# Bands that Jumped the Shark **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143 "2004-03-29T19:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/1 "2004-03-29T19:51:48Z")
In my answer to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4696879#post4696879), I rezlized I was listing a bunch of bands that started out well, but turned bad as time went on. It occurred to me to start a thread to identify when goods bands went bad. My starter: **Rod Stewart** – When he left Jeff Beck. **Steve Miller Band** – When Boz Scaggs quit the band **Renaissance** – after Keith Relf quit. **Blood Sweat and Tears** – when Al Kooper left **Chicago** – after “Chicago II” **King Crimson** – after Macdonald and Giles left. **Pink Floyd** – after “Wish You Were Here.” What are your choices? ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/2 "2004-03-29T20:15:14Z")
I’ll add mine from the above referenced thread: **U2** - “The Joshua Tree” **REM** - “Monster” And add a few more: **Tragically Hip** - “Phantom Power” wasn’t my favorite. It had its moments, but this was the beginning of the end. I’m going to buy their next CD since Gord Downie’s slipping into a Michael Stipean egomania is enjoyable, if not painful, to watch. **Aerosmith** - their comeback in 1986–they should’ve stayed on the drugs **Elton John** - “Sad Songs Say So Much” – pretty much all of the 1984 and after Disney-fied suckage. **Billy Joel** - “The Bridge” – “Modern Woman”, enough said. **Duran Duran** - after Roger and Andy left. I’m a purist, what can I say? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/3 "2004-03-29T20:25:39Z")
Obviously, Metallica jumped the shark. The question is when. Some possibilities: [ul] [li]when they released **St. Anger** [/li][li]when they started suing their fans[/li][li]when they cut their hair[/li][li]when Cliff Burton died[/li][/ul] Take your pick. I go for the fourth option personally. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/4 "2004-03-29T20:35:06Z")
> [@Nutty Bunny](#): > > **Aerosmith** - their comeback in 1986–they should’ve stayed on the drugs I dunno, I thought their first few post-1986 albums were great! Permanent Vacation and Pump rocked! Course, I was a wee lad back then and I was just discovering them. For me, they jumped the shark with that wretched “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” song from the even worse movie Armageddon. I was a huge fan of theirs up until that point. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/5 "2004-03-29T20:38:24Z")
**RealityChuck** - completely agree with the Rod Stewart JtS - Let Me Love You (track #2 on Truth) contains some of the best vocal-guitar interplay I have _ever_ heard, but even with his strummy Maggie May stuff - its more simply singing and not nearly as explosively new sounding. **Nutty Bunny** - I disagree with U2 - I was never a big fan with the exception of **The Joshua Tree** - it’s where they stepped outside of the patented U2 style and did great music, like One and Even Better than the Real Thing… and with REM - I would basically say it happened when Michael Stipe became intelligible - I guess with “This One Goes Out to the One I Love”… **Peter Gabriel** - Security. I Love So’s Sledgehammer and Big Time, but the music had gotten more commercial by then, and not nearly as transcendent as Peter Gabriel 3’s Biko or the Intruder - the fact that he had both songs on the same album - woah. **Prince** - Sign O’ the Times. One of the best double albums of truly creative, catchy songs… **AC/DC** - Highway to Hell. Bon died and the band went with him. Back in Black isn’t bad, but unfortunately Brian Johnson will never write lyrics like Bon’s - and by then, the set of AC/DC song recipes got standardized. **Aerosmith** - I hear where you’re going, **Nutty** - but would Draw the Line earlier - at Rocks. After that - with DtL and Night in the Ruts - too much suckage. **Rolling Stones** - Some Girls - but, after shooting so high for so long, they had no choice but to either break up or produce mediocre materials. A start… ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/6 "2004-03-29T20:38:50Z")
**Offspring** - As soon as Pretty Fly for a White Guy became huge. Now they’re just a novelty act. **The Smashing Pumpkins** - Firing Jimmy Chamberlain. **Our Lady Peace** - Probably when Raine started going out with Chantal, now they’ve gone all wishy-washy. And I’ll say \*\*the Hip \*\* are halfway to jumping, they’re newer stuff isn’t that good. They’ve got a new album coming out soon, so I’ll wait for that to completely judge. Even though they are still great live, same with OLP. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/7 "2004-03-29T20:51:03Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > Obviously, Metallica jumped the shark. The question is when. Some possibilities: > > [ul] > [li]when they released **St. Anger** [/li][li]when they started suing their fans[/li][li]when they cut their hair[/li][li]when Cliff Burton died[/li][/ul] > Take your pick. I go for the fourth option personally. I am inclined to agree - Master of Puppets is pretty much the epitome of metal, as far as I am concerned. However, I think …and Justice for All is great, just not as good as MoP. And the Black Album, while it shortened the songs and brought them mainstream, it has some stuff on it that just rocks - Sad but True has one of the best riffs I have ever heard… So I guess I vote for right after the Black album… ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/8 "2004-03-29T20:57:47Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > And I’ll say \*\*the Hip \*\* are halfway to jumping, they’re newer stuff isn’t that good. They’ve got a new album coming out soon, so I’ll wait for that to completely judge. Even though they are still great live, same with OLP. Oh yeah. I’d still see them live, in a heartbeat. The last time I saw them was on their “An Evening with the Tragically Hip” tour about 2 or 3 years ago. I need another fix. The only problem with the later live shows (with the exception of the above-mentioned show) is that they tend to stay away from the early stuff. They are still the best live band around. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/9 "2004-03-29T21:03:01Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > **Nutty Bunny** - I disagree with U2 - I was never a big fan with the exception of **The Joshua Tree** - it’s where they stepped outside of the patented U2 style and did great music, like One and Even Better than the Real Thing… Maybe I’m misreading you, but it sounds like you’re saying “One” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are from **Joshua Tree**. They’re from [Achtung Baby](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001DTM/ref=m_art_li_5/103-1448972-7144622?v=glance&s=music). As an aside, I think that **Joshua Tree** is a beautifully crafted album from start to finish, and even the weakest tracks on it (“Trip Through Your Wires” comes to mind) are better than the best release on some of their other albums (something like **Zooropa** that left me pretty cold). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/10 "2004-03-29T21:05:06Z")
Any rock or pop group who did disco in the late 70’s. ABBA - _Voulez Vous_ ELO - _Discovery_ (they did make up for it with 1981’s _Time_ Rolling Stones - _Emotional Rescue_ KISS - “I Was Made for Loving You” …and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/11 "2004-03-29T21:20:30Z")
