Whitney Houston passed away

[Mithrandir]

Way better to burn out than to fade away. Again, just my opinion.

That's just a cool line from a song.. It's pretty stupid in reality.

[bryanbutler]

I own no Houston music. I still think she had one of the best female voices in history. I would challenge you to name 10 better.

i can easily pick 10 that are better from the opera/classical genre. am i allowed to venture there? i'm pretty sure that with only a bit of a stretch i can find 10 better in jazz/blues. can i venture there? if you stuck to "pop singers since 1980" then i might have to stretch more, but i'd guess i'd find 10 better.

as elD says, though, it's all subjective.

[johnnya24]

Do I plan on telling my child it's better to burn out than to fade away? I cannot imagine how something like that would come up.

I was responding to the notion that Whitney Houston is "wasted talent". Seems like she did pretty damn well with that talent to me. Did she die too early? Yeah, I guess.

I think a better way to put it would be that certain pop stars should bow out gracefully rather than continuing beyond a point in time when they no longer have any relevance. Pop music has a sell-by-date, and is so tied to a place and time, that careers are usually short, and comebacks are rarely successful, except as nostalgia trips from older fans.

However, I would say that ego gets in the way of common sense more often that not ... and crack cocaine always gets in the way of common sense.

[swampdragon]

This is one of my favorite questions-

Name a rock/pop/soul star that retired before he/she/they became a cartoon? and ending a career with death doesn't count.

[DMT]

This is one of my favorite questions-

Name a rock/pop/soul star that retired before he/she/they became a cartoon? and ending a career with death doesn't count.

Bill Withers

[owned]

Ray Hildebrand

[mjl]

Does Mick Taylor count?

[Bob Kohm]

Does the fact that none of those three are anything close to a houehold name count?

[Erik]

Way better to burn out than to fade away. Again, just my opinion.

When you're no longer at the pinnacle of your profession, I'll be asking you why you're not dead yet.

[Gregg]

This is one of my favorite questions-

Name a rock/pop/soul star that retired before he/she/they became a cartoon? and ending a career with death doesn't count.

Cat Stevens

[Gregg]

i can easily pick 10 that are better from the opera/classical genre. am i allowed to venture there? i'm pretty sure that with only a bit of a stretch i can find 10 better in jazz/blues. can i venture there? if you stuck to "pop singers since 1980" then i might have to stretch more, but i'd guess i'd find 10 better.

as elD says, though, it's all subjective.

I would be interested to to see your list.

[Gregg]

About a year ago my wife and I went to see Roger Waters perform The Wall. It was outstanding. We had a great time. I am glad he did not retire.

[Controller Jacobs]

Joe Strummer died too young (age 50, congenital heart defect), but was a good example of someone who stayed in music while not trying to be who he was at 20.

I thought Iggy Pop was brilliant opposite Tom Waits in the movie Coffee and Cigarettes (at age 56), pretty good in Dead Man too.

I'm glad R. L. Burnside stuck with music long enough to produce the terrific "A Ass Pocket of Whiskey" at age 70.

[johnnya24]

Pop music is a bit different than other kinds of music though ... Pink Floyd will always sound relevant. But pure pop music:

Diana Ross had some pretty big hits in the 80's, which is impressive considering she start in 1959 ... and that was essentially the third part of her career. And she looked pretty good last night for a nearly 70 year old woman ... hard to believe she had to wait all this time for a lifetime achievement award, and then barely gets a mention at the awards ... unlike seemingly every mediocre country music star alive.

[DMT]

About a year ago my wife and I went to see Roger Waters perform The Wall. It was outstanding. We had a great time. I am glad he did not retire.

Good call, my wife said it was the best concert she's ever seen.