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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

121. Dylan -
RE: "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"

BIG DEAL he's STILL a pedophile, PERIOD!

122. Yahoo! Music User -
Hey Krystal N. Thriller sold over 100 million copies...the Eagles only a mere 40 million. Biggest ego ever...what's Beyonce thinking with this name change thing?!

123. naia -
let us not 4get p.diddy. he is arrogant, conceited and full of himself, and he cnt rap. and to say rap/hip-hop holds no merit is wrong. it depends on who you are listening to. Lupe Fiasco, Common, Talib Kweli, digable planets, The fugees, the Volunteerz . Look up their music. but kanye west, is def. not the voice of my generation. he's so full of himself. it makes me sick to hear how childish a grown man can be when things dnt go his way. its a shame what ppl believe when they get money.

124. Robere -
All humans have big egos. pop star or not. Its the one sthat admit are that are humble. The ones tha deny it are the sleeping fools.

125. Yahoo! Music User -
John Lennon was a bi.

126. Uponthemyohmy -
What about Ritchie Blackmore? I always thought he had a very large ego.

127. Yahoo! Music User -
John Lennon did NOT have a big ego.
He said it seemed like they were bigger than Jesus.
Not that they were.
Jeez, get it right.

128. __A_YAHOO_USER__ -
I agree Townsend but he wrote all those songs, not Roger Daltrey..his only contributions to the Who lyrically were tame standards found on the album " A Quick One" And who can blame Pete, look at the body of his work compared to the crap today

129. tr -
KanYe Pwns all!!!..!!!

130. Yahoo! Music User -
Kanye licks goat tallywackers I have proof. All hale the monkey!

131. Jorge B -
"I am the blogger of this generation."

Rofl I love you.

132. Aaron -
What about Marilyn Manson? that man won't even respond to his real name.

133. Mz.Tyga -
okay im a Big an of kanyes and when people like you get on your little computers and start insulting people somebody has to say something,
1. who cares what u think KANYE has a big ego he has said it him self and why would it matter to you he is still going to sell, no matter how much u hate...anywho to michealq hate is a powerful word and why ur sitting at home behide a computer being a lame he is making money, making music for us- his generation...and my thoughts on this whole situation i feel that kanye west is humble and feels that he has a lot to say when he speaks threw his music okay he has an ego everymale has 1... he has a rock ego whats wrong with that you people dont have anything else to do but hate so keep up the good work because while ur hating hes getting money...n im outtie 5000, lamez

134. Yahoo! Music User -
Only thing I take issue with is lumping some cRap performer like Kanye and a has been like TTD under rock....neither of those "artists" are rock and roll....

135. Yahoo! Music User -
What about Elvis? Any man who can ask the government to appoint him a Special FBI agent and wear gawdy clothes and live in a giant mansion must have an ego!

And while not a rock star, what about Ms. Spears herself? To advertise her god-awful reality show with K-Fed asking if people can "Understand the reality she is about to present"...please...anyone with a second grade education can understand you're a dumbass!

136. Eric -
the biggest ego has to go to elvis

137. alexander -
i don't like this whole imsge of 'stupid americans' but anyone that makes as much out of themselves as these people deserves a little room to spout off every once in a while.

138. mz millie -
Yes Kanye has a huge ego, but his lyrics are real. Yes rapper's need to pull the pants up, that style has lasted longer than bell bottoms and they came back--its played out like record players in your back seat. People the Beatles were good, so was the Rolling Stones and the Eagles. Americans have been fortunate to have many greats. However, you don't know how you would react to being treated like you are special. Coming from your friends and family is one thing, but to have millions of people putting you on a pedestal and a s*** load of money to boot, it can change the average person into a egomaniac without them even knowing it. It's a free high.

139. ECWfan -
Jim Morrison "The Lizard King" should have made the list.

140. Yes, I am a Model -
Some of my favorite artists have huge EGOs and I like them more for it! Get mad people! hahahaha

Oh yeah, and Prince could have easily been on this list
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