To be a washed has been, your artist must have...

1. Not had a hit (Something that has gone past Top 40) since 1990 or earlier

2. Constantly touring and nearly always playing the same few hits

3. Half of their band members are new or not original OR there are multiple versions of the group led by one or more original members and a bunch of strangers in the band.

4. Have to be double their age or more at the hit.

5. If they play trend (Rap, dance) or novelty music, they must have worn off and be out of fashion.

6. Physically or drug addled state.

7. Needing to tour to earn money

8. Mostly playing oldies circuits or being forced to play out of way territories (Like New Zealand, Russia or Malta) as their 1 or 2 hits hit biggest there.

9. Do not count retired acts.

.

With these, I can say all these people are washed up has beens

.

Vanilla Ice

Tone Loc

Joe Dissy

Dr Hook (And a band led by Dennis Lacoreyair)

Melba Moore

Various line ups of Stylistics, 4 Tops, Temptations etc any other black vocal group of 1960s or 1970s

The moodie Blues

The new seekers with Judith Durham

Tom Jones

Cliff Richard

Bert Backaact

MC Hammer, Hammer or whatever he calls himself

Fantaysha

Two girls from TLC who failed to get crowdfunding for album.

Nina Cheery

Paula Abdul

Taylor Dane (Played a cruise ship and came on to my brother in 2007).

Boney M (3 Line ups at one stage)

Ottawan (Play Russia regularly, as they still love Eurodisco there)

.

Can you guys name some, to me the most pathetic is 49 year Vanilla Ice who still plays music and thinks he is cool.

[Edited 4/5/16 21:21pm]

NorthC said:

I don't like ti say it because he is one of my favourites, but... Sly Stone qualifies for all of the above.

Nah, I think the "has been" description fits people that are still publicity hungry, appear in TV shows, do Casino shows, or whatever. Sly's a reclusive druggie. There's still some demand for him to appear on stage again, but concert goers have been burned by his erratic behaviour so often that it's diminished a lot.

Most has beens are considered sort of pathetic because they do pathetic things to try to stay relevant and get media coverage. Sly's just, well, a sad figure.

The saying "has been" is so Mean....and Paula Abdul is NOT considered a has-been.....Entertainers have to figure out ways to stay on the Publicity circuit...Some sell shoes & some sell Pies....We should not knock Artists who wear many-hats to bring in a paycheck....

Adorecream said:

Tom Jones

He is still very much a living legend, voice and charisma still intact at 75!

TLC is touring currently and was on the road with NKOTB, thier kickstarted project is still in the works. im a supporter got my t shirt.

Fantasia is on tour with Anthony Hamilton and still popular

Miles said:

Adorecream said:

Tom Jones

He is still very much a living legend, voice and charisma still intact at 75!

That's right! Tom is a living legend. My pick would be Kanye West.

Why aren't you mad at record companies for being such bean counting bitch monkeys?

Chancellor said:

Janet Jackson.

Some would say TTD, but I love him so.

2freaky4church1 said:

Adorecream said:

To be a washed has been, your artist must have...

1. Not had a hit (Something that has gone past Top 40) since 1990 or earlier

2. Constantly touring and nearly always playing the same few hits

3. Half of their band members are new or not original OR there are multiple versions of the group led by one or more original members and a bunch of strangers in the band.

4. Have to be double their age or more at the hit.

5. If they play trend (Rap, dance) or novelty music, they must have worn off and be out of fashion.

6. Physically or drug addled state.

7. Needing to tour to earn money

8. Mostly playing oldies circuits or being forced to play out of way territories (Like New Zealand, Russia or Malta) as their 1 or 2 hits hit biggest there.

9. Do not count retired acts.

.

With these, I can say all these people are washed up has beens

.

Vanilla Ice

Tone Loc

Joe Dissy

Dr Hook (And a band led by Dennis Lacoreyair)

Melba Moore

Various line ups of Stylistics, 4 Tops, Temptations etc any other black vocal group of 1960s or 1970s

The moodie Blues

The new seekers with Judith Durham

Tom Jones

Cliff Richard

Bert Backaact

MC Hammer, Hammer or whatever he calls himself

Fantaysha

Two girls from TLC who failed to get crowdfunding for album.

