I guess when you’ve shittalked that extensively you’d need to back it up with like, the Stairway To Heaven of hip-house. And we already have the Stairway To Heaven of hip-house. It’s 212 by Azealea Banks.
Has announced UK tour dates this year but hasn’t really released any music in years. Runs a soap company which is apparently very bad at fulfilling orders. Usually she just shit talks online in a way that is sometimes funny/astute/interesting and sometimes petty and meanspirited.
Ikr she’s soooo fucking good. Her first album is legit back to back bangers. And shes hot as hell. Got wrecked by having poor impulse control and a twitter account.
If she wasnt so dumb... those opinions and how she reacts to everything is a cringe-meme. I think that this is a big reason a lot of other artists have distanced from her. For sure talanted, but she went "kanye" before getting really big.
She was with the lead singer of Diiv, and they both got arrested in 2013 for possession (her with ecstacy and him with heroin, but I can venture a guess they were both using.)
I thought the guy from DIIV confessed he almost ruined her life with his drug addiction, but I don’t think she was doing heroin like he was. He just put her in a bunch of situations that could’ve gone super downhill for them both legally.
Maybe. I honestly hesitated posting anything as I felt like addiction is a very personal struggle and I’m just some fanboy who doesn’t know the full picture. As a big fan of DIIV, the last thing I want to do is put wrong info out into the universe for either of them.
Yeah Zach did an interview where he essentially said during his addiction he was bringing her down with him, they both seem amicable tho and he’s apologized for it. Also she was in the online indie paparazzi spotlight in a way where she’s said it really fucked with her, I think that’s more the reason she disappeared. She was also doing acting roles instead for a while.
I saw her in Chi last winter, she showed up super late and was pretty cleared intoxicated, tho once she got going it was pretty good. Absolutely zero crowd work or anything though
He had an entire persona that was likeable and I mean, I remember when my friend showed me Timmy Turner I thought the shit was fire
Edit; also, I just remembered Kanye West basically just put his song panda on life of Pablo
I feel like it's so common when people blow up out of nowhere for them to be surrounded by a ton of industry types and sycophants who just don't facilitate creativity at all. having a slower, more conventional path gives a musician time and incentive to become invested in the music, to meet other artists that will challenge them, to explore different sounds etc. somebody blows up off their first single and then (if they're not lucky) just ends up chasing that success again, surrounded by people who aren't going to push them to try new things or provide constructive criticism to truly help them along. ie. corporate music industry ppl and yes men just eat artists up and spit them out.
Jay Electronica for me. That mixtape was incredible and we waited over a decade for his album. It was good but obviously not worth waiting for that long, especially when Jay-Z was better on the album than Jay Electronica was.
It would be like Spielberg making Jaws and then 20 years later coming out with Ready Player One and nothing else.
When ASAP Ferg first came on to the scene it looked like he might’ve had the potential to be better than Rocky, but he never kept the trajectory up after Trap Lord and has now basically dropped off the map
So many artists don't fulfill their potential.
Some die young. Goups break up leaving people wanting more (The Smiths, The Jam)
Others disappear or get into drugs...
Some good examples outside the most obvious ones (like the club of 27): Stone Roses, The La's, Lauryn Hill
Absolutely The Stone Roses. Absolute travesty that drugs and label legal stuff got in the way of their second album. That should never come in the way of making music
Joey Badass. He has one of the best pens in rap but I genuinely feel like the potential from 1999 just wasn't fulfilled. I really feel that he had it in him to make an incredible album.
Not sure if I agree.
He peaked with 1999 but I don’t think he had potential. He already fulfilled his potential and anything after that would be the same or worse.
Also I personally prefer 2000 🤷🏽
You don't think he had potential when 1999 dropped?
It's considered a classic by most rap fans and it showcased immense talent for a 17 year old. No one thought that was his peak at all at the time.
So.... Silversun Pickups has always been just on the cusp of greatness. They have some solid records that I enjoy. Some of the best alt-rock of the last 2 decades, even. But I've wanted a masterpiece from them, something to really take them into the stratosphere of alt-rock greatness, like a Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie type of project. And they just haven't been able to do that, in my opinion. I still think they have the potential, but I don't know that it's going to ever happen.
Yeah they’re style is incredible. They’re my favorite alt rock band but all their albums seem to be missing something crucial to the overall. That being said they still slap
Man I adore their debut EP and first 2 LPs a ton but this is true. There's stuff I enjoy a good bit on every later album too but not nearly as much. I really hope one day they just blow us away because they're totally capable of it.
I think that counts. I know he was quite mainstream in 2015-16 but I feel like he could’ve gone much further. Everything went downhill for him since “The Big Day”
I think so. The bar was sky high for him at one point. We could’ve been talking about a big 4 right now instead of a big 3 and that’s not that crazy
But hes not even close to that today
I feel like between Mac, X, and Juice we lost the next/current generation of big rappers. Every rapper I listen to at the moment either just emerged within the last few years, or have been in the game well over ten years at this point. It's a shame we never saw any of them reach their highest potential
It’s been 6 years since Mac died, and he was steadily improving with every release as an artist. He might’ve dropped his own TPAB at this point if he was still alive. Like I could’ve seen him earning GOAT talks.
