Name your lame duck artist........

Dankmobius: everything you said is right (which means I agree), except about Barber. Give her another shot. You didn't get sufficient exposure to hear the twists, edge, depth, intelligence and cleverness that are simply absent from the others.

I know this is an opinion thread, but calling out metallica and kris kristoffersen...? crazy talk. maybe if you look at what they've done just the past few years.

Overrated in those categories would have to be Steve Earle and White Lion.

Truman - re: Joel, there are a number of hysterical and insightful essays by pop culture vulture chuck klosterman that I encourage you to check out. He has an enormous amount of respect for BJ, and credits him with everything that he is due...and still makes a compelling argument that he's ultimately culturally insignificant. A great read for fans and critics alike - highly recommended.

RNM4

Madonna has talent???? The only talent I can find there is her talent in hiding it.

Panning an artist isn't implying you have taste at all, it simply means you think that person ( Barber) is crap. If I thought she was great would that would that imply I had no taste?
I don't expect everybody to think my favorite artists are top of the heap, and I certainly wouldn't be hurt if they had their own negative opinion. Taste is nothing more than preference, though some people like to deny you that choice by insisting you prefer what they prefer.
As far as Leonard Cohen goes - pretentuous dribble as far as I am concerned. If you want to be wooed by spoken word go check out Tom Waits for a bit of lyrical genious.
Re. Elvis - what do you mean when you despise the sensibility? Gyrating his hips?......shocking !
I am taking a wild guess it you aren't into gangster rap.

How about Jim Morrison, a god-awful poet who was touted as a genius!