Thread: Biggest Musical Sellouts of All Time

I'd be less averse to U2 if they just kept their mouths shut about politics. Yes, I remember the first records, and up to their first arenas, but up to War is where they stopped getting my attention. Joshua Tree, IMHO = total complete sellout, with its pop singles. They knew exactly what they were doing-cashing in.

Originally Posted by mark1178

You call Load, Reload and St Anger musical progression? REALLY!?!?

Some of my favorite MetallicA songs came from those albums. Until It Sleeps and Low Man's Lyric are damn good tracks.

Less Than Jake.

Johnny Quest told me so.

Originally Posted by FishMonger

Less Than Jake.

Johnny Quest told me so.

we're all dudes hey!

Originally Posted by boy1der

So...you guys don't think Van Halen 1984 is a sellout album? You may totally dig the tunes, but if you don't think that sappy-ass keyboard on "Jump" is a head-first sprint into pop then I don't know what to tell you. THAT was when the band let it go. Don't put the blame on the Red Rocker. He just kept driving the bus in the same direction.

Dr Dre sold out when I saw him in a Coors Light commercial in the 90's. The first thing I said was, they must be paying him a TON of $$$ because NO gangsta from Compton would ever be caught dead drinking the silver bullet.

Genesis.

Chicago.

Tim Armstrong. Once you go from Operation Ivy and Rancid to doing an album with Pink...just...damn.

The Smashing Pumpkins.

I love the Smiths to DEATH! But I feel like a piece of me died when I heard "How Soon Is Now" in a car commercial. I was never the same again, and I felt my adolescence had been robbed.

James Brown. Yes...the Godfather of (selling out your) soul. Living in America. Rocky III. Shameful.

Chris Cornell. Doing an album with Timbaland? REALLY? That crap BOMBED and all of a sudden Soungarden was back together. Well f-u! Don't try and buy back your cred by crawling back to the band you said you'd never tour with again. In fact...



Why do you guys think U2 sold out? Ridiculous! U2 got HUGE during The Unforgettable Fire and started selling out Stadiums during The Joshua Tree. Right after they went deep into American Music and then decided to push the envelope doing Actung Baby and Zooropa. Changing their dynamic because they didn't want to keep playing the same thing on every album, not because they were chasing the golden egg. Hell, they already owned the goose. If you listen from their first album up to and including the Joshua Tree, there is a natural progression to their work...NOT a sudden jump into a band chasing a hit tune. Go ahead, listen to the young kids on Boy and October who grow into men on War, then mature on The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree. rattle and Hum they got real deep into Americana. I assure you, putting out a track with B.B.King in 1988 was NOT a selling out thing to do. The next few albums they wanted to have fun and poke fun at the "Rock Stars" that they had become. Then they became elder-statesmen of Rock. The Rolling Stones of generation "X". It's VERY hard for 40 year old dudes who have EVERYTHING in life, in one of the biggest bands of all time to write like they did when they were 22 year old kids fighting for every scrap. Sellouts? That's funny. Fame came to them, not the other way around. In fact...Live Aid has said to have been the point of their ascension into stardom. Why? Their live performance. It was talked about for months...even years afterward. Like them or not...they are about as far from sellouts as you can get while being in a band of their popularity.

1984 had Jump, but there were also a lot of heavy songs on that album.

If you ever thought Dr. Dre was a true OG, then you probably haven't seen this picture.



Back in '86 he wore the pumps and mascara.

RE U2....

Achtung Baby is a great album and though I may be in the minority I also liked No Light on the Horizon.

Originally Posted by Hipcheck

RE U2....

Achtung Baby is a great album and though I may be in the minority I also liked No Light on the Horizon.

I liked No Light as well.

Why doesn't anyone call Led Zeppelin sellouts? They always switched up their sound from album to album!

I'm glad artists switch things up. Or else they would have no reason to record new material after their debut albums.

Originally Posted by ManchesterFig

I liked No Light as well.

Why doesn't anyone call Led Zeppelin sellouts? They always switched up their sound from album to album!

I'm glad artists switch things up. Or else they would have no reason to record new material after their debut albums.

Tell that to Ac/Dc

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

Tell that to Ac/Dc

AC/DC is a unique case. They embrace their one-dimensionality.

“I'm sick and tired of people saying that we put out 11 albums that sound exactly the same. In fact, we've put out 12 albums that sound exactly the same.” -Angus Young