I've been reading all these threads about Prince and other musical artists who "can't make relevant or hit music" past their "peak" musical years; who are artists that you can think of that kept making great albums past the age of 50, whether it was on the charts or not? Tina Turner comes to mind--but who else showed the crowd that they could still put out as far as great music, not necessarily hitting the charts?

:clarityedit:

[Edited 6/18/11 15:13pm]

Getting a hit song generally has to do with a promotional department of a record company that has a large "budget" to spend.

MickyDolenz said:

Getting a hit song generally has to do with a promotional department of a record company that has a large "budget" to spend.

Yeah, but I'm not talking about hits--what artists over fifty have made great albums. Maybe it is a naive thought... I know there must be many I just can't think of any off-hand!

After 20 or 30 years, does it really matter? Their legacies are sealed in stone anyways.

Timmy84 said:

After 20 or 30 years, does it really matter? Their legacies are sealed in stone anyways.

That's true, Timmy, maybe I posed a redundant question. It was spur-of-the moment. I'm not questioning legacies but I was wondering. But I guess someone will tell me to check my memories or google it. That's why an impulse post is not always good--although it might seem interesting at the moment!

ron isley.

Krayzie Bone and Brotha Lynch Hung.

Especially Krayzie. He was sick when they first came out, and now nearly 20 years later, he hasn't lost it. To be honest, he might even be better. But I don't know if I want to say that yet. Almost 20 years of music, and literally, not a single bad verse. Krayzie Bone is "okay" at worst.

Brotha Lynch Hung was better in his prime which was like 1995ish, but he's still great now. He started a trilogy in 2010, and a few months ago the 2nd album of it dropped, and so far, 2 great albums in a row. Like I said, I think he was at his best back then, but now he's more evolved.

Santana : super natural

that album was huge

motownlover said:

Santana : super natural

that album was huge

True. It really was great, but the stuff from that disc got so much air-time I actually got sick of it.

Hmm, the blues are kind of an exception as typically they produce their best work after the age of forty. Muddy Waters arguably made some of his best music in the late '70s when he was in his mid '60s. Albums like Hard Again and I'm Ready are typically praised as among his best work.

In most forms of popular music artists typically have a fairly set period of time where they produce their best work. Roughly ten years seems to be the window of greatness. Some artists push it to fifteen or even twenty but that's fairly rare.

Bruce Springsteen had a bit of a late career resurgance starting with The Rising. Bob Dylan is often cited as producing great music late in his career starting with Time Out of Mind. David Bowie fans have a lot of praise for his albums circa 1995-2002.

I think it's simply due to a lack of fire and inspiration. When an artist is young and just starting out they have everything to prove but as the years go by they seem to have less and less passion about their music. Technically they become better singers/songwriters/musicians but lose that spark that made their earlier music great.

Nine Inch Nails.

My favorite NIN album is the debut, "Pretty Hate Machine" from 1989, but my second favorite is "Year Zero".... which came out in 2007.

purplethunder3121 said:

I've been reading all these threads about Prince and other musical artists who "can't make relevant or hit music" past their primes; who are artists that you can think of that kept making great albums past the age of 50, whether it was on the charts or not? Tina Turner comes to mind--but who else showed the crowd that they could still put out as far as great music, not necessarily hitting the charts?

[Edited 6/17/11 17:43pm]

theres plenty actually, the problem is that the media is not set up for them, the public is brainwashed into thinking a new way now, like your washed up at 25 is the new mindset.

But a few are

Bob Dylan - Time out of mind

Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie (age 56)

Elton John - Songs from the West COast (age 54)

Elton John and Leon Russell - the Union (age 63)

Rick Springfield -ShockdenialAngerAceeptance (age 55)

Rick Springfield -Venus in Overdrive (age 58)

a-ha - Foot of the Mountain (age 50)

Duran Duran - All U need is Now (age 51)

Barry Manilow - 15 minutes (age 67)

John Mellencamp - (pretty much every album he's done since 1994 is amazing and now hes 60)

Air Supply - Mumbo Jumbo (age 60)

Dennis DeYoung - One Hundred Years From Now (age 61)

Heart - Red Velvet Car (age 58)

again the mindset of the world is to not accept and not play music anymore because the demographic, they feel, isnt for these artists or anyone past the so called prime, whatever that may be.

/\ Good list. I meant to mention "Venus In Overdrive". That's up there with the best of Rick's 80's work IMO.

Militant said:

Nine Inch Nails.

My favorite NIN album is the debut, "Pretty Hate Machine" from 1989, but my second favorite is "Year Zero".... which came out in 2007.

This is true.

I'd put Prince and Michael Jackson on the list too.

