The Most Overproduced Single of the Past Twenty Five Years

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At first, I was going to suggest some epic warhorse produced by Jim Steinem, like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler or one of Meat Loaf's hoary opuses (opi?) but then I realized, overproduction was kind de rigeur for Steinem. It was his style. So, I readjusted my thinking and decided it actually was....

http://www.mattscdsingles.com/acatalog/tff%20sowing%20the%20seeds%20uk.jpg

"Sowing the Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears.

Not that they were ever the MC5, but prior to this single (and the album that spawned it), Tears for Fears had a (comparatively) stripped down sound with a manageable balance in the production department. But when they unveiled this top-heavy wedding cake of a tune, it sounded like Sir Elton John singing "I Am the Walrus" while dressed in a suit of armour made out of milk chocolate (his voice slightly muffled by the helmet's visor) and playing a piano made out of Lemon Merigue Pie. Between the strings, the opera singer, the "Penny Lane" horns, and all that excessive crap, I surely challenges all comers (from Ezrin's work with Pink Floyd through afore-mentioned JIm Steinem) as the most needlessly over-tweaked dollop of syrup-laden filligree ever pooped onto tape.

But maybe you disagree. If so, cite your choice and your reasons.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't StSoL just an Oasis tune handed in early for extra-credit?

― Huk-L, Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

it always reminds me of my friend lance cuz he had the single. he also had dream academy's "love" single and candy flip's strawberry fields single. i don't remember if he had any world party singles. i kind of like the over-the-topness.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

but the whole POINT of "sowing the seeds..." was that overproduction, wasn't it? i'd disqualify it for the same reason you're disqualifying steinem. it's self-aware overproduction.

and i'd vote instead for the beatles' "free as a bird."

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

I think "Holding Out For A Hero" may be Steinman's most overproduced #1 single. The rolling 16th note kick drum is pure insanity!

― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

Clearly, Alex, you've never heard TfF's "The Working Hour".

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

While it doesn't wallow in bombast, which I guess is the essence of overproduction, the whole Nellie McKay album is overproduced. It should have been just her and her piano. And I much prefer Miles' demos on "Yoko" to the Beulah album that came from the demos. Of course, this has nothing to do with singles.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

Clearly, Alex, you've never heard TfF's "The Working Hour"
Yes, all of side 2 of "Songs from the Big Chair".

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't StSoL just an Oasis tune handed in early for extra-credit?

I thought it was the extremely early-released bonus track from XTC's Nonsuch.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

I think the most overproduced single of the past twenty years is "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce featuring Jay-Z.

Oh, I forgot to insert some disgustedly "outrageous" comparisons and snide adjectives: "This snot-caked rat turd might be covered in diamond dust, but it still sounds like Aunt Bea's severed ballsack."

(NB: The song isn't that bad, actually. But it is overproduced.)

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

i don't think i can argue with Alex's choice but i thought the track was fantastic then and i think i still do now

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I'm not saying this is the most over-produced stuff, but I thought it was a bummer when Billy Bragg went from bare sparse electric guitar to big lush stuff like Worker's Playtime and Don't Try This at Home. The songs sound perfect on the Peel sessions. Eventually I got used to Workers Playtime and now it is one of my favorites, but I remember thinking it was really cheesey the first time I heard it.

― Elisa (Elisa), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago)

'Crazy In Love' is produced just right

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

i was going to suggest Seal's 'Crazy' or 'Kiss From A Rose'

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

Clearly, Alex, you've never heard TfF's "The Working Hour".

Compared to "Sowing the Seeds...", though? "The Working Hour" sounds spartan by comparison.

i don't think i can argue with Alex's choice but i thought the track was fantastic then and i think i still do now

I'm not saying it's a bad track, I'm only saying it's hugely overproduced (intentionally or otherwise).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

"November Rain" is pretty over-the-top as well, come to think of it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

If by over-production you mean the huge swelling brass behind the chorus, then I would say the over-production is the best thing about "Crazy In Love".

