# can a band really make a comeback? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955 "2003-02-14T00:01:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frida\_s\_Boss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Frida\_s\_Boss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frida_s_Boss)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/1 "2003-02-14T00:01:18Z")
I was listening to the radio last night and i heard styx promoting their new album cyclorama (i actually thought it was pretty good- but what do i know)… it got me thinking… can a band that has been around that long really return to the big time… the stones are still here and still huge, but their new stuff is not the same i feel like i hear a GNR comeback rumor every week steele dan has returned somewhat it seems like the classic rock stations are always pressing some boston reunion or somthing do you all think that a band can do what styx is trying to do?.. return to former glory in a different musical environment?.. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/2 "2003-02-14T00:05:05Z")
Weezer did it with the Green Album, kinda the same thing. They seemed like they were on their way out. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/3 "2003-02-14T00:12:33Z")
Aerosmith did a pretty good job. GNR won’t come back until Axl gets over himself. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/4 "2003-02-14T00:19:41Z")
> [@](#): > > do you all think that a band can… return to former glory in a different musical environment? Elvis did it, but he’s no band. Would you call Pink Floyd’s resurrection in '87 or '88 a comeback? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/5 "2003-02-14T00:24:17Z")
Does Santana count? He’s bigger now than ever, seems like. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/6 "2003-02-14T00:48:00Z")
The Bee Gees are a prime example. They were considered washed up in the early 70s, but came back with “Jive Talkin’” (which was first played to DJs with the name of the group not mentioned so they wouldn’t get the wrong idea) and became even bigger than before. Traffic broke up in 1969, re-formed a year later, and were better and more successful than ever. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/7 "2003-02-14T03:02:37Z")
Heart made a comeback in the 80s. The B52’s seemed to have a comeback after being gone for while too. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/8 "2003-02-14T04:16:23Z")
The Eagles broke up for what, 16 years? Then released a #1 album. They haven’t made an album since, and if they release another one it’ll do the same thing. Do bands that are just perennially popular, like the Eagles, count? Frank Sinatra had a pretty good dry spell between his teen crooner years and his wise guy years. Jefferson Starship had some big success in the 80’s, after languishing for 10 years or so. The Moody Blues were big in the 60’s, then faded away for a decade or more before releasing “Long Distance Voyager”, which went to #1. Tina Turner Went from being half of Ike and Tina Turner, then faded away for something like 15 years before hitting it big in the pop world when whe was already in her 50’s. Tony Bennett had a big career resurgence in his late 60’s and 70’s after spending a couple of decades as a Vegas staple. Spinal Tap started out as a 60’s folk group before hitting it big in the metal years with song like _Sex Farm Woman_ and _Stonehenge_. (-: ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/9 "2003-02-14T04:18:59Z")
Seems like Bon Jovi did a bit of a comeback in the past couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/10 "2003-02-14T04:24:23Z")
Fleetwood Mac had numerous comebacks, both before and after _Rumours._ I think Huey Lewis, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello all have decent potential for comebacks. Aimee Mann’s comeback took me by surprise. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/11 "2003-02-14T12:38:15Z")
Four words: Red Hot Chili Peppers. After _One Hot Minute_ they were assumed dead. Then they released _Californication_ and ever since they can be legitimately considered a ‘now’ band - one that kids today can see on mtv and think of as one of “their” bands as opposed to one of their parents bands, or a band that was big ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Frida\_s\_Boss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Frida\_s\_Boss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frida_s_Boss)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/12 "2003-02-14T14:27:21Z")
ok… so it is possible… do you all think styx can do it? I think it may be tough, they seem to have been out of the limelight for such a long time… here is a link where you can listen to some of their new songs … [http://209.68.43.56/ecards/styx/](http://209.68.43.56/ecards/styx/) … it is some kind of promo thing for their new record… or if you dont want to listen…do you think they have a chance? ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/13 "2003-02-14T14:39:28Z")
Boston came back for a while in the 80s. _Third Stage_ was a popular album that had a couple of hit singles. This was eight years after their last album. Yes had huge comeback success with _90125_ and the single and video for “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”, their highest charting single in the US ever. They followed up a few years later with the _Big Generator_ album and the decent hit “Love Will Find A Way”. Not bad for a progressive rock group whose heyday was 1971-1973. I don’t count the late 80s- early 90s version of Bad Company as a comeback, since key members were missing (to me it’s not Bad Company without Paul Rodgers) and the music of the second “corporate rock” version paled in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Witch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Witch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Witch)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/14 "2003-02-14T15:14:07Z")
Aerosmith is the best example IMHO. They have had _two_ hugely successful careers. I don’t think anyone else even comes close to these guys in the comeback department. They had it all, lost it all, and got it all back tenfold. You go boys! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/15 "2003-02-14T15:19:03Z")
Kiss’s decision to put their makeup back on in the mid-90’s can, in my opinion, be considered one of the most successful comebacks for a rock band. Their album may not have sold millions of copies, but the touring was insanely successful. Sure, it may be merely nostalgic, but this was no small-time reunion as some bands have had. ---
**Author:** ![okielady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/fbc32d/32.png) [@okielady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/okielady)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/16 "2003-02-14T15:48:46Z")
Let’s not forget Cher, who has probably had more comebacks than anyone… ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/17 "2003-02-14T15:50:23Z")
**Springsteen and the E-Street Band** is another example. After the band disolved in the mid 80s, Springsteen had a few moderately successful albums, and a bunch of flops. In 2000 the band got back together, and now are one of the more active and exciting groups out there. As for **Styx** , I haven’t heard the new album… didn’t Tommy Shaw die, or have some sort of breakdown or something? Oh, also, **Meatloaf**. He managed to rejuvinate his career for about a year with _Bat out of Hell II_ ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/18 "2003-02-14T17:06:11Z")
I saw CNY&Y a couple years ago and they were _great_. Just like the old days. But no new commercial success, OTOH. ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/19 "2003-02-14T17:18:55Z")
U2 went away to reinvent themselves, and did. The red hot chilli peppers really did die with “one hot minute.” And I actually think it was “under the bridge-itis” that killed them I don’t think Guns and roses will pull it off. All Axl is trying to do is re-create his old band. I don’t think the artistic process works that way. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955/20 "2003-02-14T17:29:52Z")
Then there’s **Exile** … Decent pop hit in the 70s with _Kiss You All Over_. Then dropped off into One-Hit Wonder Hell, or so we thought… I went to work for a country-western radio station in 1984, and surprise, there’s **Exile** with two hits! And several more since! Now _that’s_ not only a comeback, but re-inventing yourself! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-band-really-make-a-comeback/154955.md?page=2)