Amazingly, Paul Simon has never had a dip in quality, other than his one foray into Broadway.

Michael Jackson

Prince

armpit said:

Militant said:

Nine Inch Nails.

My favorite NIN album is the debut, "Pretty Hate Machine" from 1989, but my second favorite is "Year Zero".... which came out in 2007.

This is true.

I'd put Prince and Michael Jackson on the list too.

actually not really because if we are saying after the age of 50, MJ did nothing, and Prince well, Lotus Flower was great but it also had MPLsound with it, which stunk big time. 20ten is very good but still some holes.

[Edited 6/18/11 8:59am]

Imaginative said:

ALL of Bob Dylan's studio output since TOOM sits comfortably next to the best of his work (except for the X-Mas album of course). Crazy, because before Time Out of Mind he was considered permanently down for the count other than his live shows.

If you consider Blanton-Webster band the peak of Duke Ellington as most do, he continued to make great music through the next 30 years, 'til his death.

Ray Davies recent albums are as good as my favorite Kinks albums, particularly Working Man's Cafe. Steve Winwood's About Timeis also amazing.

Those are the ones who immediately come to mind.

[Edited 6/18/11 8:41am]

very true also i forgot Ray Davies, also Peter Wolf's Midnight Souveniers was a gem!

Of course, I'm gonna' say, Donna Summer. Hope there's more to come from mamma Donna. Crayons is a great cd and To Paris, With Love is a great dance/pop track.

Most jazz artists of note have accomplished that. Based mainly on my own collection, these artists have made quality music past their "prime" (which I suppose for industry purposes is past the age of 30-35):

Sade

Van Morrison

Al Green

Duke Ellington

Steely Dan/Donald Fagen (often, the same difference)

Gil Scott-Heron (Spirits and I'm New Here were each very good albums)

Johnny Cash

Rickie Lee Jones (Sermon On Exposition Boulevard)

to name a few . . .

In the 1980s, age didn't matter and not only did they release new music, but the stuff they released became hits. I don't know if they were over 50 yet back then but they had been successful artists in the 1960s and 1970s and continued on being successful in the 1980s....folks like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, The Temptations, and Gladys Knight and The Pips.

Neil Young's been consistently great the last 20years.

lastdecember said:

armpit said:

This is true.

I'd put Prince and Michael Jackson on the list too.

actually not really because if we are saying after the age of 50, MJ did nothing, and Prince well, Lotus Flower was great but it also had MPLsound with it, which stunk big time. 20ten is very good but still some holes.

Thats not what the thread said the thread said AFTER THEIR PRIME.. not after the age of 50...

Hell, throw Guns N' Roses in there. I MUCH prefer "Chinese Democracy" to either of the "Use Your Illusion" albums and it's almost as good as "Appetite.."

purplethunder3121 said:

I've been reading all these threads about Prince and other musical artists who "can't make relevant or hit music" past their primes; who are artists that you can think of that kept making great albums past the age of 50, whether it was on the charts or not? Tina Turner comes to mind--but who else showed the crowd that they could still put out as far as great music, not necessarily hitting the charts?

[Edited 6/17/11 17:43pm]

Pfunk

Bootsy

Prince

Dazz band

Elton John

Peter Gabriel

Annie Lennox

Stanley Clark

George Duke

Al Green

NIN

Depeche Mode (not sure of age)

Militant said:

Hell, throw Guns N' Roses in there. I MUCH prefer "Chinese Democracy" to either of the "Use Your Illusion" albums and it's almost as good as "Appetite.."

Axl's not 50 yet. I like CD too, but not that much More consistent for me than UYI II, but there's nothing as ripping as Locomotive or Estranged on it.

mjscarousal said:

lastdecember said:

actually not really because if we are saying after the age of 50, MJ did nothing, and Prince well, Lotus Flower was great but it also had MPLsound with it, which stunk big time. 20ten is very good but still some holes.

Thats not what the thread said the thread said AFTER THEIR PRIME.. not after the age of 50...

Actually, the 1st post does say "after 50".

MickyDolenz said:

mjscarousal said:

Thats not what the thread said the thread said AFTER THEIR PRIME.. not after the age of 50...

Actually, the 1st post does say "after 50".

Sure did.

MickyDolenz said:

mjscarousal said:

Thats not what the thread said the thread said AFTER THEIR PRIME.. not after the age of 50...

Actually, the 1st post does say "after 50".

The thread QUESTION asks who are artists that still made good music after their prime which is not limited to JUST 50 and over. The overall theme of this thread is for people to give their input of artists over THEIR PRIME that still made good music. The artist doesnt necessarily HAVE to be over 50 thats the point.