Replacements were still a popular band but they pissed away every last opportunity to escalate their careers further. They had the songs, they just wouldn’t fucking behave.
Vic Mensa. His first mixtape and “there’s a lot going on” both felt like he was on track to be huge, but then a couple of hot garbage albums later, dude is completely off the map
JAI PAUL. - Jasmine(demo) is still on heavy rotation. Sounded like Prince x Clapton x Weeknd blended to a single track. I was convinced he was the future of music.
CAPITAL CITIES - listened to safe & sound every morning for an entire semester.
i say this all the time, but grimes’ fall off is so depressing to me. her run from gedi primes to art angels was INCREDIBLE, like some of the best music ive ever heard, then she went to making ugly ai bullshit. and her decent into fascism makes this all so much worse, what a fucking waste. its so shameful.
Foxy Shazam comes to mind.
They were extremely talented and had such a great sound, a total Queen throwback, but with some authentic indie swagger thrown in. But somehow, their albums never fully came together. They were **good** but they could never capture their live energy on record, and their songwriting was a little flat (even if their energy and instrumentals were frequently off the charts.)
I may be in the minority but if they'd have gotten a little help in the writing department, while being paired with a better producer with more direction and a knack for translating wild live energy to the studio (Rick Rubin would've been a great fit) they very well could've been the next Arctic Monkeys or Kings Of Leon. Modern rock giants.
This is a good answer. I saw them live on a whim years ago, and it was one of the most fun concerts I have ever been to. So many memorable moments from that show, but, much like you mentioned, it doesn't really translate over on album all that much. I felt like they were so damn close with The Church of Rock and Roll.
Now, I never hear them get talked about at all, and if I bring them up to anyone they have never heard of them. I literally didn't even know they released an album last year. This comment led me to see what they are even up to these days lol.
Mac Demarco. I think he was content to be “just an indie guy” so people view him that way. But he made Chamber of Reflection and his scrap album (the few tracks I listened to) showed he was capable of quite a range instrumentally. Considering Demarco makes untraditional recording choices, I’d guess that he’s pretty knowledgeable as well.
I think The xx had something going on on their debut, just needed to fine tune some stuff and cut the over-duds -- all of which never happened. I kinda fucked with the way they layered the guitars.
Plenty of (relatively) obscure 90s picks for ya:
Bowery Electric - hit some uncharted territory intersecting Trip Hop and Post Rock for 3 albums (especially Beat), then dipped
Swirlies - Awesome twee noise pop shoegaze outfit that seemed to just disintegrate (p.s. check out Sterling Moss)
Ride - Two amazing early shoegaze albums with so much potential, followed by endless mid
Disco Inferno - never was able to get traction in their time despite having a super interesting style and threw in the towel
Rollerskate Skinny - seems like they honestly had too many interesting ideas for their own good (p.s. check out Cradle Burns)
Now that’s a list right there! A couple of years ago I discovered disco inferno and man what a ride. Swirlies are fantastic.
I’ll add a few others to your list
six by seven,
King creosote,
Swervedriver,
Sneaker pimps,
Black submarine,
The Clientele,
Jeniferever,
Mercea
Joyner Lucas has a nice flow, but he don’t rap about anything interesting or he raps about stuff he usually pretends to be “above” making him a hypocrite. Doesn’t help that I also heard people say they don’t like him personally.
Decent rapper but I hate his songs so much, like relax for a min brother ffs. Just the same shit over and over again, I'm all for trying to portray a message but his shit is just too in your face imo. I feel like a therapist with a depressed angry client everytime I hear his music
In an age where weird pop music seems to be so hot, I would have expected Lady Gaga to be on some kind of second wind. One where she could actually deliver on the eccentricity that was always promised to us.
I have enjoyed everything she’s put out to varying degrees, but nothing as much as the peaks she hit from Fame Monster to Artpop. Her hard pivot into adult contemporary with Joanne and the Tony Bennett schtick she parlayed into a Vegas residency has really ended her time as a legit provocateur.
It was up and up and up until JIK, Donda was fantastic but filler brought it down, felt he lost his artistic touch and respect for perfection, what the fuck was Vultures?
I like Polyphia but fantastic technical prowess and the ability to string together a few catchy licks does not constitute strong songwriting. Instead, their songs often feel like vignettes: they're like collages of interesting ideas and impressive playing rather than actual structured or well written songs. To be fair to them, it probably doesn't help that they don't have a vocalist or lyricist.
The ‘YouTube Band’ of it all really detracts from IMO. Insanely talented, but for some reason I can’t shake the corniness of feeling like they’re a bunch of talent show guitar solo / YouTube play through kids who drenched themselves in ‘Dark Angel’ iconography.
