What went wrong with so many artists/bands from the 60s and 70s throughout the 1980s?

SlyStone63 · 08-21-2021, 06:31 PM

What went wrong with so many artists/bands that had huge success commercially and critically throughout the 60s and 70s once the music world entered into the 1980s? Commercially or critically they fell off badly in the 80s.

I'll name a few... Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Joni Mitchell, Earth Wind and Fire, Elton John, David Bowie, Queen, Aerosmith, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, AC/DC, Bob Dylan and many more?

Was it because of MTV? The technology of the 80s? Trend chasing? Creative juice was out?

What do you all think?

Norg · 08-21-2021, 08:36 PM

idk i was not born during that time but i know once the 80's hit everything change not only in music but monsyl everything else

it was prob a mixture of alot of stuff plus the upper tier of bands that started in the 60's just got older and IMO its hard to have a 30+ year career in music at least back then

TheBig3 · 08-21-2021, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlyStone63

What went wrong with so many artists/bands that had huge success commercially and critically throughout the 60s and 70s once the music world entered into the 1980s? Commercially or critically they fell off badly in the 80s.

I'll name a few... Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Joni Mitchell, Earth Wind and Fire, Elton John, David Bowie, Queen, Aerosmith, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, AC/DC, Bob Dylan and many more?

Was it because of MTV? The technology of the 80s? Trend chasing? Creative juice was out?

What do you all think?

The 80's sucked in general, but I'm a little curious how you got these artists? AC/DC got a new singer, but had some of their biggest albums in the 1980s. I think Back in Black was 80.

Elton John had major hits in the 80s, I'm Still Standing, I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues, and I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That.

Queen iirc did well also? I mean I think they were getting back together in the 80s ahead of Live Aid so I'm sure that contributed.

Dylan absolutely sucked, as did Springsteen, but in general the 80s took all the overbaked jazz-inspired noodling and made it corporate. People traded in their acid for cocaine and they bought power suits and synths.

Psy-Fi · 08-22-2021, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3

People traded in their acid for cocaine and they bought power suits and synths.

I think that pretty much sums it up for the most part. Cocaine & synths are a dreadful combination.

SlyStone63 · 08-22-2021, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3

The 80's sucked in general, but I'm a little curious how you got these artists? AC/DC got a new singer, but had some of their biggest albums in the 1980s. I think Back in Black was 80.

Elton John had major hits in the 80s, I'm Still Standing, I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues, and I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That.

Queen iirc did well also? I mean I think they were getting back together in the 80s ahead of Live Aid so I'm sure that contributed.

Dylan absolutely sucked, as did Springsteen, but in general the 80s took all the overbaked jazz-inspired noodling and made it corporate. People traded in their acid for cocaine and they bought power suits and synths.

What was next for AC/DC after Back In Black? They fell off after 1980 if you remember.

Yes Elton John had some hits in the 80s but the quality of his work was awful then, his peak was from 1970-1975 his "golden era" as he has referred to it himself and GoodBye Yellow Brick Road was his peak.

Queen, same thing what I said about Elton John applies to them.

adidasss · 08-21-2021, 09:27 PM

Actually, Let's dance was Bowie's biggest success. So was Born in the U.S.A. if I'm not mistaken.

But anyway, apart from a few exceptions, I think it's very rare to see any musical artist still producing great work more than 10-15 years into their careers. Unlike many other forms of art, musicians don't normally get better with age.

TheBig3 · 08-21-2021, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adidasss

Unlike many other forms of art, musicians don't normally get better with age.

What artist does?

SlyStone63 · 08-22-2021, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adidasss

Actually, Let's dance was Bowie's biggest success. So was Born in the U.S.A. if I'm not mistaken.

But anyway, apart from a few exceptions, I think it's very rare to see any musical artist still producing great work more than 10-15 years into their careers. Unlike many other forms of art, musicians don't normally get better with age.

His heyday were in the 70s.

adidasss · 08-21-2021, 11:15 PM

Writers, painters, sculptors, film directors, actors etc...

The greatest pieces of most art disciplines were not created by people in their 20s, unlike most great contemporary music.

jadis · 08-22-2021, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

Vega was already in his 30s

Bowie was still Bowie in his 30s

Mark E Smith

etc...the point you're making has a grain of truth to it, but only if you're really tied to a particular type of RocknRoll where it's essentially expected that everyone be young, dumb, and full of ***

Tom Waits and Scott Walker only got better with age... but honestly, there's something to it. Of the punk generation, MES was a freak of nature but Kate Bush and Robert Smith, for example, who were always all about song craft rather than explosive energy, had their levels of creativity drop off very palpably around or just after 30.

08-21-2021, 06:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
SlyStone63 Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 74	What went wrong with so many artists/bands from the 60s and 70s throughout the 1980s? What went wrong with so many artists/bands that had huge success commercially and critically throughout the 60s and 70s once the music world entered into the 1980s? Commercially or critically they fell off badly in the 80s. I'll name a few... Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Joni Mitchell, Earth Wind and Fire, Elton John, David Bowie, Queen, Aerosmith, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, AC/DC, Bob Dylan and many more? Was it because of MTV? The technology of the 80s? Trend chasing? Creative juice was out? What do you all think?

08-21-2021, 09:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,945	Actually, Let's dance was Bowie's biggest success. So was Born in the U.S.A. if I'm not mistaken. But anyway, apart from a few exceptions, I think it's very rare to see any musical artist still producing great work more than 10-15 years into their careers. Unlike many other forms of art, musicians don't normally get better with age. __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

08-21-2021, 11:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,945	Writers, painters, sculptors, film directors, actors etc... The greatest pieces of most art disciplines were not created by people in their 20s, unlike most great contemporary music. __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

08-21-2021, 08:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Norg Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,360	idk i was not born during that time but i know once the 80's hit everything change not only in music but monsyl everything else it was prob a mixture of alot of stuff plus the upper tier of bands that started in the 60's just got older and IMO its hard to have a 30+ year career in music at least back then