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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

101. Uponthemyohmy -
I always thought Paul McCartney had a much bigger ego than John Lennon, I love John and I can't stand Paul McCartney.

102. Yahoo! Music User -
yes lennon said the beatles were bigger than jesus
no he wasnt misqouted
yes he was right
but he said it because he thought it was silly that a pop band could be that big,even his own
does this prove he had a huge ego???? NO
BUT HE DID
for all you blind lennon fans, he was an amazing great artist, with a huge ego

103. yourdaddy -
Regardless of his ego, Kanye sucks ! He has NO TALENT !!!!!

104. Rodrick W -
Michael Jackson does own the record for the highest selling album of all-time. Thriller sold over 100 million, while the Eagles sold around 50. They've all got egos, I think that it is rightfully so. These people make music that millions of people enjoy, so what if they're full of themselves. The fans nurture these people's egos, so they start to believe what everyone is saying that's all. I don't care about these people personally, I just like the product they make.

105. Felicia -
Also who these days defines what rock is. The AMA,gave out rock awards to nominees like Alicia Keys,Kanye West,Rhianna,Chris Brown,none of this is rock music.Rock music is Nickelback,Daughtry,Acdc,Metallica,Godsmack,and seether,etc.

106. Marissa -
John? You kidding me? It's Paul who's got the gigantic ego.

107. Yahoo! Music User -
Kanye west sucks and i too think he is a stupid ape. Was he in Planet of the apes???

108. DAVIDB -
Kanye West is GARBAGE Will somebody please take out the trash..

109. Yahoo! Music User -
I cant believe mariah carey is not on this list. That girl is a super diva!!!

110. KEITH -
if you are going to have a list of rock egos than you should put rockstars on it

111. whippingboy -
Kanye West a rocker? LOL Don't even insult rock music like that!

112. Yahoo! Music User -
everyone who writes in this column doesn't have a life.

Oops.

113. Ice -
Thriller is the highest selling album of all Time. Michael Jackson for all his faults has 2 of the biggest selling albums, get it right, and as far as rap, there are a few who will be remembered Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Biggie, tupac.

114. Druscilla Y -
Where's Billy Corgan? And Marilyn Manson?

115. Smooth W -
Post 107, the whole point of Lennons comment was that the youth had lost perspective because the Beatles had become so popular. HE AGREED that their popularity was out of line. Thats why he made the Jesus comment, Why is that so hard to understand?

116. Yahoo! Music User -
to number 107
not everyone holds your belief
jesus was an ordinary human with a gift for spiritual teaching, nothing more

117. Mark J -
Kanye is the biggest punk of them all...the guy literally thinks he is Jesus' second coming. Somebody should sock him in that re-constructed jaw so hard, he won't be able to put it back together. Maybe that way he'll finally shut up.

118. tru -
my gawd, where does yahoo get theese so-called journalists? wal-mart? although RJK (who is obviously young) is correct in explaining the true meaning of Lennon's words, it was more than the USA who took it wrong. i grew up in those times and Lennon simply meant because of their (the Beatles) overwhelming popularity worldwide, they were more popular than Jesus, NOT that the Beatles were better than Jesus!!

oh, and RJK ... a fox smells his own hole 1st. get with it junior!

119. Yahoo! Music User -
Someone give Kanye a banana because he is a monkey!

120. Pete S. -
Is Michael Jackson from the Albany area? -BOOME-
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