Diminishing legacies

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

What are some artists you can think of who seem to have lessened their legacy, or even tarnished it over time due to reputation or musical output that just made people lose interest?

Obviously you have artists like R. Kelly, who's legacy somehow remained and grew over time despite accusations against him but the last few months he's taken a hit.

But then you have artists who didn't do that but whose music or even general pop culture present kind of tainted what could have been a strong legacy.

The example that inspired this thread idea for me was Gwen Stefani. No Doubt were a huge band in the mid-90s and despite their popularity on radio, it seemed to me that they kept their credibility and even after Rock Steady, they were still cool. I don't think Gwen's first solo album was much of a bullet against the band despite it being full on pop. I'm sure some "sell out" was uttered at some point during Rock Steady and LAMB, but when Gwen's second album came out, I felt like that was a hit against the band's potential legacy. While she's done well enough since then, with her role on the reality shows and new marriage and all that, I get the impression No Doubt's legacy isn't what it could have been.

A much smaller example to me, and I'll probably be dragged for this, is Madonna. She's legendary and her music did to women in pop what the Beatles did for rock n roll. And while I don't think her earlier music has become any less beloved over time, the name Madonna doesn't strike Royalty the way it used to and I think a lot of it might be due to her lacklustre last couple albums, particularly Hard Candy and MDNA - where she was seen as a leader in music, those albums came in the middle or on the tail-end of their respective sounds. Plus her social media presence often doesn't help her.

Drag me and/or discuss!

[Enigma.]

Hmmm. We held a Madonna party here at my home town and almost thousand people showed up. She has a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fanbase that spans three decades, but yea her CURRENT image is not the best.

Gwen Stefani is a good call though, Justin Timberlake comes to mind too.

[Glove Slap]

Gwen Stefani is definitely one, neither she nor ND did any legacy upkeep and it really took its toll.

Another one, since diminished implies there still is a legacy, is Shania Twain. There was a poll a few years back whether her or Taylor Swift would be seen as more iconic, and I was in the Taylor corner because she'd make sure her impact and status was brought up after she shifted to being a legacy act. Shania is known as someone who was very successful, but her status as someone who made musical waves and had an impact on Country music has moved into the background over the past decade.

JT is in limbo right now. He'll never be a top-tier current popstar again (he's nearing 40 and has been in the public eye for over twenty years), but he could present the image of a solid entertainer with his connections and some high-profile performances (he's lucky the SB was kinda forgotten, which leaves room to work with), or just let that slip by.

Madonna is a very peculiar case, because her legacy is so far above most acts (and certainly female acts) that even if she fell a few pegs, she'd still be towering above others. But ultimately, I don't think things like Hard Candy and MDNA will be thought of much aside from when people list how many #1 albums she had because her legacy was solidified a decade prior, and then re-referenced many times. You can use her now-deceased 80s contemporaries as to illustrate what I mean. When Whitney died, her image was presented prior to her succumbing to addiction, when Prince died, they used the Purple Rain imagery and not the Jehova's Witness stuff or label drama, when Michael died, they went back to the OTW & Thriller eras mostly and not when his appearance had changed very dramatically and people were making nose and diddler jokes (and no, that documentary did not lessen Michael's legacy). Madonna's Instagram account and grills aren't what's going to be used to present her image in the long run.

[leonagwen]

Garth Brooks

[cassiuscasanova]

Fergie would be a good example, definitely ciara

[Enigma.]

Oh yes, poor Shania although she had huge health problems to accelerate this.

I think Come on Over will always be regarded as a pop culture moment but that's about it.

[tanooki]

Eminem - the dude spent the early 2000s dominating everything and then made some of the worst albums ever

Michael Jackson - self explanatory what happened there

Kanye West - great music but the guy is a dingus

[Dreams]

I think Brandy is a good example.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Mar 31, 2019 19:28:12 GMT -5 leonagwen said:

Why the shade against Gwen? Gwen's first 2 solo albums were big succeses.Her 3rd album was pretty good even though it didnt have the hits that LAMB or The Sweet Escape had. Used To Love You from her 3rd album is one of my favorite songs from Gwen. She also had a successful Christmas album back in 2017. She also sells out her shows in Vegas, so the demand is their for her.As far as No Doubt is concerned,their last album was released in 2012, 11 years after their previous album Rock Steady.I would say that Gwen's legacy is still going strong but not sure about No Doubt.

Why is any discussion seen as being "shade"? We mentioned some of why we thought the way we did. I love Gwen, and No Doubt, but at least take off the stan glasses before you participate in threads outside of the artist threads.

[Okay]

Definitely JK Rowling

He's doesn't have a legacy, but I'd still say B.O.B. with his flat earth shit.

[Deleted]

Mar 31, 2019 20:02:00 GMT -5 Okay said:

Definitely JK Rowling

He's doesn't have a legacy, but I'd still say B.O.B. with his flat earth s**t.

