Classic Rock Bands That Embraced Pop: Controversial Genre Shifts

There is a certain defining sound that is present when it comes to the music that’s helped shape the classic rock genre. The category has a stamp and a signature so iconic that it’s led to songs that are more famous than the bands that spawned them. Classic rock has also given birth to performers who remain unforgettable even decades after their death.

And while classic rock does have a reputation for accidentally generating other genres, some acts have purposefully curved melodically into the unexpected, especially when it came to embracing pop (and other textures) over prominent rock riffing. While the moves may not have always left fans happy, sometimes taking unexpected chances still generated a lasting, worthwhile level of impact.

Heart, These Dreams (1985)

A power ballad written by singer-songwriter Martin Page and longtime Elton John lyrical collaborator Bernie Taupin“These Dreams” was initially offered to former Fleetwood Mac chanteuse Stevie Nicks. After Nicks rejected it, the Wilson sisters of the band Heart chose to cover it for their eighth self-titled studio album after being impressed with the song (usually only recording original material).

The group’s first single in which guitarist Nancy Wilson performed lead vocals instead of Ann“These Dreams” leaned away from Heart’s trademark ’70s hard rockin’ framework, instead embracing the bigger balladry of the times. The track became their first Billboard number one, escalating their success but leaving listeners divided on which type of sound they preferred from Heart’s catalog.

Starship, We Built This City (1985)

Much like “These Dreams,” “We Built This City” also has co-writing credits from Martin Page and Bernie Taupin and was the debut single for Starship’s album Knee Deep in the Hoopla. Starship was a later incarnation of heavier acid-rockers Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starshipbut with a much different approach of genre-mixing exploration.

Gone were the heavier, psychedelic-leaning edges, and in its place was a synth-laden, dance pop-rock vibe so shiny and polished you could metaphorically see your own face in it. Despite being a number one hit and Grammy-nominatedStarship’s sound shift with “We Built This City” has only gotten more criticized for its approach over time.

Genesis, Invisible Touch (1986)

As the Peter Gabriel-led tenure of the English rock band Genesis cycled over to the era with drummer/singer-songwriter Phil Collins in charge, the group’s sound migrated further and further from their prog-rock roots. What replaced it was an often upbeat, shimmery dance-pop-leaning veneer that was not only a signature for the times, but for the creativity of Collins artistically.

While this evolving direction didn’t make every Genesis fan happy, it did lead the group to greater success, especially when it came to a song like “Invisible Touch.” Recorded for an album in 1986, “Invisible Touch” went on to be the only number one hit Genesis had in the United Statesand was another notable notch in Collins’ songwriting belt.

Rod Stewart, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? (1978)

British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart initially came into notoriety fronting bluesy, rock outfits like the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces before going solo in 1969. Initially rooted in genres like folk, soul, and R&B, Stewart began to move more toward pop with hit songs like “Maggie May” and the soft-rock sensibility of ballads like “Sailing.”

One of Stewart’s more prominent early sound shifts was on his 1978 album (entitled Blondes Have More Fun), with a track called “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” a disco-thumping satire that earned Stewart criticism for abandoning his roots. He’s since embraced more disco, pop-rock, and even the Great American Songbook in a career that’s proven transformatively divisive for the artist.

David Bowie, Let’s Dance (1983)

While the famous singer-songwriter David Bowie moved through many types of genres (like rock) during his career (maximizing his status as an icon), one of his biggest changes in direction was his post-disco, dance-pop ’80s period. Characterized by the song “Let’s Dance” (as well as his 1983 album of the same name), its success was a double-edged sword for Bowie.

The lighter swerve did bring in new fans for the musician (as it did for Rod Stewart), but his efforts to cater to them led to two commercially dismissed follow-up albums that showed this period of time wasn’t largely clicking with listeners. Bowie would later refer to the time as a “creative low” and his “Phil Collins” years.

Chicago, Hard To Say I’m Sorry (1982)

Initially formed (coincidentally) in Chicago, Illinois, in the late ’60s, the band Chicago was known for their mixture of rock and roll sound mixed in with horns. They also incorporated other touches like jazz, R&B, and pop, with pop taking on a bigger portion of the stage as the group’s career moved and adapted into the ’80s.

The transition led to a softer-sided rock edge for Chicago as they moved through the decade, capped off by the success of the 1982 power ballad “Hard To Say I’m Sorry.” Written and sung by bassist Peter Cetera, this departure in Chicago’s sound led to a Grammy nomination as well as a Billboard number-one hit song despite the change.

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabera (1982)

Blues-rock outfit the Steve Miller Band had one of their biggest moments in 1982, but it took some magic to get there. “Abracadabera” was the first single from the band’s album of the same name, ultimately going to number one on the charts in both Europe and the US (despite Miller’s US label initially fighting them on the release).

“Abracadabera” found the group going more electronic and pop-rock compared to their origins, which not every fan of the Steve Miller Band saw eye-to-eye with as an approach to their music. But the thumping, mystical churn-and-burn of “Abracadabera” was not to be denied, going down nor the biggest hit of the Steve Miller Band’s career.

Aerosmith/Run-DMC, Walk This Way (1986)

Rockers Aerosmith had a remarkable run with their song “Walk This Way.” They not only first released “Walk This Way” during a ’70s string of breakout hits, but also had the track successfully return in 1986 and break the mold thanks to rap icons Run-DMC and their LP entitled Raising Hell.

The two would join forces to help pioneer the idea of ​​the sound-altering rock-rap subgenre. Not every fan of either group may have liked it, but the collaboration not only gave Run-DMC the biggest hit of their career but also revitalized Aerosmith during a career low point. The swerve of career-altering sound swerves is right here at work.