Great Singers or Bands That Faded Out Fast

[Janice]

I'm not referring to one-hit wonders. These are artists that you figured would be around for a long long time. They hit the scene and took the music world by storm, yet their fame didn't last long. Creative differences or poor management are often the cause.

Wilson Phillips - Everyone and their mother had this CD back in 1990. I still listen to it today. The trio had a great look, great songs -- Hold On, Release Me, You're In Love -- those girls could harmonize.
With their musical heritage from The Beach Boys and The Mamas and The Papas, it's no surprise.
They seemed to fizzle out as fast as they came in. I'm surprised that at least one of them isn't famous today as a solo artist.

Christopher Cross made a 5-Grammy sweep in the early 80s. I had his album (this round vinyl thing, guys, lol). He was a hit machine with, Ride Like The Wind, Sailing, Never Be The Same, Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do).

I don't get it.
Others?

[ABlairican Pie]

Kim Carnes ("Bette Davis Eyes"), and she had a few albums before and after, but the one with BDE was pretty much it in 1981.
Julian Lennon seemed to have a stong album in 1985, "Vallote", and even though he put out a few more albums, they didn't seem to go anywhere.
And what about Peter Frampton? He came out with three unknown albums before "Frampton Comes Alive!" in 1976, but when he did "I'm In You" the following year, audiences hated it.
He still put out albums, but his star was done and gone.

[Mijada]

Hootie and the Blowfish. I know they're still making music but they're nowhere near as popular as they were 8/9 years ago.

[TJL]

The great Canadian power trio Rush were staples of rock radio in the 70's and 80's, but they've been missing in action here in the U.S. for some time.

[MandieR1980]

Wilson Phillips is working on a new album :D

[Janice]

Originally posted by MandieR1980
Wilson Phillips is working on a new album :D
No matter. The topic of this thread is artists that skyrocketed to fame and faded fast.

I'm sure many artists that this happened to are working on something.

Wilson Phillips was very famous in 1990, yet my 21-year old niece has never heard of them.

I hope they reach success again, but YES, they fall into the category of this topic. :D

[MandieR1980]

I didnt say they didn't I was just telling you that they are making a new album

[Janice]

Originally posted by MandieR1980
I didnt say they didn't I was just telling you that they are making a new album
My mistake. I saw the "no" in your post and figured you were telling me no.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Janice
Wilson Phillips - Everyone and their mother had this CD back in 1990. I still listen to it today. The trio had a great look, great songs -- Hold On, Release Me, You're In Love -- those girls could harmonize.
With their musical heritage from The Beach Boys and The Mamas and The Papas, it's no surprise.
They seemed to fizzle out as fast as they came in. I'm surprised that at least one of them isn't famous today as a solo artist.

I'm also kinda surprised how fast they fell off the charts when you consider how famous Carnie Wilson is for her stomach surgery that turned her from obese to thin

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica
Kim Carnes ("Bette Davis Eyes"), and she had a few albums before and after, but the one with BDE was pretty much it in 1981.

definately a very underrated artist, I love her Cafe Racers album

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by TJL
The great Canadian power trio Rush were staples of rock radio in the 70's and 80's, but they've been missing in action here in the U.S. for some time.

I wouldn't use them because every album they put out is guarenteed a top 10 debut and at least two hits on rock radio. Their MTV days are long gone, but they certainly didn't fade out fast, they had top 10 rock radio hits as recently as 2002.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Janice
Wilson Phillips was very famous in 1990, yet my 21-year old niece has never heard of them.

I hope they reach success again, but YES, they fall into the category of this topic. :D

she might've heard Hold On at the very least. I am 24, and was in 5th grade when they were huge, and everyone in my class had their album, so it'd be shocking someone three years younger never heard of them.

[Janice]

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica
And what about Peter Frampton?
This has to be one of the biggest musical mysteries of all time. I was in high school....his 'talking guitar' was the rage.
Everyone loved his song, Do You Feel Like I Do?

[Dean Winchester]

I wouldn't call them "great" because I never really liked them

but The Spin Doctors are very appropriate for this board. 1992, they were an up-and-coming band. 1993, they were huge. 1994, they were yesterdays news.

Another perfect example is Vanilla Ice. His popularity lasted about 6 whole months. I remember everyone loved him for much of the 1990-1991 school year... but by the time we were getting out of school in late May, Vanilla Ice was suddenly uncool and all the former "fans" had turned on him.

[Janice]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
she might've heard Hold On at the very least. I am 24, and was in 5th grade when they were huge, and everyone in my class had their album, so it'd be shocking someone three years younger never heard of them.
She told me yesterday that she's heard their songs and hears them occasionally today, but she's never heard of Wilson Phillips.

