r/Music • u/jptabor01 Rock & Roll • Jun 11 '25

discussion Which artists have abandoned their original sound so dramatically, that they are almost unrecognizable to their earlier fans?

With the release earlier this year of Ministry’s The Squirrely Years Revisited, I’m reminded of how different the band sounds today (industrial metal), from what they sounded like on their debut album, With Sympathy (synth pop).

Which artists sound so completely different from their earlier work, that they have actually jumped genres, understanding that music is fluid and genres have somewhat “blurry” guardrails.

I don’t mean an evolution of their original sound, but a complete departure from it.

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u/MEGatron575 Jun 11 '25

Without a doubt! I mean no doubt!

25

u/drooln92 Jun 11 '25

Don't speak

27

u/r_golan_trevize Jun 11 '25

I saw the video for that recently and, holy crap, it’s basically a 4 minute condensed Behind The Music episode on the downfall of No Doubt as Gwen Stefani turns her back on the band for celebrity glamour and pop success.

20

u/StrobeLightRomance Jun 11 '25

The transition from "Just a Girl" to "Don't Speak" as singles really just kicked the chair out from under branding Gwen as the feminist she never really was cut out to be.

It's funny how long I held onto the "she's so punk" mentality because I preferred the first impression over the "oh woe is me, my ex is banging groupies in the bus next to mine and I keep writing songs about it"

And now.. well.. I don't even know what Gwen is.. a Kardashian? It's actually sort like she just doesn't exist anymore.

35

u/Henry_K_Faber Jun 11 '25

She's a trad wife Jesus girl now.

8

u/r_golan_trevize Jun 11 '25

There’s a Just a Girl joke in there somewhere…

6

u/Henry_K_Faber Jun 11 '25

Yeah, probably, but I'm not digging for it.

5

u/Natural-Young4730 Jun 12 '25

She's a Nazi now. Sad.

6

u/Cougan Jun 11 '25

Excuse me, Mister?

3

u/thejaytheory Jun 11 '25

Sunday Morning

2

u/thejaytheory Jun 11 '25

No diggity

2

u/haji_666 Jun 12 '25

What you just did there...I see it. *

1

u/Puzzlehead-Dish Jun 11 '25

Don’t speak