Nina Cheery

Paula Abdul

Taylor Dane (Played a cruise ship and came on to my brother in 2007).

Boney M (3 Line ups at one stage)

Ottawan (Play Russia regularly, as they still love Eurodisco there)

.

Can you guys name some, to me the most pathetic is 49 year Vanilla Ice who still plays music and thinks he is cool.

[Edited 4/5/16 21:21pm]

I beg to differ, friend. These acts that you mention tour because that's their means of making a living. And they still draw a nice-sized crowd when they play. It's obvious that you have an issue with an artist just trying to survive.

NorthC said:

I don't like ti say it because he is one of my favourites, but... Sly Stone qualifies for all of the above.

Unfortunately agree.

Adorecream said:

To be a washed has been, your artist must have...

1. Not had a hit (Something that has gone past Top 40) since 1990 or earlier

2. Constantly touring and nearly always playing the same few hits

3. Half of their band members are new or not original OR there are multiple versions of the group led by one or more original members and a bunch of strangers in the band.

4. Have to be double their age or more at the hit.

5. If they play trend (Rap, dance) or novelty music, they must have worn off and be out of fashion.

6. Physically or drug addled state.

7. Needing to tour to earn money

8. Mostly playing oldies circuits or being forced to play out of way territories (Like New Zealand, Russia or Malta) as their 1 or 2 hits hit biggest there.

9. Do not count retired acts.

.

With these, I can say all these people are washed up has beens

.

Vanilla Ice

Tone Loc

Joe Dissy

Dr Hook (And a band led by Dennis Lacoreyair)

Melba Moore

Various line ups of Stylistics, 4 Tops, Temptations etc any other black vocal group of 1960s or 1970s

The moodie Blues

The new seekers with Judith Durham

Tom Jones

Cliff Richard

Bert Backaact

MC Hammer, Hammer or whatever he calls himself

Fantaysha

Two girls from TLC who failed to get crowdfunding for album.

Nina Cheery

Paula Abdul

Taylor Dane (Played a cruise ship and came on to my brother in 2007).

Boney M (3 Line ups at one stage)

Ottawan (Play Russia regularly, as they still love Eurodisco there)

.

Can you guys name some, to me the most pathetic is 49 year Vanilla Ice who still plays music and thinks he is cool.

[Edited 4/5/16 21:21pm]

In fairness, you've listed some people who aren't activtely making music. Hammer doesn't need to make music - he's quite the techy, and has contributed greatly to the tech world. Robert VanWinkle (Vanilla Ice) is quite successful in real estate house flipping, and even garnered a reality show with him doing just that. No one's career lasts forever, and if it does, it's an anomoly, not a regular thing. So few musicians really have a lasting career. The smart thing, just like in the stock market, is to diversify. Jay Z runs how many businesses? 50 Cent - when was his last album or memorable song, yet he's part of Vitamin Water, and other business efforts that will keep him rich. Paula Abdul - oh, that 8 year gig on the most popular show Fox ever had makes her quite less than a has been. It made her relevant again. You'd never have put her on that list had it not been for her years on American Idol.

But here's the thing, no one can ever live up to their biggest peaks in their careers. By all standards, Prince is a has-been, because he's not selling records, and he's basically a greatest hits act. To expect to hear "Clouds" or "Screwdriver", or whatever else on a tour these days would be a rarity, not the bones of a set list.

Go to Europe and ask them about Tom Jones.

thesoulbrother said:

I beg to differ, friend. These acts that you mention tour because that's their means of making a living. And they still draw a nice-sized crowd when they play. It's obvious that you have an issue with an artist just trying to survive.

Not at all, I love has beens, I actually feel sorry for them, especially the deluded ones who think they are all that and a bag of chips.

.

Tom Jones played NZ recently, but the audience was mostly grannies and apparently several soiled briefs, guardian diapers and false teeth flooded the stage. Most of them had to save multiple pensions to pay for the tickets.

.

