Ghost is one of those rare modern rock bands that has increased in popularity over the last few years, selling out stadiums and frequently debuting in the upper realm of the album charts.  Not a mean feat as that is usually relegated to pop acts, with rock having become a thing of the past.  With their faux occult stylings and extensive comic lore, Ghost have managed to gain fans of all ages despite heavy gatekeeping in the metal community.  2022's Impera truly broke them into the mainstream, and Skeletá, released in 2025, is keeping them there.  However, the more pop they become, the less leader Tobias Forge seems to be delving into his own creativity. 

After five albums within the span of two and a half years Creedence Clearwater Revival was starting to have some issues.  John Fogerty was the songwriter, lead guitarist, lead singer and producer for all of their material, and by Pendulum, their second album for 1970, that was wearing him down.  Combine that with the rest of the band getting jealous of his frontman status and the cracks began to show. 

After a decade absent John Fogerty returned to the spotlight with the hit album Centerfield in 1985, only to be promptly sued by his old label boss Saul Zaentz for plagiarizing himself.  Fogerty won, but legal costs and the desire to remain in the spotlight meant a second album had to come out fast.  That album was 1986's Eye of the Zombie, which saw Fogerty embracing the synths and rum machines of the mid-1980s with predictably disappointing results. 

Pop Will Eat Itself elevated themselves above their grebo roots with 1989's This Is the Hour... This Is the Day... This Is This!.  Combining hip-hop, punk rock and alternative rock with sampling and experimentation the album was one of the best of the 1980s.  Somehow, they managed the same feat with the follow-up, Cure for Sanity, in 1990 while embracing the club culture of the time. 

After departing Yes during the sessions for the follow=up to 1978's Tormato Jon Anderson took his songs with him.  They formed the backbone of his second solo album, Song of Seven, in 1980.  The album is a hodgepodge of different styles, ranging from the folksy stuff he wanted to do with Yes to more progressive music.  Unfortunately, it doesn't make for a satisfying follow-up to Olias of Sunhillow. 

Frankie Goes to Hollywood were declared to be the new Beatles, blasting out of Liverpool and taking the British music scene by storm in 1984 and the U.S. by drizzle in 1985.  However, band in-fighting, conflicts with their record company and a general disinterest on the behalf of their lead singer delayed the release of a follow-up to 1985's Welcome to the PleasureDome.  When it did arrive the attention of the record-buying public had gone elsewhere.  

After the success of 1973's We're an American Band Grand Funk Railroad (or simply Grand Funk) maintained producer Todd Rundgren for their 1974 album Shinin' On.  Although it gave them another number one song with their cover of "The Loco-Motion" it didn't measure up in quality to the predecessor.  The signs of the upcoming burnout were there but they still managed to produce a decent album. 

After a series of lackluster albums in the second half of the 1980s AC/DC came roaring back in 1990 with The Razors Edge.  It gave them a top-40 hit with "Moneytalks" and revitalized their flagging career.  It was a while before the next album came out and, when it did in 1995, Ballbreaker sounded like it came from a band and singer that were worn out.

Gin Blossoms scored a surprise hit with their second album New Miserable Experience.  However, that success was bittersweet.  Most of the songs were written by Doug Hopkins who was fired from the band while making the album due to his increased unreliability due to his alcoholism.  A&M Records made things worse by making him sign over his royalties despite the fact he played on the majority of the release.  Hopkins committed suicide in 1993 so, despite a top 10 hit from the soundtrack to Empire Records, it was a while before another Gin Blossoms album came out.  When it did the title pretty much said it all. 

Peter Gabriel achieved his biggest solo success in 1986 with the album So.  Not only did it produce some of the most memorable music videos of the decade, but it also produced some of the best songs.  It took a number of years before the proper follow-up, Us, was released in 1992.  By then things had changed but, in many ways, Gabriel had not.