The 'difficult follow-up' is a recurring tragedy in the narrative of rock and roll, often occurring at the exact moment a band reaches the zenith of its creative powers.
After delivering a cultural touchstone or a multi-platinum masterpiece, artists frequently find themselves paralysed by the sophomore slump or, worse, the 'imperial phase' hangover. These albums are often the result of three distinct pressures: the exhaustion of a gruelling world tour, the frantic intervention of record labels demanding a repeat of the previous hit, or an artist’s own reactionary desire to dismantle their new-found fame through experimental detours.
Whether they are confused stock-taking efforts like Fleetwood Mac's Penguin or overproduced or confusing psychedelic pivots like the Stones' Satanic Majesties, these records represent the jarring moment the momentum broke. For fans, these albums weren't just musical shifts; they were the sound of a golden era suddenly losing its lustre.
1. Yes – Tormato (1978)
Following the majestic, high-fidelity triumph of Going for the One, Tormato was a sonic muddle. Beset by thin, 'chirpy' synthesizer tones and a cluttered mix, the album lacked the dynamic range and symphonic power of Yes's classic 70s output. The songwriting felt hurried and the performances surprisingly unfocused. In the face of the emerging punk movement, Tormato made the kings of prog rock sound uncharacteristically flimsy and dated. Horrible cover, too.
2. The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
Following the sharp, R&B-infused Between the Buttons, the Stones took a hard turn into psychedelic whimsy. Critics and fans largely saw TSMR as a desperate, inferior imitation of Sgt. Pepper. Lacking the band's signature grit and Keith Richards’ driving riffs, the album felt cluttered with aimless sound effects and indulgent jamming. While '2000 Light Years from Home' is brilliant, the record mostly proved the Stones were better as rockers than wizards.
3. Bob Dylan – Self Portrait (1970)
Coming off a decade of era-defining genius and the country-cool of Nashville Skyline, Dylan released this sprawling, 24-track enigma. Filled with sloppy covers, instrumental fragments, and bizarre vocal choices, it prompted Greil Marcus’s famous "What is this sh*t?" review. It deliberately lacked the poetic weight and cultural urgency fans craved, feeling more like a prank designed to alienate his 'spokesman of a generation' status than a serious musical statement.
4. Fleetwood Mac – Penguin (1973)
Following the soulful, guitar-driven brilliance of Bare Trees, Penguin marked a period of deep instability for Fleetwood Mac. With Danny Kirwan fired, the band struggled to find a new centre. The addition of Bob Weston and Dave Walker resulted in a confused mix of blues, folk, and light pop that lacked the melodic focus of their previous work. It felt like a band in transition, missing the ethereal spark that previously balanced their bluesy roots.
5. The Doors – The Soft Parade (1969)
After the dark, tight psych-rock of The Doors and Strange Days, for their third album The Doors pivoted to a polished, Vegas-style production. This shift toward a fuller orchestral sound – heavy with brass and string arrangements – largely buried Robby Krieger’s bluesy guitar and forced Jim Morrison into the role of a traditional crooner.
While the title track retains some experimental merit, much of Soft Parade's songwriting felt uneven and distracted, plagued by Morrison’s increasing detachment and the band’s internal friction. Compared to the hypnotic, primal intensity of their earlier work, this record lacked the 'dangerous' poetic edge that had established them as a counter-cultural phenomenon. It felt less like a shamanic ritual and more like a high-budget studio indulgence that momentarily dulled their sharp, psychedelic teeth.
6. David Bowie – Pin Ups (1973)
Released just months after the innovative Aladdin Sane, this covers album felt like a commercial placeholder. While Bowie’s glam-rock interpretations of 60s London hits were stylish enough, they lacked the conceptual depth and distinctive songwriting voice that had defined his rise to stardom. For fans who viewed Bowie as rock’s premier futurist, a nostalgic look backward felt like a creative retreat rather than the 'next big leap' they had come to expect.
7. The Beach Boys – Smiley Smile (1967)
After the symphonic grandeur of the Beach Boys' masterful, Beatles-rivalling 1966 LP Pet Sounds, fans were expecting something legendary with its planned follow-up, SMiLE. Instead, they received this disjointed, 'lo-fi' collection recorded in Brian Wilson’s living room. While tracks like 'Good Vibrations' remained stunning, the surrounding material felt like drug-addled fragments rather than a cohesive masterpiece. It lacked the lush, emotional architecture that had redefined pop, leaving the band looking like eccentric relics rather than the Beatles' primary creative rivals.
