When Bands "Jumped The Shark"

[Sketchy]

Radiohead - (pretty much everything after) OK Computer

[Jerry Shaw]

Boston - "Don't Look Back"
REO Speedwagon - anything after "You Get What You Play For"

[Shiny McShine]

Originally Posted by Dave Wakely

Roxy Music. Depending on opinion, either Manifesto or Country Life.

Avalon (1982) went platinum so the shark jump was quite a bit later than you think! Love that album BTW; listen to it all the time.

[Zingeroo]

The "Cryamazy" ("Crying" "Crazy," and "Amazing") trilogy put they way, way over the shark.
Even Saturday Night Live was making fun of them at that point.
I think at that point, the band abdicated any kind of creative control to Stephen Tyler and said "**** it, we're not writing any more songs, let's get some professional songwriters, let's put out some hits, and coast on out."
Problem is, those old ****ers are still coasting.

Originally Posted by Larry Esposito

Hey now, I Love You see me Crying!You can't compare a ballad from the early days to this syrupy junk they have been releasing for the last 2 decades. At least we know Desmond Child or some other hired songwriter didn't pen those early classic ballads.

I think A-Smith's jump happened when they signed that mega-contact with Sony. I vote for Get a Grip and beyond as their shark moment.

VH - Sammy was the actual time they landed, but I think they were in the shop buying the water skis on 1984.

Metallica - St Anger, though most would say the Black Album

Sabbath - TYR, anything post Gillian. I tried to like them, but they sound very hair metal-ish to me.

Rush - Signals

[Zingeroo]

Originally Posted by Larry Esposito

Rush - Signals

Yep. Keyboards took over on this one. And after that, the guitar was drenched in chorus and delay. I think Alex Lifeson was trying to sound like Andy Summers at that point.

[Zingeroo]

Originally Posted by tim gueguen

"Jumping the shark" is an overused idea that's largely lost any relevance that it might have had. Applying it to music is debateable.

We all know what it means. What you think about it is irrelevant.

[Craig Walker]

Originally Posted by 2HBStrat

I'll say when Journey added Steve Perry....

My favorite band, Steve Perry era..........so

[Zingeroo]

Originally Posted by 2HBStrat

Wow, unexpected!

I'll say when Journey added Steve Perry....

I wouldn't say that, BUT, I really preferred Greg Rollie's voice over Steve Perry's.

[MattK]

R.E.M. - When Bill Berry left the band he took the compass with him.

[AaeCee]

Amazing, but I don't think anyone posted this one:

When Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship.

They went from the essence of cool, to an abomination.

[A-Bone]

Originally Posted by MattK

R.E.M. - When Bill Berry left the band he took the compass with him.

I don't think they fell apart without him, but I do generally prefer the music they created when he was part of the band.

[Mangy71]

Maybe this thread should be titled "I liked this band better before they got popular/successful."

[Jon Silberman]

Originally Posted by AaeCee

Amazing, but I don't think anyone posted this one:

When Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship.

They went from the essence of cool, to an abomination.

Starship was NOT Airplane. It was half of Airplane, a different band with a similar name and the other half, Hot Tuna, kicked ass.

A lot of the rest of this thread is what others have noted - people defining "jumping the shark" as "I don't prefer what came later."

And if the Beatles had released just one single album - only their final one - they'd still be great.

[NorCal_Val]

Aerosmith-Permanent Vacation
Dream Theater-Falling into Infinity
Metallica-black album
AC/DC-back in black
Whitesnake-slip of the tongue
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Blood sugar sex magic
Queensryche-Empire
Megadeth-Cryptic Writings
for starters...

[Zingeroo]

Originally Posted by Jon Silberman

Starship was NOT Airplane. It was half of Airplane, a different band with a similar name and the other half, Hot Tuna, kicked ass.

A lot of the rest of this thread is what others have noted - people defining "jumping the shark" as "I don't prefer what came later."

And if the Beatles had released just one single album - only their final one - they'd still be great.

If Jefferson Starship was an abomination, then Starship was an abortion.