Musically Jumping The Shark

[CK]

The last Black Eyed Peas album triggered this, although I reckon there is a case for "The E.N.D" as the album that did it for them, despite it having two of their highest selling singles (I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow).

Which album signifies the beginning of the downward turn for a band? I have always had U2 in my collection, but for me, "No Line On The Horizon" was a no-buy, as nothing I heard on it "grabbed" me like the rest. For many bands, their "shark jump" can often be traced to one particular album (or for some acts, the debut album), but interested to know which LP's are considered "The Shark Jump" for which acts.

[Bob Loblaw]

Offspring - Americana

[RustyCage]

The Living End - White Noise.

State of Emergency was a good album, but White Noise is one I can't sit through the whole album in one sitting. I don't know if I've even heard the last song on the album yet!

[Magpiespower]

The last Black Eyed Peas album triggered this, although I reckon there is a case for "The E.N.D" as the album that did it for them, despite it having two of their highest selling singles (I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow).

Reakon BEP jumped the shark, or as us hip-hop purists would put it, "fell off" with 'Where is the Love?'

First two albums are pretty good but with the addition Fergie they've shamelessly chased mainstream chart appeal.

Pre-Fergie BEP...



LL Cool J fell off big time with corny ballads 'I Need Love' and 'One Shot at Love' from 1989's Walking With a Panther.

But came back strong with Mama Said Knock You Out two years later.

Still makes me laugh...

[Baron Greenback]

Muse - Resistance

[Gingernuts]

Muse - Resistance

A bit harsh there I reckon Baron. It did take longer to grow on me than their previous albums but I reckon there's still some quality tracks on that album.

For me the biggest one would have to be:

Powerfinger - Dream Days of a Hotel Existence. Lost the magic with this album and never got it back IMO.

[MatteeG]

This will get some howls, but Metallica- The Black Album.

Whilst it contains some GREAT tracks (Enter Sandman a personal fave), overall I could see where it was leading...(Load, Reload etc). Unimaginative lyrics, and a template song structure started to take hold.

The boys back in form with Death Magnetic, their best release for 20 years IMO!

[MatteeG]

Also- the latest Killswitch Engage album (self-titled).

For some reason when a band self-titles an album which isnt a debut it tends to bite. Just has NO memorable tracks. Where's the "Rose of Sharyn", or "My Curse"?

[Bob Loblaw]

Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Green Day - Warning

[7-Dog]

This will get some howls, but Metallica- The Black Album.

Whilst it contains some GREAT tracks (Enter Sandman a personal fave), overall I could see where it was leading...(Load, Reload etc). Unimaginative lyrics, and a template song structure started to take hold.

The boys back in form with Death Magnetic, their best release for 20 years IMO!

I'm the opposite, I enjoyed the black album the most & loved Load & Reload. St Anger was a disaster and Death Magnetic is some fine work, if not their best.

[Pidge]

Muse - Resistance

A bit harsh there I reckon Baron. It did take longer to grow on me than their previous albums but I reckon there's still some quality tracks on that album.

For me the biggest one would have to be:

Powerfinger - Dream Days of a Hotel Existence. Lost the magic with this album and never got it back IMO.

I agree Gingernuts.. IMO there are 4 quality tracks on that album. Uprising, The Resistance, MK Ultra and Unnatural Selection.

[JK]

This will get some howls, but Metallica- The Black Album.

Whilst it contains some GREAT tracks (Enter Sandman a personal fave), overall I could see where it was leading...(Load, Reload etc). Unimaginative lyrics, and a template song structure started to take hold.

The boys back in form with Death Magnetic, their best release for 20 years IMO!

Im not sure if that's correct mate, but can def see where you're coming from and certainly can't argue with it.

The Black Album was markedly more rock-like than metal like and of course had the mainstream appeal the band hadn't had previously.

It's hard to know how much of the Metallica lull to attribute to a variation in direction or issues brewing behind the scenes (as covered in SKOM) and distractions like the Napster incident.

I reckon they "tried" to get back to their roots more with St Anger, but perhaps tried too hard, but I agree that Death Magnetic was their most traditional like effort probably since Justice.

[MatteeG]

This will get some howls, but Metallica- The Black Album.

Whilst it contains some GREAT tracks (Enter Sandman a personal fave), overall I could see where it was leading...(Load, Reload etc). Unimaginative lyrics, and a template song structure started to take hold.

The boys back in form with Death Magnetic, their best release for 20 years IMO!

Im not sure if that's correct mate, but can def see where you're coming from and certainly can't argue with it.

