Sometimes, big-name rock bands will make a big change to their music to better align with the musical interests of the masses. Some would call this selling out. Others would call it an admirable attempt to remain relevant. Either way, a few classic rock albums have been released in the last handful of decades that clearly show their respective bands jumping on trend bandwagons. And some of those albums are excellent pieces of work, making that bandwagon jump more than worth it. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?
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‘Generation Swine’ by Mötley Crüe
This heavy metal outfit’s seventh studio album was released in 1997, marking the return of lead vocalist Vince Neil. It’s a bit of a polarizing album that earned mixed reviews, namely because it showcased the band’s move toward alternative rock music, rather than their classic heavy metal sound. It was the 90s, after all. Plenty of bands with a similar tenure were struggling to maintain visibility during the grunge boom. Nikki Sixx even expressed that he thought being labeled “sell-outs” was unfair.
“Somehow the spin had got out there that Mötley was going to flirt with an alternative sound – that we’d sold out,” said Sixx in a print interview with Classic Rock in 2000. “Sure, it was experimental, but it wasn’t alternative, techno or dance. So I was a little disappointed at the way it was received.”
‘Chaos And Disorder’ by Prince
Another example of a classic rock musician opting for a more alternative sound to stay relevant in the 90s, Prince released the grunge-leaning funk rock album Chaos And Disorder in 1996. He was doing what anyone had to do to maintain a standing in the ever-changing world of rock. He wasn’t the kind of artist you could boss around, as his public beefs with his label indicated. But he did what he had to do, and he did so gloriously.
Prince had never made anything close to alt-rock or grunge before, and yet, Chaos And Disorder boasts some of his best songs of the 90s, including “Chaos And Disorder” and “Dinner With Delores”.
‘Hot Space’ by Queen
Hot Space by Queen was released in 1982. This new wave funk record is a fine example of Queen’s ability to avoid going stale as rock music evolved. Though, this record is not very popular with diehard Queen fans, as the disco and new wave elements on the album bothered those who loved Queen for their rock stylings. “Body Language” is a jam, as is the famous David Bowie collab, “Under Pressure”. This is one of my favorite classic rock albums on this list.
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