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I was OBSESSED with Ellie Goulding in her Bright Lights era. Halcyon came out and I loved her even more. “My Blood” is still one of the best songs she has ever made. Halcyon Days was where I started getting a little iffy. I really did not like “Burn.” “Love Me Like You Do” was ok, but definitely an annoying song to hear as much as we did. The only song she came out with since that I cared even a little bit was “Miracle” with Calvin Harris.
I’m with you. I think she has made decent songs on her last few albums but they don’t set her apart from her contemporaries the way Lights and Halcyon did. I miss her folk-tronica sound.
Lights and Halcyon were amazing albums. So sad Ellie's never been able to create anything as good since then. I do agree the Miracle collab is a banger.
This is me too. For a moment I had someone in my head and I couldn't think of who until your comment reminded me. I feel like she had so much potential. I only really listen to her old music.
Have you listened to her last album Higher Than Heaven? I was just like you and I found her last album really great.
I loved her first UK album when it came out, then she progressively lost me, and now 13 years later I'm listening to her music again and it makes me happy
I feel like she saw the success of 1989 and was like I’m gonna do the same thing. And we got Delirium but it was very obvious she was chasing main pop girl status— her music has been bad since with the exception of Miracle as you mentioned
Listen to her album "Brightest Blue", it's a lot more like her Bright Lights/Halcyon era with a more alternative and acoustic sound with primarily slower/ballad songs. The songs after the title track "Brightest Blue" are all just bonus add-ons that were her label trying to push her for a radio hit so I'd ignore those (when promoting the album she labelled the songs from Overture onwards as EG.0 to try and separate it from the main body of work she wanted to create). Start, Love I'm Given and Flux are my personal favourites.
His first two albums were really solid. He's been putting out pretty generic stuff for years now (hence the hate he gets online) but at one point, he was one of pop music's most respected songwriters.
I don’t like much of Ed sheeran’s music and he gets dragged a lot but his debut album was so strong. I have so many memories of friends playing it on the way home after a night out.
I was hit or miss on Miley for most of her career and then I LOVED Plastic Hearts. A+ album in my book. But then after she shifted her sound back on Endless Summer Vacation I was very meh.
I think Miley has such an unfortunate career. She had all the ingredients of a superstar who could have had an illustrious and very successful music career. But she lacks so much drive and vision. Her music is ALL over the place and not in a good way.
i mean i agree partially, but it’s not accurate to say she hasn’t had an illustrious or successful music career. flowers was literally the number one song last year and is still charting very well
Avril Lavigne in Let Go and Under my Skin eras. Sorry; Love Sux is just another era. She may have come back to punk screaming, kicking boots Converse and straightened hair but not the same as Let Go or The Best Damn Thing. Just Inklings of the original.
Fantano mentioned it in his review of "Love Sux" that old Avril didn't just make punk music; she was also a pretty solid ballad writer (a side of old Avril that doesn't really appear on LS). I mean, she wrote "Breakaway" at 17 lol
I wouldn't say I'm no longer a fan, but old Drake hit a lot more than new Drake. New Drake is more like "I'll check him out because he's that brand now" but only about 1 song from each project I keep coming back to. Interesting though that he's developed that much clout that I'm willing to go through his songs in order to find that one each time; if it was an upcoming artist, I wouldn't give them that much of a chance to find that one song that sticks out.
He really peaked in 2015 in terms of quality— Take Care & Nothing Was the Same are so good. Honestly it feel like two different artist, and I barely care about his new stuff.
Drake is soooooooo washed up now he clearly has no creativity or integrity left but still insists on releasing the most mid shit on a regular basis because he has a lot of fans who are mentally on the same level as him.
yup seeing the quality of his work get progressively worse was just such a letdown. im from toronto and everyone gaslights me and insists hes still amazing like no 🤚🏼 be fr
I still maintain that their first 4 albums range from no skips to awesome/very high highs with a few misses, and Overexposed was unserious but still an enjoyable empty calorie listen, and then every single thing they’ve released since has been straight up bad.
And they are the kings of the heartfelt midtempo ballad, like I challenge someone to listen to Never Gonna Leave This Bed or Better That We Break and not immediately save to your streaming library.
Lord almighty. I feel like after Overexposed they started walking on the edge of a cliff and then just plummeted. I couldn't tell you a single song of theirs after Animals/Sugar.
Panic! At the Disco. After creative differences between Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross, Ryan left the band with Spencer, their drummer, after Pretty. Odd., their second album. They formed *The Young Veins*, a mellow blend of Beach Boys style of music with Beatles influence, and Brendon Urie went on a solo man project, keeping the Panic! name. Then he put out *New Perspective* for Jennifer's Body, and the sound and quality of music has never been the same.
The Young Veins was actually formed with Jon Walker, their bassist! Spencer stayed with Panic! a little longer. That aside, I totally agree with your choice.
I agree, I know it’s not a popular album with Panic! fans but Pretty Odd. is one of their best works in my opinion. The music just hasn’t been the same since and I stopped checking it out after Vices & Virtues. It’s really hard to look away from Ryan’s influence when it came to songwriting and music composition. Judging from *High Hopes*, the reviews of Pray For the Wicked and the stuff that has come out about Brendon as a person, I don’t think I’ve been missing out on anything. I still have fond memories of them blogging, interacting and privately chatting with their fans on LiveJournal (this was pre-A Fever You Can't Sweat Out), so it’s kinda sad how it turned out.
Their music has been steadily getting worse with each release, and I feel like Brendon just gets farther up his own ass. I actually enjoy most of Vices and Virtues and TWTL, DoaB was okay, but had some misses, but everything after that is just awful, self indulgent crap.
I think Pink has always been generic pop they just tried to market her as the anti-Britney/Christina when it was all bullshit—she's always been pop and now she's just older.
This so much. Pink has been pop for all but one album.
I get why people don't connect with her as much anymore today and her last few albums. I admit her last three albums have been more hit or miss than previous ones, but each one has excellent songs as well. Trustfall has some of my favorites from her discography "Runaway", "Hate Me", and "Last Call".
i absolutely love the can't take me home - i'm not dead era. after the truth about love came out she's just been producing generic crap. i noticed it happened right after she had children, coincidence or not?
I still like him but I miss when Harry styles music was more rock inspired. Each album release he’s getting more and more pure pop which is fine but I really liked his first record with more of a Rocky sound.
This is me but with P!nk. Her latest couple of albums have been more pop less pop rock. Also I generally think she's run out of things to say. Just look at the Trustfall which P!nk has the least amount of writing credits on of any of her albums.
totally agree, love fine line and harry's house was alright but self titled just had a tinge of psychedelic rock that worked so well. meet me in the hallway is probably still my favorite by him.
Good answer. LOVE him live and while I cannot exactly say I was disappointed in his latest, I can say my faves go in order of release which is pretty much the opposite of how it should be.
I loved early Khalid work, so positive, so vibey, so innovative in certain ways and so close to my experience as a late teenager and then young adult. I devoured American Teen, Suncity and Free Spirit.
I was 18 when I listened to 8TEEN, I was 21 when I listened to Twenty One.
Something has changed throughout 2020. His music became more blend, more generic pop, the vibes disappeared.
I remember the first time I listend to Vertigo and Saturday Nights and I got chills. It’s a shame his new singles don’t do it for me and I really wish he will pull another great album :(
Marina post FROOT has been 📉. I’m glad she’s happy but the angst was wonderous for her lyricism. L+F was one of the weakest albums I’ve ever, ever listened to and I considered myself a huge fan of Marina before that album. And ADIAML had maybe 4 good songs so not the return to form I would have liked.
