan. That just basically ruined the whole song altogether. People now associate this song with something that Duff sang.

3. Boris the Spider:

This is a nonsensical song that sounded as if it was from a nursery rhyme. This was the first composition by John Entwistle. The lyrics were written when Entwistle and Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman went drinking and made funny names for animals.

4. Behind Blue Eyes:

Pete Townshend wrote this about a character in his Lifehouse project. It was to be used as a main song in the Lifehouse film. The lyrics are based on Townshend’s feelings of angst. No one knew what it was like to be a star with high expectations and pressures to be someone he is not. The song was great and was popular in the 1970s. Sadly, a group named Limp Bizkit decided to cover the song in 1998. You could no longer understand the angst, the suffering and the issues of drugs, abuse that the Who put forth.

5. Pinball Wizard:

This song was part of the Tommy Album that was released in 1969. The album was about a young man who is deaf, dumb and blind. The man becomes a pinball champion and gains the attention of multitude of fans. Tommy played pinball because he desired to feel the vibrations of the machine. The idea to the song was good; however, I fail to understand why the word dumb was overused. Overall, the song did not have much sense to it conceptually. At least the album had no fillers. I’ll give them that credit.

Rock Bands have defined music history. They have revolutionized the way fans think and look. Many bands have stuck around for 40+ years, having the same spirit they had when they first started. Here are the top 10 rock bands of all time.

1. The Beatles:

Every male in Europe desired to have their hairdo done like the Beatles. The Beatles were an amiable rock band group in the 1960s and 1970s. They were also one of the most critically acclaimed groups to ever exist, receiving 7 Grammys and 15 Ivor Novello Awards. Additionally, they have been awarded with 6 diamond and 24 multi-platinum albums amongst others. Popular culture has changed ever since the Beatles. Many artists such as Brian Adams were influenced by the group and its legacy.

2. Rolling Stones:

Who can forget the two best hits: Angie and Paint It Black? Furthermore can anyone guess the origins of Britney Spears’ song “Satisfaction”? The song was a modern rendition of Rolling Stones’ classic tune. The band itself was formed in 1962 by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ian Stewart and Brian Jones. In almost 50 years, Rolling Stones has released over 100 singles and over 2 dozen albums. They are still quite popular and are completing world tours. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards still have their groove, even in their 60s. Britney Spears would not use their songs, otherwise.

3. U2:

U2 is an Irish rock band formed in 1976 by Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. By the mid 1980s, U2 was a top international act. They won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band and are ranked 22 by the Rolling Stones in their list of 100 Greatest Artists of all Time. Outside of their musical careers, U2 completes charity and humanitarian work to combat poverty and AIDS.

4. Pink Floyd:

Formed in 1967, they sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. They have also won 4 Grammy awards and helped define the progressive rock era. They are most significant for their introduction of fireworks and lights to their stage acts. Their song, “We Don’t Need No Education“ is still popular today, especially among rebellious kids.

5. Santana:

Santana still has the touch 42 years later with their recent hits such as “Maria”. They are a Latin rock band which has won 8 Grammy Awards and 3 Latin Grammy Awards. They are currently on tour with Michael Franti and Spearhead. Carlos Santana, the leader, was named No. 15 on Rolling Stones` list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time.

There are many singers who never recovered from having 1 top single. Many have also stayed on the down low as they were not generating enough hits. Here are just 10 singers with only 1 top single. Raise your hand if you recognize 1 or 2.

1. Baha Men, “Who Let the Dogs Out”:

This was a famous song that is still sung by different people around the world. Baha Men is quite popular in the Caribbean, especially in his home country Bahamas. However, the only hit that is popular today is “Who Let the Dogs Out.”

2. Afroman, “Because I Got High”:

Although the song was in Afroman’s second album, it was a breakout hit. Like Who Let the Dogs Out, Because I Got High, is still sung and parodied today in the United States and North America.

3. Los del Rio, “Macarena”:

This is a Spanish song about a woman of the same name. It still is a hit and has renditions by many different artists. It was ranked the No.1 One Hit Wonder of all time by VHS in 2002. The song was released in 1992.

