Why People Call The Edge “Overrated” — And Why It Makes No Sense

Every time The Edge comes up in a discussion about guitarists, someone eventually drops the same lazy comment:

“The Edge is overrated.”

But before repeating the internet’s favourite cliché, it’s worth asking a very simple question:

What exactly are you rating?

Are you judging him on:

notes per second?
the number of chords in a song?
how many exotic scales he can force into a solo?

Or is there something else happening?

Because when you look at the actual numbers, the picture changes very quickly:

175 million records sold
50 billion streams
26 million tickets sold
over 70 million monthly listeners
a guitar tone instantly recognised worldwide

Suddenly “overrated” starts to feel like the wrong word.

The Edge never tried to be a shredder.

He never tried to be the fastest.
He didn’t build his career around circus tricks.

He built it around rhythm, delay, taste, texture and emotion — the things that make songs unforgettable and stadiums shake.

So the real question isn’t: “Is The Edge overrated?”

It’s this: Why do some musicians still believe that speed, complexity and technical gymnastics are the only indicators of greatness?

So what do you think? What defines an overrated guitarist — technique, taste, tone, or something else?

If you want the deeper story behind The Edge and why people misunderstand his style, read Struggle #14 — The Edge: Overrated or Genius?

Link: www.guitartrainingstudio.com/the-edge-overrated-or-genius

Why “Overrated” Usually Means “I Don’t Value What He’s Great At”

Many players unconsciously judge guitarists by the wrong metrics.

If your definition of “great” is based purely on:

fretboard speed
flashy licks
advanced scales
gymnastic solos

…then of course The Edge won’t fit your list.

But that says more about the criteria than the artist.

The Edge excels at something far more difficult:

creating a signature sound
building atmosphere with minimal notes
using delay as a rhythmic engine
supporting the song instead of competing with it
making guitar parts you can recognise in one second

This is musicianship, not athletics.
And that’s exactly why his work survives decades.

Greatness is not about how much you play.
It’s about how deeply your sound connects.

And The Edge mastered that better than almost anyone alive.

Transcript

Why is The Edge “overrated”?

Some people commented on my last video:
“U2’s music is fine, but The Edge is overrated as a guitarist.”

I’m genuinely curious:
what exactly are you rating?

Notes per second?
Chords per song?
How many fancy scales a guitarist can cram into a solo?

Or are we talking about
175 million records sold,
50 billion streams,
26 million tickets,
over 70 million monthly listeners
and a guitar tone recognised around the world?

Let me know in the comments:
what are your criteria when you call a guitarist “overrated”?

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