Wanda Jackson - Rockin' With Wanda

Over/Underrated?: Overrated

I can understand the value of listing someone like Wanda Jackson on a list like this. A lot of important early rock singers have been eclipsed by Elvis which has led many people to think that modern music is the invention of white men, which is of course false and dangerous. Wanda Jackson is of course among those that have been eclipsed, and she could certainly give Elvis a run for his money with her gritty sound and her fast-paced, energetic music.

That being said, and this might be the douchey millennial in me talking, but much of early music which is known for it's edginess and intensity, sounds remarkably tame compared to anything you can find today. I respect the historical legacy of artists like Wanda Jackson, and I support any attempts to revise the short sighted history of early rock n roll, and I can even recognize the historical value of songs like "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad" for coming movements of women in music (such as the riot grrl movement), but I really don't care for her music if I'm being honest.