key moments when a career took a drastic turn down

[Carlitoz]

Sometimes there are artists who are extremely popular and it almost feels that they can do no wrong and then suddenly and incident happens, or an album or single comes out and nobody pays attention or likes it, radio forget about you and suddenly your huge career starts a sharp decline. Not many are or were able to recover, but it happens often. You cannot really take for granted being up there. One day you're up there, the next you are forgotten.

[Carlitoz]

I could only imagine what would've been of Janet's career without the Super Bowl...
:(
One way or the other pop radio would've gotten rid of her because of age, but I'm sure she would've had a few more years of being big if the Super Bowl had not happened.

[Ling-Ling]

Yeah, the first one that comes to mind is Janet. She had been on top for 15 years already, so she was bound for a downturn, but it would not have been that drastic. And she could have done a much better job of maintaining her discography and legacy for the next generation. Something she sorely missed out on.

I've always been curious about how far Ashlee Simpson could have gone without the SNL lip sync incident.

And how would the Dixie Chicks have fared without the GWB scandal.

[Carlitoz]

Great examples, Ling! I had forgotten about those two!
One good thing out of it. Without the Dixie scandal, I would've never had Not Ready To Make Nice, one of my favorite songs ever. ;)

[bat1990]

Katy Perry's Witness era comes to mind although she seemed to be losing radio steam with the last few Prism singles.

Idk if she waited to long between albums or if the weird rollout stifled hype and radio's confidence but it was sad how quickly that era unraveled.

[back2blk]

Keyshia Cole's A Different Me era
Justin Timberlake's Man of the Woods era
Robin Thicke's VMAs/Paula one-two punch
Fergie's Star Spangled Banner

[Carlitoz]

Sept 8, 2021 15:18:49 GMT -5 back2blk said:

Keyshia Cole's A Different Me era
Justin Timberlake's Man of the Woods era
Robin Thicke's VMAs/Paula one-two punch
Fergie's Star Spangled Banner

Yeah... that was bad for Justin Timberlake's standards....
What was it exactly? I never heard the album. Was the Filthy single just bad? I think so. For sure the video bored so much. It just didn't work.

[Private Dancer]

Fergie was over waaaaaay before national anthem it didn't really affect her career. What did was waiting so long to release her Double Dutchess album. At that point, no one was checking for Fergie.

[Carlitoz]

Michael Jackson with Invincible.
Since Bad he had been releasing an album around every 4 years. For this new one it was like a 6 year break surrounded by big controversies.
I personally never got into this album and I had with all his previous ones. I was looking forward to it, but when the first single You Rock My World came out I was disappointed. Yes, the song is nice, but the video killed the whole thing for me. I was hoping for something new image wise. Instead he rehashed AGAIN the Smooth Criminal look so many years after. By that time I remember being tired of him always doing the same dance steps. I did like a bit the Butterflies single, but not enough to make me buy the album. It was many many years later that I heard the album for the first time and wasn't impressed. As I type this I am playing it again years since the last time. Let's see if something changed for me...

[Private Dancer]

Paula Abdul- After having huge success, Paula was in a plane crash and injured herself causing her to take time off from the industry. In 1995, the landscape of music changed from 1991 and she went from mutliplatinum to gold.

Madonna- In the early 90s, when she embraced a more sexual image, her career started to dip. Even news outlets at the time considered her a fading star. She had to clean her image and save her career and as she stated herself people did not take her seriously until years after the fact.

Mariah Carey- After leaving her marriage and having label issues and the flop of Glitter.

The Supremes- Diana Ross left

Diana Ross- She was an aging pop star and the media was focused on more younger acts and the mechanical pop sound/adult contemporary sound that supported Diana in the early 80s was out of style in the mid80s.

Dionne Warwick- In the early 70s, after Burt and Hal broke off their partnership. Her career suffered tremendously.

TLC- Left Eye passed, and people couldn't really see the group without Left Eye

Nelly Furtado- Releasing a Spanish album right after blockbuster success/not really wanting to be a mega pop star.

Whitney Houston- After the bodyguard, she turned to a more urban sound and her pop radio airplay decreased.

Mili Vanili- Self explanatory

Wilson Philips- Their adult contemporary style was going out of style in the shift into the mid 90s.

Donna Summer- After disco, she had a hard time establishing herself as a multifaceted artist and not to mention the controversy behind the proven false homophobic statement.

[Carlitoz]

Sept 8, 2021 15:55:24 GMT -5 Carlitoz said:

Michael Jackson with Invincible.
Since Bad he had been releasing an album around every 4 years. For this new one it was like a 6 year break surrounded by big controversies.
I personally never got into this album and I had with all his previous ones. I was looking forward to it, but when the first single You Rock My World came out I was disappointed. Yes, the song is nice, but the video killed the whole thing for me. I was hoping for something new image wise. Instead he rehashed AGAIN the Smooth Criminal look so many years after. By that time I remember being tired of him always doing the same dance steps. I did like a bit the Butterflies single, but not enough to make me buy the album. It was many many years later that I heard the album for the first time and wasn't impressed. As I type this I am playing it again years since the last time. Let's see if something changed for me...