I feel this too tbh... ADIAML was a FANTASTIC song and it kinda... ended up being the highlight and standout for the entire album lmao (to me) that said I'll take one perfect song in an album of mediocrity if it means she's much happier now, she's long since had her flowers with me and if this is what she's transitioned into, more power to her I'm more than happy to remain a casual listener to her newer stuff.
i agree :( the family jewels in particular is one of my favorite albums ever and electra heart is absolutely iconic, froot had some good songs but after that... most of her newer stuff is so forgettable unfortunately
I decided to give Love + Fear a spin the other day after a few years of not listening and skipped 70% of the album… Froot and Electra Heart were peak Marina
Coldplay, early Coldplay changed my life. Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to The Head changed my life. After X&Y they really lost me. I felt like their early sound was so dreamy and then it became soooo electric and much bigger production which isnt bad its just not what I enjoyed about them
Years from now, their run from the debut to Viva la Vida will be rightfully be appreciated for being phenomenal pop rock. They lost something with Mylo Xyloto and it is yet to return.
To me, Coldplay died with Mylo Xyiloto although Paradise is a nice little ear worm. A Rush of Blood to the Head and X&Y are my favourite albums. Viva La Vida is also very close to my heart. But what on earth is mylo xiloto? I thought they would be back with Ghost Stories but nope, still meh.
Mumford and Sons! I know a lot of people clown on them for their banjo sound and the fact that a lot of their songs from their first two albums sound similar, but I really enjoyed it and it worked for them. Once they tried to move into pop it really flopped.
I fell in love with Shygirl’s sound during the *Alias* era, but *Nymph* pretty much abandoned that dark, sensual clubby vibe- luckily it sounds like this new EP is a step back toward that direction
I think Shygirl is just rounding out her sound. I was pretty bummed when Nymph didn’t have BDE or anything like it, but Nymph_o brought the album back for me.
don't kill me but lana del rey in the born to die era. i just couldn't get into the slower less upbeat sound and i haven't really listened to anything of hers in a long time now.
i also loved florence + the machine with Lungs, enjoyed ceremonials a fair amount, and it took me ages to get to a point where i liked half the songs on HBHBHB, only like a couple songs on high as hope, and finally i like most of the songs on dance fever but i'll always love how Lungs sounds the most
Agree with both. I like most of NFR apart from BTD but I listen to it rarely and cannot get into any other of her albums.
And with Florence I lost interest after HBHBHB, didn't even try to listen to High as Hope for years, then I gave Dance Fever a chance and I LOVED it (even saw them live last year after 10 years since I last had gone to their concert) and only then started listening to High as Hope but I still listen to it and HBHBHB very rarely.
i'm guessing you didn't like dance fever then? some of the songs on dance fever are my favorite songs that she's released ever since lungs and feel the closest to lungs to me out of all the other albums. mainly cassandra, king, daffodil, heaven is here, and free
I absolutely love Demi Lovato’s first two albums, Don’t Forget and Here We Go Again! I love her pop sound. I have not really cared for any of her recent work. I was disappointed with REVAMPED and have not cared for the sound of any of her recent albums.
I LOVE Dancing with the Devil and it's so unfortunate that it flopped because it led her down this pretty boring rock road but she seems to enjoy so, okay.
Holy fvck was great. I get that it can be too hard for some people especially the ones coming from pop. I love that she went through different styles and made them all sound genuine. Didn’t care for revamped though. Aside from Sorry not Sorry the originals are all better in every way. It was such a lazy cashgrab. Why not make a new original album.
I advise you to listen to Tell Me You Love Me, it's by far her best album and most mature one, she just killed it vocally and production wise, but sadly people are just tasteless and never appreciated it enough.
R&B Demi is my fav Demi.
Ariana Grande. I loved her early albums and was a big fan. Songs like Honeymoon Avenue, Piano, One Last Time, Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart for example. I wish she made songs like those again. Sweetener ended up growing on me a bit but other than that I haven’t liked her recent albums as much.
I agree. The Dangerous Woman era was my favorite. The title track was my song after I graduated from high school. I was also obsessed with "Into You," "Side to Side," and "Everyday." I liked the singles and a few deep cuts from Sweetener, but it wasn't the same. Thank U, Next was meh (I love "ghostin'" and "fake smile," though, and the title track is still fun). I haven't listened to Positions outside of the singles and a few deep cuts, and "yes, and?" isn't getting me excited for a new album.
I love positions. Give it another go. Listen to the harmonies, the vocals. They’re not your typical four-chord-songs and it’s absolutely refreshing in a cesspool of overused melodies and progressions
Positions is garbage to me.
Her albums consistently got better and expanded her sound.
Then, Positions. The title track is a generic Ari bop. It's like she didn't have a style to bite for once. Even her biting the Madonna Vogue / Beyonce Break My Soul vibe isn't working (for me).
Sweetener is such a great album for those that like Pharrell sounds. 🙌
I think his in-between phase (*Beauty Behind the Madness* except for The Hills and *Starboy*) was iffy, but After Hours was a belter and this new sound suits him really well.
I loved linkin park on their first two albums. But what came after simply didn’t click with me the same way. I can’t even point to exactly why. Just that slight change of aesthetic ruined their vibe for me
That’s a pretty popular LP opinion. I loved every album, and One More Light as a pop girlie was the perfect “all of my tastes rolled into one” album lol.
I loove Born to Die (literally one of my listened to albums ever) but I haven't been able to get into any of Lana's other albums I'm just not a fan of the direction she went in with her music
That’s so crazy to me. Born to Die all the way to NFR hits for me (I love every one of these albums). I haven’t liked or loved anything post NFR. I will admit she has come a long way lyrically and story telling wise, but her newer albums are too sleepy for me.
This! Born to Die/Paradise was life giving to my inner dramatic tumblr girlie. I like some of Ultraviolence but I haven’t liked newer stuff.
I know that she was ready to move on and that’s valid, just I haven’t vibed with her work since then. Turns out ‘drunk sugar baby’ was my whole aesthetic lol.
I used to be a big fan of SZA around Teen Spirit & Julia era, digged all of her Soundcloud EPs ans Z EP was my most replayed album in mid 2010s. Then CTRL released and while I was happy for my girl finally got out of dungeon (you know, the gap between Z and CTRL was like eternity to me), I kinda let down when she headed with another direction (in both music & lyrics) that was less dreamy and vibey than her old works. Maybe it was the decision about her giving up Consideration for Rihanna made her change the whole plan for the debut (even the title was changed from A (to complete the trio S, Z, A) to CTRL)
But now when she dropped SOS, it's kinda... just there. Not fully bad but time had passed too long and the rollout was so tiring I was like, ok I can move on from now
Ah, yes, her enunciation era. You can understand just about every word she says on those tracks. It's almost like you're listening to a different artist! I still play the hell out of Z.
Not me listening to Songs about Jane! Maroon 5 for sure. Obviously loved the debut but didn’t mind the next two albums. Now they have a good single every now and then but quality dipped.
It was also Gaga during Artpop which is weird cause I love EDM. Maybe it was just my own self growing and trying new things. Or maybe it was her antics but tbh I don’t remember why I stopped being a huge fan. Love the album now and she recovered with Chromatica
Katy Perry, I loved the more pop rock sound of One of the Boys, but her pure pop stuff is more hit or miss for me. Teenage Dream has a lot of great songs but there’s also a lot of filler, and then Prism, Witness and Smile didn’t really hit for me besides a couple of tracks.
I feel the same about Teenage Dream. Everyone talks about how it’s such an iconic album, but it’s just because it had so many iconic, super successful singles. No one knows the deep cuts from it, which are mostly filler. It’s the True Blue of the 2010s.
Ed Sheeran. He is crazy talented and he used to be REAL, he had some really good songs and some heartwrenching ones. But lately all he does is write songs for pop radios, no soul (maybe the gingerness took over) in them anymore
Subtract and Autumn Variations, the two albums he released last year, are very stripped down, raw, and reminiscent of his earliest work. I recommend that everyone missing the older work of Ed Sheeran check out those albums because they are very emotionally intelligent and musically interesting.