As per the **Metallica** note. I believe they are the epitome of a band who has jumped the shark. After the black album I will agree is when they started their downhill turn. But all came to a screeching halt when they shaved their heads and decided to name an album LOAD. Tho I saw them at red rocks when they were on the load tour and they kicked ass…that was mainly because they played a 30 minute _Master of Puppets_ and I was rivited with excitment for the rest of the week. I loved being in highschool in the mid 80’s 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/12 "2004-03-29T21:21:49Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Any rock or pop group who did disco in the late 70’s. > > ABBA - _Voulez Vous_ > ELO - _Discovery_ (they did make up for it with 1981’s _Time_ > Rolling Stones - _Emotional Rescue_ > KISS - “I Was Made for Loving You” > > …and so forth. And, of course, **Rod Stewart** ’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy”? But, come on! I LOVED “I Was Made for Loving You”! Admittedly, I was 10. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/13 "2004-03-29T21:33:57Z")
Hey, I still love “I Was Made for Loving You.” That whip-cracking sound is priceless! Now, to **Aerosmith**. I of course love their earliest work the best, but I do see value in some of their later albums - more so than I do in “Draw the Line” or “Night in the Ruts.” As much as I love my beloved 'Smith, they’re kinda hit and miss on their albums. I love “Pump,” mainly because that was my first introduction to Aerosmith. I also happen to love almost every song on “Nine Lives.” That CD, to me, was the freshest thing Aerosmith had put out in a long, long time. “Just Push Play” was mostly crap, though. I agree on **Metallica** as well. They totally fell off after the black album, with the exception of a couple good songs here and there. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/14 "2004-03-29T21:40:31Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > Maybe I’m misreading you, but it sounds like you’re saying “One” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are from **Joshua Tree**. They’re from [Achtung Baby](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001DTM/ref=m_art_li_5/103-1448972-7144622?v=glance&s=music). > > As an aside, I think that **Joshua Tree** is a beautifully crafted album from start to finish, and even the weakest tracks on it (“Trip Through Your Wires” comes to mind) are better than the best release on some of their other albums (something like **Zooropa** that left me pretty cold). :smack: of course I meant Achtung Baby - darn hamsters. Thanks for correcting that… ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/15 "2004-03-29T21:42:03Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > **Blood Sweat and Tears** – when Al Kooper left Can you jump the shark in reverse? How about before David Clayton-Thomas joined BS&T (“Child is Father to the Man” album). It had Kooper, but wasn’t yet the magic combination, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/16 "2004-03-29T21:48:22Z")
**Depeche Mode** Completely lost it after Violator, when Gahan gave in completely to the smack and went heroin chic (and heroin ugly) ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/17 "2004-03-29T22:08:40Z")
Queen - I think the rut started with the phenomenal success of “Night at the Opera” and Bohemian Rhapsody - but “We will rock you/We are the champions” was a bad sign. Then the end came with “Fat Bottomed Girls/Bicycle Races” ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/18 "2004-03-29T22:15:39Z")
**The Damned** jumped after the 1982’s **Strawberries** although 20 years later they seem to be better than ever with their 2001 album **Grave Disorder**. **The Misfits** jumped after Jerry only won the rights to the name and proceeded to make bigger fools of longtime feinds with each album. \*\*Black Flag \*\* jumped when Henry Rollins came aboard, although it wasn’t really his fault. The mighty **Turbonego** jumped with their “comeback” album, **Scandinavian Leather** although I have faith that they’ll come back with agreat record again. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/19 "2004-03-29T22:49:18Z")
Certainly not musically but for me, **Metallica** appearing before Congress to talk about illegal downloading of songs _seriously_ hurt their image (IMHO). I’ve said many times that rock and roll usually conveys a “don’t-give-a-damn, screw-you, drop dead” type of attitude. So, by 1) going to the ultimate establishment figure (Congress) and 2) whining and complaining about lost roaylties - yeah whining is another rock and roll “no-no” - I’d say Metallica jumped a blue whale with those actions. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143/20 "2004-03-30T00:01:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **WordMan** : > and with REM - I would basically say it happened when Michael Stipe became intelligible - I guess with “This One Goes Out to the One I Love”… YES! I read the OP and immediately thought of REM, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what exactly caused the downfall. Although I think they remained _decent_ until Bill Berry left, I know for a fact that they will never come near the greatness of the first…eh…Murmur and Reckoning are absolutely amazing. Most of the allure…to me…came from the fact that I _could not understand any of the lyrics._ I liked Michael Stipe’s quiet/strange persona…once he started to become the media whore he is now, I lost interest…and that began with him enunciating better. I do think that Document and Green had some good songs…but after that…blah. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-jumped-the-shark/237143.md?page=2)