When musicians began in one genre and then sold out so they could reach the pop charts it’s considered a crime in the world of rock and roll. Take a look at The 7 Biggest Classic Rock Bands Sellouts:
7. Genesis
More than four decades ago, Genesis released the double concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, their sixth studio album, their masterpiece, and the group’s last album with Peter Gabriel. After Gabriel left, Genesis went from hero to zero when they sold out with the album Invisible Touch, but what else they were supposed to do, right?
6. Guns N’ Roses
When almost every original member of Guns N’ Roses left the band, that’s where it all started – all these members left the band talentless with Axl Rose being left behind. With Chinese Democracy, fans were very disappointed – it was nothing like the first two albums of the band.
5. David Bowie
David Bowie was, without a doubt, a British rock music legend, and honored by fans and artists worldwide. But if you look at his late 80s and 90s music, that’s where he began selling out. Bowies fans were somewhat dissatisfied but he retaliated with ‘The Next Day’ and ‘Blackstar’ albums, the last two finest albums before he passed away.
4. Yes
In the 80s, the group had its inner issues, and original members decided to go their separate ways. That’s where Chris Squire and Alan White chose to form the new YES band called the CINEMA, this is where they became a more pop-oriented group trying to please the US market. And when Tony Kaye rejoined the group they decided to change back their name to YES. Fans were devastated because they were longing for the prog-rock song such as the band’s 1971 album, Fragile.
3. KISS
Well, they are probably the number one sell-out band in the history of rock and roll. They are the benchmark of what it is to be a sell-out band. The only goals of this band were to get rich and famous, but, of course, no one can definitely touch their marketing skills.
https://youtu.be/3Hg3q2YfnP8
2. Metallica
When Metallica prioritize getting on the top instead of staying true to their genre, fans were displeased – the thrash metal legends became a multi-million dollar corporate band – turning visions into profits with such albums ‘Load’, and ‘Re-Load’.
1 . Aerosmith
It started with a particularly profitable collaboration with Run D.M.C. and proceeded on with the popular videos for “Crazy” and “Cryin’” starring Alicia Silverstone. However, the climax of their accomplishment and ‘how-to-get-rich’ scheme was the soundtrack for the film “Armageddon” — the iconic “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” that revealed the true potential of mainstream music. Fans were not actually unhappy, well, the song was pretty great.