- 1 year ago
From punk rockers gone pop to underground MCs hitting the mainstream, these artists put profits before principles! Join us as we count down the musicians who most blatantly abandoned their artistic roots for commercial success. Our list includes rock legends, hip-hop icons, and pop superstars who traded creative integrity for chart positions.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the artists who most blatantly
00:10put their commercial aspirations ahead of their artistic integrity.
00:1830. Rod Stewart
00:21If you only know him for his biggest hits, it might shock you to learn Rod Stewart once
00:27had actual musical cred.
00:3031. His 1969 solo debut album has been compared to the Rolling Stones' classic, Beggar's Banquet.
00:42In fact, it even opens up with a cover of Street Fighting Man from that same album.
00:4731. What can I put back to except the same boy rockin' my band?
00:5331. His early work was an enticing blend of genres, including folk, rock, and blues, with
01:00his third album, Every Picture Tells a Story, being widely considered a masterpiece.
01:0531. So remember, every picture tells a story, don't it?
01:1032. Every picture tells a story, don't it?
01:1332. However, his shift to disco, successful as it was, was clearly him trying to cash in
01:19on a trend.
01:2033. And with time, the idea of Rod Stewart as anything resembling a daring artist seemed
01:33absurd.
01:3333. Baby, baby, baby, I need your love
01:3832. Number 29. Heart. Women making heavy rock music is nothing unusual these days, but when
01:46Heart arrived on the scene, they changed the game forever.
01:4933. I saw you again.
01:5334. However, as the 70s became the 80s, Anne and Nancy Wilson's hard rock became far less
01:59substantial. And there's a world of difference between the guitar-driven power of Barracuda
02:10and the synth-pop power ballad These Dreams, which became their first number-one hit.
02:1534. These dreams wanna close my eyes
02:20In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Anne Wilson said they felt stifled by changing industry
02:27expectations for artists in the age of MTV. Heart's place in rock history is sealed regardless,
02:34but it's a shame they weren't given more room to experiment.
02:3834. Every moment I'm awake, the further I'm awake
02:44Number 28. Goo Goo Dolls.
02:47The Goo Goo Dolls' self-titled debut album from 1987 is absolutely unrecognizable compared to
02:54who they'd eventually become. It's a raw punk rock album that sounds like it was recorded
02:59in a basement.
03:0034. When I went down to your office the other day
03:03Only to discover you ain't gonna scream
03:07As the 90s rolled in, they cleaned up their sound and saw their star rise.
03:1235. There you are
03:15There you are
03:19And then, it absolutely exploded with the soaring smash hit ballad Iris, which soon became
03:25a radio staple.
03:26And I don't want the world to see me
03:31The Goo Goo Dolls, understandably, never matched that song's success. But it essentially cemented
03:36them as being as far removed from anything remotely punk or alternative as they could possibly be.
03:42I just want you to know I am
03:47Number 27. Moby
03:50Selling out is a broad term, but few things describe it better than someone literally selling
03:56their music for use in commercials and other media. Granted, Moby wasn't the only artist
04:01to do this, but his case was especially egregious.
04:05In the 90s, he helped to bring electronic music to the mainstream. His best songs managed
04:17to be hypnotically groovy in ways few could resist.
04:21His fifth album, Play, became a huge success in no small part because every single song
04:31was licensed. This means people were constantly hearing his music, whether they liked it or
04:37not. It almost certainly helped that album to sell more than 12 million copies globally,
04:48though.
04:51Number 26.
04:52Chicago
04:53Accomplished jazz rock with pop appeal isn't easy, but Chicago managed to pull it off. In
04:59the late 60s and early 70s, they demonstrated both impeccable musical chops and fantastic songwriting
05:05instincts.
05:12As is often the case, however, their music got streamlined to the point of losing any sense
05:18of, well, inspiration.
05:27The only thing linking them to their classic days was the fact that they had a horn section.