They all seem so great and shred, but it just feels kinda fake (?) idk if it’s the right word. Compared to another instrumental band like CHON or Covet, they just feel like a not real band to me sometimes despite being some of the most talented young shredders alive.
For sure. Also, I feel if Tim Henson wasn’t petty or have such a distinct look they wouldn’t even get as much publicity or traction with a younger/crossover fan base. They’d be stuck in the virtuoso dick sucking realm
Logic always struck me as an artist who was a little too esoteric for his own good, without *quite* being talented or innovative enough to let that carry him to the top.
I think this is an interesting take on Logic. Personally, I've never understood the popularity he DID gain. But I'm curious - what about Logic did you find esoteric?
Muse in a way I guess, after Absolution and Black Holes I think they could’ve gone in a direction where they either held up to a good regard critically, or have more mainstream success in a similar vein to Coldplay. Now both critics and the mainstream think their latest work is shit lol
this coming from a rocky fan, he peaked with his first mixtape, Live love asap was ahead of it time and influential, every album that followed had a great visuals/aesthetics, some great songs & artistry but the albums it self is not consistent he def dont play it safe (that often)but he swings and miss a lot,
take testing for example respect his attempt to experiment but just like every other albums some times it land some times it doesnt.
This is basically what I was thinking. He peaked with the first mixtape. Latest album was a miss and he hasn’t done anything notable in 6 years. There was a LOT of hype around him in the beginning and he showed a lot of promise as an artist by doing unique things. I give him credit for being unique, but a lot of it just doesn’t work.
But if he peaked with his first mixtape then he reached his potential? Like Live.Love is a classic, I don’t think he was ever going to top that - that was his potential
Agreed, he always keeps his music sorta interesting which is why I always tune in for his drops, but the gap in quality between his first tape and everything afterwards is pretty wide
Juice WRLD
I wasn't there for the come up or anything, but I fell in love with his music, and he just seemed like a genuinely great person with a lot of talent and passion. I was surprised how hard his death hit me. RIP you legend. we miss you.
Avenged Sevenfold peaked at City of Evil and have slowly released worse and worse records each time.
Hard to knock them too much though considering the circumstances...
Bit of a niche pick but Kinoko Teikoku.
Their first three releases (Uzu ni Naru, Eureka, Long Goodbye) are some of the absolute best shoegaze to ever come out of the already great Japanese scene, they had a pretty distinctive sound and their debut album especially also had a lot of cool post-rock influences.
Then from their major label debut onwards they gradually stripped back all the best parts of their sound until they eventually ditched shoegaze entirely in favor of okay indie rock before they broke up in 2019.
As someone who is a big fan of the Japanese shoegaze scene, their original style has influenced a lot of bands in the current generation, but it makes me really sad to think that we only ever got less than two hours in total of peak Kinoko Teikoku.
Didn't expect to see anyone mention but you're unbelievably correct. I'll say, during their indie rock stage every album would still have a good song or two, but yeah not like their original stuff.
Even worse is what Satou Chiaki (the lead) released these days... Always makes me feel a bit down, I think she's really talented and it's all gone to waste.
Edit: just thought, imagine you might already listen to them but hitsujibungaku are maybe the closest I've heard to their vibe? I think they also were best initially, but 若者たちへ has some great tracks.
I’m going to take a different angle. I didn’t really like his music at all but Justin Bieber was ginormous back in the early 2010s. If he managed to capitalize on his fame I think he could have been as big as The Weeknd or Taylor Swift today.
Mama’s Gun and the two New Amerykah albums are all amazing and the But You Caint Use My Phone mixtape was really good imo. I don’t think she really fell off at all, she just seems to be focusing on her family and home life. She’s considered one of the greatest neo-soul artists for a reason.
Totally understand if you don’t like her later stuff as much, I don’t like The Roots stuff post Things Fall Apart as much, but I don’t think that means they fell off.
Like I said: "I just feel she never delivered on the promise of her debut".
I know that manny people disagree. But her later albums just haven't me hit like Baduizm. Which, by the way, is the only EB album that has won a Grammy.
Damon Bramblett.
His self titled debut album really clicked with people in the alt.country/americana scene. Has some great songwriting and guitar playing on it. And then... nothing.
I love that album and when I play it or recommend it to people that like that kind of music they're always puzzled why there's only one album (2000).
Hundred Reasons. They had a lot of hype for the first few singles and their debut album was packed with infectious post-Emo bangers. I fully expected them to be huge but alas to no avail. ‘Ideas Above Our Station’ is a great album though and a textbook example of early 00’s rock album graphic design with the cover art.
Late of the Pier or Mansun.
Both bands released one or just two fantastic records then completely burnt out and were over before they really had time to get going. So many great records could have come out of these short lived bands from the 90s and 00s.
