How to respond nicely to someone who says Pet Sounds is the most over-rated album in the world?

Seriously, until today, I never heard anyone say this (it was not here).
So how do you respond to someone who says, in all seriousness, that they think Pet Sounds is the most over-rated album in the world (in the world!) and that Beach Boys music sounds like awful children's music. Do you offer them some deep cuts that might give them pause to listen more closely? Do you site statistics? Or do you just shake your head and walk away.
Yes, I know, probably the later. It's just so weird to hear someone say this. Too bad though. I can't imagine totally dissing the Beach Boys.

 

Best to walk away. They made some great but also poor music.

It isn't worth the time or effort.

 

"Overrated" is usually a bludgeon one swings at things other people seem to like that they can't bring themselves to like or admit they like too.

Give 'em the one that started as a Charlie Manson song and see if they still say that sounds like Kids Bop

 

Not everyone likes this album, you know?

 

Haha, I love that answer. Might start a war though, lol. I'm trying to keep it civil.

 

Not everyone needs to like the same things. It’s what makes the world interesting sometimes.

 

Oh, of course. Who doesn't not care for an album that is popular. I don't like Taylor Swift but hey, I'm not dissing the lady, no way. But there's a difference between, "sorry, not my thing", and "most over-rated album in the world".

 

You say “well, I don’t know about that, but it is indeed a highly overrated album.”

 

Pet Sounds is a grower. Original sales weren't great, hardly a harbinger of our modern-day take on it.

It's a very dense album that requires attention from the listener to appreciate. For me personally it was the remix that synced up the pre-bounced orchestration stems in full stereo that pulled me in.

So maybe you can recommend the same listen for your non-believer friend

 

nothing, sorry for him that's all!

 

We can feel so strongly about something that it's very difficult to empathize with the idea of someone feeling differently, especially when the way they feel is very uncommon, but it's important to be able to understand that no matter what we're talking about, not everyone is going to feel the same way about it. They're are very likely to be "180° dispositions" about any arbitrary thing, somewhere in the world. And then there's going to be every disposition between the two extremes.

 

I can’t count the number of of times Pet Sounds has been mentioned here in threads asking for overrated albums. These negative threads don’t last as long as they did in the past though so they might be hard to unearth.

 

I think part of Pet Sounds genius is how it sounded when it came out, right in that moment. The production was cutting edge and inventive. Hearing it for the first time in the 1980's probably hurt my appreciation for just how ahead of it's time it was, and thus, my opinion of how great it is.

 

I tend to avoid those kinds of put-down threads, so I didn't know that. That's so strange to me.
I get what others are say here- we all hear differently, all have different tastes. I just don't get putting down Pet Sounds, even if it's not something someone likes. The writing, the arrangement, the superb group of musicians that made that records? How do you put that down?

Here's an example from my perspective: A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory. What an album, right? I have had that on vinyl for something like 15 years. I hardly ever listen to it. When I do, usually just a cut or two for reference. It's brilliant but, dammit, I just don't enjoy listening to it. But I respect what is behind that music. I respect the work that went into it. I respect its qualities. No way and I going to call that album "over rated". Really? Who would do that?

 

It's been my experience that people who dislike Pet Sound also tend not to be fans of sunshine pop in general. They also usually don't like The Mamas & Papas, The 5th Dimension, Spanky & Our Gang, The Association etc.

 

A slap in the tooth.

 

I wouldn't go into a conversation with people who refer to albums as "over-" or "underrated".

In my experience most of them don't have a life and are mentally stuck in primary school. Put a record on instead!

 

It's inclusion at or near the top of lists has always puzzled me, so I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

 

All I will say it isn’t my cup of tea. I love Smile. I love Smilrly Smiles. I love all the early lps about cars and surfing. I love Wild Honey. I have all their releases on cd and most also on vinyl.

Once a year I pull out Pet Sounds and I just don’t get all the fuss. There are a handful of great tunes but…I am 68 so I hope I have enough years left to finally be able to say “ah everyone was right all along”.

 

Respect his/her opinion and move on.

 

"It's the internet and the internet only...".
I love Bob but never really got Bringing It All Back Home. If you like Pet Sounds don't worry about what any ***** with a network connection says....

 

How to respond nicely to someone who says Pet Sounds is the most over-rated album in the world? Just say, "you're wrong. Revolver is."

 

I have a number of friends who don’t understand what all the fuss is about with this album. It just doesn’t work for them and I respect that.

 

I'm certainly not going to lose any of the sleep I'm soon headed for over this, that's for sure. This guy is younger than me, seems to have a (mostly, lol) good head on his shoulder and I kind had hoped to encourage him to be more open to it, but hey, it's not my job. And I really do need that sleep. After a long day I already feel kind of