Songs that turned bands into "sell outs" among fans

[PeteCalvin]

Was listening to a radio interview the other day and the talk of "selling out" came up. Sounded like a neat topic to explore on this forum.

We are all fans of various bands and different genres of music. Is there any one song, album, etc from one of your favorite bands that you consider or know other fans consider as the point where they sold out to the industry?

Examples:

Even though I don't agree, many die hard Metallica fans consider the Black Album the ultimate sell out. I dare them to say that to Hetfield's face.

Have at it.

 

[cusetown1]

Although not a favorite id say the Black Eyed Peas. Liked them when they first came out in the 90',but now I hate their music. They totally changed it to suit the teeny boppers.

 

[seanmac1844]

I am a fan of some bands that have "sold out" during their careers (Goo Goo Dolls comes to mind). I don't like the label, though. What would you do if given the chance to make millions of dollars? I just decide on my own if I still like the music after the "sell out".

 

[4evaOrange]

I don't have any off the top Of my head, but a lot of people say that about Lupe Fiasco. His first two CDs were great the. People say his 3rd, Lasers, was a sellout/ too mainstream. I personally love it and his first 2. Haven't listened to his latest. Listening to more country as of now.

 

[BlackKnight76]

A lot of Green Day fans hate American Idiot as an album, which is unfortunate, because that is an unbelievable record. Propelled them to a new place for sure, but I don't know how you can hold that against them. Hate the whole idea of "selling out", god forbid bands aspire to make music that a lot of people enjoy.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Little David Wilkins really pandered to the masses with Butter Beans.

 

[PeteCalvin]

I personally hate the term "sell out" in reference to bands and music. Bands progress. Music changes. Some bands take risks. I don't see any problem with a band going mainstream...as long as the music doesn't suck.

Ok. I created a dud of a thread. Move along. Nothing to see here.

 

[moqui]

Bob Dylan made a career out of "selling out."

His folk fan base accused him of selling out when he went electric in Bringing It All Back Home; his rock fans said he sold out when he went country in Nashville Skyline; the rock crowd again went crazy when he went Christian in Slow Train Coming; the Christians felt betrayed when he quit recording gospel music . . .

 

[DNABB5]

When I first saw One on MTV, Metallica was dead to me.

Yet Fade to Black I still consider amazing.

 

[seanmac1844]

A lot of Green Day fans hate American Idiot as an album, which is unfortunate, because that is an unbelievable record. Propelled them to a new place for sure, but I don't know how you can hold that against them. Hate the whole idea of "selling out", god forbid bands aspire to make music that a lot of people enjoy.

We just had this discussion at work the other day. Some of the people thought the last "real" Green Day album was Dookie. I don't understand why people who "discover" bands before they break big get mad at the bands when they find success. I still enjoy most of the music from the bands that I knew before they went big time.

 

[BlackKnight76]

We just had this discussion at work the other day. Some of the people thought the last "real" Green Day album was Dookie. I don't understand why people who "discover" bands before they break big get mad at the bands when they find success. I still enjoy most of the music from the bands that I knew before they went big time.

I love Dookie, but if that was their only great album, they wouldn't be a very big time band. Those people annoy me as well.

 

[PeteCalvin]

When I first saw One on MTV, Metallica was dead to me.

Yet Fade to Black I still consider amazing.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! "And Justice For All" cemented Metallica for me. One is incredible! Are you sure you're not hung over?

 

[swish7]

I'd guess that most starving artists want to 'sell out'.

This is not a sell out song, but a sell out moment. I saw the mighty mighty boss stones quite a bit back in the day. At a live show in Rochester, us rythmically pogoing fans literally broke the floor. We cracked the joists below us. They were an intense band, that commanded attention.

But seeing them give a clearly uninspired performance as the sweet 16 band in an Alicia Silverstone movie, while she did a few lame, uninterested dance steps, to me was a sell out moment.

They were already successful. So why shame their image for a few Hollywood bucks?

 

[DNABB5]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! "And Justice For All" cemented Metallica for me. One is incredible! Are you sure you're not hung over?

It wasn't the song itself. It is the FACT that I have an interview from right after RTL wherin Lars and James state they will never make a video. Plus the whole Napster stuff.

