Who are some bands/artists you think new listeners would appreciate more if they started with their very first release?

[Shitty Rambo]

And I don't mean this as, "their earlier material was better," or, "they changed their sound too much," I mean bands/artists who have a solid catalog, but you think it's better to experience it in progression from square one opposed to just randomly jumping into their music. 

 

IE - Black Flag, The Bronx, Tigers Jaw, Masked Intruder, Glassjaw, Red City Radio, Minus The Bear

[Oblivions]

R.E.M. 

Knowing that they are the energetic rock band that released Murmur/Reckoning adds to the feat of each sound shift in their career, IMO.

[N8TRU]

Work Drugs, The Neighborhood, The Interrupters, The Midnight, Heavy Hearts, Daisyhead, Transit, Pure Bathing Culture, American Football, The Chain Gang of 1974, M83, Shunkan. I could probably go on for a long time lol. I agree with all the ones listed in your OP.

[TheGhostOfRandySavage]

A ton of the more "classic" rock bands are this way. Sabbath had a huge evolution, Pink Floyd too. Genesis, The Beach Boys, Yes. They all had really interesting careers and changes. Smashing Pumpkins too.

[superpeephole]

Portugal. The Man

If you told me in 2010 that they would be Grammy Award winners in the next ten years, I wouldn't believe it for a second.. but here we are.

Edited June 21, 2021 by superpeephole

[dawhizz]

Genesis 

[Oblivions]

9 hours ago, superpeephole said:

Portugal. The Man

If you told me in 2010 that they would be Grammy Award winners in the next ten years, I wouldn't believe it for a second.. but here we are.

If you told me the goobers on stage shouting and telling stories about showering with each other in a tiny venue as Anatomy of a Ghost would one day win a Grammy, I’d have also been in disbelief.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Oblivions

[Shitty Rambo]

I also wanna throw in Against Me! and Modern Baseball.

 

Lawrence Arms and Menzingers feel like they should be here too, but their old material is pretty scrappy and unpolished. Almost feel like you appreciate it more AFTER hearing their more recent material. 

[iwokeinrelief]

Adding to the classic rock vein I'd say King Crimson for sure; I love the sheer WTF-ness of the abrupt transition from those early albums to Larks.  Though for many listeners it might be good to hop off before getting to the Thrak-era stuff.

 

I also love following the thread of Spacemen 3 through Spiritualized (and taking a detour into the Sonic Boom branch).

[OneThreeOneTwo]

U2. Boy is a solid AF album of the era & it's worth at least one listen especially if you're a teenager.

[mitchard]

On 6/22/2021 at 7:37 PM, Shitty Rambo said:

I also wanna throw in Against Me!

I agree. I am in a few AM! groups on Facebook, and RAR/Eternal Cowboy seem to rank significantly lower with many from the crowd that started listening to them in the WC/TDB era. Nobody ever says they aren't great records, but the AM moving to the more melodic side from New Wave forward definitely appealed to a broader audience, and plays a big role in those rankings.  Post major label, Laura's transition and the release of TDB definitely brought in a lot of new fans, which was rad. 

 

I guess I'll chalk it up to same logic behind thinking the music you got into in your teens/early 20s always is the best thing out there. What a lot of people first hear from an artist generally stays their favorite, it seems.