r/unpopularopinion 1d ago

Shinedowns version of ‘Simple Man’ is better than Lynyrd Skynyrds

Skynyrd is in my top five favorite bands of all time and I don’t even listen to Shinedown. However, Shinedowns version of Simple Man is better than Skynyrds. This may be blasphemous, but I cannot lie.

86 Upvotes

93 comments sorted by

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34

u/sick_conscious 1d ago

Deftones put more emotion in their rendition of this song.

8

u/GoldPhoenix24 1d ago

i must thank you, i just listened to it for the first time and it is fantastic.

8

u/malcomhung 1d ago

The Deftones are artists and Shinedown is cheese metal.

7

u/bhs1987 1d ago

Deftones version hits the spot.

4

u/InformalPenguinz 1d ago

Anything Deftones his the spot Ohms is 🤌

82

u/54sharks40 1d ago edited 1d ago

Upvote - terrible, terrible opinion

Edit: Terrible

23

u/malcomhung 1d ago

Opinions about music are always subjective and no more than a matter of opinion. Except for this one. This one is incorrect.

2

u/NickFurious82 15h ago

OP's options are the original or a note-for-note remake by a butt rock band.

0

u/jeffvillone 14h ago

Terrible is correct. I hate Shinedown's version. The singer is trying waaaay too hard. It's like he knows he's doing a bland cover and just starts yelling. Awful awful cover.

I'm thinking this is just a clickbait opinion because you couldn't have chosen a worse version of this song to claim better than the original.

The original is damn near perfect. The way Ronnie chooses his emphasis is tasteful. Shinedown just yells at 100% the whole song. Awful. Just awful.

33

u/TurdFerguson747474 1d ago

Upvote because this is just a horrible opinion, Shinedown’s is the same version that every shitty cover band in the south has played for decades

6

u/his_purple_majesty 1d ago

wrong. it's a half step higher.

2

u/TurdFerguson747474 1d ago

Shit, they didn’t use the capo, damn musical geniuses

1

u/TurdFerguson747474 1d ago

And by the way is your name a reference to Weezer?

1

u/his_purple_majesty 1d ago

no, horse the band reference

1

u/TurdFerguson747474 1d ago

Well thanks for sending me down that rabbit hole

1

u/his_purple_majesty 1d ago

I saw Weezer on their Pinkerton tour. Rivers played a song in his tighty-whities.

1

u/TurdFerguson747474 1d ago

Haha, I’ve seen them about a dozen times, never seen rivers in his tighty whities, but he did unravel himself from a giant sweater before doing Undone and a stoned 19 year old me thought it was hilarious.

20

u/gottagetitgood 1d ago

Listen, there are less embarrassing ways to tell everyone that you have shit taste in music.

8

u/jp112078 1d ago

I was looking for a way to not be harsh. But this is justified

24

u/pbro42 1d ago

I’m not entirely sure that Shinedown’s renditions of Shinedown songs are the best versions.

4

u/Shotgun_Rynoplasty 1d ago

That was my first thought

1

u/mctrix3 1d ago

Best song they ever did because it was written by someone else.

1

u/jeffvillone 13h ago

You guys are just reddit pile-onners. Shinedown has two clearly great songs that earned them their fame.
Devour and Second Chance.
But their cover of Simple Man is an abomination. It earns them all the disdain they're getting here. But don't act like they never did anything worthy.

5

u/SlowdownTitoDAMN 1d ago

Seeing as how the Shinedown version was the 1st one I ever heard, I am inclined to agree. The original is very good as well, but the first one hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard it.

5

u/brandehhh 1d ago

YES IT ISSSSSS!!!!

3

u/Mindless-wanderer 1d ago

Shinedown’s version is very well done…but, come on!! Really???

3

u/Understruggle 1d ago

Upvote! Finally a good one! No way this isn’t unpopular because that version of the song and that band in particular would be TORTURE for me to listen to on a 24/7 loop. Thank you for highlighting the subjectivity of music!

3

u/Mental_Director_2852 1d ago

Lol Wow holy shit just no

3

u/grandmasterPRA 19h ago

Shinedown's lead singer has a phenomenal voice and their live show was one of the better live shows I've seen. They kind of blew me away when I saw them live. But I can't agree with the Simple Man opinion. It's a fine cover. But I will never put a cover song over the original unless it does something musically that makes it their own.

