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The John DeBella Show

Weekdays 5:30am–9:00am

Songs from 1999 That Hold Up Today

Placeholder Shilloutte User Image Steve Vassalotti February 28th
Singing man listening to headphones

I found an article on a wonderful site I frequent called Brobible. 20 Songs from 1999 that still hold up. The author Ryan O’Connell does a really good job bringing you back to what was the feeling of each of these 20 songs when they came out. When these songs came out I was an impressionable 8th grader, so a lot of these hold a special place in my heart. Some I just wasn’t into, but you couldn’t avoid them on the radio. As with any sort of nostalgia topics even the ones I’m ‘meh’ on make you feel some sort of way.

The first song I completely agree with is at #18 Juvenile’s Back That Azz Up. Ryan points out that it was our introduction to Lil Wayne and may have given us the term, “drop it like it’s hot.” I love that song, and to this day when someone asks my wife what she walked down the aisle to I say Back That Azz Up. I chuckle each time too. Just a complete banger that 8th grade Steve loved and would agree with our writer.

#16 & #15 – Dr. Dre ft. Snoop: Still D.R.E. and Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Californication. The piano part that starts the song and stays for the entirety of Still D.R.E. is the one thing I’d like to be able to master on the piano. After that I have no need for any more piano knowledge. Californication was everywhere in ’99, you couldn’t get way from it, including when you’re best friend would be sending you an instant message from the screen name RHCPkid.

#13 Limp Bizkit – Nookie.  I have done everything in my power to forget that I was a fan of Limp Bizkit growing up. I believe the first parental advisory CD I got my hands on was Limp Bizkit’s Significant Other album. There was a period of time when randomly Nookie would be in my head and it drove me nuts. I do not want to or need to hear this song ever again. Hard disagree.

#11 Rage Against the Machine – Sleep Now in the Fire. In 8th grade I didn’t know anything about Rage’s political stances. Not. A. Clue. I just liked the loudness and tempo of the song. Still do. Just listened to the whole thing. Tom Morello is still amazing.

#10 Santana Ft. Rob Thomas – Smooth. Former co-host Dave Gibson and I would routinely tell DeBella this was the best song in our MGK library. Still is. Obviously still holds up all these years later.

#9 Lou Bega – Mambo No. 5. – I initially wanted to so absolutely not. Then I watched video Ryan has posted, and I’m now worried I’m going to have this stuck in my head because I listened all the way through and bopped along.

#8 Jay Z – Big Pimpin. The only thing that doesn’t hold up is Jay’s bucket hat and shirt combo.

#3 Len – Steal My Sunshine. I’m not sure if this song holds up or it’s just that I hear it so rarely that when I do I’m like holy crap I love this song. O’Connell calls it what it is, “possibly the best summer jam of all time.”

#1 Blink 182 – All the Small things. Ryan O’Connell totally nails number one on this list. I was a huge Blink 182 fan growing up thanks to the Enema of the State album. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since I heard All the Small Things my brain is able to pull open the filing cabinet and find every lyric. And if you’re with a group when you hear it, they also know all the lyrics.

Check out the whole list here. Enjoy the videos and the trip back to high school or grade school for some of us.

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Strong Opinions On The List Of 25 Most Overrated Bands of All Time

We just stumbled upon this list. A website called NewArena.com rated the 25 most overrated bands of all time.

It piqued our interest and we were shocked at what we found. It seems that the author of the list created it based entirely upon their own opinion. The bands listed are allegedly glorified wrongly.

They include a reason why they’ve landed that spot on the list with each band they rank. The list starts out with bands like Imagine Dragons and Maroon 5 citing their lack of diversity in terms of sound. Okay, fair, maybe.

The list proceeds to get more and more insane as the thing goes on. They make mention of legendary rock bands that revolutionized music and pop culture. For example, one band they list is The Eagles. Yes. The Eagles. The author cites that their sound “isn’t anything to write home about.” They literally wrote Hotel California, but okay.

