Downhill from the debut

[grimtraveller]

Which artists, bands, writers, actors, directors etc, do you feel came out at the start of their career with guns blazing, being involved in a wonderful debut and then never attained those heights again ?
It doesn't even have to be that their work thereafter was bad or progressively worse, just never reaching the quality that was reached on their first outing.

 

[grimtraveller]

Def Leppard.
I think their debut album was one of the best debut albums I have ever heard. Maybe it's just one of those "right place at the right time" type scenarios, but they've never, in my opinion, come close to that debut again. More successful, for sure, in fact, that debut is probably bottom of the pile for Leppard fans.
But not for me.

I felt that Santana came out of the traps with a fantastic first album and they followed it up with a great one. But it was a slight downgrade. And I don't think they've ever hit the heights of "Santana" again, even though the band and Santana himself have done some great stuff over the years.

 

[RFR]

I think Boston. First album was a magnificent work of art. Songwriting, arrangements, performances, production, etc.

The later records were great, I’m not denying that, but nowhere as good as the first.

I mean, how the hell do you top a debut release like that??

 

[DM60]

Christopher Cross.

 

[YanKleber]

I think Boston. First album was a magnificent work of art. Songwriting, arrangements, performances, production, etc.

The later records were great, I’m not denying that, but nowhere as good as the first.

I mean, how the hell do you top a debut release like that??

You definitely have a point. It's almost impossible to beat a self masterpiece.