OP question was about group desirability. As several commentators have said, Bards can fulfill multiple roles, and they stack well with enchanters. Because of this, Bards are very difficult to play well. You need to really know your songs and adjust your twist based upon (1) your role, (2) the group composition, (3) the mobs you are fighting.
This leads to a second issue: there are lots of bad bards out there. Any bard that leveled up by aoe kiting is unlikely to have the full mastery over his song library. This becomes especially problematic in the 40s, when bards get a lot of songs that can be hugely useful for xp grouping, but seem somewhat similar until you play around with them.
If I was in an xp group and we had a choice between an enchanter and a bard for a sole CC slot, I'd take an enchanter. Even if the enchanter is bad and doesn't charm, he still should be able to CC small numbers while casting haste and clarity. For a bard to CC 3 mobs, he won't be able to play both mana regen and haste at the same time...
But as said before, a Bard can fill in as puller, or as a Tank (though this falls off in the 50s, similar to ranger -tanks), or as a dps, or as haste/mana pump, or as a CC. So if you get a group with a skilled bard, all you need is a healer and any 4 other classes.
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