05:32The tragic, accidental death of guitarist Terry Kath in 1978 likely played a major role
05:38in Chicago losing their sense of direction.
05:40Chicago, in various forms, have managed to stay together.
05:49But the era of them making legitimately impressive music has long passed.
05:55Number 25.
06:02Jewel
06:03There was nothing flashy about Jewel's first album, and that's what made it so special.
06:08He says, hold my clothes from behind those cold.
06:11Your glasses come here, boy.
06:13There ain't nothing for free.
06:15The folk artist's debut album, Pieces of You, was full of raw, lyrical honesty and
06:21even earned her the endorsement of Bob Dylan himself.
06:24Who will save your soul when it comes to the best now?
06:32While she always had plenty of pop appeal, she attempted to shift to full-on dance pop with
06:37her fifth album, 0304.
06:39Lead single, Intuition, was a clear bid for radio and MTV airplay.
06:49Though it was ostensibly mocking celebrity culture and consumerism, that was quickly
06:54undermined by being used to sell chic razors.
06:58People soon realized Jewel wasn't the next Britney, and she soon went back to a more stripped-down
07:03style.
07:04It just goes to show that selling out comes at a cost.
07:08But the man, also known as Mr. Worldwide, soon set his sights on being as broadly appealing
07:13as possible.
07:14Pitbull.
07:15Pitbull was always something of a party rapper.
07:18Early releases balanced the Miami MC's club stylings with a hard-hitting flow and willingness
07:23to tackle tough subjects.
07:32But the man, also known as Mr. Worldwide, soon set his sights on being as broadly appealing
07:38as possible.
07:43His fourth album marked a clear shift to pop rap that became his signature.
07:47He's also endorsed a myriad of brands, including Kodak, Dr. Pepper, and Walmart.
07:52However, he takes being called a sellout in stride.
08:00Talking to Vanity Fair in 2016, he said,
08:0423.
08:19U2
08:21Saying a band is sold out doesn't have to mean their music no longer has creative merit.
08:26Case in point, U2.
08:28The Irish rockers first emerged with intense, often politically charged post-punk.
08:33But by the time they released their classic fifth album, The Joshua Tree, they had decidedly
08:44staked their claim in the mainstream.
08:48Many more great albums followed, but at a certain point, it was clear that Bono and company
08:57just couldn't help but be larger than life.
09:01As much as we like hits such as Beautiful Day and Vertigo, they're rather shameless in
09:10their commercial aspirations.
09:12And their partnership with Apple, including an ill-fated decision to put their 2014 album,
09:17Songs of Innocence, on everyone's iPhone, makes U2 amazingly talented sellouts.
09:22Number 22.
09:28Snoop Dogg.
09:29At this point, it might be easier just to name the artists Snoop Dogg hasn't collaborated
09:34with.
09:35Maybe I kick a little something for the cheese and make a few wins as I breeze through.
09:41Among the esteemed acts to receive a feature from the legendary Snoop Dogg are Limp Bizkit,
09:47the Pussycat Dolls, Katy Perry and Corey Feldman.
09:51In a way, it's admirable that he's willing to collaborate with such a wide array of artists.
10:02But when you lend your voice to more than 500 non-singles, quality control isn't exactly
10:08a concern.
10:09And while he came up as a pioneer of G-Funk, Snoop is now arguably better known for being
10:20Snoop than for his music.
10:22Still, there are certainly worse things to be known for.
10:26Number 21.
10:30Starship.
10:31Is it possible for a band's entire existence to be a matter of selling out?
10:37The evolution of psych-rock band Jefferson Airplane into arena rockers' Jefferson Starship
10:42might have seemed like selling out at the time.
10:45You can find me wherever we're low, still across the plain.
10:51But once that band morphed into Starship, any semblance of integrity had all but vanished.
10:57Don't you remember?