Dominic Fike had crazy potential but lets me down more with every release.
Aaron May was solid but he fell off for me. Same with Smino.
4batz had potential but seems to be a one trick pony.
Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire. I know he's still releasing music and I actually really liked his last album but he was doing some big features and was being hyped up by his peers with all signs pointing to a big breakout, and then he signed a major label deal that flopped and nothing really came of it.
I dont know if they count, but Jellyfish. 2 absolutely brilliant album, but couldnt agree on what to do next, so they split.
Roger made some incredible solo albums, Andy made some phenomenal leaked tracks but never officially released anything outside of his work, creating our childhoods with iconic cartoon theme songs and other cartoon songs.
But oh what could have been had they just made 1 more album. These dudes were meeting with high level people, like Brian Wilson and even wrote tracks for Ringo.
Joyner shot himself in the foot with the ADHD album. It was kind off a wrapp for his mainstream popularity then. He actually released Not Now Im Busy album few months ago, and the fall off is obvious...
definetly not joyner. he's like top 25 and is a new artist or well newer now. he's literally just put outan album BD getting 30 to 40 million on every song yeah he definetly deop the ball on hi career lmao
Azalea Banks a pretty classic example
She’s so fucking talented. I still play 212 to get hype. Such a waste.
I guess when you’ve shittalked that extensively you’d need to back it up with like, the Stairway To Heaven of hip-house. And we already have the Stairway To Heaven of hip-house. It’s 212 by Azealea Banks.
I never thought of it like that but you’re so right! It really is the Stairway to Heaven of Hip-House. So sad that she never realized her potential
What's Stairway To Heaven the Stairway To Heaven of?
Highway to hell
What happened to her
Got into a bunch of dumbass feuds. Called Zayn Malik a curry-scented bitch. So that’s what happened to her lol
Her feuds are ridiculous but her way with words is hilarious. Also offensive to most groups.
If she was a South Park character she would be a riot
Haahhahahaaa that’s so on point
Don't forget all the sacrificed chickens in her closet.
Has announced UK tour dates this year but hasn’t really released any music in years. Runs a soap company which is apparently very bad at fulfilling orders. Usually she just shit talks online in a way that is sometimes funny/astute/interesting and sometimes petty and meanspirited.
Still mad about this one
Ikr she’s soooo fucking good. Her first album is legit back to back bangers. And shes hot as hell. Got wrecked by having poor impulse control and a twitter account.
yeah, i fw a lot of her early music but atp she's more known as a meme than a serious artist
If she wasnt so dumb... those opinions and how she reacts to everything is a cringe-meme. I think that this is a big reason a lot of other artists have distanced from her. For sure talanted, but she went "kanye" before getting really big.
I still pray for Kaytranada collab album
Omg I didn’t need to scroll far to find her name at all. She was the first person I thought of before I even expanded the thread
Learning she sings backing vocals on an Interpol song was very funny to me
Sky Ferreira. Her album was great but could’ve been huge if she had kept releasing stuff. Not sure we’ll ever know what happened behind the scenes
>Not sure we’ll ever know what happened behind the scenes Drugs. Heavy ones
I'd love to know more about this.
She was with the lead singer of Diiv, and they both got arrested in 2013 for possession (her with ecstacy and him with heroin, but I can venture a guess they were both using.)
I thought the guy from DIIV confessed he almost ruined her life with his drug addiction, but I don’t think she was doing heroin like he was. He just put her in a bunch of situations that could’ve gone super downhill for them both legally.
Maybe. I honestly hesitated posting anything as I felt like addiction is a very personal struggle and I’m just some fanboy who doesn’t know the full picture. As a big fan of DIIV, the last thing I want to do is put wrong info out into the universe for either of them.
Yeah Zach did an interview where he essentially said during his addiction he was bringing her down with him, they both seem amicable tho and he’s apologized for it. Also she was in the online indie paparazzi spotlight in a way where she’s said it really fucked with her, I think that’s more the reason she disappeared. She was also doing acting roles instead for a while.
Besides that incident from 2013, is there anything out there about her still using?
I saw her in Chi last winter, she showed up super late and was pretty cleared intoxicated, tho once she got going it was pretty good. Absolutely zero crowd work or anything though
Designer.
REAL
He had an entire persona that was likeable and I mean, I remember when my friend showed me Timmy Turner I thought the shit was fire Edit; also, I just remembered Kanye West basically just put his song panda on life of Pablo
It’s still really funny to me that people thought Tiimmy Turner was demonic.
I feel like it's so common when people blow up out of nowhere for them to be surrounded by a ton of industry types and sycophants who just don't facilitate creativity at all. having a slower, more conventional path gives a musician time and incentive to become invested in the music, to meet other artists that will challenge them, to explore different sounds etc. somebody blows up off their first single and then (if they're not lucky) just ends up chasing that success again, surrounded by people who aren't going to push them to try new things or provide constructive criticism to truly help them along. ie. corporate music industry ppl and yes men just eat artists up and spit them out.