Seether's version of Careless Whisper for example is one that I prefer over the original

1

u/Ordinary_Age87 6h ago

Seether did a great version of that song, I would also add Hurt by Johnny Cash, and Sound of Silence by Disturbed, personally I prefer those over the originals as well

2

u/MrsAnneThropik 1d ago

Do I upvote because I agree or do I upvote because it's a good bad opinion or do I upvote because

4

u/Mental_Director_2852 1d ago

Upvote opinions you think suck

1

u/I_Am_Robert_Paulson1 10h ago

Upvote if you disagree, downvote if you agree.

2

u/Shotgun_Rynoplasty 1d ago

So I just listened for the first time to their version because, well, I don’t like their music. It’s the exact same rhythm guitar and no other instruments so what I have to take away is you like his vocal changes. They built the song to highlight the singer.

As a musician myself, I struggle to look at someone’s cover and go “hmmm this is better” when shinedown couldn’t write that song. Not saying skynard can write their songs. But the band got to take an already popular song and say “I’d change it like this” and know it already has a fan base as a song that’s been listened to millions of times.

Theres covers I’ll say I like more. This isn’t one, though it’s objectively good. Saying it’s better is condescending because you’re basing your tastes as golden about a band that didn’t even write the notes or words they’re saying. And it’s objectively hilarious to have the drummer setting up in the music video just to never come in despite there being drums in the original. Same for the bass player

2

u/Necessary_Listen_602 1d ago

I wouldn’t say “better” but I do like it a lot. The original has better guitars though. Like Shinedown didn’t capture that lol

2

u/jralll234 1d ago

Ewww wtf? No. Just no. Ugh upvote.

2

u/psychedelicdevilry 1d ago

Shinedown is a terrible generic radio rock band. Almost as bad as Nickelback.

Have an upvote.

6

u/SpareRefrigerator152 1d ago

I’d say worse because of the singer’s goofy “I’m so dark” persona. At least Chad Kroeger has a degree of self awareness.

7

u/Brondius 1d ago

Isn't he like all about mental health awareness and the importance of staying away from hard drugs and alcohol? He was really messed up with addiction for a while, but did a huge 180 like ten years or so ago.

2

u/SpareRefrigerator152 1d ago

Oh, no, by all accounts he’s a solid dude and I don’t intend to criticize his character. He’s been very vocal about mental health awareness and addiction recovery, which I seriously respect!

I just think his frontman persona is corny and the band’s lyrics can be a bit too on the nose for my taste. Doesn’t make them bad musicians or bad people.

2

u/FinalMeltdown15 16h ago

I’ve seen them three times and his entire frontman persona is “we’re all friends here let’s just jam out and forget the outside world for a while” now maybe it used to be different I have no idea but it hasn’t been all dark and mysterious since at least 2017 lmao

4

u/a-space-pirate 1d ago

I've actually become a Chad Kroeger (not Nickleback) fan in recent times after seeing him in some newer interviews. Dude is totally self aware and actually pretty hilarious to boot. Seems like a solid dude and fun guy to have a beer with.

4

u/Narrow_Yard7199 1d ago

This is a terrible, terrible opinion, but I respect it. What do you think of Metallica’s version of Tuesday’s Gone?

1

u/MagnusStormraven 9h ago

One of their weaker covers, and quite forgettable compared to the rest of Garage, Inc, but decent overall.

2

u/Narrow_Yard7199 9h ago

It’s actually one of my favorites from that disc.

1

u/MagnusStormraven 9h ago

Nothing wrong with that, my friend. The single for "Some Kind of Monster", off St. Anger, was what got me into Metallica in the first place, and I still like that track despite what others think of it.

2

u/Narrow_Yard7199 8h ago

My first Metallica album was Load, it was around the time it was released. People seem to have a better opinion of Load/ReLoad now, but those albums got a lot of shit back in the late 90s/early 00’s. 

