When do artists become "past their best"
You look at artists like Madonna or Mariah Carey and, fan or not, it's clear to see they're past their best. But why? Because Madonna's old? Because Mariah's voice isn't in the shape it once was?
I find the industry to be painfully ageist, it's like you reach a certain point and that's it. It doesn't matter how hard you try, you've become a has-been. But when and why does it happen?
I find the industry to be painfully ageist, it's like you reach a certain point and that's it. It doesn't matter how hard you try, you've become a has-been. But when and why does it happen?
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There's no specific reason why artists pass their peak at some point. It's just the way it is. Every artist has to come full circle. Some artists lose their talent, some lose their passion, some lose their instinct and their knowledge about the market, some lose their fans. It's just the way it is.
But interestingly enough, the two artists you mentioned, Madonna and Mariah Carey, are two of the very few acts that have managed to make dramatic comebacks just when everybody was writing them off, so you never know if they're really "past their best" or not.
Exactly if their current output never matches or exceeds their previous bet or work in general they are ''padt their best''not rocket science
People talk about artists being more "creative", but if an artist enjoys doing a certain style of music and are good at it why not continue in that vein? Why change for the sake of changing? There are few artists who can be good at every genre of music. Most artists tend to be better at and their voice more suited to a certain kind of music.
But to me being past their best, is more when artists stop releasing new music and do the nostalgia circuit just for the money or there's a radical decline in their voice. I think as long as an artist still has passion for what they do and they sound good vocally and are good performers, they aren't past their best even if their sales aren't as high as they used to be. Quality and artistic progress is such a subjective thing.
But I agree with the sentiments, yes.
Someone better tell Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry they're all 'past their best' then.
It depends if you measure that simply as sales which seems to be what most people here seem to think. Some of the artists I like have considerable longevity like Springsteen, Dylan, Van Morrison, U2, PiL, Prince...a lot of the recognition is critical recognition as well as popular support.
Springsteen's last album has been critically acclaimed and sold well, he's taken it on a successful tour and most importantly unlike many of the current younger artists the subject matter of Wrecking Ball is more socially pertinent.
Springsteen is 62, Dylan is 70, U2 are in their 50s and they are still producing excellent original works, little ageism there!
I feel some fans are a little quick to suggest an artist is past their best after one flop album or something.
It isn't right for two artists, interestingly women, Cher and Tina Turner were most successful at the end of their career.
People are so obsessed with the success of an artist, it doesn't always mean that much in deciding how good an artist is imo.
Are they not?
Ironically that's what gave Mariah her popularity...
Fantasy - ODB.
I hope you are not suggesting that 'Rumours', 'Tusk' and 'Tango in the Night' have a bland American sound. They don't.
And I'm not sure exactly when Roger Waters was in charge of Pink Floyd but I assume you are talking about Floyd's post 'The Wall' work which was really the story of a split in the band. I'm not sure you call that 'past their best' or easy money but you might.
Perhaps. We won't know until they release their next albums. At the moment however, no, they are most definitely not.
Madonna sjould let go of the past and leave it to her daughter now. She could be a granny now LOL
Likewise Pink she's past it nowadays. Just lame. They're not hot no more.
Mariah Carey just never was anyway.
Madonna and Pink were like maybe cool in the 80s but Mariah carey's just always been no talent and uggs. Ewwww she lurves herself and she's uggs. Just cos she's got Christmas record every year LOL LOL LOL
And just how old do you think Pink is?
Christina Aguilera for example delivered a worldwide smash album that set the template for many others with Stripped back in the early 00s, had a moderate hit with her 1940's themed album in the mid-00's....but now she's slipped to appearing on Pitbull songs to get a hit.
Madonna is another example, throughout her career she's shocked, brought new trends to the mainstream at her peak...but the last 2 albums have just followed other trends (Hard Candy was a good year or 2 after the Timberland sound went worldwide, MDNA was again a good year or two after David Guetta and others brought dance music back to the pop masses) and after 2 forgettable albums her careers now reduced to touring really.