So I was able to find more good moments in this album. I still find the album uneven. I cannot keep the interest throughout, but there ARE some good moments. Eleven or ten tracks instead of sixteen would've been better in my opinion. Who in world thought that Cry was a good second single?!?! (Europe only) And then Butterfly as second single in the U.S. more than FIVE months after the first single?? Also the upbeat songs sound too similar to me. Those five I believe that are there are three too many really.

[Mirago]

If the Bee Gees didn’t suffer the homophobic disco backlash of Saturday Night Fever they wouldn’t have had to go into hiding and let Barry produce Barbara Streisand’s Guilty album (not that I’m saying I didn’t want that album to happen lol but) we might have had more disco classics from them instead.

[gikem]

If Macklemore had handled his response to his Grammy wins differently, I think he'd have stuck around for a little longer, or at least be more respected today. Instead, he split from Ryan Lewis after their 2016 album and made the disastrously bad Gemini the following year.

[singingrulebritannia]

Sept 8, 2021 12:43:30 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

And she could have done a much better job of maintaining her discography and legacy for the next generation. Something she sorely missed out on.

I don't think she did that bad a job, or if she did it didn't really end up mattering. Every zoomer I know loves Janet.

[Dielawn]

Sept 8, 2021 19:31:15 GMT -5 gikem said:

If Macklemore had handled his response to his Grammy wins differently, I think he'd have stuck around for a little longer, or at least be more respected today. Instead, he split from Ryan Lewis after their 2016 album and made the disastrously bad Gemini the following year.

How do you think he should've handed it? Just curious

[gikem]

Oct 7, 2021 7:30:21 GMT -5 Dielawn said:

Sept 8, 2021 19:31:15 GMT -5 gikem said:

If Macklemore had handled his response to his Grammy wins differently, I think he'd have stuck around for a little longer, or at least be more respected today. Instead, he split from Ryan Lewis after their 2016 album and made the disastrously bad Gemini the following year.

How do you think he should've handed it? Just curious

Personally, I think he should have taken a bit more of a neutral stance, if only to protect his image. I absolutely don't disagree with his decision to be so sympathetic to Kendrick, and it's an extremely tough line to walk as a white artist in a majority-black genre, but he could have at least kept some semblance a strong fanbase instead of seeing them flock to similar but far worse rappers like G-Eazy.

[leoapp]

Not sure, was Xtina's 4 years gap between BTB era and Bionic a huge mistake?
Even worst, how she was hated during Bionic era, either because of her musical style or bad personality.
At least during BTB era, she was still kind a big name.

Also, Im pretty sure, somewhere in 2009/2010, had Nelly Furtado released an English album as the follow up of Loose, instead of a Spanish one, no way she would've debuted at no.79 Billboard 200.

[degen]

Oct 8, 2021 13:30:17 GMT -5 leoapp said:

Not sure, was Xtina's 4 years gap between BTB era and Bionic a huge mistake?
Even worst, how she was hated during Bionic era, either because of her musical style or bad personality.
At least during BTB era, she was still kind a big name.

Also, Im pretty sure, somewhere in 2009/2010, had Nelly Furtado released an English album as the follow up of Loose, instead of a Spanish one, no way she would've debuted at no.79 Billboard 200.

She WAS a big name during the “Back to Basics” era considering she had the biggest female tour of the year. Her singles off that album did way better worldwide than they did in the U.S. But yes, “Bionic” suffered from unfortunate timing and it came at the peak of Gaga mania. Christina got tomatoes thrown at her for attempting the futuristic style and at that time Gaga could do no wrong. With that being said, she had many opportunities to redeem herself but instead she continued to take long hiatus and short cuts by sitting on The Voice for 6 seasons instead of focusing on her music career. She had another opportunity to redeem herself after the success of “Say Something” but again instead of using that momentum she got pregnant and sat it out again. So that’s really on her.

[PREDS PRIDE]

I feel like jason derulo was huge but then after the era with want to want me and stuff was over then he just disappeared, he had that one song with nicki minaj but MMMMMMMMno

[trustypepper]

Oct 10, 2021 21:15:36 GMT -5 PREDS PRIDE said:

I feel like jason derulo was huge but then after the era with want to want me and stuff was over then he just disappeared, he had that one song with nicki minaj but MMMMMMMMno

At first yes but let’s not forget about Savage Love lol.