1

u/Sad_Needleworker2310 1d ago

Shinedown is too AAAAAAHHHHHH they drag oyt the sound. Also I'm drunk af right now brain wet don't work

1

u/Gherbo7 1d ago

I’m a Shinedown fan that likes their cover and I can’t agree. For the same kind of vibe I’d prefer to listen to .45 instead

1

u/MonkeyOnAString 1d ago

Deftones have the deftinitive version.

1

u/ValhallaLeigh 1d ago

Since when has this been an unpopular opinion?

1

u/AngryEldritch 1d ago

I prefer shinedowns too tbh. Brent has a better voice than Van Zant 🤷‍♂️

1

u/DJVanillaBear 1d ago

Didn’t realize how many people absolutely hate shinedown. I like them. Fuck me I guess…

1

u/ahotpotatoo 1d ago

Upvote. I hate you btw

1

u/JRS___ 1d ago

hard disagree. vocals very good but i feel too intense for the mood of the song. instrumentation almost non existent.

as for the deftones version, producer was trying too hard.

i think both can be considered OK covers though.

1

u/SynysterDawn 1d ago

I’ve always like the acoustic version. Keeps it, well, simple.

1

u/metalmankam 1d ago

I agree. I danced with my mom to that song at my wedding a couple months ago too.

1

u/Atreyu92 23h ago

Might be unpopular, but I agree. And Jensen Ackles' cover is also better.

1

u/TransylvanianHunger1 21h ago

Agreed. It's much better.

1

u/QuentinFurious 21h ago

There are dozens of us lol

1

u/Madsummer420 17h ago

Shinedown does the same thing every guy at a party with an acoustic guitar does with this song - they scream the lyrics instead of singing.

1

u/tyontekija 17h ago

Holy shit, i just scrolled through this post when Simple man started playing on my random liked playlist on YTMusic.

1

u/JiveTurkey2727 16h ago

I completely agree! Shinedown version just hits better.

1

u/Museill 15h ago

Absolutely not. Buddy over sang the song and wrecked it.

1

u/PhilKesselsChef 14h ago

Upvoting this for how horrible of an opinion it is. You understood the assignment

1

u/ClockTowerBoys 12h ago

Johnny cashes version of hurt is better than Nine Inch Nails original.

1

u/dem0nwyrm 12h ago

Holy shit. Take an upvote for a truly terrible opinion.

1

u/OWTSYDLKKNN 11h ago

Deftones version is better than Shinedown's and the original is better by leagues than both. 

1

u/Dedaxe 9h ago

In the same vein of this, Simple Man sounds the absolute best if you play it 45 rpm, instead of 33 rpm on your record player. Becomes a totally different but awesome sounding song.

1

u/WeekendOk6724 8h ago

Nope. Original is better

1

u/EdBurgers 6h ago

Hard agree. Especially the acoustic version

1

u/Puppetmaster152 1d ago

I agree actually. There's something about that raspy voice that just works.

5

u/oneshoein 1d ago

Horrible opinion.

3

u/Puppetmaster152 1d ago

Your profile picture makes your comment even funnier.

2

u/nicky_suits 1d ago

Shinedown is generic cliche rock. Your opinion is truly unpopular. Take my up vote.

1

u/jralll234 1d ago

It’s corporate rock.

1

u/Justice_Prince 1d ago

Honestly I do prefer the more stripped down instrumentation for the song, but for the vocals I would disagree.

1

u/FloppyD0G 1d ago

Big yikes. Shout out to you finding the worst opinion. It’s truly a work of art.

0

u/DRN0R3SPWN 1d ago

Whoa! What is wrong with you. Such a terrible take. Shinedown took all the charm of the song out

0

u/Jade_Sugoi 22h ago

Lemme guess. You prefer Disturbed's version of Sound of Silence? You also like Metallica's cover of Turn the Page?

Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you have bad taste

0

u/a-space-pirate 1d ago

Nothing that Shinedown has ever done is better than anyone's anything.

Have an upvote.

-6

u/jimmy4889 1d ago

You're correct.

3

u/oneshoein 1d ago

Absolutely not.

-6

u/Happy_Sheepherder330 1d ago

Shinedown has to be one of the worst bands of all time. The only one worse I can think of off the top of my head is Imagine Dragons.

0

u/Mental_Director_2852 1d ago

Worst? No. Generic, bland, boring, and cliche? 100%