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

i don't think i can argue with Alex's choice but i thought the track was fantastic then and i think i still do now

Me too.

Me too except that Worker's Playtime never became one of my favorites. The Pell Session version of "The Short Answer," which very well may be my favorite song of all time*, just doesn't work with the extra junk on it no matter how many times I listen and try to like it.

*As much as I bandy about words like "favorite" and "of all time" when talking music, I am serious about that song. I still find it as incredible as the first time I heard it, and I still think it is absolutely brilliantly written and perfectly matches lyrics to music in the context of the little snapshot/story of a life it is creating. It is the only song that has ever made me pull over to the side of the road rather than keep driving. Once just to listen and once because I teared up something fierce singing along to it, couldn't stop, and wasn't having the easiest time seeing the road while sobbing.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

If by over-production you mean the huge swelling brass behind the chorus, then I would say the over-production is the best thing about "Crazy In Love".

i mean you do all realise it's one big sample right?

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

What do you mean by "one big sample"? Like the whole section is lifted directly from another song, or that they used a keyboard instead of real horns?

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

"Crazy In Love" is two simple loops stuck together with some vocal tracks laid over it; how is that overproduced?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

I do think it's funny that "overproduced" is used so often but always seems to have a definition nobody agrees on.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

"November Rain" is pretty over-the-top as well, come to think of it.

OTM ! piano, choir, orchestra, loud drums and...3 guitar solos... (+ the video as the cherry on the cake !)
as for crazy in love, i don't see how it compares as far as overproduction is concerned. i agree that it's just a sample with drumtracks and vocals on it (great track tho).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

Now "My Perogative" OTOH....

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

In re: "Crazy in Love": I just think that it's frantic and shrill and empty, pumped and oiled up and ugly like a steroid-freak muscle man, too much competition between the exxxtreme sounds for there to be anything actually listenable or legible.

But that's just me. (I am also prejudiced because the original source of the horns is one of my favorite songs and I feel like the bride has been stripped bare by the bachelors, so ignore if you h8 Chi-Lites-based rockism.)

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Some guy who writes a blog called PopLife had this to say:

I suppose it should just be a music TypeList so I can mention it, but holy crap the hook on Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" is working. It's a sample from the Chi-Lites' "Are You My Woman", which is not that great a song. (The Chis are known for their ballads for a reason...) Truly elevating the one great part of a sampled track to a new level. Considering how thin Beyonce's voice is and how fantastically inane the lyrics are, the way the song works is really a tribute to its production. A new high water mark for Rich Harrison.

from http://www.anildash.com/poplife/2003/07/crazy_in_love.html

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

what about "drop it like it's hot" ! (i think it's the most minimalist hit single ever...but that's not the point of this thread...).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

I'm with Haibun on "Crazy in Love," although I've always thought it interesting that two egomaniacs of the caliber of Beyonce and Jay Z actually let those horns do the talking for as long as they did. Maybe they are secretly rockist.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

i was going to suggest Seal's 'Crazy' or 'Kiss From A Rose'

Clearly, Trevor Horn owns this thread.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

Considering how thin Beyonce's voice is [...]

This is the point where anyone with working ears says, "Wow, this person is completely talking out of his/her ass."

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

How about everything from Garbage?

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

all of oasis "be there now" ?

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

any timbaland joint. (although i admit all that supersaturation gives me sugar rush that can't be beat)

― irrigation can save your people, Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

Evanescence, people.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

I actually like overproduction, most times. "Sowing the Seeds" is done on purpose that way, and I love it on that level. (Okay, all levels.)

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

>>any timbaland joint.

I thought of that myself. It was glorious until that last Missy Elliot record, which felt bloated to me.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:18 (twenty years ago)

naw, I ain't with that.

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

Just missing the 25-year timeframe: Hall & Oates deliciously, ridiculously fat "It's a Laugh."