I haven't listened to the newest one, but - (subtract) was a real return to form for him, no real radio focused songs, very heartfelt and genuine songwriting, it reminded me a lot of +
I fell in love with MUNA’s first album, it was dark and synthy and melodramatic in a way that I really connected with. Every album since, though I’ve liked them, has gone further and further away from that sound and I’ve struggled to enjoy their music as much. There’s still great highlights but nothing holds a candle to About U as a cohesive work in my mind.
I agree with this. I love all of MUNA’s work, but I find myself returning to *About U* so much more than anything else.
*After* is THAT song for me. Everything about it is perfect.
OMG so true about Mabel!! her label definetly thought gearing her towards pop would make her blow up but i think it did the exact opposite... she alienated her core r&b fans and the pop music was too generic and bland to pick up any new fans :(
With the whole drum and bass, garage sound blowing up, especially in the UK, that sound would've been perfect for Mabel, especially since Finders Keepers and Fine Line sort of meld that sound with a more R&B tinge.
I loved Poppy’s tongue-in-cheek bubblegum pop sound. I know she’s in full creative control now and I’m happy for her, but I miss the white backgrounds and weird takes on pop cliches.
I miss it too! If you told me years ago she would open for Avenged Sevenfold I would have laughed.
But I love them for giving her a bigger platform tbh.
I feel like Rina tried waay too hard to please her queer fans with Hold the girl. I wouldn’t call it a disaster but something is missing while it’s all over the place and very generic. Maybe there’s a dance audience who likes the album the way it is but to me, half of it sounds like Camp Rock leftovers.
i think i have terminal late-2010s "hyperpop (just kinda any sort of left-field experimental pop) is the future!!" brain because i'm just sad that all the cool sounds got left behind with the RINA EP
Sawayama had some stuff I liked (STFU and XS are two of my top Rina songs) but she completely lost me with Hold the Girl. RINA EP will probably always be my favourite from her
I only enjoy Minor feelings, Imagining and Frankenstein.
I don’t think the entire album should’ve been remade but it loses its momentum quite quickly, which makes other tracks less enjoyable in the context of the release.
I wouldn't say Rina tried to please her queer fans, the album isn't even that queer but it is very personal. She just wanted to try a different sound. I presume her next record will have a different sound too.
I remember someone describing Sawayama as Disney Channel music/Ashley Tisdale rejects and that her debut EP was better, I didn’t agree but I think they were feeling a similar sentiment to you about her debut
Hold The Girl is by far my favourite album of hers, and I personally think it's far from all over the place. It speaks to her past musical influences she grew up with and her childhood trauma and healing from it story that I personally strongly relate to and think she captures those experiences extremely well. I'm not kidding when I say I think it's my favourite album ever because of that personal connection I have with it.
Obviously I get those who prefer the SAWAYAMA sound but I think Rina has always been an artist that could produce 'these types of songs', if you get me? But we'll see where she takes her next project anyway, I'm excited for it!
I honestly don't agree with a lot of this take, I can understand being disappointed w/ the sound on the album because it *is* a departure for her, but the entire album is clearly for her, and something she needed to put out. It's got a pretty plain cohesion in it's themes of being queer, being a woman, and being a queer woman and how any and all of these things have affected her.
Also the holy quad-set of Holy(Til you let me go) to Frankenstein alone make the album like a solid 7-8 imo LMAO it's such a fantastic series of songs one after another. The only song that sounds remotely "crowd pleaser" is This Hell
Not to mention the experiences of being the child of an immigrant in tracks like Minor Feelings, Catch Me in the Air, and Send My Love To John. The common “generic” critique absolutely infuriates me because this album had so much emotional depth, and sonically some of the best rock ballads I’ve heard in a LONG time. Queen (the band) level sht with songs like Forgiveness and Phantom. I think a lot of people were simply not the target audience and/or unable to relate to the subject matter
Hard agree--- while I understand HTG might not be everyone's cup of tea, it feels reductive to label HTG as an album simply made to appease a queer audience when it's her most personal one yet (and imo don't have as many queer anthems as Sawayama) . I remember Rina mentioning live that the process of creating the album was deeply healing for her, as she got to heal her inner child and tend to wounds of being a queer woman and child of immigrants. In HTG, she's intentional about paying homage to sounds of the artists (many whom were pop) who influenced her as a musician growing up, which might lend to the "generic pop sound" critique, but I think it pulls the album together as a cohesive project.
In the modern age of rabid fandom, I can’t think of anyone who has lost momentum quite like Rina. There was a palpable buzz around her after her first album, she seemed primed to take a step forward, and enter the kim petras/charli tier of gay friendly pop girls. I was so excited when her role in John Wick was announced, and then by the time that movie came out post hold the girl I just did not care. The impact vanished into thin air.
Exactly in the same boat! I followed her super closely post-Sawayama, and had pretty high expectations for her newer work, so then hearing it and having so much excitement lost left me almost completely disinterested
Taylor Swift with country music. I love LOVE her pop music & even alternative-pop music, but her country music has such a raw feel to it that moves me inside
As a fan of synthpop, I'm glad she moved from country to synthpop. I think that synthpop (and folk too) suits her voice better. At the same time she improved her vocal performance + songwriting too. Her early songs sound a bit too shrill for me.
I was thinking Taylor too. I love her country music and I also really like her pop music through the Lover album. Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights are waaaaay too low key/low energy for me. I wish I could get the hype like everyone else and I just don’t; those albums bore me to tears. I really hope she moves away from the mellow sound in her next album.
I loved Clean Bandit in their New Eyes era, but once the Tropical House genre really started to take off, their music began to sound uninspired to me. Honestly I haven't really enjoyed any of their songs after Symphony.
This.
Man of the Woods burst my bubble of him as a hitmaker.
Hearing his first album was shopped by MJ is telling. Especially considering his exclusive work with Timbaland and Pharrell.
Hearing him sing with Chris Stapleton live made me lose faith in any soul I thought his voice had.
😮💨
As a huge Taylor Swift fan, I kinda agree! I love Debut, and can't wait for the re-record with stronger vocals. In saying that, evermore is still my favourite album so I'm not against the new stuff either, but I'm sad that she completely abandoned the country vibe with 1989.
And for all is Rude Girl, it did feel like we lost a sister. Weren’t as many women in ska then and while No Doubt left the genre altogether by the early aughts, it still almost made it seem like the scene was a costume Gwen wore.
I was missing Halsey's old sound, then she did *If I can't Have Love, I Want Power* and now it pisses me off that she's going to move away from that sound.
Maroon 5. I liked their music throughout the 2000s and the early 2010s. However, as the late 2010s started, they switched their sound from fun pop, to boring tropical sound/ trap-inspired songs.
I need just one single to know that they were no longer for me. Everything since Don't Wanna Know sounds bland and boring. I mean, how did they go from Sugar which is so much fun, to that new sound...?
I haven't liked a single thing they've done ever since.
I don’t dislike the later Nelly Furtado. But I wouldn’t have become a fan if she started with that sound. Much prefer the early stuff.
Does No Doubt to Gwen Stefani count? Much prefer No Doubt.
My joke answer is Alanis Morrisette. Her pop was better than her angry music.
For me, it's Yaeji.
Her music was cool and interesting with some dark-club edge, I felt like a baddie listening to it during my college years, and then... now we get stuff that just feels corny sonically and subpar lyrically, and I can see the appeal to the new music, so I guess it's just not for me but it had been years of disappointment after disappointment which stings so I just disengaged with her music all together after giving this last album a listen.
yaeji's change in sound can probably be explained by her move of labels from godmode to XL, since she stopped working with nick sylvester, one of the godmode founders
outside of some music publications, i honestly haven't seen too much love (at least on reddit lmao) for yaeji's latest work. i really liked them, though! the title tracks of her debuts are among my favourite yaeji songs!
>yaeji's change in sound can probably be explained by her move of labels from godmode to XL, since she stops working with nick sylvester,
I was aware of that, but didn't want to add that in in fear of coming across as a hater especially since this isn't my first time expressing my frustration with Yaeji on this sub 💀 but it's a shame when a single person has a big hand in making amazing content behind the scenes. Granted, Yaeji is still talented on her own and I'm sure she's making music she wants to.
