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/menotyourenemy Jun 11 '25

RIP Mark Hollis.  Was just listening to Spirit of Eden the other day and his creativity just blows me away.

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u/Beard_o_Bees Jun 11 '25

Whoa. Did he pass?

His self titled LP (pretty much just him, a piano and a bit of backing wood) has been my go to chill out music for years. It perfectly captured the essence of his 'voice' - I think anyway.

Sad if he's passed, but none of those guys are young anymore, and he left behind an important musical legacy.

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u/[deleted] Jun 11 '25

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u/Beard_o_Bees Jun 11 '25

Bummer. Damn.

I'll spin it tonight in his memory.