Damn he really did fall off the map
Airplanes, Nothin On You, and a bunch of his songs from then still are great

[collegedropout]

Britney Spears. She was well on her way to becoming a pop music legend. Perhaps the white Janet Jackson. Today she is just a nostalgia act like the Backstreet Boys.

[collegedropout]

Mar 31, 2019 13:24:08 GMT -5 Glove Slap said:

Madonna is a very peculiar case, because her legacy is so far above most acts (and certainly female acts) that even if she fell a few pegs, she'd still be towering above others. But ultimately, I don't think things like Hard Candy and MDNA will be thought of much aside from when people list how many #1 albums she had because her legacy was solidified a decade prior, and then re-referenced many times. You can use her now-deceased 80s contemporaries as to illustrate what I mean. When Whitney died, her image was presented prior to her succumbing to addiction, when Prince died, they used the Purple Rain imagery and not the Jehova's Witness stuff or label drama, when Michael died, they went back to the OTW & Thriller eras mostly and not when his appearance had changed very dramatically and people were making nose and diddler jokes (and no, that documentary did not lessen Michael's legacy). Madonna's Instagram account and grills aren't what's going to be used to present her image in the long run.

Agreed. Dying kind of saved their legacies in a way. MJ was seen as a joke before he died. Dying changed that (until the documentary happened). Whitney would be looked at the same way Mariah is right now losing her voice.

Which brings me to the next answer: Mariah Carey. If she would just stay off the stage and just make random appearances, she'd probably be fine. But her voice is gone and her music has gone down hill.

[mkarns]

Mar 31, 2019 20:22:18 GMT -5 @mirza said:

Mar 31, 2019 20:02:00 GMT -5 Okay said:

Definitely JK Rowling

He's doesn't have a legacy, but I'd still say B.O.B. with his flat earth s**t.

Damn he really did fall off the map
Airplanes, Nothin On You, and a bunch of his songs from then still are great

And I only remember them for the featured acts. This may be true for others as well; regarding Nothin' on You, he was the lead and Bruno Mars was the feature (giving Bruno his first hit.) Who's had the more lasting career and impact?

Kanye West, mentioned above, is another good example. His early albums were/are brilliant; later music has been spottier and it's become harder to appreciate or remember his musical abilities when most of what we've heard from him recently has been Kardashian-related tabloid stuff, various self-promotional antics, and the pro-Trump bulls**t.

[Future Captain]

Celine Dion maybe? She's definitely still pretty well respected, but these days despite her repertoire of massive hits in the 90s I think people mostly remember her for My Heart Will Go On.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

I actually think Celine's legacy or potential of it has improved in recent years. She's become more visible and while I feel like she became incredibly uncool in the early 2000s, in the last five years she seems to be much more self-aware. She's still incredibly cheesy, especially if you see some of her stuff on her Instagram lol, but she seems to be in on the joke rather than taking herself so seriously like she used to before. I don't think most of her songs are remembered with the exception of a handful but I feel like her name alone holds a lot of value.

[leonagwen]

Mar 31, 2019 19:36:15 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Mar 31, 2019 19:28:12 GMT -5 leonagwen said:

Why the shade against Gwen? Gwen's first 2 solo albums were big succeses.Her 3rd album was pretty good even though it didnt have the hits that LAMB or The Sweet Escape had. Used To Love You from her 3rd album is one of my favorite songs from Gwen. She also had a successful Christmas album back in 2017. She also sells out her shows in Vegas, so the demand is their for her.As far as No Doubt is concerned,their last album was released in 2012, 11 years after their previous album Rock Steady.I would say that Gwen's legacy is still going strong but not sure about No Doubt.

Why is any discussion seen as being "shade"? We mentioned some of why we thought the way we did. I love Gwen, and No Doubt, but at least take off the stan glasses before you participate in threads outside of the artist threads.

Sorry I posted on your thread . Delete my post .

[Deleted]

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Apr 1, 2019 1:45:38 GMT -5 leonagwen said:

Mar 31, 2019 19:36:15 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Why is any discussion seen as being "shade"? We mentioned some of why we thought the way we did. I love Gwen, and No Doubt, but at least take off the stan glasses before you participate in threads outside of the artist threads.

Sorry I posted on your thread . Delete my post .

So you'd rather avoid actual discussion than take off the stan glasses? lol

[Enigma.]

Mar 31, 2019 22:39:51 GMT -5 collegedropout said:

Mariah Carey. If she would just stay off the stage and just make random appearances, she'd probably be fine. But her voice is gone and her music has gone down hill.

www.metacritic.com/music/caution/mariah-carey

+ the yearly smash called All I Want for Christmas Is You

[Ezekiel 23:20–21]

Apr 1, 2019 5:02:33 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

One major underperforming album era doesn't necessarily do that. It certainly doesn't take away from all the success that she did have. She's still booked and doing other stuff.