Their best music was recorded before 1990.

 

[DNABB5]

This is not a sell out song, but a sell out moment. I saw the mighty mighty boss stones quite a bit back in the day. At a live show in Rochester, us rythmically pogoing fans literally broke the floor. We cracked the joists below us. They were an intense band, that commanded attention.

I miss ska.

 

[PeteCalvin]

It wasn't the song itself. It is the FACT that I have an interview from right after RTL wherin Lars and James state they will never make a video. Plus the whole Napster stuff.

Their best music was recorded before 1990.

Many metal bands made videos in the 1980's, so to hold Metallica to a different standard isn't really fair, IMHO. Look at Kiss. They took off their make-up and practically became a glam rock band over the course of 5 years. That pissed off a large majority of their fans. Many considered them sell outs. Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy, they all made videos, and thankfully they did because I could only take so much Duran Duran, George Michael girly crap on MTV. I do agree with you, though, in that I think Metallica's early stuff is more appealing. I didn't buy an album straight out until St. Anger came along. I was also bummed when Jason Newstead left.

As far as the Napster stuff goes, i think that is completely blown out of proportion. Metallica simply became the face of the movement. There were many other bands pushing and supporting that same cause behind the scenes. If I were a band and people were giving my music away for free, I'd be pretty ticked too. I was never computer savvy enough to take part in the whole Napster/Napster-like downloading phenomenon. I was out of college by then and didn't want viruses and spyware invited onto my system.

 

[kuethstheman]

Supertramp: Breakfast in America. I thought it was a new BeeGees album before I found out it was them.

 

[bevosu]

The Doobie Brothers...they just appeared at the Jazz Fest here yesterday.

Not saying they sold out, but they definitely changed their style from a funky roadhouse occasionally hard rock sound to a softer, and in my opinion sucky soft rock, blue eyed soul sound, when they added Michael McDonald around 1976.

Went from hip to shite. Never heard a band do quite that extreme a change in style...although Chicago did something similar and equally crappy.

I'm sure there's others.

 

[PeteCalvin]

The Doobie Brothers...they just appeared at the Jazz Fest here yesterday.

Not saying they sold out, but they definitely changed their style from a funky roadhouse occasionally hard rock sound to a softer, and in my opinion sucky soft rock, blue eyed soul sound, when they added Michael McDonald around 1976.

Went from hip to shite. Never heard a band do quite that extreme a change in style...although Chicago did something similar and equally crappy.

I'm sure there's others.

How about .38 Special? They went from 'Hold on Loosely' to 'A Heart Beats a Second Chance'. Southern Rock to crappy pop. Awful.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Jefferson Airplane becoming Jefferson Starship and then just Starship is probably another good example. All it took was one guy to come in, take over, and then destroy that band's image.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Jefferson Airplane becoming Jefferson Starship and then just Starship is probably another good example. All it took was one guy to come in, take over, and then destroy that band's image.

Hard to believe that some of the same artists who made 'White Rabbit' and the "Volunteers" album also made 'We Built This City'.

And they didn't really need the money. They were just sell-outs.

BTW, worst concert I ever saw on the Hill--at Manley.

Worst Band of All-Time!!

 

[DNABB5]

Hard to believe that some of the same artists who made 'White Rabbit' and the "Volunteers" album also made 'We Built This City'.

And they didn't really need the money. They were just sell-outs.

BTW, worst concert I ever saw on the Hill--at Manley.

Worst Band of All-Time!!

Yea, Starship is turrible. They had nothing to do with Jefferson Airplane.

Jorma and Kanter gone then?

Hot Tuna is badass stuff imho.

 

[PoppyHart]

Aerosmith started the process with Pump and solidified it with Get a Grip.

Rush was never the same after Roll the Bones

Meatloaf sold out when he started appearing in commercials and reality shows

Blues Traveler lost a lot of fans when they went "mainstream" on Four.

 

[DNABB5]

Meatloaf sold out when he started appearing in commercials and reality shows

Meatloaf gets a pass from me.

Because...

His name is Robert Paulson.

 

[DeGrozz]

Very glad that no one has said "Dylan when he went electric."