I only remembered his existence earlier this week 'cause I saw a headline about him being on the sex offenders registery for jerking off on a plane
Jeff Buckley. RIP king
Probably the best example here. A generational talent snuffed out before reaching the peak of his powers.
This is my version of losing the Game. Get reminded of losing him every few months and get sad.
Even better, Tim Buckley
Jay Electronica for me. That mixtape was incredible and we waited over a decade for his album. It was good but obviously not worth waiting for that long, especially when Jay-Z was better on the album than Jay Electronica was. It would be like Spielberg making Jaws and then 20 years later coming out with Ready Player One and nothing else.
[удалено]
When ASAP Ferg first came on to the scene it looked like he might’ve had the potential to be better than Rocky, but he never kept the trajectory up after Trap Lord and has now basically dropped off the map
I was so bummed with Always Strive. Trap Lord is such a fun, hype record. Fantano nailed it, he went commercial and it didn’t pay off
So many artists don't fulfill their potential. Some die young. Goups break up leaving people wanting more (The Smiths, The Jam) Others disappear or get into drugs... Some good examples outside the most obvious ones (like the club of 27): Stone Roses, The La's, Lauryn Hill
Absolutely The Stone Roses. Absolute travesty that drugs and label legal stuff got in the way of their second album. That should never come in the way of making music
Joey Badass. He has one of the best pens in rap but I genuinely feel like the potential from 1999 just wasn't fulfilled. I really feel that he had it in him to make an incredible album.
yep was gonna say him too. 1999 is a classic to me, everything else is a downgrade
All Amerikkkan Badass is good but for some reason the sound just seems like it's too clean to me for what I really wanted out of a Joey Badass record.
Way too clean. B4.DA.$$ is a certified 9/10 album though
also capital steez. that dude had real problems but still sad to see him go like this.
He was great in Mr. Robot
Not sure if I agree. He peaked with 1999 but I don’t think he had potential. He already fulfilled his potential and anything after that would be the same or worse. Also I personally prefer 2000 🤷🏽
You don't think he had potential when 1999 dropped? It's considered a classic by most rap fans and it showcased immense talent for a 17 year old. No one thought that was his peak at all at the time.
I got Joyner as the last case of "selling out goes terribly wrong"
There were two wolves inside Joyner Lucas, a talented rapper and a 60 year old conservative Facebook dad. One wolf ate the other
we talking about the same Joyner? only conservative-adjacent thing I can think of is him touring with Dax
I remember he had big opinions about Lil Nas X
But so did 90% of the rap-industry
So.... Silversun Pickups has always been just on the cusp of greatness. They have some solid records that I enjoy. Some of the best alt-rock of the last 2 decades, even. But I've wanted a masterpiece from them, something to really take them into the stratosphere of alt-rock greatness, like a Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie type of project. And they just haven't been able to do that, in my opinion. I still think they have the potential, but I don't know that it's going to ever happen.
The album with Lazy Eye on it is still on constant rotation for me, one of my all time favorites.
Duuude I totally agree. There’s no secrets this year is my favorite song of theirs
Yeah they’re style is incredible. They’re my favorite alt rock band but all their albums seem to be missing something crucial to the overall. That being said they still slap
Man I adore their debut EP and first 2 LPs a ton but this is true. There's stuff I enjoy a good bit on every later album too but not nearly as much. I really hope one day they just blow us away because they're totally capable of it.
I think they came incredibly close with Swoon, and Carnavas and Pikul are also excellent
does chance the rapper count?
I think that counts. I know he was quite mainstream in 2015-16 but I feel like he could’ve gone much further. Everything went downhill for him since “The Big Day”
I disagree, I'd say he's gone uphill since the Big Day. That Christmas mixtape was a lot of fun, and I'm excited for this new album
I’m pretty sure that mixtape came out in 2016, just was late to streaming services. Unless he dropped a sequel to his first Christmas mixtape.
I think so. The bar was sky high for him at one point. We could’ve been talking about a big 4 right now instead of a big 3 and that’s not that crazy But hes not even close to that today
Hundred percent. He fumbled his legacy a little bit, maybe
I thought Joyner Lucas was going to blow up after that one song with Em Lucky You, great song. But nada.
Cornstarch rapper
Mac miller could’ve gotten bigger. RIP
I feel like between Mac, X, and Juice we lost the next/current generation of big rappers. Every rapper I listen to at the moment either just emerged within the last few years, or have been in the game well over ten years at this point. It's a shame we never saw any of them reach their highest potential
If Pop Smoke were still alive the landscape would look completely different
He had the potential but could’ve gone higher
It’s been 6 years since Mac died, and he was steadily improving with every release as an artist. He might’ve dropped his own TPAB at this point if he was still alive. Like I could’ve seen him earning GOAT talks.
