Musical Jumping the Shark

[csberry]

I was reading recently in Entertainment Weekly about a new phrase: "nuking the fridge." Apparently (since I'm a complete recluse and parent and haven't been to a theater in MONTHS), there is a scene in the new Indiana Jones movie involving a nuke and a fridge. This scene was such a turning point for some fans, that they decreed "nuking the fridge" to be the movie equivalent of "jumping the shark."

Just a little while ago, I went to the Cure's site and was listening to their new single. The band's longevity and this article attached themselves together in my noggin and made me ponder about rock/pop artists and bands. Is there a "Just Called to Say I Love You"(Stevie Wonder's drowning death in sappy pop music) or "Steel Wheels"(Nope, no more memorable singles for the Stones) or "Smile" (Beach Boys' aborted album post-Pet Sounds) for music? What album was the one that made you go,"Okay, I need to stop buying albums from this artist?"

Was it "Out of Time" or "Automatic for the People" with REM?

Did Tears for Fears jump at "The Seeds of Love?"

What about Madonna?

While I primarily listen to "For You" to "1999"-era Prince, I would say he jumped with the "Black Album/Lovesexy." I love "(eye) Wish U Heaven" but my copy of the album has collected a lot of dust through the years.

Who hasn't jumped the musical shark?

Did the Beatles? Was it downhill after "Sgt. Pepper" and the "White Album" merely has a cult following based on the Manson connection and folks that accidentally buy it thinking it is a greatest hits collection?

I don't know about U2. I would have said that Zooropa was the beginning of the end before the band's revival with "All That You Can't Leave Behind"

Comments

[chris21718.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Tears For Fears -- I'd say "Songs From The Big Chair" was their last good one, and although there were quite a few hits from "The Seeds Of Love", I never enjoyed that album like Big Chair.

Prince's last bit hit album was "Diamonds and Pearls" but to be honest, my favorite two albums were "1999" and "Purple Rain". Although I liked some of the singles after "Purple Rain" and "Diamonds and Pearls", I didn't care to buy the albums/CDs until much later when I was filling in holes in my music collection. For a few years, he seemed to be into the annoying habit of releasing a new album every year with only one relatively large hit on it, unlike several other albums which had several each. A comprehensive greatest hits collection plus the entire "1999" and "Purple Rain" would pretty much satisfy me.

How about some other big artists?

Michael Jackson -- "Off The Wall", "Thriller", and "Bad" would suffice. After "Bad", I lost interest.

Janet Jackson -- "Control" and "Rhythm Nation 1814" would suffice. I totally lost interest during the end of the "Rhythm Nation 1814" period.

Billy Joel -- I lost interest after "An Innocent Man", which was a great album that had a huge chain of hits.

George Michael -- "Faith" was always my favorite and after that, I lost interest.

John Cougar Mellencamp -- after "Scarecrow", the last album with a lot of hits.

Steve Miller Band -- after "Book of Dreams". They came back briefly 5 years later in 1982 with "Abracadabra" and the one hit by that title.

Kenny Rogers -- after the years with The First Edition. 4 years after that period, he turned into a sappy mellow, sickening country artist. Give me "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and the original recording of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" over that later stuff any day!

Bob Seger -- after the album "Against The Wind".

Rod Stewart -- after "Young Turks" and "Tonight I'm Yours" singles. I cared little for the later more mellow stuff.