Disturbed vs. Relient K: How to Make Money vs. Making Good Music

In the music business there are too types of bands. Those in it for the money, and those in it for the music. This is a guide to achieving both goals.

Step 1: the First Album

After making it through the nightmare of somehow getting signed by a major label, you have to make an album. Let's examine how the two groups did.

Disturbed: The Sickness

The album is straight-forward a lot of the same sounding stuff, with angry lyrics and an overall lack of quality. Still, commendable as a first effort. B

Relient K: Relient K

Again straight-forward, amusing lyrics, lighthearted beats, not a lot of complexity, fairly low overall quality. B+

A first album is responsible for defining a band's sound, but the sophomore album is to distinguish a band's quality. If a band's first album is there best, (TFK, MGMT, Sum 41) than there's no where to build to.

Step 2: The Sophomore Album

This is where we find our disconnect. If a band stays the same, they'll invariably decline in quality. There's only so many angry angsty songs you can make. You need a bit of a style change to foster creativity. However, too much of a change (or practically any change) will tend to alienate some of your audience. A prime example of this is Family Force 5. The first album was hardcore crunk, the second was a synth-pop dance record. Subsequently, they lost a lot of there fan-base, and surprise surprise, plan to return to the old style for there third album. (for the record, I liked Dance or Die). Let's see how our test subjects do.

Disturbed: Believe

Basically identical to their first record. A bit more accomplished, but once again a lot of similar songs. It seems like they spent more time on the album cover than writing the songs. Disappointing lack of growth. C.

Relient K: The Anatomy of Tongue in Cheek

A great improvement. The difference between Relient K and Disturbed here, is that Disturbed broke out of the box with their first album. Relient K, well, didn't. This is there breakout and rightfully so. The album is lengthy, in the best way. The songs all sound similar, but there definitely distinguishable, and very unique. The lyrics are a huge improvement, and the music is a bit more proficient too. A.

Will continue this soon, after I do a bit more research.