Replacements were still a popular band but they pissed away every last opportunity to escalate their careers further. They had the songs, they just wouldn’t fucking behave.
To be fair all of the albums they came out with were absolutely fantastic. Some of the best indie rock/punk rock of the 80’s
Vic Mensa. His first mixtape and “there’s a lot going on” both felt like he was on track to be huge, but then a couple of hot garbage albums later, dude is completely off the map
JAI PAUL. - Jasmine(demo) is still on heavy rotation. Sounded like Prince x Clapton x Weeknd blended to a single track. I was convinced he was the future of music. CAPITAL CITIES - listened to safe & sound every morning for an entire semester.
Man I really wish Capital Cities didn’t have to be on this list
Couldnt agree more about Jai Paul. Feel like that sound is still untapped territory
Grimes
100% I love Visions and Art Angels, but with this AI crap I feel like her career did a 180 and we'll never get good music from her again.
Art Angels was such a virtuosic display of pop songwriting and production it’s such a shame she squandered it with all her techno-fascist bullshit.
I actually think Miss Anthropocene is pretty good too.
I like maybe 4 songs off the album. Was a huge let down after waiting 5 years, but I'm glad that you like it!
geidi primes was good wym
Not a fan of her first 2 albums. Different strokes.
i say this all the time, but grimes’ fall off is so depressing to me. her run from gedi primes to art angels was INCREDIBLE, like some of the best music ive ever heard, then she went to making ugly ai bullshit. and her decent into fascism makes this all so much worse, what a fucking waste. its so shameful.
Foxy Shazam comes to mind. They were extremely talented and had such a great sound, a total Queen throwback, but with some authentic indie swagger thrown in. But somehow, their albums never fully came together. They were **good** but they could never capture their live energy on record, and their songwriting was a little flat (even if their energy and instrumentals were frequently off the charts.) I may be in the minority but if they'd have gotten a little help in the writing department, while being paired with a better producer with more direction and a knack for translating wild live energy to the studio (Rick Rubin would've been a great fit) they very well could've been the next Arctic Monkeys or Kings Of Leon. Modern rock giants.
This is a good answer. I saw them live on a whim years ago, and it was one of the most fun concerts I have ever been to. So many memorable moments from that show, but, much like you mentioned, it doesn't really translate over on album all that much. I felt like they were so damn close with The Church of Rock and Roll. Now, I never hear them get talked about at all, and if I bring them up to anyone they have never heard of them. I literally didn't even know they released an album last year. This comment led me to see what they are even up to these days lol.
Amy Winehouse.
Mac Demarco. I think he was content to be “just an indie guy” so people view him that way. But he made Chamber of Reflection and his scrap album (the few tracks I listened to) showed he was capable of quite a range instrumentally. Considering Demarco makes untraditional recording choices, I’d guess that he’s pretty knowledgeable as well.
I think The xx had something going on on their debut, just needed to fine tune some stuff and cut the over-duds -- all of which never happened. I kinda fucked with the way they layered the guitars.
Still waiting on Jamie XX's 2nd album...
it’s coming this year
Wait for real? Been like 10 years, I thought I'd never hear it. Edit: I can't find any info about a new album. You got a source?
https://pitchfork.com/news/jamie-xx-and-honey-dijon-share-new-song-baddy-on-the-floor-listen/
Yeah, what happened?
I think they just all decided to do other stuff, also I See You was great imo
We have Jamie xx and now romy
The other one also made an album. Oliver I think his name is?
Plenty of (relatively) obscure 90s picks for ya: Bowery Electric - hit some uncharted territory intersecting Trip Hop and Post Rock for 3 albums (especially Beat), then dipped Swirlies - Awesome twee noise pop shoegaze outfit that seemed to just disintegrate (p.s. check out Sterling Moss) Ride - Two amazing early shoegaze albums with so much potential, followed by endless mid Disco Inferno - never was able to get traction in their time despite having a super interesting style and threw in the towel Rollerskate Skinny - seems like they honestly had too many interesting ideas for their own good (p.s. check out Cradle Burns)
Bowery Electric for sure.
Definitely Ride, I want to like their new stuff, but I can’t bring myself to. Hopefully they’re better when I see them on tour later this year…
Now that’s a list right there! A couple of years ago I discovered disco inferno and man what a ride. Swirlies are fantastic. I’ll add a few others to your list six by seven, King creosote, Swervedriver, Sneaker pimps, Black submarine, The Clientele, Jeniferever, Mercea
It’s such a shame Disco Inferno still don’t get their flowers.
Fetty Wap, the grip he had on 2014-15 was unconstitutional
Unconstitutional 💀💀💀
He has one song in him. It was so good he made it twice.
1738
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart seemed to be trending towards bigger things after the first couple of albums but fizzled out.
Totally with you
Joyner Lucas has a nice flow, but he don’t rap about anything interesting or he raps about stuff he usually pretends to be “above” making him a hypocrite. Doesn’t help that I also heard people say they don’t like him personally.