8. Genesis – …And Then There Were Three… (1978)
After Steve Hackett's departure, Genesis transitioned from sprawling prog rock epics to shorter, radio-friendly structures. While 'Follow You Follow Me' was a hit, fans of 1976's brilliant A Trick of the Tail missed the intricate textures and instrumental virtuosity Hackett provided. The album felt thin and somewhat tentative, as Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks struggled to fill the sonic space. It marked the end of Genesis' 'mythical' era, favouring commercial viability over complexity and deeper rewards.
9. Michael Jackson – Forever, Michael (1975)
This final Motown solo effort paled against the momentum of his earlier childhood hits and the looming greatness of his Off the Wall breakthrough. It featured generic, mid-tempo ballads that didn't fully utilize Michael’s maturing, electric vocal range. Lacking the visionary production of Quincy Jones or the youthful energy of the J5 peak, it felt like a safe, unremarkable R&B record for a performer who was clearly destined for much more.
10. Prince – Around the World in a Day (1985)
Disappointing? Or simply different? After the world-conquering rock-funk of Purple Rain, Prince delivered this eccentric, psychedelic detour that deliberately dismantled his newfound status as a conventional guitar hero. He traded the 'Let’s Go Crazy' stadium pyrotechnics for finger cymbals, ocarinas, and whimsical, paisley-tinted pop.
While artistically brave, Around the World... lacked the visceral, mainstream appeal and high-energy grooves of its predecessor. Many fans who had just boarded the Prince train were left utterly confused by the sudden shift from leather-clad rocker to a reclusive, flower-power auteur. By eschewing the big sound of the Revolution for a kaleidoscopic, insular studio experiment, Prince proved he was more interested in creative restlessness than maintaining the commercial throne of the mid-80s.
11. U2 – October (1981)
We feel a bit bad about this, as in no way is October a bad album. The follow-up to their explosive debut Boy was, though, hampered by a spiritual crisis and, crucially, the loss of Bono’s lyric notebook. October felt uncharacteristically hesitant and atmospheric, lacking the anthemic ringing guitar hooks that had made Boy so vital. While it explored interesting religious themes, the songwriting wasn't as sharp or confident. It remains U2's sophomore slump, a quiet sibling in their early discography that was quickly overshadowed by the world-beating power of their next album, War.
12. Smashing Pumpkins – Adore (1998)
Following the massive, multi-platinum rock opera that was 1995's Mellon Collie, Billy Corgan pivoted to a dark, electronic-heavy sound. The absence of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was palpable; the music lacked the explosive, quiet-loud dynamics that defined the 90s Pumpkins. While deeply personal and atmospheric, Adore felt too sombre and restrained for a fanbase that wanted 'Bullet with Butterfly Wings' energy, leading to a significant commercial and cultural cooling for the band.
13. Elton John – Blue Moves (1976)
After a record-breaking string of #1 albums (one of rock's greatest album runs, no doubt about it), Elton delivered this dark, ambitious double album. While it features the classic 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word', much of the record felt bloated, melancholic, and inconsistent compared to the pop-rock mastery of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The upbeat Captain Fantastic energy was gone, replaced by sprawling arrangements that suggested Elton was creatively exhausted by his own relentless fame.
14. Metallica – St. Anger (2003)
After years of polished success, Metallica attempted a raw return to their roots. But, to most ears at least, it backfired. The lack of guitar solos and the infamous, 'tin-can' snare drum sound frustrated fans who valued the band's technical precision. Compared to the layered perfection of 1991's Black Album, St. Anger felt disorganized and sonically abrasive. It captured the band’s internal turmoil (famously documented in the Some Kind of Monster documentary), but failed to translate that pain into compelling music.
15. Jethro Tull – Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976)
Following the intricate, folk-prog brilliance of Minstrel in the Gallery, Jethro Tull’s Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! felt forced and lyrically thin. This ambitious concept album, centred on the life of Ray Lomas – an aging 'greaser' struggling to find his place in a changing world – was hampered by a narrative that many critics dismissed as clumsy and dated.
Musically, the band pivoted toward a conventional, piano-led rock sound that lacked the exciting, flute-driven complexity and rich acoustic textures of their definitive work. The songwriting lacked the melodic hook power required to justify such a sharp departure from their classic prog-folk roots, leaving fans disappointed by the absence of Ian Anderson’s signature instrumental virtuosity and pastoral depth.
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