If one genre doesn’t suit you, why not move on to something completely different? That’s what these five bands did; and once they changed their sound, they ended up becoming pretty famous. Let’s take a look!
1. Radiohead
Back in Radiohead’s early days, the band was focused mainly on guitar rock. They became pretty well-known for it, too. However, as Radiohead has evolved through the years, there has been less and less of a focus on guitar sounds. Pablo Honey from 1993 was probably their heaviest, guitar-solo-ridden album to date.
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With OK Computer in 1997, something changed. They began to experiment with different instruments and synth drumbeats. A Moon Shaped Pool from 2016 sounds like some sort of orchestra-based pop album. Regardless of the change, Radiohead is still quite moving to listen to.
2. The Horrors
When The Horrors first hit the music scene around 2005, they were very much a goth synth-rock band. “Sheena Is A Parasite” was one of their biggest songs at the time, and it’s a doom-and-gloom synth hit that bordered on indie sleaze.
Today, The Horrors sound very different. The band’s sophomore album Primary Colours sounds radically different from their previous works. The Horrors seem more like a shoegaze band nowadays with some neo-psychedelic elements to their music. Their old music was great, but the transition won them a Mercury Prize and access to a whole new realm of fans.
3. Bee Gees
Bee Gees are known for their disco hits and the sky-high vocals of Barry Gibb. However, they sounded quite different when they first got together in 1958. When it comes to bands that changed their entire sound, Bee Gee’s change was one of the most radical.
In their early days, Bee Gees were often compared to The Beatles. Before they started delivering disco hits like “Stayin’ Alive”, they made music that would be described more as country rock. Their early work was excellent, but it was the change to disco that made them legends.
4. Depeche Mode
When Depeche Mode first launched in 1980, they made a lot of upbeat synth music. “New Life” and “Just Can’t Get Enough” were some notably campy hits from the early days.
But once the late 1980s rolled around, Depeche Mode decided to start making moodier music. The days of dance club hits were over, and the band decided to pioneer gothic pop and new wave instead. “Personal Jesus” is just one hit from “new” Depeche Mode” that got them a lot of new attention.
5. Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is very much an electronic pop band, but they leaned more toward pop-rock when they first debuted. “This Love” and even “Harder To Breathe” had some funky, neo-soul elements to them.
Nowadays, Maroon 5 makes dance-pop music; and they’re been going down that route since “Moves Like Jagger” in 2011. However, the change was not without its criticisms. One music critic said the Maroon 5 was put down in favor of mainstream success, and that the band should be renamed “The Adam Levine Show”.
Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives
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