Top 10 Bands That Should Have Quit While Ahead

First, a few notes.

Thanks again for all the positive (and lack of) negative comments on the lists in general. I appreciate the support as I annoy you and waste your time. Now, on to the list.

Thanks to Melissa for this idea, it really hit the spot. As an explanation, this list ranks the bands and musicians that were at one point very, very good, and ended up very, very bad. Had they stopped somewhere along the way, their legacy would be preserved. As a reminder to how this works, number 10 would be the band that fell from grace the least, and number 1 fell the most.

10. The Who
Should Have Stopped After: Quadrophenia (1973)

9. Everyone in Blink-182
Should Have Stopped After: Blink-182 (2003), before any of them released any material as +44 or Angels and Airwaves

8. Radiohead
Should Have Stopped After: Ever deciding to form a band and torture my generation with the abominations they claim to be “innovative music”.

7. Bob Dylan
Should Have Stopped After: Slow Train Coming (1979)

6. Guns N Roses
Should Have Stopped After: Appetite for Destruction (1987)

5. Prince
Should Have Stopped After: Purple Rain (1984)

4. U2
Should Have Stopped After: Auchtung Baby (1991)

3. Gwen Stefani
Should Have Stopped After: Probably Tragic Kingdom (1995), but definitely Rock Steady (2001)

2. Eminem
Should Have Stopped After: The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

1. Michael Jackson
Should Have Stopped After: Thriller (1982)