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Rock's Biggest Egos

Posted Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:58pm PST by Shawn Amos in GetBack

It's time to admit the truth. You will never be a rock star. You care too much about what people think. Yeah, you make outlandish comments from time to time, but you do it under some pseudonym on a comment board to make it easy. You wouldn't go on national TV and say stuff like, "I'm the voice of this generation." That's the difference between your ego and a rock star ego. Your ego has a lowercase "e." People like Kanye West have E-G-O-S.
 
West claims he's the voice of his generation. He compares himself to Michael Jordan. He bitches loudly and publicly when he doesn't win awards. He's not afraid to use his real name. Whether or not he is his generation’s defining voice, it’s clear that he definitely has its biggest ego.
 

 

But should it be any other way? Of course not. Rock ’n’ roll is not about modesty. It's about being the loudest one in the room. If some stupid stuff gets said along the way, well, that's just the price of admission. Shoot the mouth off first, explain yourself later. Or don't. That's even better. Rock stars don't need to give any explanations.
 
Here are the five biggest egos in rock history. Why are they the biggest? Because I say so. I don't need to explain myself. I am the blogger of this generation.

 

 
The Top Five Biggest Egos:
 
BONO
Any dude who can meet with world leaders one weekend and then have two 19-year olds sit on his lap the next has a BIG ego. Bono's life is dedicated to bigness. He sings big anthems, not songs. He's out to save rock ’n’ roll and the world. He's not just a rock star; he’s a messiah, at least to himself. And, yes, I'm a little jealous.
 

 

 

 

JOHN LENNON
How huge was John Lennon's ego? He said his band was bigger than Jesus. What more proof do you need? Even Kanye hasn’t gone that far. By the way, this week the Vatican finally forgave Lennon for his 1966 dis. Those guys can hold a grudge.
 

 

 

 

 

 

NOEL & LIAM GALLAGHER
Oasis' brothers spent most of the '90s claiming they were the best band in the world and boasting how they saved British rock from ruin. They also spent a lot of time writing songs "inspired" by a lot of other British rock. It takes a big ego to remake Beatles songs and call them your own.
 

 

 

 

 

MADONNA
Madonna's ego is so big she believes that she can actually stop time. The Material Girl is on a never-ending quest to be forever twenty-something. Her bionic limbs are the first step toward immortality. Her insistence on pretending to be the teen pop star of the moment is the second step. The third? It probably will have something to do with her next boy toy.
 

 

 

 

 

 

TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY
You might not remember this late-'80s nouveau R&B artist. He made a debut album in 1987 that many thought was brilliant, especially him. D'Arby liked it so much he announced that he was going to be bigger than the Beatles. That's why you don't remember him. The Beatles saying they're bigger than Jesus? OK. Emerging R&B star saying he's bigger than the Beatles? Not OK.
 
 

 

 
Big Egos Honorable Mention:
 
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
He named his album The Ego Has Landed. In reality, Williams’ ego — and career — has landed everywhere but the U.S., where he remains largely a cult figure.
 
GENE SIMMONS
Is there anything Simmons won't slap a KISS logo on?
 
AXL ROSE
Two words: Chinese Democracy.
 
MICHAEL JACKSON
He dubbed himself "The King of Pop.” He made an album called Invincible. Both claims may still ring true in Bahrain, where Jacko recently lived. Go where the ego can stay big.

 

Check out these artists and more in our Biggest Egos in Rock FlipBook.

 

Drop by GetBack.com for your daily dose of pop culture pleasure -- music, movies, games, and more.     

2172 Comments

1. Tristan -
John Lennon said that according to kid the Beatles were held in higher regard then Jesus. Not that they were better ,but more loved.

2. frankie -
Pete Townshend has a HUGE ego which he needs to stifle.

3. Tristan -
Well Pete Townshed deserves a huge ego have you heard oof the song "Behind Blue Eyes" Rodger wrote that for him (if I'm correct). I mean it seems obvious if you ever have watched a "The Who" Documentary.

4. Big DMC -
Does anyone remember Scott Stapp!

5. Give me some truth -
BONO IS A TURD!

BEATLES FANS ARE BETTER THAN JESUS.

I FEEL THE MOST PRETENTIOUS OF ALL ARE RAP ARTISTS WHO THINK THEIR MUSIC IS WORTH ANY MUSICAL MERIT. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE NERVE TO ACT LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO BE REMEMBERED....IT MAKES ME LAUGH.

JOHN LENNON HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN EGO; LISTEN TO SGT. PEPPERS

6. Eins -
who can deny it that Micheal Jackson is not the 'king of pop'? he holds the title for the worlds best selling album, the entertainer with the highest number of awards worn in history.no man is his match with respect to pop culture PERIOD

7. that arrogant bastard -
You forgot PRINCE!!!!! that guy not only has a big ego, but he's arrogant, self centered, and not a very nice person.

8. Krystal N -
Sorry, kwentitebit. but Michael Jackson does not hold the title of best selling album of all-time. That honor goes to The Eagle's "Greatest Hits 1971-1975". Back on track, I don't believe ANYONE's ego, rock star or otherwise, is as big as Kanye West's.

9. michele -
I Can't stand kanya. his music, ego, and how he thinks he is better than anyone else in the music business.

10. JackR -
ummm... Billy Corgan?!?

11. Yahoo! Music User -
Elizabeth Taylor called Michael Jackson the King of Pop, which is true, and he always will be. i love mj. he was so hot back in the Thriller days.

12. -
You forgot Eminem!!!!!

13. Yahoo! Music User -
Little Richard...and more recently, Kayne West.

14. maxW -
I would love to just say that rap does have merit, thank you. Not all of it but that is the same with any type of music. Listen to Arrested Development or Digable Planets. Anywho yes, Kanye has an ego the size of (insert ridiculously large object here).

15. Yahoo! Music User -
hey rjk ..chill
of course lennon had a huge ego
you cant be great without one...
you can stink though, like oasis has for 12 years
to bret
bono is not a turd, hes the best songwriter since....
maybe lennon...i love lennon, but sgt pepper was more paul
if lennon were here today bono would be his fave
he's a massive ego for sure
and a world force
i agree with the townsend statement
he needs to chill
nothing substantial since quadro ....73

16. John -
Kanye West is not a rock star.

His brand of music is not rock.

17. sgoat -
how about liberace? he made his boyfriend get plastic surgery to look like him so he could have sex with himself.

18. OohAah -
HOW COULD YOU FORGET STING? "...Too much to say and a dead stupid name..." And yeah, Bono's ego affects the tides.

19. Yahoo! Music User -
Does this [profane]tard EVER do his research? John Lennon did not have an overinflated ego, as stated previously, it was us Americans that took the truth of his statement and contorted it to what we wanted, which it was indeed an attempt to halt the Beatles' fame/career. Let's all see how well that worked out! Lennon was a very humble man, they are many others better suited for this list than him.

20. Abby -
funny stuff man. i love kanye but lord knows he is a mandiva! lol your writing is funny
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