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.
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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