10:59The world's introduction to this new band was We Built This City, a popular choice for
11:05worst songs of all time lists.
11:09Even if you can find enjoyment in Starship's corporate rock cheese, it has absolutely nothing
11:14in common with what made Jefferson Airplane so special.
11:18We Built This City, a rock and roll.
11:25Number 20.
11:26Weezer.
11:27Weezer changed the image of rock stars in the 90s.
11:31The nerdy punks were outcasts among outcasts, acclaimed for their clever lyrics and ironically
11:37edged tone.
11:38But after mixed reactions to the Buccini-inspired album Pinkerton, they went on hiatus.
11:51The subsequent comeback was marked by cornier pop sensibilities, especially after the teeny
11:56bopper hit Beverly Hills.
12:04Weezer continued to enjoy great success with a straight-faced take on pop rock, much to
12:09classic fans' lack of enjoyment.
12:16Newer listeners and critics have generally appreciated the experimentation, including the
12:21more classic styles going into the 2020s.
12:24Of course, with those styles entailing a cover album and hair metal homages, Weezer aren't
12:30as subversive as they used to be.
12:33My heart is spinning, it's the beginning of the end.
12:40Number 19.
12:4130 Seconds to Mars.
12:43Movie star frontman Jared Leto initially gave 30 Seconds to Mars more commercial appeal than
12:49most experimental rock bands.
12:58With guitarist Tomo Milicevic, they began exploring an alternative aesthetic that truly matched
13:04critical acclaim with mainstream success.
13:07They even exposed persisting music industry injustices with a high-profile lawsuit against
13:12EMI Records.
13:13That's why it's so frustrating that the band went full pop after the personnel was reduced
13:18to Jared and Shannon Leto.
13:20Even for a group known for genre-bending, this was a drastic shift.
13:27Many critics and fans were disappointed, but 30 Seconds remains popular.
13:36Who needs EMI when you have lucrative pop labels like Interscope and Concord?
13:41Well, they don't offer much for rock loyalists.
13:44I'm a fan of this world on fire.
13:48Number 18.
13:49Bring Me The Horizon.
13:50It was hard to accuse Bring Me The Horizon of selling out when they first abandoned Death
13:56Core.
14:04Following their debut album's lukewarm reception, the band won a dedicated following with elevated
14:09melodic metalcore.
14:15They even developed a unique level of mainstream appeal for that genre.
14:21This naturally continued when Ali Sykes stopped screaming altogether for 2015's That's The Spirit.
14:27Still, extreme metalheads were shocked by the shift to pop and electronic rock from there.
14:41BMTH were finally chart-toppers, but they divided fans.
14:45Some appreciated their experimentation within a lighter sound, while others were frustrated
14:50with the sound itself.
14:51Luckily, BMTH has been gradually returning to metalcore, with continued commercial success.
15:02For better or worse, it still took doling their edge to get there.
15:07Number 17.
15:08Nickelback.
15:09Nickelback.
15:10Some believe the love-em-or-hate-em lore of Nickelback goes back to the beginning.
15:14In fact, they were a hit early on for bringing rugged 90s grunge into the 2000s.
15:24Many even consider their breakout single, How You Remind Me, to be a genuine classic.
15:29However, suspicions of trend-leeching arose as Nickelback drifted from grunge to generic,
15:41pop-oriented hard rock.
15:42The sentimental power ballads and sleazy party anthems particularly polarized listeners.
15:48Before long, backlash online and from the rock community became a cliché in its own right.
16:02Nickelback remains one of the best-selling rock bands of our time, with a quietly ample
16:07fan base.
16:08But they continue to openly embrace the mainstream brand, even as a group people love to hate.
16:18Number 16.
16:19Fallout Boy.
16:20Fallout Boy were a fixture of 2000s pop-punk, emphasis on pop.
16:26Their infectious and subversive energy hooked a cult fan base, before the album From Under
16:36the Cork Tree broke them out.
