Breaking the Sophomore Slump
This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot share some of their favorite artists who beat the dreaded sophomore, delivering follow-ups that proved their debuts were no fluke. The hosts will also hear picks from the production staff.
Breaking the Sophomore Slump
There are certainly many more great debut albums than great second albums- which is why the “sophomore slump” is a music industry cliché. But there are many notable exceptions where artists rose to the occasion and actually improved on the expectations set by their debut. Jim, Greg and their production staff share some of their favorite examples.
Jim:
- Black Sabbath, "Paranoid"
- Led Zeppelin, "Led Zeppelin II"
- Kanye West, "Late Registration"
- Erykah Badu, "Mama’s Gun"
- Van Morrison, "Astral Weeks"
Greg:
- Public Enemy, "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back"
- Pixies, "Doolittle"
- Fiona Apple, "When the Pawn..."
- D’Angelo, "Voodoo"
- Horsegirl, "Phonetics On and On"
Producers:
- Max - Black Midi, "Cavalcade"
- Alex - SZA, "SOS"
- Andrew - Phoebe Bridgers, "Punisher"
Featured Songs:
- Horsegirl, "Switch Over," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025
- The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967
- Black Sabbath, "Paranoid," Paranoid, Vertigo, 1970
- Public Enemy, "Bring the Noise," It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Def Jam, 1988
- Led Zeppelin, "Moby Dick," Led Zeppelin II, Atlantic, 1969
- Pixies, "Debaser," Doolittle, 4AD, 1989
- black midi, "Slow," Cavalcade, Rough Trade, 2021
- Kanye West, "Touch the Sky (feat. Lupe Fiasco)," Late Registration, Roc-A-Fella, 2005
- Fiona Apple, "Fast As You Can," When the Pawn..., Epic and Clean Slate, 1999
- SZA, "Good Days," SOS, TDA and RCA, 2022
- Erykah Badu, "Cleva (feat. Roy Ayers)," Mama's Gun, Motown, 2000
- D'Angelo, "Chicken Grease," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000
- Phoebe Bridgers, "Savior Complex," Punisher, Dead Oceans, 2020
- Van Morrison, "Cyprus Avenue," Astral Weeks, Warner Bros., 1968
- Violent Femmes, "Please Do Not Go," Violent Femmes, Slash, 1983
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