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

Is there no distinction between "maximal production" and "overproduction"?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

polyphonic spree's latest single ?

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

until that last Missy Elliot record, which felt bloated to me

????

This is Not a Test was much more stripped-down and minimal than Under Construction.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

All my friends from school
Introduce me to their spouses
While I'm left standing here
With my hands down the front of my trousers
I just don't know what's to be done
I wonder sometimes how did Dad meet Mum
And how did they conceive of me
Tell me Mary

Oh wow.

― Elisa (Elisa), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

I'm a fan of overproduction, especially as practiced by Trevor Horn, but I agree with Alex; in fact, when I saw the thread title I was immediately going to reply with this song.

Also of note: t.A.T.u.'s "All the Things She Said," and the Jordan Knight song that suddenly turns into Franziskaner oom-pa-pa insanity and then reverts back to its original form.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

Is there no distinction between "maximal production" and "overproduction"?

Is there an online equivalent of "high five, maaan!" that isn't just as retarded as the IRL version? Cause "high five, Daaan!"

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:26 (twenty years ago)

for timbaland, i agree with the stripped down/minimalist idea. i think we should define what "overproduction" means ?

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Hahaha yes, that Jordan Knight song = "Give It To You", which is Jam & Lewis doing a TImbaland pastiche and coming up with something even more demented than "Are You That Somebody?"! Even that one I would say is more maximal production because it wouldn't work without all of that studio time crammed into it.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Elisa, the one that kills me is

The sound of happy couples coupling happily in the dark while you and I sat down for tea. I remember you said to me that "no amount of poetry could mend this broken heart, but you could put the Hoover on if you want to make a start."

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

Is there no distinction between "maximal production" and "overproduction"?

Is this impossible to define? One person's overproduced mess is another's wall of sound masterpiece.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

man, "give it to you" is kind of awesome.

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

I mean compare "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" to "Big Pimpin" and tell me that Timbaland's style is becoming more bloated!

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 13 January 2005 19:33 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 16 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Every song that uses voice correction software wins this award.

that narrows it down to about 98 percent of all records made these days. maybe 99 percent.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

Of course it's a subjective judgment - but if you think that the elaborate production enhances the song, then I don't think "overproduced" is the right term to use - since the prefix "over-" usually implies an excess of something.

That's the point I was getting at way upthread; "over-" is a negative modifier.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

I wasn't disagreeing. I was attempting to rephrase to eliminate misinterpretation.

The case for Brit's version of "My Perogative" is easier to make because you've got the original with which to compare and contrast. I think all signs also point to overproduction any time you get a chance to hear the "unplugged" version of a song and say to yourself "Wow. When it's just [artist] and [one instrument] that song is waaaay better than the one on the album."

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

Unless it's Tori Amos in which case the version with just her and a piano sounds just as mindnumbingly self-indulgent and trite as the one with drums and a guitar in the mix.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

Oh my, I was going to make all kinds of awful jokes about the production values inherent in the sound of Tori Amos grinding into a piano bench but that might not be a good idea.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:31 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I heard they mic her crotch too.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

Tori Amos hataz always make themselves look bad on ILM.

Anyway, I find it difficult to distinguish between "over-production" and "maximal production" because anything I like which falls into the second category is accused of being in the first category by people who don't like it.

So my answer is Basement Jaxx's "Lucky Star" - which I think is ace obv.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 13 January 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

"Pop" by *NSync, goddamnit.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 13 January 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

> Every song that uses voice correction software wins this award.

that narrows it down to about 98 percent of all records made these days. maybe 99 percent.

Exactly.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 13 January 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

Tori Amos hataz always make themselves look bad on ILM.

How you figure? I was laughing my ass off at Dan's comment.

Besides, I don't exactly hate Tori. I will admit to having a couple of her records (on vinyl no less) and also to having made an assload of money selling a few vinyl copies of the laughably horrible "Why Kant Tori Read" to hardcore fans who thought Tori was the Messiah. (Not that there's anything wrong with being an obsessive fan.)