16:42They continued to balance dynamic musicianship and stardom until they disbanded in 2009.
16:48By then, though, Fallout Boy had started to fall off into pop tropes with their music
16:54and industry brand.
17:01This trend continued after they regrouped in 2013.
17:05They even collaborated with the likes of DJ Steve Aoki, rappers Jay-Z and Lil Wayne and
17:11Taylor Swift.
17:12Many fans have fallen out with Fallout Boy over this loss of irony.
17:16But they can't argue with the band's growing success or their return to form with 2023's
17:22So Much for Stardust.
17:24Sending my love from the other side of the apocalypse.
17:30Number 15.
17:32Kings of Leon.
17:33Kings of Leon have always been a proper family affair for the Fallowills.
17:37Their nitty-gritty mix of garage rock and bluesy southern rock moved critics, but saw uneven
17:49sales.
17:50With Only By Night, Focus moved more toward anthemic hooks and other commercial elements.
18:04The album was a worldwide sensation, spawning the signature songs Sex on Fire and You Somebody.
18:10New fans didn't realize these hits were a departure from Kings of Leon's edgier early
18:16work.
18:17Someone like you!
18:19The band itself seemed to lose sight of that as they drifted into alternative and indie.
18:25The Fallowills may still be truly independent artists, but their prosperity has come at the
18:30expense of a truly original style.
18:37Number 14.
18:40Foo Fighters.
18:41As the drummer for Nirvana, Dave Grohl represented 90s grunge at its rawest.
18:47He really changed his tune as frontman for the Foo Fighters.
18:51The post-grunge Trailblazers became one of the biggest bands around, mixing brighter hard
19:01rock into alternative grit.
19:03And yet, over time, they become a parody of this persona.
19:07Grohl's once relatively wholesome image and music industry networking are a far cry from
19:12the late Kurt Cobain's cynicism.
19:19By the 2010s, the Foo Fighters completely pivoted to mainstream rock and even pop.
19:24Never mind jamming with David Lee Roth, Justin Timberlake, and Deadmau5.
19:36The Foo Fighters remain highly respected as true music lovers.
19:39But however you feel about it, they may formally represent the demise of anti-establishment grunge.
19:45Number 13.
19:50Sugar Ray.
19:51Contrary to their name, Sugar Ray wasn't always so sweet.
19:56They spent most of the 90s in the new metal craze.
20:04With edgy funk and risqué imagery, they also mingled many genres without scoring a proper hit.
20:10Then, the most heavy album, Floored, took a turn into reggae fusion with Fly.
20:15I just wanna fly.
20:18The unexpected summer sensation convinced Sugar Ray to clean up their act with frilly pop rock.
20:24Every morning there's a halo hanging from the corner of my girlfriend's four-punce band.
20:31They became one of the hottest party bands of the early 2000s, and even many critics warmed
20:36up to them.
20:37Still, it was such a radical stylistic change that metal fans had to admit that Sugar Ray
20:42were in that genre for the fad.
20:44At least the band has never really acted otherwise.
20:48Number 12.
20:53Rage Against The Machine.
20:55Selling out doesn't always mean sacrificing your sound or even your politics.
21:00Some of those that work forces draw the same that burn crosses.
21:06Rage Against The Machine did more than set the standard for rap metal.
21:10They brought an intensely anti-capitalist, anti-establishment agenda to a wide audience.
21:16But many true believers believe they sold their soul to do it.
21:19RATM's star-making deal with Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony, sparked underground controversy.
21:32Then came the merch, the movie soundtracks, and more.
21:36Guitars Tom Morello maintains that fortune was a small price to pay to promote the cause.
21:46He and his bandmates remain dedicated socialism activists and philanthropists.
21:51Alas, the consistently growing music industry presence and concert prices, with no new material
21:58over two reunions, point to the revolution being co-opted.
22:08Number 11.
