5 Artists Who Changed Genres Successfully & 5 Who Failed

5 Artists Who Changed Genres and Succeeded & 5 Who Failed

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most daring musicians who drastically altered their sound and either received critical acclaim or sparked mixed reactions.

#5: Failed: Snoop Dogg

For his 2013 album Reincarnated, Snoop Dogg did just that, temporarily shedding his iconic West Coast rap persona to reinvent himself as Snoop Lion. The project took a detour from hip-hop to reggae and dancehall, inspired by the rappers spiritual journey to Jamaica and newfound connection to Rastafarianism. But as hard as Snoop Dogg tried, fans and critics just werent buying it. Many felt that the genre shift lacked authenticity and seemed to treat Rastafarianism as a temporary gimmick. That certainly wasnt helped by the inclusion of artists like Drake, Rita Ora and Miley Cyrus, whose laughably bad attempts at Jamaican accents were widely mocked. Unsurprisingly, Snoop Dogg soon abandoned the genre experiment and reverted to his hip-hop roots.

#5: Succeeded: Poppy

When she first launched her career, singer-songwriter Poppy was known for her unsettling internet-influencer pop persona. Her early work featured surreal, satirical lyrics set to an electropop sound. But then, she made a radical pivot towards metal, particularly on her 2020 album I Disagree. After teasing heavier influences in previous releases, Poppy fully embraced nu metal on this album, incorporating heavy guitar riffs, industrial noise and screamo elements into her signature sound. The transformation was jarring, but in the best way possible. Critics praised her for pushing boundaries and metal fans embraced her for defying genre norms. The albums third single, Bloodmoney, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance, making her the first solo female artist ever recognized in that category.

#4: Failed: Machine Gun Kelly

Hip-hop lost another artist in 2020 when Machine Gun Kelly shifted away from the genre to embrace pop-punk and rock. Kelly had initially gained recognition as a rapper, even sparking a high-profile feud with Eminem. But shortly after their clash, he began collaborating with Blink-182s Travis Barker and released Tickets to My Downfall, which took on a more guitar-driven sound. While it found commercial success, many dismissed it as a shallow imitation of Blink-182. Kelly doubled down on this transformation with 2022s Mainstream Sellout, positioning himself as a modern punk icon and the genres savior. At this point, longtime punk fans who previously supported his evolution turned on him. Kellys credibility in both the hip-hop and rock communities has consequently taken a massive hit.

#4: Succeeded: Darius Rucker

This Charleston, South Carolina native has won Best New Artist awards at two very different stages of his career. The first came at the 1996 Grammy Awards, as the frontman of the soft rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. After the group went on hiatus in 2008, Rucker felt drawn back to his Southern roots and signed with Capitol Records Nashville as a solo country artist. His debut single Don't Think I Don't Think About It, became a surprise hit, making him the first solo African-American artist in decades to top the country charts. Ruckers success earned him the New Artist of the Year trophy at the 2009 Country Music Association Awards. Three years later, his place in the genre was solidified with his induction into the Grand Ole Opry.

#3: Failed: Jewel

In the late 90s and early 2000s, singer-songwriter Jewel captured hearts with her soft melodies and folksy lyrics. That gentle, acoustic style became her signature, so when she dropped her fifth album 0304 in 2003, fans were caught off guard. A significant departure from her roots, 0304 embraced a glossy dance-pop sound inspired by artists like Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Jewel called it both a creative experiment and a satirical response to the music industrys expectations of women. But that nuance was lost on most listeners. Instead, she was criticized for seeming desperate and accused of selling out. Even worse, she looked visibly uncomfortable in her new dance-pop persona. Although she returned to her folk origins, Jewel has struggled to reattain her previous commercial success.

#3: Succeeded: Childish Gambino

Donald Glovers career has been a masterclass in how to constantly reinvent yourself without losing your true identity. As his musical alter ego Childish Gambino, Glover initially won acclaim for his hip-hop driven albums Camp and Because the Internet. However, he went in a drastically different direction with the 2016 follow-up Awaken My Love. Inspired by acts like Prince and Funkadelic, this album traded rap for lush R&B, funk and soul, paying homage to 1970s music without ever feeling derivative. The standout single Redbone became a cultural phenomenon, winning one Grammy and earning two other nominations, including for Record of the Year. With this shift, Glover solidified himself as one of the most versatile and visionary artists of his generation.

#2: Failed: Lil Wayne

After the massive success of Tha Carter III, fans were on the edge of their seats for Lil Waynes next move. But their expectations were dashed when he stepped outside of rap and veered into rock with his 2010 follow-up Rebirth. Though traces of hip-hop remained, Lil Wayne took on a punk-inspired aesthetic, aiming to redefine his sound with distorted guitars and Auto-Tuned vocals. The results were befuddling. His take on rock felt hollow, like he had beaten the sound down to a generic, over-processed imitation. For such a lyrical genius, the songwriting was surprisingly weak, the production lackluster and his attempts to fuse both genres fell disappointingly flat. Ultimately, Rebirth failed to resonate with longtime fans and did little to attract any new ones.

#2: Succeeded: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift began her career as a teenage country singer-songwriter, known for her relatable songs about love and heartbreak. As her fanbase grew, she gradually infused her music with pop influences, culminating in the full-blown pop sound of 2014s 1989. Swift collaborated with top producers like Max Martin and Ryan Tedder, crafting a solid collection of infectious tracks that retained the emotional depth of her earlier work. The risk paid off; 1989 earned her a second Grammy for Album of the Year. Not one to remain in one lane, Swift shifted again in 2020 with Folklore and Evermore, leaning into a softer indie folk sound. Although each transition was met with initial skepticism, they consistently revealed new layers of Swifts talent and ultimately received widespread acclaim.

#1: Failed: Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice was never known for making music anyone would describe as critically acclaimed. His biggest hit, Ice Ice Baby, was widely seen as a novelty rap song, although it helped nudge hip-hop into the mainstream. Ice continued making rap music with diminishing success, until 1998 when he made a drastic shift to nu metal with the album Hard to Swallow. Produced by Ross Robinson, who had worked with Korn and Limp Bizkit, the album lacked the innovation of those bands and was regarded as derivative. Not only did it fail to impress music critics, it also fell flat for fans, making minimal sales and failing to chart. Indeed, you could say that Hard to Swallow lived up to its title.

#1: Succeeded: Beyoncé

Right from the start of her career, Beyoncé has been a boundary-pushing artist. While she has long explored different genres, that experimentation took center stage with her ambitious trilogy project. She launched the series with 2022s Renaissance, a house and ballroom-inspired album that honored Black queer culture and revitalized a genre often overlooked by the mainstream. It won Best Dance/Electronic Album at the Grammys and was nominated for Album of the Year. Then came Cowboy Carter, a daring pivot into country music, a genre with a well-documented history of excluding Black artists. On this record, Beyoncé explored several Southern sounds, from Americana to blues and folk, all while spotlighting Black influence in country musics evolution. It not only won the Grammy for Best Country Album, but also earned Beyoncé her first Album of the Year trophy.

Which musicians would you like to see explore other genres? And which do you think should stick to what they know? Share your thoughts in the comments below.