Shawn RyanSooner or later, the party is over. It's true for human beings; it's also true in music.
For many bands or solo artists, there's usually one release that stinks so badly it can kill a career, or at least wound it so badly it never recovers. There are some cases where the patient pulls through, but for most, the corpse is planted in the soil, never to rise like a zombie.
While "Chicago VII" had three Top 20 hits, singles like "Wishing You Were Here" and "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" were the first indications of Chicago's slow descent into prom rock, which came to fruition 10 albums later on "Chicago 17" and the diabetes-inducing syrup of "You're the Inspiration" and "Hard Habit to Break."
Aerosmith actually has died, risen from the grave and died again over its 40-year lifespan. "Draw the Line" in 1977 found the band so drug-addled it could only come up with a couple of decent songs. By 1979's "Night in the Ruts," founding guitarist Joe Perry had left and the album was suitably rotten. The band rose again with 1987's "Permanent Vacation," but 10 years later "Nine Lives" showed a band bored with itself. Although still together, Aerosmith hasn't recovered musically.
Peter Frampton became a huge star with "Frampton Comes Alive!" in 1976, but he drove a stake through the heart of his fame with his very next album. The title song, "I'm In You," was so saccharine it even made his hardcore fans dislike him.
Styx was fresh off its first No. 1 album, "Paradise Theater," when Dennis DeYoung wanted to do a "real" concept album. Thus was born "Kilroy Was Here," a confused mash-up about a guy in a "1984"-esque society where rock music is banned. The album sold more than 1 million copies behind the hit "Mr. Roboto," but it was so overwrought, it drove away many fans and was the last Styx album that made any splash.
R.E.M. became a multiplatinum act with 1987's "Document" and continued that run through 1996's "New Adventures in Hi-Fi." Then founding member and drummer Bill Berry left and the next album, 1998's "Up," showed how important he was. While "Up" sold 500,000 copies, it used session drummers and drum machines, giving it a cold, manufactured feel. Only "Daysleeper" was a throwback to R.E.M. glory days. The band hasn't been platinum since.
Contact Shawn Ryan at mshawnryan@gmail.com.