By power I was referring to grandiose vocal and instrumental orchestration.
There are punk ballads. They're just not overwrought with schmaltz.
As for playing ability, I would cite The Sex Pistols. As for poor vocals, I would cite Dylan. The latter being one of the most highly respected person in 20th century music.
Saying Nirvana has no heart. . .well. That's just beyond belief. There is more heart in the first bar of Come As You Are than 90% of the G'n'R output. 'November Rain' being the example I choose. Overrated, noodly, pish. Too long, nothing much said. Without the video it means zip, because Axl can't covey much well in words, so he relies on overblown production to try and hammer the message home.
As for The Beatles, you're right, Love Me Do isn't exactly Shakespeare. However, in their defence, at the time they wrote that song, things were different. Pop musicians just din't write complex lyrics. It was left to the Folk musicians (Dylan was one).
Also, this is the same band that later went on to write Eleanor Rigby, A Day In The Life, I Am The Walrus, Strawberry Fields Forever. . .I could go on.
I think we can safely say Lennon and McCartney's earler works are excused by their later acheivements,
But they're not the point here.
You've only to see the Nirvana Unplugged performance to know how worthwhile this band were. If you can't see what all the fuss is about then you're very stuck in your ways. You could probably blame other people too. Neil Young, The Pixies, The Meat Puppets, David Bowie. All of these made Cobain, Cobain.
'Nuff said.
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