From the Disco era through the late '90s, it was fairly common to see older artists that were popular in prior years making comebacks. Often by updating their sound to fit what was current and converting new fans. However, aside from maybe U2 and Madonna in a limited extent, there isn't as much commercial success from veteran artists in the last few years. The last really big ones were probably Santana, Cher and Aerosmith in the 1998/'99-2002 time frame.

Why do you suppose this is? I'd say it's two reasons. One being the less adult-oriented '00s music scene in general being less welcoming to them. The othe being that the industry not taking as much of a chance on stuff unless they know it's profitable, because of declining CD sales.

Yeah I agree the less adult music scene is more unwelcoming this decade and that has something to do with this decade have less coneback artsists than ever before. Add in too the main sound of 2003-early 2006 was hip-hip which is a category musically that "comeback artists" dont fit into very well.

Green Day and Mariah Carey had good comebacks in 2005. I mean Green Day hadn;t really been revelant since 1997 when their song "Time Of Your Life:" was huge. I know Green Day relased a album in 2000 called "Warning" but it only went gold(RIAA cerftification for 500,000 units sold) but their 2004 CD release "American Idiot) went 4 times platinum(RIAA certification for 4 million units sold.) I should also add Green Day;s  singles off of 2000's "warning" did get significant airplay on rock radio and did score a couple #1 Modern Rock Hits off that album but the album didn't really sell well as I said before. Meanwhile Mariah Carey hadn;t been relevant since 1999 basically and she went through a breakdown phsycolligically in the early 2000's but her 2005 CD went 5 times platinum. I know Mariah scored a hit with a Cover of 80's funk artist Cameo's "Candy"I think  in the early 00's but that single only did well because it sold for 99 cents I think.

Lionel Richie has updated his sound too from what I can tell on his songs "I Call It Love" and "What You are" in 2006-2007 and"I Call It Love" was pretty successful for him hitting #54 on the Billboard Hot 100 last year. Hitting #54 on the charts may not sound all that good  but for a artist who is considered synoumoms with the 80's I say its a pretty good feat and his 2006 release debut at #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The odd comeback artist still pops-up.  Take That, All Saints and Meatloaf all had good comebacks late last year

Blame Moronic TV for ignoring most artists from the 20th century besides a very few like Madonna and some rappers  ::) :P

Yeah I agree the less adult music scene is more unwelcoming this decade and that has something to do with this decade have less coneback artsists than ever before. Add in too the main sound of 2003-early 2006 was hip-hip which is a category musically that "comeback artists" dont fit into very well.

Green Day and Mariah Carey had good comebacks in 2005. I mean Green Day hadn;t really been revelant since 1997 when their song "Time Of Your Life:" was huge. I know Green Day relased a album in 2000 called "Warning" but it only went gold(RIAA cerftification for 500,000 units sold) but their 2004 CD release "American Idiot) went 4 times platinum(RIAA certification for 4 million units sold.) I should also add Green Day;s  singles off of 2000's "warning" did get significant airplay on rock radio and did score a couple #1 Modern Rock Hits off that album but the album didn't really sell well as I said before. Meanwhile Mariah Carey hadn;t been relevant since 1999 basically and she went through a breakdown phsycolligically in the early 2000's but her 2005 CD went 5 times platinum. I know Mariah scored a hit with a Cover of 80's funk artist Cameo's "Candy"I think  in the early 00's but that single only did well because it sold for 99 cents I think.

Lionel Richie has updated his sound too from what I can tell on his songs "I Call It Love" and "What You are" in 2006-2007 and"I Call It Love" was pretty successful for him hitting #54 on the Billboard Hot 100 last year. Hitting #54 on the charts may not sound all that good  but for a artist who is considered synoumoms with the 80's I say its a pretty good feat and his 2006 release debut at #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart.


Yeah, I forgot about Lionel (and he's one of my favorite '80s artists), but "I Call It Love" was pretty successful, all things considered. His recent semi comeback might also be helped by the fact that he's got more name recognition from Nicole being his daughter.

Green Day's Warning CD was kinda viewed as a slightly less successful continuation of their mid-late '90s success (although it was generally a little poppier and was probably closer to Blink 182 than to, say The Offspring). I guess American Idiot was a "comeback" in a sense, albeit we're talking about the more recent past. That's probably one of the key 2000s albums.

Yeah, I think for example '60s and '70s artists could conceivably come back in the '80s and '90s because if you think about it, the musical genres were kinda the same (i.e. R&B, pop, commercial rock), despite the actual sound being quite different. So, Starship could do clean cut synthpop/arena rock and be a part of the times in 1985. To apply that to today, could you imagine a glam rap Journey or Phil Collins (or for that matter, would you even want to?).;D

What about the new Bob Seger CD "Face the Promise"?  It seems to be doing brisk business.  Not bad for not having released anything in 11 years.

The odd comeback artist still pops-up.  Take That, All Saints and Meatloaf all had good comebacks late last year
That must be in the UK that those 3 artists were successful in coming back though.

Duran Duran have been pretty damn successful too as comeback artists.

Police are making a comeback World Tour this year.

The odd comeback artist still pops-up.  Take That, All Saints and Meatloaf all had good comebacks late last year

Aw, Meatloaf again?  Everything that guy does post "Paradise by the Refrigerator Light" is a "comeback"!
:P

I do notice that artists who had mainstream Top 40 hits in decades past, such as Carly Simon and Jackson Brown, have a more selective audience.  A lot of the pop music from the '70s and '80s will never again be popular en masse with people under 30.  Even a superstar such as Paul Simon has a targeted audience for his records now. 

Aw, Meatloaf again?  Everything that guy does post "Paradise by the Refrigorator Light" is a "comeback"!
:P

I do notice that artists who had mainstream Top 40 hits in decades past, such as Carly Simon and Jackson Brown, have a more selective audience.  A lot of the pop music from the '70s and '80s will never again be popular en masse with people under 30.  Even a superstar such as Paul Simon has a targeted audience for his records now. 
In my mind Meat Loaf has been away.

You know everybody forgets about Kylie Minogue's musical comeback in the US. Remember the single relased in 2002 "Can;t Getta Out Of My Head" was a smash hit in the US and Kylie continued her 2002 hit streak in which "Love At First Sight" was a big hit as well and than she that hit up followed up with the single "Come Into My World."

I was surprised Kylie of all artists made a comeback at that time in 2002 my reaction was like Kylie Minogue she's 80's. I know in the UK Kylie has been always been popular but in the US she really wasn;t popular except for 1987 in which she hit big with the single "Do the Locomotion" and in 2002 as well.