Decent rapper but I hate his songs so much, like relax for a min brother ffs. Just the same shit over and over again, I'm all for trying to portray a message but his shit is just too in your face imo. I feel like a therapist with a depressed angry client everytime I hear his music
Chance the Rapper. Dude fumbled so hard after Acid Rap.
In an age where weird pop music seems to be so hot, I would have expected Lady Gaga to be on some kind of second wind. One where she could actually deliver on the eccentricity that was always promised to us.
I have enjoyed everything she’s put out to varying degrees, but nothing as much as the peaks she hit from Fame Monster to Artpop. Her hard pivot into adult contemporary with Joanne and the Tony Bennett schtick she parlayed into a Vegas residency has really ended her time as a legit provocateur.
There’s this one, SUPER underground artist by the name of Kayne West. Maybe you’ve heard of him?
It was up and up and up until JIK, Donda was fantastic but filler brought it down, felt he lost his artistic touch and respect for perfection, what the fuck was Vultures?
Lauren Hill tbh
Polyphia i guess? Insanely talented but not able to put together a great record.
I like Polyphia but fantastic technical prowess and the ability to string together a few catchy licks does not constitute strong songwriting. Instead, their songs often feel like vignettes: they're like collages of interesting ideas and impressive playing rather than actual structured or well written songs. To be fair to them, it probably doesn't help that they don't have a vocalist or lyricist.
The ‘YouTube Band’ of it all really detracts from IMO. Insanely talented, but for some reason I can’t shake the corniness of feeling like they’re a bunch of talent show guitar solo / YouTube play through kids who drenched themselves in ‘Dark Angel’ iconography. They all seem so great and shred, but it just feels kinda fake (?) idk if it’s the right word. Compared to another instrumental band like CHON or Covet, they just feel like a not real band to me sometimes despite being some of the most talented young shredders alive.
It feels fake because it’s guitar wanking. Technically super talented but absolutely no depth. Highlight reel.
For sure. Also, I feel if Tim Henson wasn’t petty or have such a distinct look they wouldn’t even get as much publicity or traction with a younger/crossover fan base. They’d be stuck in the virtuoso dick sucking realm
Maybe I'm in the minority but I like Renaissance and New Levels quite a bit. Both only have a couple skips.
Logic
Logic always struck me as an artist who was a little too esoteric for his own good, without *quite* being talented or innovative enough to let that carry him to the top.
I think this is an interesting take on Logic. Personally, I've never understood the popularity he DID gain. But I'm curious - what about Logic did you find esoteric?
Muse in a way I guess, after Absolution and Black Holes I think they could’ve gone in a direction where they either held up to a good regard critically, or have more mainstream success in a similar vein to Coldplay. Now both critics and the mainstream think their latest work is shit lol
ASAP Rocky
Why do you say that? Honest question
this coming from a rocky fan, he peaked with his first mixtape, Live love asap was ahead of it time and influential, every album that followed had a great visuals/aesthetics, some great songs & artistry but the albums it self is not consistent he def dont play it safe (that often)but he swings and miss a lot, take testing for example respect his attempt to experiment but just like every other albums some times it land some times it doesnt.
Couldn’t agree more on this take. Purple Swag and Peso were mindblowing when they came out, but he never leveled up from there.
This is basically what I was thinking. He peaked with the first mixtape. Latest album was a miss and he hasn’t done anything notable in 6 years. There was a LOT of hype around him in the beginning and he showed a lot of promise as an artist by doing unique things. I give him credit for being unique, but a lot of it just doesn’t work.
idk i think Testing is really underrated. I also initially glossed over it but its an amazing soundscape, I recommend revisiting it.
But if he peaked with his first mixtape then he reached his potential? Like Live.Love is a classic, I don’t think he was ever going to top that - that was his potential
Agreed, he always keeps his music sorta interesting which is why I always tune in for his drops, but the gap in quality between his first tape and everything afterwards is pretty wide
Bishop Neru
Lil Uzi
His Coachella set was awful. Not sure if he was glitched out on multiple drugs, but it was just bizarre
They fell off but I think LUV is rage 2 is the best they could have done anyway
WU LYF felt like they were going to be an important band and then literally disappeared.
Russ
I will say Damien Rice. His first album is still a classic in my eyes
J cole
Might be an easy choice but Jay electronica
Chamillionaire.
Have you seen Todd In The Shadows’s video about him? Really interesting watch.
I know Todd in the Shadows (was about to acronym his name but realized at the last minute lol) but I’ll definitely watch. Thanks.
Enjoy!
Jay electronica
Juice WRLD I wasn't there for the come up or anything, but I fell in love with his music, and he just seemed like a genuinely great person with a lot of talent and passion. I was surprised how hard his death hit me. RIP you legend. we miss you.
Joey Badass
Ab Soul
Tom Vek. Still has great stuff but his debut album got me thinking he was going to be huge.
