musical or other artists who went to shit (but used to be good)

[Dexter Rutecki]

Thought of this when I saw Lenny Kravitz on TV today. Maybe it was partially because I was young, but when he first appeared and through at least his third, if not fourth, album I thought he was really, really good (Let Love Rule, Mama Said, and whatever the third one was called--doubters should listen to any all of those albums as I seriously think most people would acknowledge they were strong efforts). After Circus I just couldn't really find as much worth listening to in his music. I will grant that he was always fairly derivative but he did bring his own flavor to everything, just more openly acknowledged his influences than some artists would.

edit: forgot about his album '5' which was also really good--if you like classic funk you would enjoy it, I think.

Another example for me is Genesis--but in their case I think the reason they went downhill is a little easier to identify (they seemed to consciously decide to be more commercial/radio friendly).

I would put a band like The Rolling Stones in a different category in the sense that they, IMO, just decided to keep mailing it in after the first decade or two that they were around (after Tattoo You I'm not sure there was a really good album--maybe there was, but they seemed to be rehashing what they'd already done).

Anyway, is it the case that a lot of these guys just have a limited amount of 'genius' and once they get through it it's gone? That seems weird to me. Or do they get complacent after early success? Or is it us--is the audience not receptive enough after an early innovation or particularly strong work?

[Woodsy]

All walks of life....

[Benny Profane]

Spike Lee.

[Self Jupiter]

I think it would be trickier to compile a list of bands/musical artists with 7-10+ albums that haven’t gone to shit

[4matic]

Kenny Rogers: Ruby, and I Just Dropped In to shit.

[DJSapp]

Went to shit: Metallica, U2
Mailing it in for way too long: Aerosmith, U2

Actually put 7+ good albums together and didn't go to shit: R.E.M. (arguable if they went to shit, they just went to meh), Could argue Nine Inch Nails on the same grounds of meh-ness in the end

[PNWbrit]

Stevie Wonder.

[Self Jupiter]

U2 Aerosmith and Metallica are really the holy trilogy of going to shitness IMO. Stones eventually too, but they put out so many great albums that they feel in a different category (with David Bowie by their side)

[Benny Profane]

Stevie Wonder.

I don't know. He just isn't doing anything to speak of. But, last time I saw him was a performance from Obama's WH, when they were honoring Bachrach/David, and he did a twenty minute thing solo on the piano and hsrmonica. It was awesome.

[Buster Highmen]

God, do we have to do this again?
Jefferson Airplane->Startship takes the cake, crown and citation.

[Self Jupiter]

God, do we have to do this again?
Jefferson Airplane->Startship takes the cake, crown and citation.

We’re back right where you found us...



Song SUCKS! Not sure why it won’t embed, tried a couple different links. Gotta brush up on my 1.0 skeelz. The comments are great

[Buster Highmen]

But it's also the distance fallen, not just the low:

[ticketchecker]

Pains me to say, but Michael Franti. Used to be a more political and had an edge, now he’s all about the sound of sunshine

[Dexter Rutecki]

I think it would be trickier to compile a list of bands/musical artists with 7-10+ albums that haven’t gone to shit

Yeah, I think you're right.

I'm not sure I can go along with Stevie--I thought there were some terrible albums in the 80's, but I honestly haven't even bothered listening to anything he did then for about 20 years.

I guess it's more often the case that bands break up before they hit that point or shortly after a weaker effort. I keep thinking of Talking Heads, in that regard. I want to say that their last album was True Stories? But basically every album up to that last album had at least some brilliance, if not for the entirety. Then Byrne left and they were gone.

Can't argue with the Jefferson Airplane (de)evolution, but didn't they change personnel? I thought there had a been a big thing in that band with some of them chasing 80's popularity and the rest thinking it was bullshit.

If you're into Rush (IMO if you say you are a Rush fan it means you are obsessed with the band--and you're a dude, obviously) my sense is that they never fell off (again, though, I am basing that in large part on what I perceive to be the opinion of Rush fans, and they're crazy).

[PNWbrit]

I don't know. He just isn't doing anything to speak of. But, last time I saw him was a performance from Obama's WH, when they were honoring Bachrach/David, and he did a twenty minute thing solo on the piano and hsrmonica. It was awesome.

I saw him in London around 1991 and left the show thinking wow... he's really lost it... even back then.

Yep the ceremonial, emotional stuff like carpool karaoke, inaugurations or funerals he's still a national treasure... but otherwise it's a real slide.

[Benny Profane]

Well, funny how he hasn't recorded anything. Weird. Eddie Murphy is going the same way in his career. Just, nothing.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys
And the guy from the Black Keys.
I think I mentioned it before.

And as they say: not every Rolling Stones song is a hit!

[Mofro261]

Well, funny how he hasn't recorded anything. Weird. Eddie Murphy is going the same way in his career. Just, nothing.

I know right?

He gives us gems like My Girl wants to Party all the Time and Boogie in the Butt and then... poosh.

[Self Jupiter]

^zing!

[Benny Profane]

[Self Jupiter]

Arcade Fire

I haven’t fully given up hope with them, but this last effort was easily their worst imo. I did enjoy a few of the tunes tho. They just played two shows in my area over the past year, their first show didn’t sell out the arena and their second show was at a smaller venue around half the size, not sure if they sold out there or not. 4-5 years ago they were playing venues twice the size of that arena. The market agrees with you


The Shins

[Benny Profane]

Ooh, I just thought of one in the gym. Rod Stewart. Beck Ola was one of the first albums I ever owned, and it was bad ass. Didn't know it the time, but definitely Jeff Becks response to Jimmy's Zep once they both split off from the Yardbirds. Stewart was not yet big in America, but he was a huge star in England with the Faces. They were very influential. He didn't stay with Beck long, of course, became a huge star, and Every Picture Tells A Story is classic, if not where he starts his downhill slide. Maggie May is a top ten early yacht rock hit, for sure, but, there are some great recordings on that album. You have to remember that he was the ballsiest white rock/blues singer at the time. Then, he just went to shit. Cocaine and the finest groupies in the world. Married a few. Poor him.

[Captain Awesome]

I saw him in London around 1991 and left the show thinking wow... he's really lost it... even back then.

Yep the ceremonial, emotional stuff like carpool karaoke, inaugurations or funerals he's still a national treasure... but otherwise it's a real slide.

I've seen him a few times in the last 10 years, including when he did the Songs in the Key of Life album in concert, and last December when he did Talking Book as his "Christmas Toys" concert in LA. Aside from being far too long of a concert (before he did the album, he did a whole bunch of other stuff with a bunch of surprise guests, including Tony Bennett), he sounded great.

I don't know if he did anything to get back to form between the time you saw him in London and now, but while there's no question that his artistic well seems to have run a bit dry (I can't think of any new song in decades that I thought was even a shadow of his prior work), he can still sing his ass off.

[Buster Highmen]

Brian Jones.
Elvis

[Benny Profane]

Brian Jones.
Elvis

Well, Elvis was the King of going to shit, but, Jones? He didn't live long enough to get there.