Artists Who Never Strayed from Their Roots (But Should Have)

[Death on Credit]

There are some very insightful comments in the other thread about how problematic it can be when an artist or band tries too hard to be experimental, or to keep pushing themselves into new directions. While there are also plenty of bands that do not try to be too experimental, most acts have a tendency to grow or change at least a little bit from album to album. It's hard to imagine, for instance, that the Beatles would have been the powerful force that they are if they had stuck with songs along the lines of I Want to Hold Your Hand.

However, some artists end up finding a formula that works very well, and then get a little bit too comfortable with that formula....Such as:

AC/DC

AC/DC are the punchline of every joke about highly formulaic rock music, with even their most ardent fans joking that most of their albums sound the same. Angus Young acknowledges these criticisms, but maintains that "the simpler, the better."

The Ramones

The Ramones 3-chord assault was revolutionary in its time. Unfortunately, after a while, there really is only so much you can do when you refuse to play any more than 3 chords, and their music got very repetitive as the years went on.

Chuck Berry

Chuck is a legend in rock 'n roll, and rightfully so. He is easily one of, if not the most important artist to emerge from the '50's. Over the course of a career spanning nearly six decades, the man who practically invented rock guitar has not only showed little willingness to change his sound, but he has been playing the exact same set of songs nearly from the beginning. It's interesting to think what he might have done if he hadn't gotten so comfortable playing Johnny B. Goode and Roll Over Beethoven ad infinitum.

 

[Slip'nn2Darkness]

Concerning my opinion on AC/DC.. I'm glad they stuck with their formula.. They came back around after 20 years on a Hiatus and still played that formula and if you take in account how long they have been around, it's a good thing since why change a good thing..
KISS could also be to blame for staying with the same formula but it's also something that devoted fans enjoy while everybody else is trying to fit into some form of genre.
It's all about staying power to these bands and not about fitting into what's popular..
Bands like Rival Sons and Chickenfoot have resurrected a old school sound..
My thing I see is there too many fickle audiences to have to cater too..
What is popular these days dwindles down to only a small following after the next new flavor comes around..

 

[Powerage]

3 of the most respected artists in their fields, in my opinion at least, change isn't much of a good thing. Not many artists I like changed for the better.

 

[Riff Raff]

Ac/dc are a band who made things work by sticking with a formula. I really don't see why bands should change for the sake of it, that is never a good thing either. Ac/dc would not be Ac/dc if they changed their sound now, they had chances to in the 80s when sales dipped but they didn't and if anything they deserve respect for that.

I am fine for bands willing to experiment but only if its not just for the sake of it otherwise its just bland and pointless. A lot of experiments tend to backfire anyway when it comes to the fans and how albums sell. That comes with taking a risk. Some bands believe in the don't fix what isn't broken philosophy and I think thats fair enough. Some find that tedious which I can understand but there are other bands to choose from.

 

[CLASIKROKR]

I would say that its much more dangerous for a band to stray too far from its roots, and many times do not find their way back to prominence, ie Rush, Def Leppard,Styx.

 

[ecisgod]

I generally think artists shouldn't stray from their roots. I'm sure some artists have been successful with a "Change", but most of my favourite bands have stuck with their roots and I'm very thankful that they did....

Just my thoughts...

 

[Riff Raff]

I think artists can experiment but still retain their original formula. I think its a matter of how big a step it is they take. Some take really huge steps from one album to the next quite often being disappointment. I think if bands want to make changes do it gradually, try to incorporate more influences in there but not do too much.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Probably a controversial opinion here, but I would say Pearl Jam. They've been chugging along with that same classic Pearl Jam sound since they began. I'm sure some fans would disagree, but I've heard every album and it all sounds similar to me personally -- which was AMAZING for the first few albums and then became increasingly less so with each new record. Eddie Vedder knocked one out of the park when he digressed a bit with a more acoustic style on the Into The Wild soundtrack, PJ should have started down that path a long time ago and then evolved into something new by today. I could see them doing great things in industrial, indie, pop-rock, hard rock, maybe a retro jam-band kind of thing or even a stripped down, country styled record; I think there are a lot of different avenues they could have explored by now.

L7 was one of the grungiest of the grunge bands and I love them for exactly that. But I feel like they could have stayed on top instead of disappearing if they had chose to evolve with the times. When the zeitgeist switched from grunge to self-assured pop-rock ala No Doubt and Garbage, they could have easily come out with a power-packed new format. 'Course I'd love to see them come back with a balls to the wall grunge album again, too, if they ever reformed.

Also I could name a lot of metal bands that stick to their roots. You know me, I want to see some variety out there. I can't blame them for not trying, though, as metal bands have a notoriously bad track record when it comes to leaving the old ways behind. I'd be worried, too, were I them.

 

[Death on Credit]

I generally think artists shouldn't stray from their roots. I'm sure some artists have been successful with a "Change", but most of my favourite bands have stuck with their roots and I'm very thankful that they did....

Just my thoughts...

Interesting...

What bands do you like that never evolved?