Aging artists: retire or perform till the bitter end?

[fluffy_little_something]

That there are people out there who I wish would retire because they are just shadows of their former selves. But I understand that when one has not done anything else in life, it must be hard to say good-bye.
I remember one of the Abba guys saying that there is a time for everything in life and that Abba will never return. I respected that.

[kangul]

I remember one of the Abba guys saying that there is a time for everything in life and that Abba will never return. I respected that.

What if they had not left the business and their music become worse and worse over the years, would this make their past music worse for you?

[Psyclapse]

That there are people out there who I wish would retire because they are just shadows of their former selves. But I understand that when one has not done anything else in life, it must be hard to say good-bye.

I can think of artists that I have seen at their peak who are still doing gigs now 25 years later and I have deliberately not gone to see again because I think they are past their best. So I can see where you are coming from. But I don't think to myself "I wish they would retire". Because they are enjoying what they are doing and the people who still want to go see them are presumably getting something out of it too.

[fluffy_little_something]

I remember one of the Abba guys saying that there is a time for everything in life and that Abba will never return. I respected that.

What if they had not left the business and their music become worse and worse over the years, would this make their past music worse for you?

Not really. But I prefer it when people retire while in their prime...
I think Sade does it right, she does very few albums and reinvents herself again every decade or so. But few artists are capable of doing that...

[Robmobius]

Well what is your point?

He does'nt really have one or one that anyone really cares about. He hasn't even addressed most of points that have been brought up.

I suppose it's a 'no marks' way of trying to claw some Pyrrhic victory against hugely successful icons, and even in their twilight years manage to still draw huge crowds.

EDIT: He has finally addressed a point.

[cryophonik]

I suppose we could send letters to them expressing our dissatisfaction with their post-prime rockabilities? I'll start a basic template. Feel free to edit it.

Dear [old geezer],

Just saw your latest performance on the tube and three cans of Meat Loaf-strength Febreeze haven't gotten the stank out of my house. You're old. Please retire now.

Boomshanka,

KVR

[Shangsean]

I'd hate for Rush to retire. They've been going for almost 50 years and are still releasing excellent new music. I think it all depends on if you're still making new music. So many older bands just turn into glorified cover bands. I saw the Stones a few years ago and it really did feel like watching a cover band, though I've never been a fan, so that may have something to do with it.

[DocAtlas]

I'd hate for Rush to retire. They've been going for almost 50 years and are still releasing excellent new music. I think it all depends on if you're still making new music. So many older bands just turn into glorified cover bands. I saw the Stones a few years ago and it really did feel like watching a cover band, though I've never been a fan, so that may have something to do with it.

In some ways, successful artists who have long careers do become cover bands; the only difference is that they're covering their own stuff. But some bands have so few of the members who recorded those somgs that they really aren't the same band anymore.

[Frantz]

There is a simple solution. In order for one artist to take a Billboard chart position away from another artist, they not only need to sell more records that week but they also must defeat the artist in hand-to-hand combat.

[Ben H]

*cough* Bon Jovi *cough*

[incubus]

"Hope I die before I get old" - Roger Daltrey (71).

Well, considering how bad the who have been in the last 20 years, maybe he should have just "retired"

[incubus]

Hey I was thinking, who's popular and turning 27? Man I wish is was kanye, there would be hope.

[zerocrossing]

I think it depends on the person and how they approach their music/art. Guys like Mick Jagger just end up looking pathetic prancing about on stage and it's not like he was ever a good singer. When your act is based on youthful swagger and attitude and you're an old man, you just look like an idiot.

Then there's the McCartneys. I saw him recently on something and it was just sad. He just couldn't get the note. Should he retire? I don't think so. He should recognize his limits though and sing within them. He just doesn't have the vocal range he once did. Same with Springsteen... Except I find him tedious. I never could figure out why he got so famous and guys like Glen Burtnik never did. You could write a book about people that I don't understand why they got famous. It would be called... "Most of Pop Music."

Then there are the David Bowies. That man never faltered. He seemed as fresh and interesting the day he died as he did on his first record.

[incubus]

(I'ma get flambéed)

Sammy Hagar is still f**king awesome, he's 68. What I didn't know about him was how good a care he took of himself. He's "done" drugs and even owns his own tequila company (worth in excess of 100 mil ) but he hates being out of control. And is not into shitty food.

Can hit all the notes, sounds great, shows no signs of slowing down.

[bftucker]

Depends on the artist (and the genre) I suppose.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YeHaO1bF8Ng

Sometimes the end is not bitter, but sweet!