I think her schtick is well, a schtick, and not a very good one at that. She's easy to potshoot, and I kinda like indulging when there's a good set up. That's all.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

(i)Love (music)means never having to say your sorry for mic-ed crotch gags.

― mottdeterre (mottdeterre), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:03 (twenty years ago)

Oasis 'Be Here Now' for most overproduced album?

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:08 (twenty years ago)

a simple example of woeful overproduction:

exhibit (a): keane's "everything's changing" single on fierce panda. nice clear, pretty production that nobody would reasonably call over-the-top.
exhibit (b): the album versions of the same three tracks. a bombastic, kitchen-sink mess.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:14 (twenty years ago)

when i think of over-produced i tend to think of phil collins or rod stewart in the 80's/90's kinda stuff. or kitaro.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:15 (twenty years ago)

Smashing Pumpkins - "Disarm." Ridiculous pretentious sappy over-emoted ballad. With strings.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:18 (twenty years ago)

How could anyone look bad for making fun of a lady who makes terrible music?

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:53 (twenty years ago)

(i)Love (music)means never having to say your sorry for mic-ed crotch gags.

I'm not sorry.

How could anyone look bad for making fun of a lady who makes terrible music?

Booyah.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 January 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

It is my prerogative to point out that it is "my prerogative".

― bumsch, Friday, 14 January 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

could this thread be the first time ever that I completely 100% agree w/Alex?!

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 14 January 2005 00:17 (twenty years ago)

Man, that dub music sure is overproduced.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 14 January 2005 01:52 (twenty years ago)

Dimmu Borgir ... their last record is ridiculous.

Which, I suppose, it's supposed to be.

― Chris O., Friday, 14 January 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

The most overproduced single that I heard today had to be The Pretenders - Middle Of The Road. But it's SO entertaining, that I really can't knock it.

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 14 January 2005 02:53 (twenty years ago)

Frankie Goes to Hollywood haven't been mentioned yet?

― David A. (Davant), Friday, 14 January 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to side with Alex and "Sowing The Seeds". Sure, "November Rain" comes close as well. But it just doesn't have that whole "we've got to mimic the entire Beatles catalogue in a 3-minute song" feel that "Sowing The Seeds" has.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood haven't been mentioned yet?

I will. I'm seeing lots of Trevor Horn mentions upthread. If you're talking Horn, you have to talk Frankie. And then you're talking about the "Original New York Mix" of "Relax".

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Friday, 14 January 2005 04:28 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that's fair enough. What about "Power of Love", too?

― David A. (Davant), Friday, 14 January 2005 04:36 (twenty years ago)

Here's another strong candidate: Kim Wilde, "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Effect after effect after effect. And it all works, and it's all necessary to giving her reading its own identity.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 14 January 2005 04:42 (twenty years ago)

"Home Sweet Home" by Motley Crue owns this thread.

― maria b (maria b), Friday, 14 January 2005 05:55 (twenty years ago)

In terms of sheer emetic gagworthiness I'd say Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" has to win this outright. That record has always animated every single one of my synapses and cells with the urge to both destroy and be destroyed. Just thinking about it gives me a contact-low.

― Neil Kulkarni, Friday, 14 January 2005 09:50 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone mentioned "T'Pau" yet? Were they a Yorkshire band originally called "The Pau"?

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 14 January 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone mentioned "T'Pau" yet? Were they a Yorkshire band originally called "The Pau"?

I think "T'Pau" was also the name of a Vulcan on Star Trek.

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

"Bootylicious," by Destiny's Child.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

Tsk. I know, i know...

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

you're out of your mind Chris Ott!

i nominate 'Out Of Your Mind' by Teh Truesteppers ft Dane Bowers and Victoria

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

What about most of America's Sweetheart considering how much was pulled and jerked and pro-tooled and cut and pasted on that album.

