Songs that turned bands into "sell outs" among fans

[PeteCalvin]

Rush did not sell out. They have changed their styles and experimented over the years, but no way could they ever be called mainstream. Their style changes didn't get them more airplay or more industry accolades, nor did it get them into HOF any faster. I'm no die hard Rush fan, but I respect them for making music that they like and not giving two shites what the critics think.

I'm with Poppy on Aerosmith and Blues Traveler, though. Blues Traveler was also impacted by the suicide of a founding member (forget his name) and John Popper's drug and alcohol abuses.

 

[JackBauer44]

A younger generation band here... A lot of "punk" music lovers crucified Fall Out Boy when they came out with "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race." When FOB first came on the scene, they were very emo/screamo. I loved FOB in High School, but questioned the change in sound. It no doubt propelled them to a bigger career, I miss old school FOB.

 

[Jables]

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.

nothing beats the 'master of puppets' or 'and justice for all' sound with rasmussen producing/engineering. even though the black album is great, it is hard to argue that this was when they sold out to the original fans. bob rock as the producer and james getting voice lessons.

 

[PoppyHart]

Rush did not sell out. They have changed their styles and experimented over the years, but no way could they ever be called mainstream. Their style changes didn't get them more airplay or more industry accolades, nor did it get them into HOF any faster. I'm no die hard Rush fan, but I respect them for making music that they like and not giving two shites what the critics think.

I'm with Poppy on Aerosmith and Blues Traveler, though. Blues Traveler was also impacted by the suicide of a founding member (forget his name) and John Popper's drug and alcohol abuses.

Yeah, I should have clarified. Putting aside the awful rap experiment on the song Roll the Bones, Rush did not sell out. It's just that they were never the same afterwards from a quality standpoint, from this fan's perspective.

 

[Jables]

Yeah, I should have clarified. Putting aside the awful rap experiment on the song Roll the Bones, Rush did not sell out. It's just that they were never the same afterwards from a quality standpoint, from this fan's perspective.

most people would say they sold out on 'signals.' 'Roll the Bones' is a great album, but may also the most radio friendly. Have you heard 'clockwork angels' or seen them in concert recently? I respect your opinion, but there are very few rush fans that think that the quality of their music has dropped off.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Yeah, putting Rush anywhere here is pretty hard to defend.

 

[Jables]

Yeah, putting Rush anywhere here is pretty hard to defend.

yeah, us rush fans are probably more loyal then any other band's fans.

funny thing, I just went down to our shop and 'ghost of a chance' was on the radio.

 

[moqui]

Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters

Sold out hard.

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[PeteCalvin]

Yeah, I should have clarified. Putting aside the awful rap experiment on the song Roll the Bones, Rush did not sell out. It's just that they were never the same afterwards from a quality standpoint, from this fan's perspective.

I would agree. The quality dipped a bit after Roll The Bones. I still like their stuff, though.

EDIT: On second thought, I'm scolding myself. I can't hate on Rush. They are a great band, period.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters

What is that garbage? That's some terrible 60's surfing music. I keep thinking "Enchantment Under The Sea" dance.

 

[moqui]

What is that garbage? That's some terrible 60's surfing music. I keep thinking "Enchantment Under The Sea" dance.

you might know them better as the Oneders

 

[BlazeOrange]

Although there were some good tunes on it, I think 1984 started the sellout period for Van Halen. Which continued (with certain limited exceptions) into the Van Hagar years.

Lots of metal bands lost their edge to the power ballad, which was a very tempting mistress back in the mid-80s.

 

[Ghost]

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.

Green Day has always stolen their music - they sold out from the jump.

Dillinger Four is vastly underrated btw - one of the people they mention in the cracked article linked below.

http://www.cracked.com/article_19848_7-famous-musicians-who-stole-some-their-biggest-hits.html

 

[cuseattle]

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 . . .

My favorite of all time. Dylan proves with every new album that one who continues to grow and change will never be a "sell out".

 

[CuseFaninVT]

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!!

Was going to post something very similar. I saw them at SPAC and I STILL WANT MY MONEY BACK!

 

[CuseCPT]

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.

Some people just really want to feel like a special snowflake. They lose enjoyment from something just from seeing people that they consider themselves to be cooler/smarter/hipper/more refined than enjoying it. These people are easy to spot because they are generally pretentious douchebags.

 

[CorduroyG]

i was only 5 at the time but if i was older and a die hard bruce fan i would not have been happy when this came out. pretty sure his only video up to this point was a grainy black and white video for atlantic city that he didnt even appear in

 

[mountaincuse]

i was only 5 at the time but if i was older and a die hard bruce fan i would not have been happy when this came out. pretty sure his only video up to this point was a grainy black and white video for atlantic city that he didnt even appear in

Well, there is a perfect example of the crux of this thread:

That was his only #1 song, so if he didn't "sell out" then he never would have had a #1.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

i was only 5 at the time but if i was older and a die hard bruce fan i would not have been happy when this came out. pretty sure his only video up to this point was a grainy black and white video for atlantic city that he didnt even appear in

I was going to post this when the thread first came out. I hated the entire album when it first came out but I've come to appreciate some of the songs over the years. Dancing in the dark is not one of them and I've always had this disdain for Courtney Cox.

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