Which rock band s you think should break up or ones they quit way too soon.
Break up no, just quit: I think the Stones have been “done” for some time, and should make it official. Obviously they’re not going to go out at their best, but at least they can go out while they’re still breathing.
Beaten to it by Dravid. The Rolling Stones haven’t done anything worth listening too since 1980 or so.
The Rolling Stones, thirded.
Their past-their-prime period has been twice as long as their peak.
One that didn’t stay around enough is Badfinger. They had a lot of hit singles in the 1970s but after that things went wrong for them. Terribly sad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badfinger
Nazareth, of “Love Hurts” fame, was a reasonably big deal circa 1975. A quick search in Wiki reveals they are still “touring” and “recording.” In 1990, they were the house band for a few months at a nightclub in my old neighborhood in Wheaton, MD, a bit of a comedown from Hair of the Dog, and have been in free fall ever since. I guess at their age switching careers really isn’t an option, but it’s still kind of sad.
Beatles too early and the Stones way too late.
Doors too early.
It wouldn’t take a lot of effort to think up, like, 70 very important songs they recorded, but 60 of them would be from before Brian Jones died and the other ten were from Some Girls (1978) or earlier.
Brainfart; that was Foghat, not Nazareth. My mistake.
Elvis Presley went into movies far too soon and too much. More songs and more records from his prime years, and fewer stupid films, would have improved the world a little bit.
System of a Down have a pretty slim discography for one of the biggest metal bands in the world - 5 albums, one a sort of outtakes collection and two of them released back to back. They still tour now and again, and fill stadia, but no new material for ten years now.
Given that they’re so obviously good [esp the singer Serj], and they haven’t had the usual sort of bust-up, sick-of-the-sight of each other that usually happens (AFIACT), it’s a bit of a curious hiatus. Maybe they’re just comfortable doing their own projects and playing live shows when the tax man comes around.
I’m not sure if I’d go so far as to say ‘not long enough’, but the recent-ish concert I saw on TV by Aerosmith looked they’re still alive and doing very well.
Also, I can’t speak highly enough of Journey with Arnel Pineda.
Now, OTOH, probably 10 years ago I saw Fleetwood Mac and they were terrible. People still seem to love them, so I can only assume they were having an off night, but I’m certainly not banging on the box office window the minute tickets go on sale.
The tour-till-you-die phenomenon has affected multiple groups, of which Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys are poster geezers.
I just saw a profile of Al Jardine (Beach Boys) in the paper. He’s 75 years old.
The band grinds on (their venues these days run to places like the Bethel Woods Center For The Arts). As long as there are fans who have to hear the old favorites one (or hundreds) more times, they apparently will keep plugging away.
I wish the Screaming Blue Messiahs had been around longer (their time was '83-90). No one makes road songs like “55 - The Law” or “Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge” anymore. 
I’d say any band where half of the original members are dead and yet they still continue to tour with replacements, have stayed around too long. As Pete Townshend has joked, you’re basically a cover band at that point.
I knew people were going to say The Rolling Stones. I’m not a Stones fan, and I certainly haven’t seen them lately, so I have no idea whether they still have what it takes to put on a worthwhile show.
But, even though I’m not really paying attention to them, I’m sorta glad that they’re still out there. I think longevity is a good thing. IMHO if you’re going to say that a band should break up or pack it in, you need a better argument than just “They’re old” or “They’ve been around a long time.”
Yes. I mean, the band Yes.
They were on their way to becoming a joke after booting Anderson out of the band. They should have hung it up when Squire died. Nowadays they are just sad.
I’d argue (sometimes at least) that if you’re playing only songs everybody has already known for a long time, you’re a cover band even if you still have ALL of the original lineup. Maybe that’s unfair or nitpicky, and you can probably find examples where most people would agree I’m wrong.
Boston should quit. The band, not the city.
After listening to the greatness that is “Layla and other assorted love songs” the other day, it’s a shame that Derek and the Dominoes never made any more studio albums, just a few songs.
For lasting too long together there is Crosby, Stills and Nash (sometimes Young) plus John and Yoko Lennono.
Totally agree, they’re the best band people have heard but don’t know much about…great documentary, but a really sad story…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eUJ03rmrDs