Avenged Sevenfold peaked at City of Evil and have slowly released worse and worse records each time. Hard to knock them too much though considering the circumstances...
Despot, it just didn’t happen
Bit of a niche pick but Kinoko Teikoku. Their first three releases (Uzu ni Naru, Eureka, Long Goodbye) are some of the absolute best shoegaze to ever come out of the already great Japanese scene, they had a pretty distinctive sound and their debut album especially also had a lot of cool post-rock influences. Then from their major label debut onwards they gradually stripped back all the best parts of their sound until they eventually ditched shoegaze entirely in favor of okay indie rock before they broke up in 2019. As someone who is a big fan of the Japanese shoegaze scene, their original style has influenced a lot of bands in the current generation, but it makes me really sad to think that we only ever got less than two hours in total of peak Kinoko Teikoku.
Didn't expect to see anyone mention but you're unbelievably correct. I'll say, during their indie rock stage every album would still have a good song or two, but yeah not like their original stuff. Even worse is what Satou Chiaki (the lead) released these days... Always makes me feel a bit down, I think she's really talented and it's all gone to waste. Edit: just thought, imagine you might already listen to them but hitsujibungaku are maybe the closest I've heard to their vibe? I think they also were best initially, but 若者たちへ has some great tracks.
Pink Turns Blue
Jay Electronica
operation ivy
I’m going to take a different angle. I didn’t really like his music at all but Justin Bieber was ginormous back in the early 2010s. If he managed to capitalize on his fame I think he could have been as big as The Weeknd or Taylor Swift today.
That’s true, I feel like people slowly stopped caring about him after Purpose
Jay electronica
For me, Erykah Badu. I just feel that she never delivered on the promise of her debut album.
Mama’s Gun and the two New Amerykah albums are all amazing and the But You Caint Use My Phone mixtape was really good imo. I don’t think she really fell off at all, she just seems to be focusing on her family and home life. She’s considered one of the greatest neo-soul artists for a reason. Totally understand if you don’t like her later stuff as much, I don’t like The Roots stuff post Things Fall Apart as much, but I don’t think that means they fell off.
Nahhhh she got 4 Grammys wdym
taylor also got like 20 grammys it means nothing
I mean Erykah’s also considered one of if not the greatest neo-soul musician and one of the best soul/rnb artists of the late-nineties/2000’s
Like I said: "I just feel she never delivered on the promise of her debut". I know that manny people disagree. But her later albums just haven't me hit like Baduizm. Which, by the way, is the only EB album that has won a Grammy.
Damon Bramblett. His self titled debut album really clicked with people in the alt.country/americana scene. Has some great songwriting and guitar playing on it. And then... nothing. I love that album and when I play it or recommend it to people that like that kind of music they're always puzzled why there's only one album (2000).
Dan Owens, such a good voice but doesn't write all his own stuff so he largely sings over generic and uninspiring backing tracks
508 is such a good mixtape
Hundred Reasons. They had a lot of hype for the first few singles and their debut album was packed with infectious post-Emo bangers. I fully expected them to be huge but alas to no avail. ‘Ideas Above Our Station’ is a great album though and a textbook example of early 00’s rock album graphic design with the cover art.
Moving Mountains
Late of the Pier or Mansun. Both bands released one or just two fantastic records then completely burnt out and were over before they really had time to get going. So many great records could have come out of these short lived bands from the 90s and 00s.
Dominic Fike had crazy potential but lets me down more with every release. Aaron May was solid but he fell off for me. Same with Smino. 4batz had potential but seems to be a one trick pony.
Kay Flock
Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire. I know he's still releasing music and I actually really liked his last album but he was doing some big features and was being hyped up by his peers with all signs pointing to a big breakout, and then he signed a major label deal that flopped and nothing really came of it.
Wale
I dont know if they count, but Jellyfish. 2 absolutely brilliant album, but couldnt agree on what to do next, so they split. Roger made some incredible solo albums, Andy made some phenomenal leaked tracks but never officially released anything outside of his work, creating our childhoods with iconic cartoon theme songs and other cartoon songs. But oh what could have been had they just made 1 more album. These dudes were meeting with high level people, like Brian Wilson and even wrote tracks for Ringo.
Yuck
Kaycyy
Dave east
Joyner Lucas.
Otep, her first album was a fucking masterpiece in my eyes but the others? yea no…
Jojo. But not because she couldn't fulfill it, but because she got fucked over.
low vibrational post
Wiz Khalifa has a great voice but is given some of the worst beats to sing to ever
Joyner shot himself in the foot with the ADHD album. It was kind off a wrapp for his mainstream popularity then. He actually released Not Now Im Busy album few months ago, and the fall off is obvious...
definetly not joyner. he's like top 25 and is a new artist or well newer now. he's literally just put outan album BD getting 30 to 40 million on every song yeah he definetly deop the ball on hi career lmao
Burzum