Are Scorpions overrated?

For their fans they are legendary, a band synonymous with classic rock and although their career spans more than 30 years of hard rock and heavy metal, they have kept their own distinctive base sound, the Scorpions sound. Arguably the band, that it is at the set of its career, will be remembered for its rock ballads, despite the dissaproval as stated by the band instead being remembered for their rocking songs as well, while stressing the live band factor.

Scorpions have relied always on songwriting and craftmanship. This has created their many loyal fans, but as well as dislike among the fad-driven audience. People who call Scorpions objectively overrated, that is they don't just don't like them, which is perfectly fine, but also advocate that they don't deserve the following that they have. For better or for worse as for (even greater) success, Scorpions have remained faithful to their original sound, keeping consistent the reliance on melody and guitarwork to carry their songs.

Their image to non-fans might be hurt by the fact that their only non-ballad song that is widely known to the mainstream is Rock you like a Hurricane. The major portion of their hits has been more slow tempo, mellow ballads than raw, heavy rock. So in the minds of people who dismiss them, they go as "yet another 80s band that jumped on the bandwagon of power ballads and... forgot to jump out.". To be exact they where among the first to do them and do them well. Before even the term "power ballad" was coined (and in many cases falling to cliche sounds), Scorpions were causing crowds to lit up their lighters in a light wave with their sentimental songs like Holiday, When the Smoke is going Down and Always Somewhere. Timeless songs that rely not on studio gimmicks & fads but on melody, wailing guitars and Klaus' authoritative and confident delivery.

Their other side, that of arena rock, of pump energetic rock is made apparent with a better look of their releases. Apart from the classic Hurricane, seriously rocking songs have come out from Scorpions starting with sophisticated In Trance in their dawn in mid 70s, continuing with Blackout, properly named Dynamite, killer riff of No one like You , headbanger's own The Zoo, written with arena in mind Big City Nights and slick Rhythm of Love. 

Carrying from their most successful days in the 80s, we can find some real rock gems in their last, and final, album Sting in the Tail. A return to roots and top form. They certainly are departing in style with such rock acts as driven Raised on Rock and the homonymous Sting in the 
Tail.

Their last album is one of their highlights, while exiting at a high note, including engaging rock ballads Lorelei,uptempo The Best is Yet to Come,  introspective with profound guitar yet with a razor sharp chorus The Good Die Young. These come to sit along the legacy of songs that need no introduction; Still Loving You, Wind of Change and Send me an Angel that have come to exemplify the classic Scorpions sound.

Maybe the biggest testament of Scorpions' quality is their remarkable longevity. While other acts have come and gone, others exist in obscurity and others have long become "dinosaurs", Scorpions retire leaving a generation behind with fond memories of their songs and a whole new generation ahead that will be discovering them, one of the biggest bands in rock.