It’s one thing to say you don’t personally like these groups, but to go on record and formally deem them “overrated?” That’s crazy talk. While it is an opinion piece and can be disregarded as such, we have opinions on the opinions.

We feel passionately about these opinions, too. As a station that regularly plays and enjoys music by some of the bands listed here, we feel the need to go on record in their defense. There are reasons as to why these bands are regarded as “the greats.” How can they be valued too highly when their contributions are so vital to the musical landscape?

In any case, the list was written and posted and we found it. Now we can dissect it for your entertainment.

Here are the top 7 most outrageous picks on the list of the 25 most overrated bands of all time…in our opinion, of course.

  • 22. The Rolling Stones

    The writer of the list claims that The Rolling Stones “didn’t reinvent or redefine anything.” Hello? Earth to this guy. These dudes are above 70 years old and still performing. Is that not redefining something? They are pushing the boundaries of how long a band can tour. Not only that, but they have an enormous catalog of great songs and a distinctive image. They were the “bad boys” before there were bad boys. They experimented with all kinds of different instruments and are fronted by the king of showmanship. Maybe this person is just bitter that they possess less cool than Mick Jagger’s left pinky.

  • 21. Red Hot Chili Peppers

    RHCP?! Really? The author of the list cited that they’re fun to listen to, but that’s all there is to it. Meanwhile, this is a band who have seamlessly blended everything from punk, and hard rock to rap and jazz fusion. Their longevity has proven that being “fun to listen to” pays off. Their sound has evolved with the times, without them losing their core identity. RHCP find themselves at the top of a long list of really exciting bands to watch, as well. Their energy is and always has been infectious.

  • 15. Nirvana

    Oh, come on. This is a direct quote from newarena.com: “Nirvana is one of those bands that needs to stay in the ’90’s. The music didn’t age well — primarily because you know exactly which decade it came from. There wasn’t a sense of invention or creativity.” Nirvana are one of the biggest and most influential bands in music history. They pretty much single-handedly catapulted alternative music into the mainstream when their second album, Nevermind, turned popular culture on its head. They brought grunge into the mainstream and redefined how people make and listen to music. But sure, no sense of invention…makes sense (NOT).

  • 9. Green Day

    Imagine calling the flagship band of a prolific subgenre of music “overrated.” Green Day is largely the head of pop punk, showing the world that punk can be palatable for all. Not to mention, they are one of the best-selling groups on the planet. The author calls the type of music Green Day performs watered-down punk. A better way to look at it would be to say that they are “starter punk” or “gateway punk.” Straight-up punk music is sometimes intimidating to jump right into. Green Day serves as a perfect buffer. Plus, they literally just rock, as in they make good music.

  • 3. The Doors

    Why did The Doors make this list, you ask? For the most part, Jim Morrison. This writer for newarena.com really doesn’t like him, it seems. They cite both Morrison’s voice and lyrics in why the band is overrated. Jim Morrison’s lounge-y, smooth voice is what gives the band their unique sound, though. Paired with Ray Manzarek on the keys, his voice made magic. As for his lyrics, they are poetry. They were written by a poet. Does that make them corny? No. If anything it makes the band that much more unique.

  • 2. Mötley Crüe

    “The fact is, Mötley Crüe had a few good songs. The rest were nothing but fillers,” says the author of this list on newarena.com. In truth, they were one of many hair bands at the time. But while there were many acts like Mötley Crüe in L.A. at the time, what made them stand out was their way of presenting themselves and entertaining the audience. The combination of glam and hard rock was innovative. Plus, one could say that exact line about them having only a few good songs about any band. The fact is, they were innovators with many hits. And, they got a biopic made about them.

  • 1. Guns N' Roses

    You can call Guns N’ Roses many things. They are edgy and authentic. They are over the top. Brash. Brazen. Experimental, bombastic. But you cannot sit here and call them “overrated.” They feature an epic guitarist in Slash and a legendary vocalist in Axl Rose. They were the first sign of evolution away from hair metal. They foreshadowed grunge, but still appealed to hair metal fans. They are a kickass rock band. Period.

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