[PREDS PRIDE]

Oct 10, 2021 21:59:47 GMT -5 trustypepper said:

Oct 10, 2021 21:15:36 GMT -5 PREDS PRIDE said:

I feel like jason derulo was huge but then after the era with want to want me and stuff was over then he just disappeared, he had that one song with nicki minaj but MMMMMMMMno

At first yes but let’s not forget about Savage Love lol.

OH I FORGOT ABOUT THAT SONG YEAH
(not like it was good)

[mkarns]

Derulo churned out radio hits for several years but never really seemed to become a big celebrity or album seller. Still, it was odd that the run of hit singles seemed to just stop after "Want To Want Me". "Savage Love", which hit #1 last year, finally gave him a big hit after five years without one, but that may have been an anomaly (too soon to definitively say, but its followups haven't done that much).

[Dielawn]

Oct 7, 2021 19:54:17 GMT -5 gikem said:

Oct 7, 2021 7:30:21 GMT -5 Dielawn said:

How do you think he should've handed it? Just curious

Personally, I think he should have taken a bit more of a neutral stance, if only to protect his image. I absolutely don't disagree with his decision to be so sympathetic to Kendrick, and it's an extremely tough line to walk as a white artist in a majority-black genre, but he could have at least kept some semblance a strong fanbase instead of seeing them flock to similar but far worse rappers like G-Eazy.

How exactly do you feel it affected his image and affected his fanbase?

[upsidedown]

Sept 8, 2021 15:53:23 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

Fergie was over waaaaaay before national anthem it didn't really affect her career. What did was waiting so long to release her Double Dutchess album. At that point, no one was checking for Fergie.

Yeah, I get that she went back with BEP after Dutchess, but she should've still done something solo. The fact that Double Dutchess didn't come out until like, what, 11 years after the original? Gurlll

[back2blk]

Chrisette Michelle's awful poor sense in judgment in deciding to perform for that orange cheeto

[JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME]

-Camila Cabello focusing on her fake PR relationship with Shawn Mendes instead of the music and then releasing really lukewarm music

-G-Eazy getting exposed for cheating on Halsey for every single date of his tour leading to many who were fans of his to be #TeamHalsey

-Jesy Nelson working with Nicki Minaj

-Morgan Wallen when he was exposed for his racism and homophobia

-Nicki Minaj when she worked with 6ix9ine

-Taylor Dayne performing (for allegedly very little money) at a Trump function

[divasummer]

Oct 11, 2021 15:06:27 GMT -5 JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME said:

-Camila Cabello focusing on her fake PR relationship with Shawn Mendes instead of the music and then releasing really lukewarm music

-G-Eazy getting exposed for cheating on Halsey for every single date of his tour leading to many who were fans of his to be #TeamHalsey

-Jesy Nelson working with Nicki Minaj

-Morgan Wallen when he was exposed for his racism and homophobia

-Nicki Minaj when she worked with 6ix9ine

-Taylor Dayne performing (for allegedly very little money) at a Trump function

How did Taylor Dayne’s career change??
Did she get dropped from Pride events or something?
I know she got a little flack on the internet?

[JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME]

Oct 11, 2021 15:25:47 GMT -5 divasummer said:

Oct 11, 2021 15:06:27 GMT -5 JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME said:

-Camila Cabello focusing on her fake PR relationship with Shawn Mendes instead of the music and then releasing really lukewarm music

-G-Eazy getting exposed for cheating on Halsey for every single date of his tour leading to many who were fans of his to be #TeamHalsey

-Jesy Nelson working with Nicki Minaj

-Morgan Wallen when he was exposed for his racism and homophobia

-Nicki Minaj when she worked with 6ix9ine

-Taylor Dayne performing (for allegedly very little money) at a Trump function

How did Taylor Dayne’s career change??
Did she get dropped from Pride events or something?
I know she got a little flack on the internet?

They aren't booking her as much for fear of being accused of being a Trump supporter and then after the insurrection happened, no one wants to be accused of being even fleetingly connected to that in any way, shape, or form.

And then some producers/artists who wanted to make music with her do not want to for fear of that association and controversy overshadowing the music.

Taylor hasn't had much mainstream success since the 90s but within the Dance/Club world she has remained successful.

[Deleted]

Oct 11, 2021 1:02:07 GMT -5 mkarns said:

Derulo churned out radio hits for several years but never really seemed to become a big celebrity or album seller. Still, it was odd that the run of hit singles seemed to just stop after "Want To Want Me". "Savage Love", which hit #1 last year, finally gave him a big hit after five years without one, but that may have been an anomaly (too soon to definitively say, but its followups haven't done that much).

I'm guessing that was because Derulo's style of Pop-R&B declined after 2015 in favor of more downbeat sounds (although Derulo did have a modest hit in 2017 with Swalla).

[Deleted]

DaBaby after he made his now infamous comments.