22:09Gwen Stefani.
22:10It's not unusual for band members to go a more mainstream direction in their solo careers.
22:16But Gwen Stefani is a case unlike any other.
22:19The ska-punk outfit No Doubt made the singer an alternative idol throughout the 90s.
22:28Their unique style and underdog spirit superseded the pop elements.
22:32By the time No Doubt first disbanded, Stefani became one of the music industry's most quintessential pop stars.
22:39From dance to hip-hop to a Christmas album, she achieved immense commercial success on her own.
22:49Bringing that flamboyant persona to other media and fashion design has further made her iconic.
22:55It's hard to believe that this pop diva was once a punk, but Stefani herself admits that her lucrative solo brand was contrived.
23:08I ain't no Hollaback girl, I ain't no Hollaback girl.
23:12Number 10.
23:13Aerosmith.
23:15Throughout the 1970s, Aerosmith was one of the biggest bands in the world.
23:19Chip away, chip away at the storm.
23:24However, in the 1980s, internal conflicts ruined the band and their popularity suffered as a result.
23:31Making for some less-than-stellar years for the once great group.
23:39In order to regain their status as rock and roll kings, they collaborated with rap group Run-DMC in a rather risky but also genius career move.
23:50Their following permanent vacation went on to go multi-platinum, restoring the band's cool factor until I Don't Want to Miss a Thing once again earned the ire of fans in 1998.
24:11Number 9.
24:12Liz Phair.
24:14One of the most influential artists of the 90s, alt-rock queen Liz Phair could seemingly do no wrong by the turn of the millennium.
24:29That was until she was offered some extra cash to do work with the masterminds behind pop stars Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff.
24:37Get a load of me, get a load of you, walking down the street and I hardly know you.
24:45With the release of her 2003 self-titled pop-rock album, the backlash towards the singer was endless, with one review from Pitchfork giving the album 0 out of 10 and accusing Phair of being reduced to cheap publicity stunts.
24:59The hate train didn't quite die down thereafter either, as her next two releases received mixed reviews.
25:11However, her 2021 album Soberish brought her back to her indie rock roots, to positive reception.
25:18Number 8.
25:26Nicki Minaj.
25:28Alright, alright.
25:29Hear us out.
25:30Before Super Bass established Nicki as a pop star sensation, she was spittin' fire as an underground rapper.
25:37And a pretty talented one at that.
25:39Originally signed to indie label Dirty Money Entertainment, Minaj quickly made a name for herself through several critically acclaimed mixtapes before becoming noticed by Lil Wayne.
25:54This was followed by her debut, Pink Friday, and being heavily featured on Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
26:08One brief stint as a judge on American Idol, and a few highly successful, though some might say generic, mainstream pop songs later, and Nicki Minaj has longtime fans scratching their heads.
26:26And various personal controversies haven't helped matters either.
26:29Number 7.
26:30David Guetta.
26:31Guetta is a DJ and remix artist from France, known for a unique electro house sound that no one else can fully replicate.
26:46However, his third studio album, Pop Life, featured vocals from popular British singer Tara MacDonald.
26:59His collaborations didn't end there, as he was soon working with stars like Akon, Nicki Minaj, and Snoop Dogg.
27:12Means he hasn't quite been able to shake his ties to pop music.
27:16We're not saying going pop inherently means selling out, but EDM fans in general, and Guetta in particular, has said that as he's found his mainstream groove, his music has lost its soul.
27:32Guetta's said frequently that he's not trying to be credible, he's trying to be incredible.
27:37We'll just leave that there.
27:47Number 6.
27:48Taylor Swift.
27:49While T. Swift was always a popular artist, you can clearly see when she started trying to court the widest audience possible.
28:02She started as a sweet and innocent country girl, singing cute tunes about boys and receiving acclaim and popularity for doing so.
28:09It wasn't until 2012's Red that listeners began noticing a distinct change in her sound.
