Ringo Starr – The Beatles
We’re not the first to say it, and we won’t be the last. The Beatles may well have been the single most important band in the history of rock’n’roll, responsible for many great innovations which significantly moved the art form along – but very little of that was down to Ringo Starr, whose simplistic drumming and vocals paled in comparison to the skill of his bandmates.
Michelle Williams – Destiny’s Child
When the figurehead of a girl group is someone as phenomenally talented as Beyonce Knowles, the supporting members are in a thankless position. Michelle Williams is by no means a bad singer, but lacks the range and power of her Destiny’s Child cohorts Knowles and Kelly Rowland. She wound up so under-utilized, sometimes you had to question why she was in the band at all.
David Lee Roth – Van Halen
Van Halen redefined hard rock in the 1980s thanks to lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s virtuoso musicianship, but there’s also a lot to be said for Alex Van Halen’s drumming and Michael Anthony’s bass. David Lee Roth’s vocals, however, left a lot to be desired, and during live performances he was frequently more interested in showboating than being in time or in tune.
Sid Vicious – Sex Pistols
Musicianship was never considered the most important thing in punk rock, but most of the greats – including Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones – were at least moderately competent with their instruments. Sid Vicious was hired as the Sex Pistols bass player based entirely on his look, attitude and friendship with frontman Johnny Rotten, but his near-total inability to play was a major detriment to the band.
Lars Ulrich – Metallica
As the founder member and co-songwriter of Metallica, there’s no question that Lars Ulrich has helped steer the thrash metal quartet into one of the biggest success stories in rock music history. Opinion is a little more divided when it comes to his prowess behind the drum kit. Ulrich certainly hits the drums and cymbals hard and fast, but many note his rhythm is sloppy.
Ozzy Osbourne – Black Sabbath
It’s impossible to imagine heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath without front man Ozzy Osbourne, but this doesn’t change the fact that he was clearly the weakest link in the band’s original line-up. Vocally he was always very limited, which kept the band from exploring the different sounds they would embrace in the 80s with Ronnie James Dio and their other subsequent lead singers.
Victoria Beckham – Spice Girls
The massive success of The Spice Girls was never exclusively about their music – but even so, the beloved 90s British girl band had two strong singers in Emma Bunton and Melanie C, whilst Melanie B and Geri Halliwell could at least hold a tune. As for Victoria Beckham, née Adams… did she ever do anything beyond standing there looking pretty?
Meg White – The White Stripes
This one feels rather like shooting fish in a barrel, but nonetheless, there’s no real debate that Meg White of the White Stripes is a less-than awe-inspiring drummer. Jack White has spoken in defense of his ex-wife and former bandmate’s musicianship, insisting her amateurish approach was appropriate to the bluesy rock duo’s lo-fi stylings – but many music lovers remain unconvinced.
Andrew Ridgeley – Wham!
Wham! may have officially been a duo, but there can be very little debate that the British 80s pop act enjoyed their huge success based on the talent and charisma of lead singer and songwriter George Michael. Most fans struggle to remember what Andrew Ridgeley even did, and the fact that he disappeared from music once Wham! was over pretty much says it all.
Courtney Love – Hole
The massive fame/infamy of Courtney Love has often overshadowed the fact that her band Hole – in which she was the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter – were actually pretty good. Sadly, Love’s poor musicianship and singing and larger-than-life persona meant that many often failed to not the talent of guitarist Eric Erlandson and the band’s changing line-up of bassists and drummers.
