Musical artists who avoided the sophomore slump

[Reverend Conehead]

You see it a lot -- a new musical artist has a great debut album, only to follow it up with a so-so one. Mariah Carey comes to mind. It's not that her second album was God awful. It just didn't have the magic of her first one. Total sophomore slump for her. However, not every artist goes through the sophomore slump. Here's my entry for beating this slump:

Madonna

Her second album was Like a Virgin. That was a huge hit, way bettering her first effort. Whether you like her music or not, you have to admit, she completely kicked the sophomore slump's ***. Her second album was way more successful than her first.

So who else beat the sophomore slump. Have your say in this thread.

 

[BigStar]

Rap centered, but Mobb Deep went from "Juvenile Hell" to "Infamous" which brought then fame/recognition. Eminem had a little known album "Infinite" that was release before the "Slim Shady LP" alter ego he created. Marshall Mathers LP followed up with more sales than SSLP as well. Seems like rappers tend to improve as they go if they have real talent? Scarface shined when left Geto Boys. I'm just ignorant regarding rock/pop, etc. but sure fans of those genre's could elaborate.

 

[jterrell]

generally what we perceive as a sophomore slump is really the fact we aren't aware of an artist until they've done 3/4 albums worth of material.
so that first album we hear is a collection of great stuff that got them signed to a major label.

the second release is generally a true 1 album's worth of material and thus doesn't shine as much.

plenty of artists have avoided the slump tho.

Prince released Prince as his second album.
Sturgill Simpson's Metamodern sounds in country is his best selling work to date... and I'd argue just best period.
Notorious B.I.G. only had two albums but they both make Rolling Stones top 500 of all time.
Run DMC just got better as the music got more popular. First 3 albums all sold increasingly more.
Led Zeppelin II was a top 100 album of all time for Rolling Stones and included Whole Lotta Love.

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Here is an odd one.
The follow up to the self titled album...
Skid Row - Slave to the Grind

The second album was the first metal album to debut at #1. Quiet Riot was the first metal album to REACH #1 but slave to the grind was the first to DEBUT at #1.
It was also a rare case of a hair band following up a commercial success of an album with a harder less commercial album.

Thus it was an odd one because it broke records for being the first metal album to debut at #1 and in doing so did sell pretty well coming out of the gate but it was still considered
a big let down compared the success of the first album.

I gave them credit for going harder and not trying to go softer for commercial success but in the end it hurt them and they too got caught up in the hair metal band extinction, for the most part, when grunge came around.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Another odd one.

Twisted Sister put out two albums (under the blade and you can't stop rock and roll) before hitting it big with their third album Stay Hungry. They followed that one up with two albums that went nowhere in Come out and Play and love is for suckers.

Iron Maiden Had two Albums (Self titled Iron Maiden and Killers) that did ok but the third Album was the one that really put them on the Map with The Number of the Beast and they had a string of killer albums after that.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Lawrence Welk's 2nd album....whew, just avoided slump.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (Runaway)


Followed by...


Bon Jovi - New Jersey (4 songs got a lot of play)

 

[Rockdoc]

i like it people know their rock/metal

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Another odd one.

Twisted Sister put out two albums (under the blade and you can't stop rock and roll) before hitting it big with their third album Stay Hungry. They followed that one up with two albums that went nowhere in Come out and Play and love is for suckers.

Iron Maiden Had two Albums (Self titled Iron Maiden and Killers) that did ok but the third Album was the one that really put them on the Map with The Number of the Beast and they had a string of killer albums after that.

Yes but Number of the Beast was the 1st album with Bruce, I like both versions of the band but prefer Bruce.

 

[cowboyec]

Elvis' 2nd LP.....#1.
album title:Elvis.

best track:Love Me.

on the track old shep....it's the first time on record we hear Elvis on piano.

favorite track:Long Tall Sally.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Elvis' 2nd LP.....#1.
album title:Elvis.

best track:Love Me.

on the track old shep....it's the first time on record we hear Elvis on piano.

favorite track:Long Tall Sally.

No way Elvis' record sales would be in a slump before he went into the Army in 1958.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

2 of my all time favs....

Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo habitual (1990)
The Cult - Love (1985)

 

[cowboyec]

No way Elvis' record sales would be in a slump before he went into the Army in 1958.

agreed.
in fact....they never really did.
which makes it all the more amazing.
his first 4 albums all went #1.....and yet....he had NO IDEA the impact he was having.

but at the time of his 2nd album....Rca didnt know how long it would last.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

agreed.
in fact....they never really did.
which makes it all the more amazing.
his first 4 albums all went #1.....and yet....he had NO IDEA the impact he was having.

but at the time of his 2nd album....Rca didnt know how long it would last.

Just imagine how more successful (and respect in terms of his talent) he would have been if he'd written his own songs. Still don't know why he never tried or pursued it.

 

[cowboyec]

Just imagine how more successful (and respect in terms of his talent) he would have been if he'd written his own songs. Still don't know why he never tried or pursued it.

agree....it is one of the questions I cant wait to ask him in heaven.
He told his friend/body-guard Red West "Thats Someone You Never Forget would make a great song title"......Red wrote it and it's the closing track on the great 60's studio LP Pot Luck.

The only song he did write....with Charlie Hodge and Red West was a latin flavor tune in the mid-60s called You'll Be Gone.It was released as a single but wasn't a hit.

There is a story that he played it for Priscilla and she didnt like it....it crushed his confidence.

 

[cowboyec]

another follow-up album I love
Second Helping-Lynyrd Skynyrd's 2nd album.

Favorite Tracks
°sweet home alabama
°i need you
°ballad of curtis lowe
°swamp music
°call me the breeze

 

[Runwildboys]

Here is an odd one.
The follow up to the self titled album...
Skid Row - Slave to the Grind

The second album was the first metal album to debut at #1. Quiet Riot was the first metal album to REACH #1 but slave to the grind was the first to DEBUT at #1.
It was also a rare case of a hair band following up a commercial success of an album with a harder less commercial album.

Thus it was an odd one because it broke records for being the first metal album to debut at #1 and in doing so did sell pretty well coming out of the gate but it was still considered
a big let down compared the success of the first album.

I gave them credit for going harder and not trying to go softer for commercial success but in the end it hurt them and they too got caught up in the hair metal band extinction, for the most part, when grunge came around.

What I think hurt them more was the fact that Sebastian Bach is a complete tool.

I was at the concert when he whipped a beer bottle into the audience, and split some girl's face open, then jumped into the crowd to get in a fight.
Then, after he got back on stage, rather than showing concern for the girl whose eye was gushing blood, he started bragging that he kicked the guy's ***......Tool.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

The Doors - Strange Days (1967)
Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
Love & Rockets.- Express (1986)

Love & Rockets Express is an awesome album. Smoke a bowl and listen to it.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Rush got better and better with each successive album. It really helps to avoid the "sophomore slump" when you can add an otherworldly talent like Neil Peart. But, even after Neil joined each album got a little better, all the way to 2112 and probably peaking at Moving Pictures.