― Ray from SF, Friday, 14 January 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

Why are we forgetting Slave To the Rhythm

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 14 January 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 14 January 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

that's a very spacious track

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

Allegedly, there are so many production edits/splices on Diana Ross's "Touch Me in the Morning" that at no time does she actually sing more than three consecutive notes. That would seem to qualify as overproduction, even if the track doesn't betray it.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 14 January 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

but oops, that was ~ 32 years ago. Never mind.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 14 January 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

BLUE MONDAY:

1983 single
1988 single
1995 single
Power, Corruption and Lies version (different?)
International version

― LSD ARISTOCAT (ex machina), Friday, 14 January 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

It's not a single, but Beat A Drum by REM is a classic example of a good song smothered in syrupy overproduction. Check out the simple piano "demo" (pretty hi-fi for a demo, but I suppose a band like REM can afford to record demos on something a bit fancier than a TASCAM 4 track) on the greatest hits extra disc and you've got a lovely Brian Wilson style ballad, the best song they've done in years. Listen to the version on Up and you'll be dismayed at how much they overegged, not mention oversugared, the pudding.

― stew, Friday, 14 January 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

Much hooplah was made at the time of the production of "Like A Prayer" - keyboard bass played live and I can't remember what other mystery ingredients. I also can't remember if it really sounds that overproduced.

― Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 14 January 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

just an idea but : can we compare the production of tracks that are basically made like/ or to sound like the "old way" (like"seeds of love" or "november rain") and the prod of "contemporary pop tracks" (sorry for the name but couldn't find better) such as timbaland's or britney's ?
i mean, on one hand, "seeds of love" may be overproduced in an "old" way but i don't think it's more produced than "toxic" or "dirt off your shoulder".
i love what i call "old" production like the beatles or the beach boys one and i also love timbaland or the neptunes production but i just don't think you can compare them... maybe i'm just drunk, though ! (i am actually. maybe i should just go back to a bar !)

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Saturday, 15 January 2005 02:09 (twenty years ago)

"Six Guns" Anti Pasti

― Jessie the Drunk Dutch Mountain Dog (Jessie the Drunk Dutch Mountai), Saturday, 15 January 2005 11:02 (twenty years ago)

Kiss From A Rose, Sowing the Seeds of Love, November Rain. All songs with several different parts, key changes . . . the songs themselves are all pretty complex. I think that garners them more Over-Produced Points than some more straight forward track. That saying they're all slobbering slick-fests from the days when it cost serious money.

How about some of 1994/95 when every jobbing "grunge" band got their hands on a budget for the first time? "Not the Same" by Dinosaur Jr., all of Nevermind by Nirvana, Siamese Dream etc. Actually for the ultimate get Feeling Better by Sugar, wind on to the last 2 minutes and count the sheer amount of backing vocals.

This, of course, reached a peak with Garbage, after which they all saw sense and either split up or concentrated on more rewarding pastimes such as heroin benders.

― Bernard the Butler (Lynskey), Saturday, 15 January 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Just realised nobody has mentioned Muse (apologies if I'm wrong there). Horrible over the top music with horrible oTT production.

― stew, Saturday, 15 January 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

I can't believe there has been no metion of any song off Def Leppards' "Hysteria", which has to be the slickest album ever made. Plus it would be close to winning the contest for "Longest time to record an album".

― Victor (Victor), Saturday, 15 January 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

Most famous example of over-production pissing off fans - And Justice For All

Muse = good call

― Bernard the Butler (Lynskey), Saturday, 15 January 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

Sybil's early hits (biggest offender: My Love is Guaranteed) have got to win this......

Imagine the usual SAW garb, but x 1000000. It's painful to listen to her low volume, out-of-key whine straining to take precedence over the 95 drum machines.....

― JTS, Saturday, 19 March 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

Oasis: All Around The World

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 19 March 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

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