Second Album Syndrome

Musical talent has flourished in recent years, with bands such as MGMT, Friendly Fires and Passion Pit emerging from the undergrowth to produce critically acclaimed debut albums. Before these releases, all of these bands were an unknown quantity, only known of by the most die hard of music fans. However, many of these sorts of bands have been and gone, and failed to live up to the hype of their first albums. The Stone Roses are one of many big name casualties, with their first effort recently being voted in a NME poll as "The Greatest British Album Of All Time", while their follow-up, with a somewhat bland name, The Second Coming, sank without a trace. It also failed to appeal to our American friends across the pond, and this huge disappointment ultimately led to the band's break up two years later. The Knack, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Reverend And The Makers and The Killers have also suffered similar fates, however The Killers did bounce back and record a very successful third LP.

On the other hand, it is not all doom and gloom for bands wondering what direction to go in with their second album, with bands such as the Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian and Paolo Nutini posting triumphant returning releases. Oasis is a familiar name that avoided crashing and burning by following up their outstanding debut Definitely Maybe with an arguably better record, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
So what is it about sophomore albums that cause some thriving bands to capitulate and others to well...carry on thriving? Is it the added pressure to do as well, or even better, than their first collection of tracks, or pressure from record companies to produce music that is radio friendly and more mainstream, therefore maximising album sales? Or is it the pressure from record labels to rush out a second album right after the success of the first? There may never be a clear answer, but unpacking the theories surrounding the "sophomore slump" is a fine start.

No matter how good the band is, there is always a sense of anxiety surrounding an artist's second LP, perhaps that, unlike seasoned bands who can afford a weak release mid-way through a career, a poor follow up could end a promising band's confidence, and with that, their career. MGMT are a good example, with their well publicised defiance to not follow the paths of others and produce more radio friendly music in their follow up, but to develop their own sound, also refusing to release any singles, preferring fans to enjoy their forthcoming album, Congratulations, as a whole. This thinking can only be helped by their obvious discomfort with being in the musical spotlight, and while this is certainly not a bad thing, it is not something the public are used to. As a result the album may not appeal to the majority, but on the flip side could also be a victorious project against what is seen as the pressurised norm.

The BBC Sound Of... is a yearly poll that is carried out by various critics and creates a list of the most promising new talent the world has to offer, starting back in 2003, and this is an ideal place to observe how bands who were once heralded as musical saviours have performed since they made the list. Out of all the previous BBC Sound Of... polls, there are a few big names that seem to have struggled since their debuts. The Magic Numbers, although only finishing tenth in 2004, brought out their debut album, The Magic Numbers, in 2005, and it was quickly praised, while also being commercially successful, and thus the group released a quick follow up to this in 2006. However, that never came close to reaching the heights of their first, and consequently have produced nothing since, and this may be because their sophomore was never seen as a worthy successor.
Electric Six have also dropped out of the mainstream after coming second in the 2003 Sound Of... poll, releasing their huge debut the same year, Fire. Even though afterwards they disappeared into the wilderness, they are still making music with their seventh album in development, proving that there is obviously still a market for bands that have become less commercially successful. As a result this shows that it does not spell the end for bands who cannot again hit the financial highs of their debuts.
On the contrary, Franz Ferdinand have gone from strength to strength, developing their sound to fit current tastes, and even headlined the "Other Stage" at Glastonbury last year. On this basis, it may just be a case of certain bands worrying about how their music will fit an ever-changing culture, and how to balance their own raw sound with "commercial friendliness".

It can be seen that there is a varied success rate amongst the bands of today, and albums are far more scrutinised than they were back in the 1960s and 1970s where it sometimes took bands a few albums to find their musical feet. Record Companies also heap pressure onto bands to quickly rush out a second offering, especially if the first LP is hugely successful. Consequently, this pressure and the constant media hype could be the downfall of some bands, getting the patiently waiting public worked up for an album that is lower than the anxious expectations, and as a result, the record is panned. However there have been times where album sales haven't been everything, with The Strokes' second offering, Room On Fire, not recieving the same commercial warmth as Is This It, despite it containing one of their biggest hits, Reptillia. Despite less album sales than their first effort, it is considered by critics as a worthy follow up and must-have for everyones record collection.

New bands could do no wrong either by adopting the attitude The Killers have shown, by replying to huge criticism of their second album with a record that could be seen as equal to their debut, whilst also containing one of the anthems of 2008, Human. If more bands and artists had this mindset, then for every poor second album, there could be a stunning third.

We may not be any closer to discovering an answer to this issue, but there are many points to consider and think about. The pressures of todays society coupled with too much hype could easily be thrown forward as the resolution for this debate, and while this could be the majority of the reason for bands failing to produce at the second time of asking, there are other factors. Other ingredients such as the individual worries and dilemmas over whether to stick with the sound that thrust them into the limelight, or to develop it and become more "mainstream", can also be included. Whatever bands decide to do with their sophomore albums, there'll always be frustrating flops and continued successes, but for now, the debate rages on...