10 Classic Rock Bands That Got Better After Selling Out

Genesis's sound has always been an ever-evolving process. Originally conceived as a more progressive group, the band created songs that were mini epics across albums like Nursery Cryme and Selling England By the Pound. However, the fanbase was left dejected when frontman and primary songwriter Peter Gabriel left the band to pursue a solo career.

Instead of hiring a new singer, drummer Phil Collins stepped up to the mic and gave the band a new life with his own tunes. While the initial albums with Collins up front were still rooted in prog, the band started to slightly maneuver into the pop realm with each release. The change in direction became too much for guitarist Steve Hackett, who abruptly quit the band midway through the recording of one of their albums.

This kind of behavior from a band would usuau seem shallow and greedy, but the band never skimped out when it came to writing more commercial stuff. It may have been a bit easy on the ears, but along the way, the band were always genuine and gave off the impression that they really enjoyed making this more mainstream kind of music. The hardcore fans may have been pissed, but Genesis do deserve a bit of credit for bringing prog onto the charts in a way few other artists could.