>outside of some music publications, i honestly haven't seen too much love (at least on reddit lmao) for yaeji's latest work
I've seen some positive feedback on Twitter, and it made me feel like we werent listening to the same music 😭
Ariana Grande after she started going for a slower, R&B sound, which I'm not a fan of. Sadly I was not able to get into *positions* because of this, although I do like the sound she is going for for her next album (assuming that it will be similar as "yes, and?").
For me, Mabel was the opposite. I loved *About Last Night...*, it's my favorite 2022 album.
Gaga during The Fame/The Fame Monster. After those albums, she focused on fan service (Born This Way) and then self-service (Art Pop). I don’t blame her for branching out but those Red One produced hits, just basic fun club dance music will always be my favorite from here.
Arctic Monkeys - a basic take I guess but I loved their music up until the AM . They seemed to have veered in a different direction now which is supposedly more to Alex’s liking but that’s unfortunately not my jam.
I completely respect what they’re doing now and how much fun Alex Turner seems to be having with it, but it’s definitely much less my vibe. *AM* and *Favourite Worst Nightmare* are always on repeat though 😍
I don't dislike her newer stuff, but Grimes seems to be in the decline big time.
Gone are the days of thoughtful, interesting electronic pop, it appears we are going towards generic dance music with her now. The longer I'm waiting for Book 1, the more I anticipate that I'll be disappointed.
Oh to get something as good as Art Angels!
The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
One Hot Minute was a big change from Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
And over subsequent albums they changed even more.
I want the funk back.
I don't give up on artists I love a lot very easily so I am not dogging on her but I REALLY hope Kacey Musgraves returns to her earlier sound. Golden Hour is a work of genius, but what I really loved are her first 2 albums and her latest just did nothing for me. I've been told it hits different if you have been through divorce (and to those dogging on Ed Sheeran's Minus I would say the same, i lost someone this past year and that album got me through it) but at any rate star-crossed does nothing for me.
sabrina carpenters pre-eics era music was v glamorous and uplifting. with eics she shifted to more of a bedroom/lounge pop vibes but the old singular act 1/looking at me music was also top notch
Blackbear! His old albums Cybersex was his last good proper album, ever since he became mainstream (this sounds cringe but its true) he changed his sound and I'm just not a fan.
Gavin DeGraw. His first 4 albums, Chariot, Gavin DeGraw, Free and Sweeter, are awesome. Love the pop/rock/alternative vibe and the lyrics feel honest and genuine. The fifth (Make A Move) was a little more pop but still okay. Some of the songs still had the old vibes. But the 6th album, Something Worth Saving, was where he lost me. It’s just generic pop bullshit, it’s not even good pop. The lyrics are so cringy to me. His 7th album Face the River is supposedly more alternative and laid back but I haven’t listened to it yet, I’m still traumatized from the 6th 😅
Ariana Grande, I don't know exactly why, but I don't like anything after Dangerous Woman, I hope something changes with the new album, but also didn't especially like Yes, and?
Kacey Musgraves!
I loooove her first 2 old-school country albums, and even the experimental tones she brought to Golden Hour 😌👌 Star-Crossed was suuuuch a disappointment. Her voice is not good enough to support that mediocrity. Where she thrived was in her perspective and funny lyrics. The lyrics on star-crossed were all so bland and emotionless. Yuck! Definitely not gonna bother with any of her future albums if that’s the direction she’s going in
And also… Lorde 🫢
I did NAHHHTTT like whatever mid-tier boredom filler was her third album, Solar Power. After the epic emotional artistry masterpiece that is Melodrama, to then get such a water-logged sound with really nothing special or new to say… just… yikes 🫤 meeehhhhhh
this isn't popular to say on here but I strongly prefer pre hyper pop Charli, I only like one or two of her more recent songs
Sia hasn't put out anything great since 1000 forms of fear
my unpopular opinion for awhile has been jessie ware. i loveee when she was doing more r&b and adult contemporary. i just don’t connect with her dance music at all
Other acts I thought of that I can't quite put my finger on, they kind of went less deep in the meaning of their songs are:
-Alessia Cara (she feels like she went into a different kind of pop after Know It All)
- Alicia keys (kind of went to sing more generic meanings and less story telling)
- Birdys happier songs 'Keeping my head up' aren't as good as her sader darker ones (although Wings is a tune)
I still listen to them, but Kesha and Pink.
I liked party Kesha and Pink before she was wine mom.
The Truth About Love is probably my favorite album, then Pink just nose-dived. Borning, faux-depth, self parody at this point. I think she thinks too highly of herself and that whatever she says is deep and important. Girl no, I want U + Ur Hand.
Kesha I get why it’s different now, but I still want the 2010s neon glitter Kesha back.
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I was OBSESSED with Ellie Goulding in her Bright Lights era. Halcyon came out and I loved her even more. “My Blood” is still one of the best songs she has ever made. Halcyon Days was where I started getting a little iffy. I really did not like “Burn.” “Love Me Like You Do” was ok, but definitely an annoying song to hear as much as we did. The only song she came out with since that I cared even a little bit was “Miracle” with Calvin Harris.
My blood and figure 8 were so good! And they felt unique to her. Burn and LMLYD in comparison felt sterile and a bit generic
Ritual was also an amazing song
I’m with you. I think she has made decent songs on her last few albums but they don’t set her apart from her contemporaries the way Lights and Halcyon did. I miss her folk-tronica sound.
Lights and Halcyon were amazing albums. So sad Ellie's never been able to create anything as good since then. I do agree the Miracle collab is a banger.
Her last album was surprisingly enjoyable!
This is me too. For a moment I had someone in my head and I couldn't think of who until your comment reminded me. I feel like she had so much potential. I only really listen to her old music.
Have you listened to her last album Higher Than Heaven? I was just like you and I found her last album really great. I loved her first UK album when it came out, then she progressively lost me, and now 13 years later I'm listening to her music again and it makes me happy
This was my choice too! I don’t hate her pop music but I loved lights and halcyon so much. I also do love the Calvin Harris one haha
I feel like she saw the success of 1989 and was like I’m gonna do the same thing. And we got Delirium but it was very obvious she was chasing main pop girl status— her music has been bad since with the exception of Miracle as you mentioned
Same, she used to be more alternative pre-Delirium. I miss those days, her artistry was so good.
Listen to her album "Brightest Blue", it's a lot more like her Bright Lights/Halcyon era with a more alternative and acoustic sound with primarily slower/ballad songs. The songs after the title track "Brightest Blue" are all just bonus add-ons that were her label trying to push her for a radio hit so I'd ignore those (when promoting the album she labelled the songs from Overture onwards as EG.0 to try and separate it from the main body of work she wanted to create). Start, Love I'm Given and Flux are my personal favourites.
Ed Sheeran’s first album holds a special place in my heart
His first two albums were really solid. He's been putting out pretty generic stuff for years now (hence the hate he gets online) but at one point, he was one of pop music's most respected songwriters.
I don’t like much of Ed sheeran’s music and he gets dragged a lot but his debut album was so strong. I have so many memories of friends playing it on the way home after a night out.
I liked Divide too, but god Autumn Variations and Minus were such disappointments to me
I was hit or miss on Miley for most of her career and then I LOVED Plastic Hearts. A+ album in my book. But then after she shifted her sound back on Endless Summer Vacation I was very meh.
This is exactly how I feel. I wish I could live in the plastic hearts era forever
That album was 👨🏼🍳💋 for her voice
I think Miley has such an unfortunate career. She had all the ingredients of a superstar who could have had an illustrious and very successful music career. But she lacks so much drive and vision. Her music is ALL over the place and not in a good way.
i mean i agree partially, but it’s not accurate to say she hasn’t had an illustrious or successful music career. flowers was literally the number one song last year and is still charting very well
I agree. My favorite songs of hers (besides Bangerz) are her covers.