She's only into today's music though, but still, it astounds me that, with the huge success the group had, that they're not a household name today.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Janice
She told me yesterday that she's heard their songs and hears them occasionally today, but she's never heard of Wilson Phillips.

She's only into today's music though, but still, it astounds me that, with the huge success the group had, that they're not a household name today.

I think the main problem was that they called it a day so quickly. Their second cd was a disapointment (but even it still has a couple hits, tho not on par with Hold On or Release Me) and then they split up, and it was only like 2 1/2 years after they burst on the scene.

[Jenya]

I remember some teen-age girl named Tiffany. I know she had a few hits a while back, but for some reason she disappeared.

And what about M.C. Hammer? Where has he been these days?

[Janice]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
I wouldn't call them "great" because I never really liked them

I think my subject line was misleading. I should have put 'Famous' instead of 'Great' because it's not a personal opinion type thing.

I meant artists that hit the big time, and can now be featured on a 'Where Are They Now?" show.

I worded it wrong. :)

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Jenya
I remember some teen-age girl named Tiffany. I know she had a few hits a while back, but for some reason she disappeared.

And what about M.C. Hammer? Where has he been these days?

to try to resurrect her career, Tiffany posed for Playboy a year or two ago. Didn't help.

MC Hammer is getting his own WB sitcom, ROFL. Who wants to bet that baby won't last 3 episodes? He attempted a comeback album a few years ago that sold about 20 copies total.

[Janice]

Then there's Mr. My Perogitive, Bobby Brown.

[TJL]

Originally posted by Janice
Then there's Mr. My Perogitive, Bobby Brown.

He's too busy campaigning for "husband of the year" to be bothered with music anymore.

Would Meat Loaf fit into this topic?

[Janice]

Originally posted by TJL
Would Meat Loaf fit into this topic?
The singer, not the food, lol. Gawd that was lame.

I guess he would. I'm sort of out of touch with most of today's music. Has he done much lately? I don't hear much about him.

I just love Paradise By The Dashboard Light.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Janice
The singer, not the food, lol. Gawd that was lame.

I guess he would. I'm sort of out of touch with most of today's music. Has he done much lately? I don't hear much about him.

I just love Paradise By The Dashboard Light.

he came out with an album a few months ago, it didn't sell too well because it was a non-Steinman album

[Janice]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
he came out with an album a few months ago, it didn't sell too well because it was a non-Steinman album
Who or what is Steinman? You're very knowledegable about music. You should work for Rolling Stone magazine. :)

[AllIWantIsYourClutch]

Savage Garden used to be popular way back when, and then they just disappeared. I loved them.

[TJL]

Whatever happenend to Soul Asylum? Did they break up or just fade away?

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Janice
Who or what is Steinman? You're very knowledegable about music. You should work for Rolling Stone magazine. :)

Jim Steinman was a frequent songwriter who Meat Loaf stuck gold with. He wrote and produced both Bat Out Of Hell albums. Yet eithout Jim, Meat Loaf's career never quite did so hot. Steinman also wrote and produced songs like Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler, Left In The Dark by Barbra Streisand and It's All Coming Back To Me Now by Celine Dion. He has that distinct style, and he was every bit as responsible for the success of Meat Loaf's albums as Meat is by himself, because every time he's tried to go alone without Steinman, it was like Mick Jagger's work without the Stones

[~*Hannah_Lee*~]

Originally posted by TJL
Whatever happenend to Soul Asylum? Did they break up or just fade away?
Yeah they were pretty good too. I love "Runaway Train." I wonder what did happen to them....:confused:

[¤I Love Clay Aiken¤]

Ricky Martin! That guy was all over the place in 99, had a bunch of hits, kinda came back in 2001.. and now, he's nowhere to be found.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤
Ricky Martin! That guy was all over the place in 99, had a bunch of hits, kinda came back in 2001.. and now, he's nowhere to be found.

Ricky is still doing good in the Spanish-speaking areas, tho he was mostly a flash-in-the-pan in the US. He released a Spanish cd that did pretty good not too long ago

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by TJL
Whatever happenend to Soul Asylum? Did they break up or just fade away?

I think the lead singer went solo, they broke up in the late 90's following a really unsuccessful (didn't even go top 100) album in 1998

[TJL]

I think I have one...

Terrence Trent Darby.
His first album was a big hit thanks to the single "Wishing Well,"
then he pretty much vanished from the charts.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally posted by TJL
The great Canadian power trio Rush were staples of rock radio in the 70's and 80's, but they've been missing in action here in the U.S. for some time. Actually, they have been putting out great albums, I have been following them for the past 20 years. They never probably matched the success of "Tom Sawyer", but they never thought that was as important as progressing as a band.

