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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

141. THEMOJOMANsince1959 -
YOU have to have a GIANT EGO to SUCCEED,,HOWEVER you have to be a good person and a good actor TO KEEP IT GOING. Look at MC HAMMER.

142. Raggapert -
HAVE WE FORGOTTEN ABOUT PUFF DADDY, WHO HAS A BIGGER EGO?

143. Yahoo! Music User -
Hey, Rob N, ADMIT YOU HAVE A HUGE EGO!

I will admit it, I have a huge...

Well thats not the topic...

Then again, I have a huge...

But thats not right either...

I have a HUGE ... superego?

144. Yahoo! Music User -
rap is crap without the c!!!lol

145. Barbara & Earl -
Actually Krystal Yes he does, Thriller is the ONLY album to even make the 100 Million dollar mark No OTHER ALBUM even comes close. The eagles came in 4th with 40-49 million sold and these numbers are worldwide
Over 100 million copies
Artist ↓ Album ↓ Released ↓ Genre ↓ Sales (millions) ↓ Source ↓
Michael Jackson Thriller 1982 Pop / R&B 100–108 [1][2][3][4][5][6]

[edit] 40–49 million copies
Artist ↓ Album ↓ Released ↓ Genre ↓ Sales (millions) ↓ Source ↓
AC/DC Back in Black 1980 Rock 42 [7]
Whitney Houston / Various artists The Bodyguard 1992 Pop / R&B 42 [8]
Eagles Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) 1976 Rock 41 [7]
Backstreet Boys Millennium 1999 Pop 40 [9][10]
Bee Gees / Various artists Saturday Night Fever 1977 Disco 40 [7]
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon 1973 Rock 40 [11]

146. Jimmy -
i do enjoy kanyes music. but in reality, dont u believe lil wayne shouldve take his spot?? first of all Lil wayne claims to be the best rapper alive. Second of all his lyrics normally make no sense and run off topic. and with his lyrics and to claim hes the best alive. thats a lot to say. but i think the two should tie for the spot at the least.

147. Mike -
Travie from Gym Class Heros?

148. Elle -
She's not a rocker but Whitney Houston fits!!!

149. amanda -
One person that needs to be number one whitney houston

150. Bruno Kennedy -
My brother was in a band once and he had a big ego, too. But I never gave him any crap about it. Smart move on my part; now he gives me all the free McNuggets and Happy Meals I can eat. "Is that for here or to go?"

151. *deja* -
Of course Kanye is gonna be up there.

152. Joseph -
I dont think Lennon really had a huge ego. I think his comment was more of a statement, based on fact. Look at the success of The Beatles and their music when he said that. They say that teens know more about major celebrities than they do about politics and major historical events. The Beatles were diolized by many teens internationally. It was a sound statement, I wonder how many people burned their idols.

153. Bob K -
Prince - you forget he even sues his own fans.

154. Yahoo! Music User -
I cannot not believe JLO and 50 cent are not on this list. Oh yeah they said talent! These two are all just ego! Jlo and her demands on tour sheets had to be so many threads of pima cotton for the bed! Say What! Pocket changes last album is nothing but his ego. "I run New York!" That's EGO!

155. Yahoo! Music User -
Bobby Brown thought he had a huge ego until he had to introduce himself as "Mr. Whitney Houston"

156. Stanley L -
What's 'an ego'?

157. patricks -
Kweenya is a [profane] and he cries to much.......he seriously thinks he has talent....when I see his puss mugg I just
f-in laugh!!!!!!

158. Santo L -
Don't forget Barbra Streisand

159. Yahoo! Music User -
Who is this Jesus guy everyone keeps talking about??? Never heard of him...

160. Tiffany -
Don't forget about Kelis.....Her milkshake did not bring all the boys to the yard. At least nobody in the Northeast.
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