Actually decent bands ruined by cliche singles

[ruxCYtable]

Was thinking about this the other day. There have been several bands over the years that have just been ruined because they had one or two singles that were massively overplayed. There are a few that come to mind and I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Wang Chung. Yes, I know. Everybody Have Fun Tonight. But this was actually a really good band. The soundtrack from "To Live and Die in L.A." was brilliant and some of the instrumental tracks are still heard backing commercials or sports programming today.

Tears for Fears. Yeah, yeah. Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Some of their stuff before and after was actually pretty damn good.

I'm going to take a beating on this last one: The B-52's. Actually a pretty damn good band but "Love Shack" ruined them. I'm not going to lie, I still have the album "Cosmic Thing" on the iPhone.

Current artist I think is in danger of falling into this category: Gotye.

 

[Mr Janny]

Blind Melon. They made some really good music, but will forever be known to most as the band who sung "No Rain."

 

[KFitzy87]

Nickelback

 

[KFitzy87]

 

[Clonefan94]

I'll actually agree with everything you said, except for the B-52s. They just tried to be too quirky with everyting. They had too much schtick to go along with their music, imo.

 

[ruxCYtable]

I'll actually agree with everything you said, except for the B-52s. They just tried to be too quirky with everyting. They had too much schtick to go along with their music, imo.

I don't think they had to try very hard to be quirky. Fred Schneider is as gay as a 12 dollar bill. Not that there's anything wrong with that! But I understand what you mean. I'm more of a music guy than a lyric guy so if you sort of shut Fred out they have some pretty good tunes!

 

[flynnhicks03]

Was thinking about this the other day. There have been several bands over the years that have just been ruined because they had one or two singles that were massively overplayed. There are a few that come to mind and I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Wang Chung. Yes, I know. Everybody Have Fun Tonight. But this was actually a really good band. The soundtrack from "To Live and Die in L.A." was brilliant and some of the instrumental tracks are still heard backing commercials or sports programming today.

Tears for Fears. Yeah, yeah. Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Some of their stuff before and after was actually pretty damn good.

I'm going to take a beating on this last one: The B-52's. Actually a pretty damn good band but "Love Shack" ruined them. I'm not going to lie, I still have the album "Cosmic Thing" on the iPhone.

Current artist I think is in danger of falling into this category: Gotye.

Did Gotye actually have a career prior to their "cliche" single?

 

[Angie]

Great thread idea. I agree with everything posted here. I think Tears for Fears had a few other singles, but nothing that got near the success.

 

[CyBroncos]

Wang Chung. Yes, I know. Everybody Have Fun Tonight. But this was actually a really good band. The soundtrack from "To Live and Die in L.A." was brilliant and some of the instrumental tracks are still heard backing commercials or sports programming today.

Love me some Dance Hall Days

 

[Angie]

OH!! Some people consider Beck a one-hit wonder ("Loser") with some lesser singles, but that dude has had an incredible career.

 

[MNCyGuy]

I kind of disagree with the whole concept of this thread. A hit single that's not representative of a band can be annoying for the "real" fans of the band, but the only way I would consider it "ruining the band" would be if everything they recorded afterwords was clearly and blatantly trying to copy the style of that hit.

 

[3TrueFans]

OH!! Some people consider Beck a one-hit wonder ("Loser") with some lesser singles, but that dude has had an incredible career.

Those people would be crazy.

 

[Angie]

Those people would be crazy.

You are correct, sir!

 

[Cyclonick182]

Cake! I love almost all of their songs except for the 2 that I hear constantly (The Distance and Short Skirt Long Jacket)

 

[MeanDean]

Great thread idea. I agree with everything posted here. I think Tears for Fears had a few other singles, but nothing that got near the success.

Shout Shout Let it all out, these are the words I can live without, come on!

Actually, I kind of like Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

 

[MeanDean]

Chuck Berry - My Ding-a-ling. /End thread

 

[CyBroncos]

OH!! Some people consider Beck a one-hit wonder ("Loser") with some lesser singles, but that dude has had an incredible career.

Anybody who would call Beck a one-hit wonder is simply an idiot

 

[Clonefan94]

I don't think they had to try very hard to be quirky. Fred Schneider is as gay as a 12 dollar bill. Not that there's anything wrong with that! But I understand what you mean. I'm more of a music guy than a lyric guy so if you sort of shut Fred out they have some pretty good tunes!

Agree, I guess I just have too hard of a time taking him out of the equation.

 

[Freebird]

Was thinking about this the other day. There have been several bands over the years that have just been ruined because they had one or two singles that were massively overplayed. There are a few that come to mind and I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Wang Chung. Yes, I know. Everybody Have Fun Tonight. But this was actually a really good band. The soundtrack from "To Live and Die in L.A." was brilliant and some of the instrumental tracks are still heard backing commercials or sports programming today.

Tears for Fears. Yeah, yeah. Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Some of their stuff before and after was actually pretty damn good.

I'm going to take a beating on this last one: The B-52's. Actually a pretty damn good band but "Love Shack" ruined them. I'm not going to lie, I still have the album "Cosmic Thing" on the iPhone.

Current artist I think is in danger of falling into this category: Gotye.

I can't believe I found someone else that thinks this!
I would add INXS, the Power Station, Dire Straights and Men at Work. As I love their non-hit stuff but could not care less to hear Devil Inside, Some Like it Hot, Money for Nothing, or Who Can it Be Now.

 

[alarson]

Carly Rae Jepson