[¤I Love Clay Aiken¤]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Ricky is still doing good in the Spanish-speaking areas, tho he was mostly a flash-in-the-pan in the US. He released a Spanish cd that did pretty good not too long ago Yeah, but no one really cares as much about him anymore. What about Shakira? She came out and was so popular, had a few hit songs, now its kinda laying low.

Spice Girls had a bunch of songs, made a movie, and even did Pepsi commercials. Then all of a sudden it was like: Whatever happened to...? :lol:

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by TJL
I think I have one...

Terrence Trent Darby.
His first album was a big hit thanks to the single "Wishing Well,"
then he pretty much vanished from the charts.

his lack of longevity really surprised me.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by TradingMooses
Savage Garden used to be popular way back when, and then they just disappeared. I loved them.

they split up not too long after their second album ran it's course. Darren Hayes came out with a solo album in 2002, it pretty much flopped, but "Insatiable" got airplay for a few weeks that spring.

[Montclave]

How about Eddie Murphy & his hit - "My Girl wants to Party all the time." :lol: :crazy:

[consentida]

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤
What about Shakira? She came out and was so popular, had a few hit songs, now its kinda laying low.


After her first English album came out, she went on tour for like a year. And then she took a year off to travel to Lebanaon and other places. And a new DVD is coming out sometime this year and her new album is due out this year too.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by consentida
After her first English album came out, she went on tour for like a year. And then she took a year off to travel to Lebanaon and other places. And a new DVD is coming out sometime this year and her new album is due out this year too.

I agree, Shakira is just taking a break. We should see how her next cd fares before dismissing her as a flash in the pan.

[Dean Winchester]

another one I can think of is Irene Cara. She had no less than 5 hit singles in 1983-1984 from the "What A Feeling" album, and she also had the theme song from Fame a few years earlier, but after her string of hits in 83-84, she never charted again.

[~*Hannah_Lee*~]

Originally posted by Montclave
How about Eddie Murphy & his hit - "My Girl wants to Party all the time." :lol: :crazy:

:rotflmao:

[Steve M.]

How about Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman? In 1987 and 1988, it looked they would lead a folk-rock revolution against synthesizer-dance pop. By 1990, they disappeared. To be fair, though, they have popped up here and there once in awhile since then.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by Steve M.
How about Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman? In 1987 and 1988, it looked they would lead a folk-rock revolution against synthesizer-dance pop. By 1990, they disappeared. To be fair, though, they have popped up here and there once in awhile since then.

Tracy seems to take so long between albums that she was never really able to maintain stardom. She had a second huge hit in 96, but by waiting until 2000 for the followup, it didn't help things and she was back to where she was before the comeback

[Kitt]

Sinead O'Conner might fit the criteria of this thread. She was about as big as you can get until controversy and her distaste for the music business tossed her for a loop. She has kept on but partly by choice and partly because...who knows why... she hasn't returned to the stardom or the promise of stardom that she once had.

[robyrob]

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤
Ricky Martin! That guy was all over the place in 99, had a bunch of hits, kinda came back in 2001.. and now, he's nowhere to be found. he succumbed to the "Curse of the Menudo"





...sounds like the title of one of those "Scooby Doo" movies, hmmmm

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally posted by robyrob
he succumbed to the "Curse of the Menudo"





...sounds like the title of one of those "Scooby Doo" movies, hmmmm

ZOINKS!!!:eek:

[Steve M.]

Originally posted by Kitt
Sinead O'Connor might fit the criteria of this thread. She was about as big as you can get until controversy and her distaste for the music business tossed her for a loop. She has kept on but partly by choice and partly because...who knows why... she hasn't returned to the stardom or the promise of stardom that she once had.

I heard that she quit the music business for good. I also understand that she's in a renegade Catholic sect that recognizes female priests and the right of priests to marry.

[factsoflife]

Bonnie Tyler- Total Eclipse Of The Heart is one of the best songs i've ever heard but after that she faded fast.

Cyndi Lauper- After her Grammy-winning hit debut album "She's So unusal" she released albums but they never matched her inital success.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by factsoflife
Bonnie Tyler- Total Eclipse Of The Heart is one of the best songs i've ever heard but after that she faded fast.

Cyndi Lauper- After her Grammy-winning hit debut album "She's So unusal" she released albums but they never matched her inital success.

Bonnie had a flop album followup to the album with Total Eclipse and suddenly she was left without an American contract. However, she has had a lot of overseas releases, as recently as last year.

Cyndi just had a top 40 album (her first in 15 years) a few weeks back when AT LAST.