4. Vanilla Ice, “ Ice Ice Baby”:

The song takes the baseline from Queen and David Bowie, with no credit to the former and the latter. Debuting in 1989, this was the most famous and the most popular of Vanilla Ice’s songs. It was a top hit in Australia, Europe and North America.

5. Debolah Morgan, “Dance with Me”:

This is the only hit that Morgan was known for in the early 2000s, after 3 albums. It reached #8 in Billboards Hot 100. She was highly criticized for trying to dance with her boyfriend in the video.

The following ten music adaptations and remakes have been successful. They stick with viewers for long periods of time. Additionally, they have defined history and have left a mark on those who love the older songs, whilst still bringing in newer and younger audiences.

1. Candle in the Wind, Elton John

The Candle in the Wind, written and sung by Sir Elton John, is not the original version. The song was previously called “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, in honor of Marilyn Monroe in 1973 album. Sir Elton John adapted the song in 1997 to honor his friend Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris.

2. Hallelujah, Espen Lind featuring Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm

The song was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. In 2006, a Norwegian Quartet released the song and continued to make it a hit. It was the fastest selling hit in Norway and reached No.1 on VG-Lista (Norwegian Singles Chart). It remained at top 20 for 37 weeks. Although the song was not initially successful, it has become one of the greatest hits. It is sung at charity concerts and funerals, especially that of Jack Layton.

3. Hotel California, Gipsy Kings:

The song was an adaptation to the 1977 hit single of the same name by the Eagles. Gipsy Kings adapted the tune and lyrics in a flamenco version in 1988. Marc Anthony and Rascal Flatts followed in the 2000s. The song was named No.49 on the Rolling Stones list of greatest singles of all time.

4. Big Yellow Taxi, Counting Crows & Vanessa Carlton

Big Yellow Taxi was originally sung and written by singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970. It was a big hit in Canada and Australia coming in at no. 14 and no. 6 respectively. The Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton adapted this song to appeal to wider and younger audiences and as a soundtrack to Two Weeks’ Notice. The rendition was successful and topped Billboard`s top 40.

5. Respect, Aretha Franklin

The song was originally written and sung by artist Otis Redding in 1965. Aretha Franklin redid the song in 1967, which provided an altered essence. Both are compelling and have a deeper message. Whilst Redding pleas for a woman`s respect, Franklin`s version reiterates that she deserves respect. Franklin received two Grammy Awards in 1968 for this song.

Eurovision Songs Contest of 2011 brought out the best in many newer artists. Many of them were able to better define their country’s cultures and traditions. Others were able to set the record by singing in languages rarely sung before. The backdrop, zoom and imagery in each of the following Top 10 Eurovision Contest Videos of 2011 were astounding and deserve recognition.

1. France

Youtube Link

Artist: Amaury Vassili

Song: “Sognu” (English: “Dream”)

Description: Singing in Corsican language, Amaury Vassili did an excellent job singing to the tune. The video zoomed in on Vassili exceptionally well when his voice pitched and as different musicians were playing. The scenery and the visual effects were stunning and made one dream the lyrics Vassili sung.

2. Slovakia

Youtube Link

Artists: TWiiNS

Song: I’m Still Alive

Description: This video does an excellent job at presenting some of Slovakia’s greatest moments in sports. The camera zooms, and the slow motioning compliments the lyrics.

3. Azerbijan

Youtube Link

Artists: Ell & Nikki

Song: Running Scared

Description: Ell & Nikki did an excellent job at choreographing the lyrics in the video of this song. You can visualize and feel their affection and love as they sang the lyrics.

4. Greece

Youtube Link

Artists: Loukas Giorkas featuring Stereo Mike

Song: Watch My Dance

Description: The setting complimented the song and lyrics as the ancient ruins are seen against the blue light. Cameras were able to zoom in on Loukas Giorkas as he sang in traditional Greek style music. Stereo Mike did an excellent job in preparing viewers for Giorkas in this video in modern hip hop style.

5. Belarus:

Youtube Link

Artist: Anastasia Vinnikova

Song: I Love Belarus

Description: The song was originally named “I am Belarussian.” but was changed to the current title because it was sung in public in the summer of 2010. The video mostly shows Vinnikova singing solo, who puts on moves that are well in tuned with the music. The video adds traditional dancers to define Belarus.