The Black Album was markedly more rock-like than metal like and of course had the mainstream appeal the band hadn't had previously.

It's hard to know how much of the Metallica lull to attribute to a variation in direction or issues brewing behind the scenes (as covered in SKOM) and distractions like the Napster incident.

I reckon they "tried" to get back to their roots more with St Anger, but perhaps tried too hard, but I agree that Death Magnetic was their most traditional like effort probably since Justice.

Fair summary CP probably what I was getting at, I always thought they made the 2 Load albums in response to Napster ("Download THIS kids!"). Definitely liked the return to aggression in St Anger, they just made the sound so bad....Love Rick Rubin's influence on the latest.

[Baron Greenback]

Muse - Resistance

A bit harsh there I reckon Baron. It did take longer to grow on me than their previous albums but I reckon there's still some quality tracks on that album.

For me the biggest one would have to be:

Powerfinger - Dream Days of a Hotel Existence. Lost the magic with this album and never got it back IMO.

I agree Gingernuts.. IMO there are 4 quality tracks on that album. Uprising, The Resistance, MK Ultra and Unnatural Selection.

Yes, there are a few quality tracks on there, but their previous albums were pure gold.
Origin of Symmetry and Absolution were sensational.
This one is far too 'poppy' for my liking. Written for radio IMO.

[Baron Greenback]

This will get some howls, but Metallica- The Black Album.

Whilst it contains some GREAT tracks (Enter Sandman a personal fave), overall I could see where it was leading...(Load, Reload etc). Unimaginative lyrics, and a template song structure started to take hold.

The boys back in form with Death Magnetic, their best release for 20 years IMO!

Im not sure if that's correct mate, but can def see where you're coming from and certainly can't argue with it.

The Black Album was markedly more rock-like than metal like and of course had the mainstream appeal the band hadn't had previously.

It's hard to know how much of the Metallica lull to attribute to a variation in direction or issues brewing behind the scenes (as covered in SKOM) and distractions like the Napster incident.

I reckon they "tried" to get back to their roots more with St Anger, but perhaps tried too hard, but I agree that Death Magnetic was their most traditional like effort probably since Justice.

Fair summary CP probably what I was getting at, I always thought they made the 2 Load albums in response to Napster ("Download THIS kids!"). Definitely liked the return to aggression in St Anger, they just made the sound so bad....Love Rick Rubin's influence on the latest.

I love everything Metallica has done - even Load and Reload, although they're not as good as their earlier albums.
I'm just glad they've returned to what they do best on Death Magnetic.

[7-Dog]

The Spaghetti Incident - Guns 'N Roses

I would have put Use Your Illusion 1 & 2 there, but they at least had a decent song or 2. But its been downhill since Appetite for Destruction

[southee]

Also- the latest Killswitch Engage album (self-titled).

For some reason when a band self-titles an album which isnt a debut it tends to bite. Just has NO memorable tracks. Where's the "Rose of Sharyn", or "My Curse"?

The end of Metallica for me right there!!!

As a 17 year old going out and buying the album, getting home and listening to it I felt it was a total sell out.

Film clips they never said they would do, Bob Rock in the picture, suing their own fans (Napstar)...pfffft!!

I shall live off Kill Em All, RTL and MOP......thats the real Metallica for me.

[LMA]

Gomez- In Our Gun
Swervedriver - Ejector Seat Reservation
Wowee Zowee - Pavement

A case here of third time not so lucky after excellent first 2 albums

[zipzap]

Which album signifies the beginning of the downward turn for a band? I have always had U2 in my collection, but for me, "No Line On The Horizon" was a no-buy, as nothing I heard on it "grabbed" me like the rest.

I would contend that U2 jumped the shark a lot earlier, say around the time they started dressing up as the Village People for Discotecque and coming out of a glittery lemon on the Pop tour. Pop itself was a massive stinker and one of their first real failures - artistic and financial.

U2 has jumped a few sharks in their time but somehow seem to be reasonably bullet proof. What other bands could survive THAT mullet, the flag waving nonsense at Red Rocks, endless naive political propaganda, the po-faced Americana road trip movie/album (had they not SEEN Spinal Tap?? They even visited Elvis' grave FFS!).

REM jumped the shark with the Monster album but the downhill spiral began with Everybody Hurts which paradoxically was probably their biggest song. As a long time REM fan it was confusing how one of the most un-REM sounding songs could end up being probably their signature tune for many people. Unfortunately the same people who stopped buying their records pretty much soon after...

[zipzap]

Stone Roses - The Second Coming