10 Times Rock Bands Drastically Changed Their Sound

Sometimes it takes a band a little while to really ease into their sound. For as many people like to think they have their favorite acts in a box, it takes a lot of guts to actually mix up your formula for one album to the next. Or if you're 30 Seconds to Mars, just hop on what's trendy and pray that your audience will fall for it anyway.

Granted, it's not like Jared Leto's band of space rockers were exactly the most organic band at the best of times, after laying the synthesizers on pretty thick on Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams. Going into the recording of America though, you would have thought the entire creative ingenuity had been sucked out of this band, as Leto's songwriting and way with words has clearly taken a back seat to his acting gigs. Drenched in the synth heavy backing tracks and atmospheric builds, this is the sound of Leto trying to make what amounts to an Imagine Dragons rip-off, in the hopes that he can carry his charisma over to another style.

Ever since its release a few years ago, America hasn't held up in the slightest in the eyes of rock fans, feeling more like a dated snapshot of the late 2010's with each passing year. While it's nice to have some conviction in your sonic shift, here's hoping 30 Seconds are just as good at course correction.