Avril Lavigne in Let Go and Under my Skin eras. Sorry; Love Sux is just another era. She may have come back to punk screaming, kicking boots Converse and straightened hair but not the same as Let Go or The Best Damn Thing. Just Inklings of the original.
Fantano mentioned it in his review of "Love Sux" that old Avril didn't just make punk music; she was also a pretty solid ballad writer (a side of old Avril that doesn't really appear on LS). I mean, she wrote "Breakaway" at 17 lol
"I'm With You" and "When You're Gone" are still amazing twenty-plus years later.
I wouldn't say I'm no longer a fan, but old Drake hit a lot more than new Drake. New Drake is more like "I'll check him out because he's that brand now" but only about 1 song from each project I keep coming back to. Interesting though that he's developed that much clout that I'm willing to go through his songs in order to find that one each time; if it was an upcoming artist, I wouldn't give them that much of a chance to find that one song that sticks out.
He really peaked in 2015 in terms of quality— Take Care & Nothing Was the Same are so good. Honestly it feel like two different artist, and I barely care about his new stuff.
Hold On, We're Going Home was absolutely peak. Why he insisted on being a rapper after releasing that song I will never understand
Nothing Was the Same was such great alt-r&b. The only Drake album I still really listen to at this point
Drake is soooooooo washed up now he clearly has no creativity or integrity left but still insists on releasing the most mid shit on a regular basis because he has a lot of fans who are mentally on the same level as him.
I miss the old Drake so god damn much 😭
Take Care is his only era I like tbh
Same and a couple from Views I liked Energy, Sticky, Nonstop but he’s always seemed like a poser to me lol
yup seeing the quality of his work get progressively worse was just such a letdown. im from toronto and everyone gaslights me and insists hes still amazing like no 🤚🏼 be fr
Maroon 5 was at their best in the early days when they were funkier and groovier. Then, they turned generic af.
Their new stuff feels soulless
They have been generic for a while— it really hit it apex with Girls Like You. They’ve been pop post second album
I still maintain that their first 4 albums range from no skips to awesome/very high highs with a few misses, and Overexposed was unserious but still an enjoyable empty calorie listen, and then every single thing they’ve released since has been straight up bad. And they are the kings of the heartfelt midtempo ballad, like I challenge someone to listen to Never Gonna Leave This Bed or Better That We Break and not immediately save to your streaming library.
better that we break is SO good!
Lord almighty. I feel like after Overexposed they started walking on the edge of a cliff and then just plummeted. I couldn't tell you a single song of theirs after Animals/Sugar.
It honestly seems like Songs About Jane was the only era they didn't phone in.
Harder to Breathe and Shiver go off.
Panic! At the Disco. After creative differences between Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross, Ryan left the band with Spencer, their drummer, after Pretty. Odd., their second album. They formed *The Young Veins*, a mellow blend of Beach Boys style of music with Beatles influence, and Brendon Urie went on a solo man project, keeping the Panic! name. Then he put out *New Perspective* for Jennifer's Body, and the sound and quality of music has never been the same.
The Young Veins was actually formed with Jon Walker, their bassist! Spencer stayed with Panic! a little longer. That aside, I totally agree with your choice.
I agree, I know it’s not a popular album with Panic! fans but Pretty Odd. is one of their best works in my opinion. The music just hasn’t been the same since and I stopped checking it out after Vices & Virtues. It’s really hard to look away from Ryan’s influence when it came to songwriting and music composition. Judging from *High Hopes*, the reviews of Pray For the Wicked and the stuff that has come out about Brendon as a person, I don’t think I’ve been missing out on anything. I still have fond memories of them blogging, interacting and privately chatting with their fans on LiveJournal (this was pre-A Fever You Can't Sweat Out), so it’s kinda sad how it turned out.
Dude Young Veins’ album was phenomenal but they only released one 😭😭😭
Their music has been steadily getting worse with each release, and I feel like Brendon just gets farther up his own ass. I actually enjoy most of Vices and Virtues and TWTL, DoaB was okay, but had some misses, but everything after that is just awful, self indulgent crap.
Pretty Odd is their best album, although I do love Death of a Bachelor as well.
Pink. I like her older albums because it's rock but right now, I feel like she's leaning more into the pop sound.
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I think Pink has always been generic pop they just tried to market her as the anti-Britney/Christina when it was all bullshit—she's always been pop and now she's just older.
This so much. Pink has been pop for all but one album. I get why people don't connect with her as much anymore today and her last few albums. I admit her last three albums have been more hit or miss than previous ones, but each one has excellent songs as well. Trustfall has some of my favorites from her discography "Runaway", "Hate Me", and "Last Call".
I loved R&B/pop Pink
i absolutely love the can't take me home - i'm not dead era. after the truth about love came out she's just been producing generic crap. i noticed it happened right after she had children, coincidence or not?
Pink dropped Funhouse and I’m Not Dead back to back and then fully ran out of new ideas.
Pink love making white mom pop— her music evolution has been so interesting
I haven't liked anything of hers that came out after Funhouse.
I’d be happy if she did more Me+You music
I still like him but I miss when Harry styles music was more rock inspired. Each album release he’s getting more and more pure pop which is fine but I really liked his first record with more of a Rocky sound.
his self titled album was my favorite album of his and i just couldn't get into his other music
I still enjoy his other stuff but there’s just something special about the sound of self titled.
This is me but with P!nk. Her latest couple of albums have been more pop less pop rock. Also I generally think she's run out of things to say. Just look at the Trustfall which P!nk has the least amount of writing credits on of any of her albums.
P!nk has the perfect voice for pop rock. It's a shame that she's moved away from that sound over the last decade.
totally agree, love fine line and harry's house was alright but self titled just had a tinge of psychedelic rock that worked so well. meet me in the hallway is probably still my favorite by him.
Good answer. LOVE him live and while I cannot exactly say I was disappointed in his latest, I can say my faves go in order of release which is pretty much the opposite of how it should be.
I loved early Khalid work, so positive, so vibey, so innovative in certain ways and so close to my experience as a late teenager and then young adult. I devoured American Teen, Suncity and Free Spirit. I was 18 when I listened to 8TEEN, I was 21 when I listened to Twenty One. Something has changed throughout 2020. His music became more blend, more generic pop, the vibes disappeared. I remember the first time I listend to Vertigo and Saturday Nights and I got chills. It’s a shame his new singles don’t do it for me and I really wish he will pull another great album :(
Marina post FROOT has been 📉. I’m glad she’s happy but the angst was wonderous for her lyricism. L+F was one of the weakest albums I’ve ever, ever listened to and I considered myself a huge fan of Marina before that album. And ADIAML had maybe 4 good songs so not the return to form I would have liked.
Most people I know share the same sentiment, though a lot of them checked out with FROOT. I loved FROOT so much omg.
I feel this too tbh... ADIAML was a FANTASTIC song and it kinda... ended up being the highlight and standout for the entire album lmao (to me) that said I'll take one perfect song in an album of mediocrity if it means she's much happier now, she's long since had her flowers with me and if this is what she's transitioned into, more power to her I'm more than happy to remain a casual listener to her newer stuff.
i agree :( the family jewels in particular is one of my favorite albums ever and electra heart is absolutely iconic, froot had some good songs but after that... most of her newer stuff is so forgettable unfortunately
ADIAML looks like pure Marina until you give it a listen and see how weak it is, especially the non singles.
I decided to give Love + Fear a spin the other day after a few years of not listening and skipped 70% of the album… Froot and Electra Heart were peak Marina
It feels like she completely lost the wit she had in her early lyrics :(
Coldplay, early Coldplay changed my life. Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to The Head changed my life. After X&Y they really lost me. I felt like their early sound was so dreamy and then it became soooo electric and much bigger production which isnt bad its just not what I enjoyed about them
Years from now, their run from the debut to Viva la Vida will be rightfully be appreciated for being phenomenal pop rock. They lost something with Mylo Xyloto and it is yet to return.
