What are some of the best examples of musicians that have changed their genre and stayed top notch? There are plenty of examples of people going pop from whatever genre of music but you rarely see it happen the other way.

Also has there ever been anyone who has done some huge change like go from pop music to metal? I can't think of any that have done that.

quote:

---

Chris Gaines transitioned from pop to country fairly well

---

John Mayer went from pop to blues in his recording career. His pop stuff was pretty popular so I guess it was good.

Green Day went from punk to pop.

Some big names/bands that had dramatic changes:

Bee Gees - they were a folk/psychedelic rock group for over a decade, then went Disco/pop later. Barry Gibbs trademark falsetto vocals were never used in their early work.

The Byrds - originally a folk/psychedelic rock band they later went country/bluegrass

Fleetwood Mac - originally a British Blues Band they retooled completely when original vocalists and guitarists left adding Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and becoming a straight pop/rock band.

Kenny Rogers - originally was a 60's hippie and rockabilly artist, then went straight country in the mid 70s






Perhaps not as dramatic of a shift:

Gwen Stefani - more punk inspired up tempo rock with No Doubt, and straight pop as a solo artist



Others that had moderate success in another genre before finding their groove:

Katy Perry - Christian music as Katy Hudson before she tasted the forbidden fruit (kissed a girl) and went pop.

Beastie Boys - originally a punk band before they included hip-hop and went that route

Go Go's - also originally a punk band before moving to more new wave inspired pop

Ministry

U2 has had several incarnations. All of them pretty damn solid.

quote:

---

U2 has had several incarnations. All of them pretty damn solid.

---

ugh - except for that horrible Pop/Discoteque period.

quote:

---

quote:

---

U2 has had several incarnations. All of them pretty damn solid.

---

ugh - except for that horrible Pop/Discoteque period.

---

Point taken. That album with "Lemon" absolutely blows. Maybe the next one, too. Can't remember.

quote:

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

U2 has had several incarnations. All of them pretty damn solid.

---

ugh - except for that horrible Pop/Discoteque period.

---

Point taken. That album with "Lemon" absolutely blows. Maybe the next one, too. Can't remember.

---

yeah

Zooropa album in 93 had the songs Lemon, Zooropa and Numb....meh at best

Pop album in 97 had the song Discoteque and not much else it was godawful

thank god they found their way again in 2000 with All That You Can't Leave Behind

quote:

---

Spinal Tap from pop rock, to hippy pop, to glam rock, to blues/jazz

---

EOT

Taylor Swift was very successful as a country star before transitioning to one of the most successful pop stars.

That transition obviously isn't super tough for her since her "country" was always fringe pop/country anyway, but it should be noted.

quote:

---

Darius Rucker has been good at both things he's tried.

---

michaelscottNOOOOOO.gif

Eric Clapton?

Alanis Morrisette from teen kiosk queen to Jagged little pill.

quote:

---

Alanis Morrisette from teen kiosk queen to Jagged little pill.

---

IMO she went from "not good" to "good."

Stewart Copeland - Drummer for The Police to movie soundtrack composer

Joe Strummer - Punk with The Clash to generally kick-ass rock and roll with The Mescaleros.

Dave Grohl - Drummer with punk/grunge band to lead guitarist of rock band

The Byrds went from folk/ psychedelic to country

quote:

---

quote:

---

Alanis Morrisette from teen kiosk queen to Jagged little pill.

---

IMO she went from "not good" to "good."

---

and isnt that ironic

quote:

---

Darius Rucker has been good at both things he's tried.

---

Successful singer/songwriter that found success in a 90's pop band to commercial success as a solo country artist.

Some people hate him because they hated Hootie's over-exposure of the late 90's...but he's done extremely well.

Kid Rock started out with the cheesy rap/rock fad of the late 90's that was big on the pop charts...but has transitioned to country/southern rock and had several hits.

quote:

---

Alanis Morrisette from teen kiosk queen to Jagged little pill.

---

She should have bought a f***ing dictionary along the way.

All of those events are simply unfortunate, Alanis. They are not ironic.

quote:

---

Ministry

---

First band that came to mind, Pantera would be the other

Surprised no on has mentioned Beck or Queen
Also Sufjan Stevens, Mike Patton.
King Crimson and, more recently, Opeth

quote:

---

Stewart Copeland - Drummer for The Police to movie soundtrack composer

---

Add Danny Elfman (obviously) and Trent Reznor to soundtrack composer list

The obvious choice would be Radiohead going from Grunge Rock to a more developed Indie Rock style with electronic elements, then to straight-up electronic music (and sometimes back to rock).

The Brian Jonestown Massacre's output in the 90's was pretty ridiculous. Started as a shoegaze group in '95 (Methodrone) then moved to a more normal rock sound in the same year (Spacegirl).

Then they released 3 albums in 1996, a striaght up 70's rock album (Take It From the Man!), a psychedelic masterpiece (Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request), and a country/folk album (Thank God for Mental Illness).

And finally, back to psych for what is probably their best overall record (Give it Back!) in '97 and then their most accessible pop/rock album (Strung Out in Heaven) in '98.

Pretty amazing production for just 4 years. Had a couple of other very good albums in the early aughts, but I don't really dig their recent EDM period. Just proves Anton Newcombe is a musical chameleon, though.

quote:

---

Stewart Copeland - Drummer for The Police to movie soundtrack composer

---

Add to the list Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead guitarist who now scores Paul Thomas Anderson'a movies.

Bob Schneider. Ska, Rock, Pop, alt country

Daft Punk...house to electronic to soundtrack to pop