[Deleted]

Apr 1, 2019 15:46:02 GMT -5 Ezekiel 23:20–21 said:

Apr 1, 2019 5:02:33 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

One major underperforming album era doesn't necessarily do that. It certainly doesn't take away from all the success that she did have. She's still booked and doing other stuff.

It's not that's she underperforming it the fact that's she spent three years doing nothing but embarrassing herself, she is just a joke now which yes takes away from her legacy. Ifs really just sad more than anything

[leonagwen]

Apr 1, 2019 16:00:12 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Apr 1, 2019 15:46:02 GMT -5 Ezekiel 23:20–21 said:

One major underperforming album era doesn't necessarily do that. It certainly doesn't take away from all the success that she did have. She's still booked and doing other stuff.

It's not that's she underperforming it the fact that's she spent three years doing nothing but embarrassing herself, she is just a joke now which yes takes away from her legacy. Ifs really just sad more than anything

The first thing she should do is change her hairstyle back to the dark long hair. This short blonde hair look is not doing it for her.

[wjr15]

Apr 1, 2019 5:02:33 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

[Wave.]

Apr 1, 2019 16:23:30 GMT -5 wjr15 said:

Apr 1, 2019 5:02:33 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

Boom. And how tf did she spend 3 years embarrassing herself. The FACT that she is still visible, not just musically, shes not going no where.

Also, the hair thing has to stop. You're not listening to blonde hair.

[wjr15]

Apr 1, 2019 16:27:42 GMT -5 Wave. said:

Apr 1, 2019 16:23:30 GMT -5 wjr15 said:

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

Boom. And how tf did she spend 3 years embarrassing herself. The FACT that she is still visible, not just musically, shes not going no where.

Also, the hair thing has to stop. You're not listening to blonde hair.

Even if she never gets another hit, she has the accomplishments to back up her legacy.

[Deleted]

Apr 1, 2019 16:23:30 GMT -5 wjr15 said:

Apr 1, 2019 5:02:33 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Doesn't have a legacy really but definitely Katy Perry

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

Actual impact on pop culture not just payola and hits cuz of remixes and discounts 

[Deleted]

Apr 1, 2019 16:27:42 GMT -5 Wave. said:

Apr 1, 2019 16:23:30 GMT -5 wjr15 said:

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

Boom. And how tf did she spend 3 years embarrassing herself. The FACT that she is still visible, not just musically, shes not going no where.

Also, the hair thing has to stop. You're not listening to blonde hair.

Did you not watch the 2017 vmas or American idol or the witness videos

[Wave.]

Apr 1, 2019 16:32:28 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Apr 1, 2019 16:27:42 GMT -5 Wave. said:

Boom. And how tf did she spend 3 years embarrassing herself. The FACT that she is still visible, not just musically, shes not going no where.

Also, the hair thing has to stop. You're not listening to blonde hair.

Did you not watch the 2017 vmas or American idol or the witness videos

Like it was mentioned earlier, one underperforming era is not diminishing a whole legacy. Make it make sense.

[wjr15]

Apr 1, 2019 16:31:52 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Apr 1, 2019 16:23:30 GMT -5 wjr15 said:

- 9 Hot 100 #1 singles
- Only female to have 5 Hot 100 #1 singles from one album
- 4 songs with over 1 billion views on Youtube (2 of them with over 2 billion views)
- Only female with 3 diamond singles
- 3 Billboard 200 #1 albums
- Most followed person on Twitter
- 6 singles with over 5 million digital units sold
- Spent the most consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 Top 10 at 69 weeks
- #1 on Forbes Highest Paid Female Artists twice (2015 and 2018)
- Highest rated Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

If that's not a legacy, I'd love to know what is.

Actual impact on pop culture not just payola and hits cuz of remixes and discounts 

The entire Teenage Dream era was a pop culture moment. But with your remixes and discounts counter argument, I guess you're saying her whole legacy lies with E.T. and Last Friday Night?

When has Katy used payola? If you're talking radio deals, most major artists do that when dropping a new single.

Apr 1, 2019 16:32:28 GMT -5 @drakeisskinny said:

Apr 1, 2019 16:27:42 GMT -5 Wave. said:

Boom. And how tf did she spend 3 years embarrassing herself. The FACT that she is still visible, not just musically, shes not going no where.

Also, the hair thing has to stop. You're not listening to blonde hair.

Did you not watch the 2017 vmas or American idol or the witness videos

First off, barely anyone watches the vmas anymore. Idol has had a decent ratings but I admit they've been slipping lately. I guess that means Lionel Richie's and Luke Bryan's legacies have gone out the window too...

As for the Witness music video views:
Chained To The Rhythm - 570 million
Bon Appetit - 635 million
Swish Swish - 520 million
Hey Hey Hey - 111 million

Not bad for a flop era I suppose...