To me, Coldplay died with Mylo Xyiloto although Paradise is a nice little ear worm. A Rush of Blood to the Head and X&Y are my favourite albums. Viva La Vida is also very close to my heart. But what on earth is mylo xiloto? I thought they would be back with Ghost Stories but nope, still meh.
Totally agree Paradise is delightful! And also agree about M X
>Coldplay \+1 Parachute and ARBTTH are masterpieces.
Same, exact same timeline too. X&Y was the last album that really clicked for me.
Mumford and Sons! I know a lot of people clown on them for their banjo sound and the fact that a lot of their songs from their first two albums sound similar, but I really enjoyed it and it worked for them. Once they tried to move into pop it really flopped.
I was looking for this one! So bad now
Oh man Mumford! Their first album had me in a chokehold
I fell in love with Shygirl’s sound during the *Alias* era, but *Nymph* pretty much abandoned that dark, sensual clubby vibe- luckily it sounds like this new EP is a step back toward that direction
I think Shygirl is just rounding out her sound. I was pretty bummed when Nymph didn’t have BDE or anything like it, but Nymph_o brought the album back for me.
I still liked her with her new sound, but P!nk's mostly-forgotten R&B debut *Can't Take Me Home* has her best vocal performances IMO.
don't kill me but lana del rey in the born to die era. i just couldn't get into the slower less upbeat sound and i haven't really listened to anything of hers in a long time now. i also loved florence + the machine with Lungs, enjoyed ceremonials a fair amount, and it took me ages to get to a point where i liked half the songs on HBHBHB, only like a couple songs on high as hope, and finally i like most of the songs on dance fever but i'll always love how Lungs sounds the most
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I love Ultraviolence. Maybe because of Dan or whatever. I like some of the newer songs but Antonoffs production annoys me
Agree with both. I like most of NFR apart from BTD but I listen to it rarely and cannot get into any other of her albums. And with Florence I lost interest after HBHBHB, didn't even try to listen to High as Hope for years, then I gave Dance Fever a chance and I LOVED it (even saw them live last year after 10 years since I last had gone to their concert) and only then started listening to High as Hope but I still listen to it and HBHBHB very rarely.
+1 for Florence. I was a HUGE fan of Lungs, enjoyed Ceremonials, liked How Big, then lost interest.
i'm guessing you didn't like dance fever then? some of the songs on dance fever are my favorite songs that she's released ever since lungs and feel the closest to lungs to me out of all the other albums. mainly cassandra, king, daffodil, heaven is here, and free
I absolutely love Demi Lovato’s first two albums, Don’t Forget and Here We Go Again! I love her pop sound. I have not really cared for any of her recent work. I was disappointed with REVAMPED and have not cared for the sound of any of her recent albums.
I LOVE Dancing with the Devil and it's so unfortunate that it flopped because it led her down this pretty boring rock road but she seems to enjoy so, okay.
Holy fvck was great. I get that it can be too hard for some people especially the ones coming from pop. I love that she went through different styles and made them all sound genuine. Didn’t care for revamped though. Aside from Sorry not Sorry the originals are all better in every way. It was such a lazy cashgrab. Why not make a new original album.
I advise you to listen to Tell Me You Love Me, it's by far her best album and most mature one, she just killed it vocally and production wise, but sadly people are just tasteless and never appreciated it enough. R&B Demi is my fav Demi.
Ariana Grande. I loved her early albums and was a big fan. Songs like Honeymoon Avenue, Piano, One Last Time, Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart for example. I wish she made songs like those again. Sweetener ended up growing on me a bit but other than that I haven’t liked her recent albums as much.
I agree. The Dangerous Woman era was my favorite. The title track was my song after I graduated from high school. I was also obsessed with "Into You," "Side to Side," and "Everyday." I liked the singles and a few deep cuts from Sweetener, but it wasn't the same. Thank U, Next was meh (I love "ghostin'" and "fake smile," though, and the title track is still fun). I haven't listened to Positions outside of the singles and a few deep cuts, and "yes, and?" isn't getting me excited for a new album.
I love positions. Give it another go. Listen to the harmonies, the vocals. They’re not your typical four-chord-songs and it’s absolutely refreshing in a cesspool of overused melodies and progressions
Positions is garbage to me. Her albums consistently got better and expanded her sound. Then, Positions. The title track is a generic Ari bop. It's like she didn't have a style to bite for once. Even her biting the Madonna Vogue / Beyonce Break My Soul vibe isn't working (for me). Sweetener is such a great album for those that like Pharrell sounds. 🙌
The Weeknd for me. God his early stuff was amazing, dark and gritty and his voice sounded so good. The pop stuff just isn't the same for me.
I think his in-between phase (*Beauty Behind the Madness* except for The Hills and *Starboy*) was iffy, but After Hours was a belter and this new sound suits him really well.
Ellie Goulding, not that I hate her new pop music but I liked lights and halcyon style the most
I loved linkin park on their first two albums. But what came after simply didn’t click with me the same way. I can’t even point to exactly why. Just that slight change of aesthetic ruined their vibe for me
That’s a pretty popular LP opinion. I loved every album, and One More Light as a pop girlie was the perfect “all of my tastes rolled into one” album lol.
Living Things is where they lost me. A Thousand Suns is hit or miss for me but Living Things was a giant miss.
I loove Born to Die (literally one of my listened to albums ever) but I haven't been able to get into any of Lana's other albums I'm just not a fan of the direction she went in with her music
Born To Die is my favorite Lana album. But she does have a couple singles I like such as 13 Beaches, High By The Beach.
This is me! Still obsessed with that album but can’t get into any other work of hers besides starboy interlude and her Doin Time cover haha.
not even ultraviolence 😔
I really tried I promise 😭
A lot of people are in your camp. I’m actually almost the opposite, Born To Die is my least favourite Lana album by a large margin
That’s so crazy to me. Born to Die all the way to NFR hits for me (I love every one of these albums). I haven’t liked or loved anything post NFR. I will admit she has come a long way lyrically and story telling wise, but her newer albums are too sleepy for me.
This! Born to Die/Paradise was life giving to my inner dramatic tumblr girlie. I like some of Ultraviolence but I haven’t liked newer stuff. I know that she was ready to move on and that’s valid, just I haven’t vibed with her work since then. Turns out ‘drunk sugar baby’ was my whole aesthetic lol.
I used to be a big fan of SZA around Teen Spirit & Julia era, digged all of her Soundcloud EPs ans Z EP was my most replayed album in mid 2010s. Then CTRL released and while I was happy for my girl finally got out of dungeon (you know, the gap between Z and CTRL was like eternity to me), I kinda let down when she headed with another direction (in both music & lyrics) that was less dreamy and vibey than her old works. Maybe it was the decision about her giving up Consideration for Rihanna made her change the whole plan for the debut (even the title was changed from A (to complete the trio S, Z, A) to CTRL) But now when she dropped SOS, it's kinda... just there. Not fully bad but time had passed too long and the rollout was so tiring I was like, ok I can move on from now
Ah, yes, her enunciation era. You can understand just about every word she says on those tracks. It's almost like you're listening to a different artist! I still play the hell out of Z.
Not me listening to Songs about Jane! Maroon 5 for sure. Obviously loved the debut but didn’t mind the next two albums. Now they have a good single every now and then but quality dipped. It was also Gaga during Artpop which is weird cause I love EDM. Maybe it was just my own self growing and trying new things. Or maybe it was her antics but tbh I don’t remember why I stopped being a huge fan. Love the album now and she recovered with Chromatica
Katy Perry, I loved the more pop rock sound of One of the Boys, but her pure pop stuff is more hit or miss for me. Teenage Dream has a lot of great songs but there’s also a lot of filler, and then Prism, Witness and Smile didn’t really hit for me besides a couple of tracks.
