I wanted to explore this, it seems like it mostly happens in classic rock. I like it because it’s like the group delivering a thesis statement for the content of their music or their intended commercial trajectory.

I think it works even better when it’s done by a band later into their career, like they’re reflecting on the culmination of their work. Can people link me examples? I’d love to see if this has happened more outside of the rock genre

Off the top of my head:

Bad Company (debut album)

Black Sabbath (debut album)

Damn Yankees (debut album)

Blue Öyster Cult (11th album)

Dimmu Borgir (8th album, black metal)

Run the Jewels (debut album, rap)

Eyes of Noctom (debut album, black metal, fun fact: this is Nicholas Cage’s son)

Highwaymen (debut album, country)

    • sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      6·
      3 days ago

      Ooh, that should have been obvious. Iron Maiden was always a bit of a blind spot for me but that song inspired something:

  • ThomasWilliams@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    2 days ago

    Then there’s the band Flowers that released an album called Icehouse, and halfway through the release changed their name to Icehouse - to not be confused with a Scottish band called Flowers - so the early albums are called “Icehouse by Flowers” and the later ones “Flowers by Icehouse”.

    • Taleya@aussie.zoneEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      You missed the fact the last track on the Icehouse album is also called Icehouse.

      The international release is icehouse by icehouse containing the track icehouse

  • scytale@piefed.zipEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    This one is the other way around: Planet X. When Derek Sherinian was kicked out of Dream Theater, he wanted to create something that would be better, so he released an album titled Planet X together with Tony Macalpine and Virgil Dontai. It was so good and built up a fanbase that they then formed a new band called Planet X and released 3 albums in the next couple of years.

  • SandLight@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    3 days ago

    They Might Be Giants have a self titled track (but not album) included in their third album Flood

  • riquisimo@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    Seethed has one. It’s a b-side that was eventually released on the album “Curiosities, Rarities, and Paraiahs.”

  • eupraxia@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    glass beach - glass beach (from “the first glass beach album”)

    from the chorus:

    In here, you’ll be okay
    And when your heart breaks, I’ll be beside you
    So please stay here with me
    Breathe in like waves on a glass beach

    fuckin incredible song, album, and band. glass beach has sadly disbanded but their vocalist has a new project called “you are an angel” with another self titled song that I can recommend too.

  • Cardigans@lemmy.zipEnglish
    7·
    3 days ago

    Slave to the System by Slave to the System on their album Slave to the System.

    I thought this was the tackiest shit ever when I was younger, but looking it up now I guess they were a super group so the very on-the-nose-ness of it feels a little bit less bad. I have no idea how I came across the album but I listened to loads of random music.

  • cabbage@piefed.socialEnglish
    6·
    3 days ago

    Ramones covered R.A.M.O.N.E.S. by Motörhead on their final album, Adios Amigos.

    Wilco (the song) appears on Wilco (the album), which is the seventh studio album of Wilco (the band).