[isiahthomas]

I used to love Kool & The Gang back in the early 80's mainly because of their lead singer James JT Taylor. When he left the group after 86, his solo career wasn't successful. I've never heard any of his solo albums but i've heard some solo songs from him. I thought he had one of the nicest voices in r&b. He joined the group again in 94 i think for a reunion album. I forgot the name of the album but it didn't sell at all. Bobby Brown used to be my boy. He has really let me down. I liked him when he was solo. He had a solo cd out in 97 called Forever which was his last one & nobody bought it LOL. I bet it was a good cd cause he's never made a bad cd. Bell Biv Devoe & Ralph Tresvant who were in New Edition with Bobby didn't have successful solo careers either. Bell Biv Devoe's Poison cd did very well but their 2nd cd Hootie Mack didn't do well & they made a comeback 3 yrs ago with a self titled cd & it didn't do well at all. There are a lot of R&B artists & rappers i wanna name that only made a couple of albums & disappeared but i don't wanna name a lot of people. Usually when a artist disappears from music, it's because of poor album sales, bad management, money. Didn't Terence Trent D'arby sing Sign Your Name? I like that song.

[factsoflife]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Bonnie had a flop album followup to the album with Total Eclipse and suddenly she was left without an American contract. However, she has had a lot of overseas releases, as recently as last year.

Cyndi just had a top 40 album (her first in 15 years) a few weeks back when AT LAST.


Maybe so i'm just saying that even thoes don't match up to the previus success they had... thats what this thread is about people that never had the same success... even w/ a top 40 album Cyndi is not as successful as she once was, she is no longer a #1 artist. thats all i said... many artists named in this thread have attempted to regain their former level of success but have NOT done so, and will never again be as successful as they once were.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by factsoflife
Maybe so i'm just saying that even thoes don't match up to the previus success they had... thats what this thread is about people that never had the same success... even w/ a top 40 album Cyndi is not as successful as she once was, she is no longer a #1 artist. thats all i said... many artists named in this thread have attempted to regain their former level of success but have NOT done so, and will never again be as successful as they once were.

true, but a top 40 album is pretty impressive regardless for anyone whose peak is now 20 years ago. In this case, NOBODY in terms of older artists will match former success. Elton will never be what he once was, Paul McCartney will never be what he once was, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Sting, U2, etc... will never recapture past popularity. However, they've all survived and stayed around. So they're respected for being able to still being able to maintain a level popularity even if it is far from their peaks.

It's not like someone along the lines of Vanilla Ice, Boy George, Debbie Gibson or MC Hammer who can't even make the top 200 album charts these days when at once they has #1's. I think of artists who just absolutely cannot sell a record anymore even tho at one time, they were the hottest thing around.

[factsoflife]

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
true, but a top 40 album is pretty impressive regardless for anyone whose peak is now 20 years ago. In this case, NOBODY in terms of older artists will match former success. Elton will never be what he once was, Paul McCartney will never be what he once was, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Sting, U2, etc... will never recapture past popularity. However, they've all survived and stayed around. So they're respected for being able to still being able to maintain a level popularity even if it is far from their peaks.

It's not like someone along the lines of Vanilla Ice, Boy George, Debbie Gibson or MC Hammer who can't even make the top 200 album charts these days when at once they has #1's. I think of artists who just absolutely cannot sell a record anymore even tho at one time, they were the hottest thing around.


True but the point of this thread is singers that FADED OUT COMPLETLEY soon after they were popular, so any success some 20 years after is not even relevant to this disscussion.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by factsoflife
True but the point of this thread is singers that FADED OUT COMPLETLEY soon after they were popular, so any success some 20 years after is not even relevant to this disscussion.

Cyndi didn't really fade out until about 1990. She stayed around with some hits in the 80's after She's So Unusual. True Colors actually went to #1. She kinda got lost in the shuffle when compared next to Madonna, and people lost interest when she got more serious, alienating her "kid" fans who loved her. But still, a top 40 album 20 years later IS impressive considering I can't picture a lot of "they were hot then... now they can't sell a thing" 80's female artist contemporaries like Taylor Dayne, Belinda Carlisle, Laura Branigan and the sort ever charting again even in the lower reaches of the chart.

This topic is about artists who faded away after a brief moment in time, and never really returned. Ala someone like Ace Of Base who had a few years of hits, and then they vanished and now can't even get an American recording contract.

[dr frasier crane]

Kim Wilde. She had a few hits in the early '80s with 'Kids in America' and 'Chequered Love' and then in 1987, she had a #1 single with 'You Keep Me Hanging On.' After that she became pretty famous in England, but never quite made in the United States. I think she's great.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally posted by dr frasier crane
Kim Wilde. She had a few hits in the early '80s with 'Kids in America' and 'Chequered Love' and then in 1987, she had a #1 single with 'You Keep Me Hanging On.' After that she became pretty famous in England, but never quite made in the United States. I think she's great.

always liked her, never quite understood why she never got more popular in the US than she did. She almost made the top 40 in 1989 with "You Came" (which should've been a top 10 hit) and after that, I never heard of her again.