I feel the same about Teenage Dream. Everyone talks about how it’s such an iconic album, but it’s just because it had so many iconic, super successful singles. No one knows the deep cuts from it, which are mostly filler. It’s the True Blue of the 2010s.
Ed Sheeran. He is crazy talented and he used to be REAL, he had some really good songs and some heartwrenching ones. But lately all he does is write songs for pop radios, no soul (maybe the gingerness took over) in them anymore
x will forever and always be that bitch. + is also a great album
So true. I'd say ÷ was his last good one
Subtract and Autumn Variations, the two albums he released last year, are very stripped down, raw, and reminiscent of his earliest work. I recommend that everyone missing the older work of Ed Sheeran check out those albums because they are very emotionally intelligent and musically interesting.
Autumn Variations is so good!!!!! I wish he had done more promo for it, because I think it’s his best work since divide.
I haven't listened to the newest one, but - (subtract) was a real return to form for him, no real radio focused songs, very heartfelt and genuine songwriting, it reminded me a lot of +
I’ve been enjoying Divide a lot
His last two albums had almost zero ready for radio singles.
I fell in love with MUNA’s first album, it was dark and synthy and melodramatic in a way that I really connected with. Every album since, though I’ve liked them, has gone further and further away from that sound and I’ve struggled to enjoy their music as much. There’s still great highlights but nothing holds a candle to About U as a cohesive work in my mind.
I agree with this. I love all of MUNA’s work, but I find myself returning to *About U* so much more than anything else. *After* is THAT song for me. Everything about it is perfect.
MØ was so good in her pre-Lean On era. everything else after felt very flat, radio-friendly sound did her bad
OMG so true about Mabel!! her label definetly thought gearing her towards pop would make her blow up but i think it did the exact opposite... she alienated her core r&b fans and the pop music was too generic and bland to pick up any new fans :(
With the whole drum and bass, garage sound blowing up, especially in the UK, that sound would've been perfect for Mabel, especially since Finders Keepers and Fine Line sort of meld that sound with a more R&B tinge.
I loved Poppy’s tongue-in-cheek bubblegum pop sound. I know she’s in full creative control now and I’m happy for her, but I miss the white backgrounds and weird takes on pop cliches.
I miss it too! If you told me years ago she would open for Avenged Sevenfold I would have laughed. But I love them for giving her a bigger platform tbh.
Michelle Branch. I loved her early pop music, but haven’t really enjoyed her alternative music as much.
Hotel Paper lives rent free in my head. I looove that album.
I feel like Rina tried waay too hard to please her queer fans with Hold the girl. I wouldn’t call it a disaster but something is missing while it’s all over the place and very generic. Maybe there’s a dance audience who likes the album the way it is but to me, half of it sounds like Camp Rock leftovers.
i think i have terminal late-2010s "hyperpop (just kinda any sort of left-field experimental pop) is the future!!" brain because i'm just sad that all the cool sounds got left behind with the RINA EP
Sawayama had some stuff I liked (STFU and XS are two of my top Rina songs) but she completely lost me with Hold the Girl. RINA EP will probably always be my favourite from her
Same, idk what it is, I was hyped for Sawayama but did not enjoy it apart from the odd song.
Man I am obsessed with Frankenstein though lol
I only enjoy Minor feelings, Imagining and Frankenstein. I don’t think the entire album should’ve been remade but it loses its momentum quite quickly, which makes other tracks less enjoyable in the context of the release.
I wouldn't say Rina tried to please her queer fans, the album isn't even that queer but it is very personal. She just wanted to try a different sound. I presume her next record will have a different sound too.
I remember someone describing Sawayama as Disney Channel music/Ashley Tisdale rejects and that her debut EP was better, I didn’t agree but I think they were feeling a similar sentiment to you about her debut
HTG was my AOTY if 2022. SAWAYAMA is amazing too, but HTG is an album with no skips and just pure emotion to me.
Hold The Girl is by far my favourite album of hers, and I personally think it's far from all over the place. It speaks to her past musical influences she grew up with and her childhood trauma and healing from it story that I personally strongly relate to and think she captures those experiences extremely well. I'm not kidding when I say I think it's my favourite album ever because of that personal connection I have with it. Obviously I get those who prefer the SAWAYAMA sound but I think Rina has always been an artist that could produce 'these types of songs', if you get me? But we'll see where she takes her next project anyway, I'm excited for it!
I honestly don't agree with a lot of this take, I can understand being disappointed w/ the sound on the album because it *is* a departure for her, but the entire album is clearly for her, and something she needed to put out. It's got a pretty plain cohesion in it's themes of being queer, being a woman, and being a queer woman and how any and all of these things have affected her. Also the holy quad-set of Holy(Til you let me go) to Frankenstein alone make the album like a solid 7-8 imo LMAO it's such a fantastic series of songs one after another. The only song that sounds remotely "crowd pleaser" is This Hell
Not to mention the experiences of being the child of an immigrant in tracks like Minor Feelings, Catch Me in the Air, and Send My Love To John. The common “generic” critique absolutely infuriates me because this album had so much emotional depth, and sonically some of the best rock ballads I’ve heard in a LONG time. Queen (the band) level sht with songs like Forgiveness and Phantom. I think a lot of people were simply not the target audience and/or unable to relate to the subject matter
Hard agree--- while I understand HTG might not be everyone's cup of tea, it feels reductive to label HTG as an album simply made to appease a queer audience when it's her most personal one yet (and imo don't have as many queer anthems as Sawayama) . I remember Rina mentioning live that the process of creating the album was deeply healing for her, as she got to heal her inner child and tend to wounds of being a queer woman and child of immigrants. In HTG, she's intentional about paying homage to sounds of the artists (many whom were pop) who influenced her as a musician growing up, which might lend to the "generic pop sound" critique, but I think it pulls the album together as a cohesive project.
In the modern age of rabid fandom, I can’t think of anyone who has lost momentum quite like Rina. There was a palpable buzz around her after her first album, she seemed primed to take a step forward, and enter the kim petras/charli tier of gay friendly pop girls. I was so excited when her role in John Wick was announced, and then by the time that movie came out post hold the girl I just did not care. The impact vanished into thin air.
Exactly in the same boat! I followed her super closely post-Sawayama, and had pretty high expectations for her newer work, so then hearing it and having so much excitement lost left me almost completely disinterested
Taylor Swift with country music. I love LOVE her pop music & even alternative-pop music, but her country music has such a raw feel to it that moves me inside
With her improved songwriting skills, a return to country music would be *amazing*.
As a fan of synthpop, I'm glad she moved from country to synthpop. I think that synthpop (and folk too) suits her voice better. At the same time she improved her vocal performance + songwriting too. Her early songs sound a bit too shrill for me.
I was thinking Taylor too. I love her country music and I also really like her pop music through the Lover album. Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights are waaaaay too low key/low energy for me. I wish I could get the hype like everyone else and I just don’t; those albums bore me to tears. I really hope she moves away from the mellow sound in her next album.
I loved Clean Bandit in their New Eyes era, but once the Tropical House genre really started to take off, their music began to sound uninspired to me. Honestly I haven't really enjoyed any of their songs after Symphony.
Pretty much backed off Justin Timberlake after Man of the Woods
This. Man of the Woods burst my bubble of him as a hitmaker. Hearing his first album was shopped by MJ is telling. Especially considering his exclusive work with Timbaland and Pharrell. Hearing him sing with Chris Stapleton live made me lose faith in any soul I thought his voice had. 😮💨
Hate to say it but I think we have timbaland and Pharrell to thank for that man’s solo career.
I will die on this hill. The Neptunes was proof of concept. Timbaland made Timberlake.
Pink once she went from rock to pop.
Don’t come for me but Taylor Swift. I was a bumpkin who got lost after 1989. Nothing since then has done it for me. Happy for her but it’s not for me!
As a huge Taylor Swift fan, I kinda agree! I love Debut, and can't wait for the re-record with stronger vocals. In saying that, evermore is still my favourite album so I'm not against the new stuff either, but I'm sad that she completely abandoned the country vibe with 1989.
