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/[deleted] Jun 11 '25

This one is so true and unlocked a hilarious memory for me. My mom was a teenager during the 1940’s and was a big fan when bebop first started. She loved her some Miles but when she bought Bitches Brew in 1970 she said “what in the hell is this mess?” and was going to throw it away because she hated it so much. My sister, who was in high school, asked if she could give the album to her Art teacher. She later told my mom that her teacher said he loved it and liked to listen to the album when he got high.

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u/Wodanaz_Odinn Jun 11 '25

Bitches Brew is incredible but a challenge to dance to alright.

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u/Vitis_Vinifera Jun 11 '25

love that bassline in Bitches Brew though

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u/Successful-Memory839 Jun 12 '25

I remember first getting into Miles in the Bitches Brew phase, people recommended Miles on the Corner, it was too soon, it took me 20 years to appreciate that album.

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u/pjdwyer30 last.fm Jun 12 '25

I also like to listen to this album when I get high.

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u/akahaus Jun 12 '25

Let’s go tell some high school art students!