Also as we get lots of has beens touring here and often playing old folks clubs and theatres with a capacity of 1000 or so. Last year we got the Shadows, The Moody Blues, the Hollies, Judith Durham etc, the worst was Gerry and the Pacemakers made up of 80 year old men with Pacemakers. 80 year olds should be living out their retirement peacefully not touring the other side of the world with music only a few pensioners remember.

.

The worst are the ones that are only like one original member of a group and a bunch of strangers as stand ins, such as 60year old Liz Mitchell and 3 nobodies in her Boney M tour, and 62 year old Marcia Barrett and 2 others in her version of Boney M (Bobby also had one and died on tour 3 years ago). We also had the lead voice of Dr Hook, Dennis Lacoreyaire or whatever his name is.

.

Sad to say, New Zealand is seen as the graveyard, when a performer plays it, it is considered they are no longer A list and this bodes bad for Prince and Madonna who played it first time in the 30+ year careers. Kylie Minogue came to NZ in 2012 and has not had a hit since.

Axl Rose was looking like one until about a month ago. But I can say that because I don't like him.

.

There are plenty of artists who aren't still creative and just play their old hits to a diminished audience. If they can still do it, and people still come to hear their music and live in the moment with them, they're not has-beens, they're still happening.

.

My favorite band, the Who, has made one album in the last 35 years, and they aren't playing any songs off it on their current tour. Washed-up? Maybe. But 15,000 people a night are turning up to hear them do what they do. I wish I was that washed-up.

Adorecream said:

thesoulbrother said:

I beg to differ, friend. These acts that you mention tour because that's their means of making a living. And they still draw a nice-sized crowd when they play. It's obvious that you have an issue with an artist just trying to survive.

Not at all, I love has beens, I actually feel sorry for them, especially the deluded ones who think they are all that and a bag of chips.

.

Tom Jones played NZ recently, but the audience was mostly grannies and apparently several soiled briefs, guardian diapers and false teeth flooded the stage. Most of them had to save multiple pensions to pay for the tickets.

.

Also as we get lots of has beens touring here and often playing old folks clubs and theatres with a capacity of 1000 or so. Last year we got the Shadows, The Moody Blues, the Hollies, Judith Durham etc, the worst was Gerry and the Pacemakers made up of 80 year old men with Pacemakers. 80 year olds should be living out their retirement peacefully not touring the other side of the world with music only a few pensioners remember.

.

The worst are the ones that are only like one original member of a group and a bunch of strangers as stand ins, such as 60year old Liz Mitchell and 3 nobodies in her Boney M tour, and 62 year old Marcia Barrett and 2 others in her version of Boney M (Bobby also had one and died on tour 3 years ago). We also had the lead voice of Dr Hook, Dennis Lacoreyaire or whatever his name is.

.

Sad to say, New Zealand is seen as the graveyard, when a performer plays it, it is considered they are no longer A list and this bodes bad for Prince and Madonna who played it first time in the 30+ year careers. Kylie Minogue came to NZ in 2012 and has not had a hit since.

Oh, me gawd!

Adorecream said:

To be a washed has been, your artist must have...

1. Not had a hit (Something that has gone past Top 40) since 1990 or earlier

2. Constantly touring and nearly always playing the same few hits

3. Half of their band members are new or not original OR there are multiple versions of the group led by one or more original members and a bunch of strangers in the band.

4. Have to be double their age or more at the hit.

5. If they play trend (Rap, dance) or novelty music, they must have worn off and be out of fashion.

6. Physically or drug addled state.

7. Needing to tour to earn money

8. Mostly playing oldies circuits or being forced to play out of way territories (Like New Zealand, Russia or Malta) as their 1 or 2 hits hit biggest there.

9. Do not count retired acts.

.

[Edited 4/5/16 21:21pm]

Well, that pretty much covers about 75% of the artists in the music industry who are over 35 years old. Most of the people who have been riding the top of the charts over the past few years will fall into the "has been" category one day. Yes, even Rhianna, Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry will one day be considered has-beens.

Adorecream said:

7. Needing to tour to earn money

Isn't this what all artists, next to making records, are supposed to do?

To thier audience they are not, these terms like "washed up" or "has been" or one hit wonder sounds like something bitter record exectutives says about artists they are no longer able to turn huge profits on anymore.

so an artist can longer pack the type stages they once did? to thier audience the size of the stage makes no difference. unless you own shares in ROC nation who the fuck cares.

also, alot of those artists most likely decided to step away by choice to do other things in life.

