I remember the music critics calling Bowie a 'genius'. So I checked him out. After that, I stopped listening to music critics.
Exactly. And aren't critics supposed to judge music on its artistic merits, and not the politics behind it? Using that critic's logic about politics being the most important, John Lennon's greatest album would be Somewhere in New York City, even though even John Lennon fans find the music on it hard to take.
Your right on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and my Dad (the boomer) hates the Beatles entirely.
There's been a huge backlash about it being the greatest album of all time since Rolling Stone picked it as such in 1987. Most critics will now say that Revolver or Abbey Road or Rubber Soul is better. That book is not exactly going out on a limb in saying it's overrated.