28:15We are never, ever, ever getting back together.
28:20That is, until 2014's 1989 burst into full-blown pop territory.
28:25Soon enough, she went from being one of the most famous artists around to being arguably the most famous person in the entire world.
28:39We doubt that would happen if she had stuck with country.
28:42Number 5.
28:46Maroon 5.
28:48Don't deny it.
28:49Songs like Sunday Morning and This Love were your jam back in the early 2000's.
28:53They were fun, light songs, but with meaning and care put behind them.
29:03So we imagine you were excited to see what the band had in store for you next.
29:07She said goodbye too many times before.
29:13You may have been disappointed by what Adam Levine and the boys dished up, with some accusing them of focusing too much on the hunky and bankable looks of their frontman and not enough on actual musical artistry.
29:25Gone were the blue-eyed soul-inspired tunes of the group's debut, and in their place were admittedly catchy yet undeniably poppy productions that just didn't live up to what fans had to expect from them.
29:43Number 4.
29:49Coldplay Coldplay was one of the most important legacies of Britpop in the 2000's.
29:55Look at the stars, look how they shine from you.
30:02Their rich alternative anthems and haunting ballads led a new generation of British rock.
30:07Nobody said it was easy.
30:13But after they swept the Grammys with their art-pop-oriented album Viva La Vida, the art part started to slip.
30:20Coldplay began to focus on more arena-filling hits and collaborations with the least alternative artists in the industry.
30:27That includes Kylie Minogue, Beyonce, Selena Gomez, and BTS.
30:36Chris Martin has even milked his image as an eccentric artist and frontman.
30:40Coldplay's initial demographic has practically become their biggest haters.
30:44They may have never abandoned their personnel or personal artistry, but their stylistic shift is one of the most polarizing in modern rock.
30:52Number 3.
31:00Metallica Metallica was easily one of the best and most popular heavy metal bands throughout the 80's, creating masterpieces like Master of Puppets and End Justice For All.
31:10All played with rapid precision and power.
31:13Then, 1991 happened.
31:20Critics and hardcore fans alike criticized the band's eponymous album for its more radio-friendly direction, with softened guitars and lyrics.
31:29And nothing else matters.
31:34The band's image changed as well, but to the chagrin of avid listeners, these alterations were met with decent record sales and not abject failure.
31:43Ultimately, the final nail in the coffin was the Napster fiasco, when almost everyone, and not just the haters, finally accused the group of being a little too money hungry.
31:58Then it's time I disappear.
32:03Number 2.
32:05The Black Eyed Peas
32:07Believe it or not, there was a time when the Black Eyed Peas weren't singing about humps and feelings and shutting up.
32:13The group was created in 1992 and released some pretty decent alternative hip-hop albums, but they couldn't quite find an audience.
32:252003's Ella Funk was the first album recorded with new band member Fergie, and the group found wild success with Where Is The Love?
32:38It was after that success, the band's sound shifted sharply to a more party-style vibe, a change that was likely a drastic and frustrating one for longtime fans of B.E.P.'s early underground work.
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33:18Number 1.
33:21KISS
33:22It's not all bad for a band to sell out, at least when that's already their brand.
33:27KISS are undoubtedly talented rockers with scores of infectious classics, but they're equally recognized for their adaptiveness to pop and consumer trends across 50 years.
33:49They punctually latched onto disco, glam metal, grunge, and other hot genres.
34:01Meanwhile, the live shows kept getting more over the top, and virtually every merchandising opportunity imaginable was exploited.
34:09Some fans feel that this has diluted KISS's artistry over time. Others believe the band never hid their commercial ambitions.
34:17Either way, one of the most profitable rock acts of all time knew how to sell out right.
34:22The most important part is dedication to producing a quality product.
34:33Who do you think is the biggest musical sell out? Let us know in the comments!
34:43ENTRETTYCUE
34:43ENTRETTY
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