Comments on: When is a band/artist past their sell-by date? http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2007/08/24/when-is-a-bandartist-past-their-sell-by-date/ Insights, observations, cheap gags. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:50:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Thom http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2007/08/24/when-is-a-bandartist-past-their-sell-by-date/#comment-1335 Thom Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:14:22 +0000 http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/2007/08/24/when-is-a-bandartist-past-their-sell-by-date/#comment-1335 Pearl Jam is one of the most interesting bands to look at for this. They've now been around for over a decade and half, and continue to put out new material every couple years or so. And a good portion of their fan base wants to hear the new stuff more than the old because they've heard all of that before. They definitely had a lull, I'd say around 2000, where it seemed like they were slowing down and people weren't really interested in <i>Binaural</i> when it came out. But checking out the forums during the last tour, I realized that I was one of the older fans of the group. They've actually got a whole new fanbase that has formed on top of the older one. In general, I think the biggest indicator is time between albums. Or, at least, time between notable albums. If you go 6 or 7 years between even being noticed, most people are going to want to hear the old stuff. Even 80s bands that put out solid "reunion material" (like Duran Duran or Eurythmics) will be tolerated for only a couple new songs before people would get really antsy for the old stuff. Pearl Jam is one of the most interesting bands to look at for this. They’ve now been around for over a decade and half, and continue to put out new material every couple years or so. And a good portion of their fan base wants to hear the new stuff more than the old because they’ve heard all of that before.

They definitely had a lull, I’d say around 2000, where it seemed like they were slowing down and people weren’t really interested in Binaural when it came out. But checking out the forums during the last tour, I realized that I was one of the older fans of the group. They’ve actually got a whole new fanbase that has formed on top of the older one.

In general, I think the biggest indicator is time between albums. Or, at least, time between notable albums. If you go 6 or 7 years between even being noticed, most people are going to want to hear the old stuff. Even 80s bands that put out solid “reunion material” (like Duran Duran or Eurythmics) will be tolerated for only a couple new songs before people would get really antsy for the old stuff.

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