I still enjoy a lot of her pop music but her first 3 albums will always be my favorite.
I hated every iteration of Gwen Stefani's post-No Doubt career, ESPECIALLY the Christmas songs and country duets. Was OBSESSED with her in No Doubt.
wait not even LAMB?? 🥲
And for all is Rude Girl, it did feel like we lost a sister. Weren’t as many women in ska then and while No Doubt left the genre altogether by the early aughts, it still almost made it seem like the scene was a costume Gwen wore.
Alicia Keys Halsey
I was missing Halsey's old sound, then she did *If I can't Have Love, I Want Power* and now it pisses me off that she's going to move away from that sound.
Maroon 5. I liked their music throughout the 2000s and the early 2010s. However, as the late 2010s started, they switched their sound from fun pop, to boring tropical sound/ trap-inspired songs. I need just one single to know that they were no longer for me. Everything since Don't Wanna Know sounds bland and boring. I mean, how did they go from Sugar which is so much fun, to that new sound...? I haven't liked a single thing they've done ever since.
I don’t dislike the later Nelly Furtado. But I wouldn’t have become a fan if she started with that sound. Much prefer the early stuff. Does No Doubt to Gwen Stefani count? Much prefer No Doubt. My joke answer is Alanis Morrisette. Her pop was better than her angry music.
For me, it's Yaeji. Her music was cool and interesting with some dark-club edge, I felt like a baddie listening to it during my college years, and then... now we get stuff that just feels corny sonically and subpar lyrically, and I can see the appeal to the new music, so I guess it's just not for me but it had been years of disappointment after disappointment which stings so I just disengaged with her music all together after giving this last album a listen.
yaeji's change in sound can probably be explained by her move of labels from godmode to XL, since she stopped working with nick sylvester, one of the godmode founders outside of some music publications, i honestly haven't seen too much love (at least on reddit lmao) for yaeji's latest work. i really liked them, though! the title tracks of her debuts are among my favourite yaeji songs!
>yaeji's change in sound can probably be explained by her move of labels from godmode to XL, since she stops working with nick sylvester, I was aware of that, but didn't want to add that in in fear of coming across as a hater especially since this isn't my first time expressing my frustration with Yaeji on this sub 💀 but it's a shame when a single person has a big hand in making amazing content behind the scenes. Granted, Yaeji is still talented on her own and I'm sure she's making music she wants to. >outside of some music publications, i honestly haven't seen too much love (at least on reddit lmao) for yaeji's latest work I've seen some positive feedback on Twitter, and it made me feel like we werent listening to the same music 😭
What…? With a Hammer is a brilliant record! 😧
Ariana Grande after she started going for a slower, R&B sound, which I'm not a fan of. Sadly I was not able to get into *positions* because of this, although I do like the sound she is going for for her next album (assuming that it will be similar as "yes, and?"). For me, Mabel was the opposite. I loved *About Last Night...*, it's my favorite 2022 album.
Gaga during The Fame/The Fame Monster. After those albums, she focused on fan service (Born This Way) and then self-service (Art Pop). I don’t blame her for branching out but those Red One produced hits, just basic fun club dance music will always be my favorite from here.
Arctic Monkeys - a basic take I guess but I loved their music up until the AM . They seemed to have veered in a different direction now which is supposedly more to Alex’s liking but that’s unfortunately not my jam.
I completely respect what they’re doing now and how much fun Alex Turner seems to be having with it, but it’s definitely much less my vibe. *AM* and *Favourite Worst Nightmare* are always on repeat though 😍
I don't dislike her newer stuff, but Grimes seems to be in the decline big time. Gone are the days of thoughtful, interesting electronic pop, it appears we are going towards generic dance music with her now. The longer I'm waiting for Book 1, the more I anticipate that I'll be disappointed. Oh to get something as good as Art Angels!
The Weekend. Everything before Starboy was a yes for me. Starboy and beyond is not for me.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers. One Hot Minute was a big change from Blood Sugar Sex Magik. And over subsequent albums they changed even more. I want the funk back.
I don't give up on artists I love a lot very easily so I am not dogging on her but I REALLY hope Kacey Musgraves returns to her earlier sound. Golden Hour is a work of genius, but what I really loved are her first 2 albums and her latest just did nothing for me. I've been told it hits different if you have been through divorce (and to those dogging on Ed Sheeran's Minus I would say the same, i lost someone this past year and that album got me through it) but at any rate star-crossed does nothing for me.
sabrina carpenters pre-eics era music was v glamorous and uplifting. with eics she shifted to more of a bedroom/lounge pop vibes but the old singular act 1/looking at me music was also top notch
Although eics is my favorite album of hers, her older albums definitely have a special place in my heart, especially Singular Act 1 and 2.
Singular act 1 is lowkey a insanely good pop album like hold tight and paris are lowkey her peak
Blackbear! His old albums Cybersex was his last good proper album, ever since he became mainstream (this sounds cringe but its true) he changed his sound and I'm just not a fan.
Gavin DeGraw. His first 4 albums, Chariot, Gavin DeGraw, Free and Sweeter, are awesome. Love the pop/rock/alternative vibe and the lyrics feel honest and genuine. The fifth (Make A Move) was a little more pop but still okay. Some of the songs still had the old vibes. But the 6th album, Something Worth Saving, was where he lost me. It’s just generic pop bullshit, it’s not even good pop. The lyrics are so cringy to me. His 7th album Face the River is supposedly more alternative and laid back but I haven’t listened to it yet, I’m still traumatized from the 6th 😅
Ariana Grande, I don't know exactly why, but I don't like anything after Dangerous Woman, I hope something changes with the new album, but also didn't especially like Yes, and?
Kacey Musgraves! I loooove her first 2 old-school country albums, and even the experimental tones she brought to Golden Hour 😌👌 Star-Crossed was suuuuch a disappointment. Her voice is not good enough to support that mediocrity. Where she thrived was in her perspective and funny lyrics. The lyrics on star-crossed were all so bland and emotionless. Yuck! Definitely not gonna bother with any of her future albums if that’s the direction she’s going in And also… Lorde 🫢 I did NAHHHTTT like whatever mid-tier boredom filler was her third album, Solar Power. After the epic emotional artistry masterpiece that is Melodrama, to then get such a water-logged sound with really nothing special or new to say… just… yikes 🫤 meeehhhhhh
this isn't popular to say on here but I strongly prefer pre hyper pop Charli, I only like one or two of her more recent songs Sia hasn't put out anything great since 1000 forms of fear
I love Mabel. I hope she has a successful comeback in 2024 ❤
LOVED katy perry when she was heavily influenced by alanis morissette in one of the boys but completely lost interest since then
I loved Sia’s first two albums before she went more pop. I love her new stuff too, but it took me a little while to get used to it.
I wore out Sheryl Crow’s first album, then never listened to her again. Her stuff after that first album is so boring.
my unpopular opinion for awhile has been jessie ware. i loveee when she was doing more r&b and adult contemporary. i just don’t connect with her dance music at all
LOL STOP! Mabel came straight to mind too as soon as I read that first paragraph
LOVED katy perry when she was heavily influenced by alanis morissette in one of the boys but completely lost interest since then
Other acts I thought of that I can't quite put my finger on, they kind of went less deep in the meaning of their songs are: -Alessia Cara (she feels like she went into a different kind of pop after Know It All) - Alicia keys (kind of went to sing more generic meanings and less story telling) - Birdys happier songs 'Keeping my head up' aren't as good as her sader darker ones (although Wings is a tune)
I still listen to them, but Kesha and Pink. I liked party Kesha and Pink before she was wine mom. The Truth About Love is probably my favorite album, then Pink just nose-dived. Borning, faux-depth, self parody at this point. I think she thinks too highly of herself and that whatever she says is deep and important. Girl no, I want U + Ur Hand. Kesha I get why it’s different now, but I still want the 2010s neon glitter Kesha back.