Acts who could never match up to their debut albums

PointyPointy Posts: 1,762
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I'm just wondering who other forum members think failed to live up to the promise of their first release. The obvious selection for me are Oasis. A stunning debut, with a fine follow-up.
However, after that they became a pale shadow of themselves. So, who are your nominees? :)
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 554
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    Comus
    Counting Crows
    Guns N' Roses
    Nas
    Wu-Tang Clan
    Van Halen
  • LMLM Posts: 63,326
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    Evanescence - Fallen (although i did like their second album The Open door just as much)
    KT Tunstall - Eye to the telescope
    Amy Macdonald - This is the life
    Cheryl Cole - Three words
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,564
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    Pointy wrote: »
    I'm just wondering who other forum members think failed to live up to the promise of their first release. The obvious selection for me are Oasis. A stunning debut, with a fine follow-up.
    However, after that they became a pale shadow of themselves. So, who are your nominees? :)

    Oasis had a great follow up album to their debut so it's weird that you choose them as an example.
  • Pink KnightPink Knight Posts: 24,773
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    Pearl Jam ?
  • PointyPointy Posts: 1,762
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    Oasis had a great follow up album to their debut so it's weird that you choose them as an example.

    Well, even Noel says they never topped Definitely Maybe. As I said in my original post, their follow-up was a fine album. However, What's The Story (Morning Glory)? is not AS good.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 117
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    Stone Roses
  • PointyPointy Posts: 1,762
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    embryo wrote: »
    Comus
    Counting Crows
    Guns N' Roses
    Nas
    Wu-Tang Clan
    Van Halen

    Nas is a great example!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 554
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    Pearl Jam ?

    Definitely not for me, I don't think there's a huge gap in quality between any of their first 4 albums, and even after that they've never made a bad album. Commercially maybe, but then 'Vs.' sold incredibly well too.
  • Hound of LoveHound of Love Posts: 79,885
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    De La Soul
    Propaganda
  • Pink KnightPink Knight Posts: 24,773
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    embryo wrote: »
    Definitely not for me, I don't think there's a huge gap in quality between any of their first 4 albums, and even after that they've never made a bad album. Commercially maybe, but then 'Vs.' sold incredibly well too.

    I like them, but nothing quite grabbed me like Ten.
    Then again I could say the same about Manic Street Preachers.
    Difficult for me to think as a lot of bands I like have done 2 or 3 good albums.
    Maybe Cheap Trick, not an overly liked band in the UK but their first LP is great.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    The Saturdays. Chasing Lights was a great debut and they had the right sound and image but things went completely pear shaped after Wordshaker was released. Then they just followed trends (eg the 2011 dance trend) instead of finding a sound and sticking with it. I still love them though :D
  • AceMcCloudAceMcCloud Posts: 2,458
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    Bloc Party
  • MaksonMakson Posts: 30,448
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    Hard Fi - Stars of CCTV

    It was always going to be a near impossible task to follow this up and so it proved. I still really liked Once Upon A Time In The West but their debut remains a masterpiece.
  • PointyPointy Posts: 1,762
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    On thinking about it, Elastica and Supergrass are prime candidates as well.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,564
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    Pointy wrote: »
    Well, even Noel says they never topped Definitely Maybe. As I said in my original post, their follow-up was a fine album. However, What's The Story (Morning Glory)? is not AS good.

    That's Noel's opinion. To me, he's wrong.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
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    Makson wrote: »
    Hard Fi - Stars of CCTV

    It was always going to be a near impossible task to follow this up and so it proved. I still really liked Once Upon A Time In The West but their debut remains a masterpiece.
    Killer sounds is more like Stars of cctv.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,564
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    Makson wrote: »
    Hard Fi - Stars of CCTV

    It was always going to be a near impossible task to follow this up and so it proved. I still really liked Once Upon A Time In The West but their debut remains a masterpiece.

    Agree with this one, the first album is great, second album ok but after that it tails off dramatically.

    They are/were absolutely awful live as well.
  • Jambo_cJambo_c Posts: 4,672
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    The Stereophonics - Word Gets Around was and still is a decent album. Pretty much everything they've done since is crap.

    You can also apply the above statement to Coldplay and The Killers.

    Kings of Leon have had a gradual decline, Youth and Young Manhood and Aha-Shake Heartbreak are good, the third is OK, then they released the one with Sex On Fire on and instantly became crap.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,058
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    Dido and Duffy spring to mind tbh
  • gasheadgashead Posts: 13,807
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    Bjork. Debut was fantastic, with virtually every song being different but still 'accessible'. After that, she got more and more experimental (with the emphasis on mental) and whilst subsequent albums had one or two great songs, none of them grabbed me as much as Debut. I'd listen to Army Of Me, or All Is Full Of Love and then find myself changing the CD very quickly.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 554
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    gashead wrote: »
    Bjork. Debut was fantastic, with virtually every song being different but still 'accessible'. After that, she got more and more experimental (with the emphasis on mental) and whilst subsequent albums had one or two great songs, none of them grabbed me as much as Debut. I'd listen to Army Of Me, or All Is Full Of Love and then find myself changing the CD very quickly.

    Interesting choice - personally I'd say she was the complete opposite of the thread title. 'Debut' for me is a good album but one where she is yet to fully reach her potential and define her sound like she would on her next few releases - 'Post', 'Homogenic' and 'Vespertine' are all absolute classics in my eyes, and 'Selmasongs' isn't far behind. Also, 'Debut' sounds pretty dated to me now, with all the early 90s house influences, whereas her others still sound pretty fresh overall.
  • elasticloveelasticlove Posts: 18,254
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    Amy Macdonald - This is the life

    Do you think? Life in a Beautiful Light is my favourite by far.
  • MaksonMakson Posts: 30,448
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    Killer sounds is more like Stars of cctv.

    No where near the same quality, unfortunately.
    They spent forever recording it too which is never a good sign for any album.
  • barbelerbarbeler Posts: 23,827
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    The Sundays never bettered Reading Writing & Arithmetic

    Catherine Wheel released a brilliant debut album with Ferment, but then tried and failed to go heavy metal. They later released the first Coldplay album before Coldplay even existed.

    Marion released the brilliant This World And Body, but then released a patchy follow-up, which admittedly still had a few superb tracks on it.

    Many people will argue that Suede never bettered their first album.

    I thought the first Roxy Music album was the best they ever made before becoming a middle-of-the-road cabaret act.
  • gelbma0991gelbma0991 Posts: 4,783
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    Evanescence - Fallen (although i did like their second album The Open door just as much)

    I totally disagree with this, out of all of their albums (minus Bring Me To Life) I actually rate this album as their least best (I wouldn't say "worst" because it's a good album), but the music in the next two albums showed great progression and their self titled latest album in my opinion is their best yet.
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