TLC, Paula Abdul and Neneh Cherry are legends! "classic artists"

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who enjoyed thier work who would call them anything else.

.Iconic.

[Edited 4/9/16 4:52am]

So if HITS determine this so called "washed up" status then when can say PRINCE has been done for a long time, I mean his last HIT single was almost 22 years ago. So I don't really get this term, because say the only way to make MONEY now is to tour, so there are artists that tour their asses off still have albums but almost never chart but make a lot more then an artist that has a few top 10 singles/downloads or streaming hits. And also what chart are we looking at, what if an artist has not been or had a hit here in AMerica in ages but still has top 10's in most other countries? Are they has beens cause America can't get their listening shit together? There are songs now that go Top 10 and number 1 that most of the country never even knows, Music charts to me are not relevant at this point because you are accounting for a dead business model.

Adorecream said:

To be a washed has been, your artist must have...

1. Not had a hit (Something that has gone past Top 40) since 1990 or earlier

2. Constantly touring and nearly always playing the same few hits

3. Half of their band members are new or not original OR there are multiple versions of the group led by one or more original members and a bunch of strangers in the band.

4. Have to be double their age or more at the hit.

5. If they play trend (Rap, dance) or novelty music, they must have worn off and be out of fashion.

6. Physically or drug addled state.

7. Needing to tour to earn money

8. Mostly playing oldies circuits or being forced to play out of way territories (Like New Zealand, Russia or Malta) as their 1 or 2 hits hit biggest there.

9. Do not count retired acts.

.

With these, I can say all these people are washed up has beens

.

Vanilla Ice

Tone Loc

Joe Dissy

Dr Hook (And a band led by Dennis Lacoreyair)

Melba Moore

Various line ups of Stylistics, 4 Tops, Temptations etc any other black vocal group of 1960s or 1970s

The moodie Blues

The new seekers with Judith Durham

Tom Jones

Cliff Richard

Bert Backaact

MC Hammer, Hammer or whatever he calls himself

Fantaysha

Two girls from TLC who failed to get crowdfunding for album.

Nina Cheery

Paula Abdul

Taylor Dane (Played a cruise ship and came on to my brother in 2007).

Boney M (3 Line ups at one stage)

Ottawan (Play Russia regularly, as they still love Eurodisco there)

.

Can you guys name some, to me the most pathetic is 49 year Vanilla Ice who still plays music and thinks he is cool.

[Edited 4/5/16 21:21pm]

.

and what exactly have you done in your life that the world knows about or will care to remember in 40 or 50 years? it sure wont be lame ass posts on a message board. you may count these pople as has beens, but at least they made a mark.

hausofmoi7 said:

I wonder what happened with Nenah Cherry's career In 1989,I thought for sure that she was gonna be "the next big thing".Her debut album was HUGE.You couldn't go anywhere without hearing that super catchy "Buffalo Stance" single.She was the critic's darling for awhile,but it seems like her career didn't really flourish the way I thought it would.

SoulAlive said:

hausofmoi7 said:

I wonder what happened with Nenah Cherry's career In 1989,I thought for sure that she was gonna be "the next big thing".Her debut album was HUGE.You couldn't go anywhere without hearing that super catchy "Buffalo Stance" single.She was the critic's darling for awhile,but it seems like her career didn't really flourish the way I thought it would.

Neneh delivered 3 albums during her initial run and they were well recieved and actually quite commerically succesful. At least outside of the U.S they were (Another thing which seems to dictate success is wether you make it in the states or not)

Her follow up album "Homebrew" was huge too. Buddy X was the joint.

There was also this classic duet with Youssou N'Dour

Classic follow up album. "Home Brew"

Neneh flips her sound on her third album and it's a winner

[Edited 4/12/16 7:52am]

Neneh Cherry & Jean-Baptiste Mondino

avant-garde. modern.

Neneh and Jean-Baptiste behind the lens? It's a wrap, Neneh is still doing it.

[Edited 4/12/16 2:56am]