Acts That Jumped the Shark in the 2000s

The first decade of the 21st Century was both the best of times and the worst of times -- depending, of course, on whom you ask. For some artists (Lady Gaga), it was a time for breakthrough success. For others (R.E.M.), it marked the sad end of what had been a good run. Since you're already reading Best Of lists for the 2000s, here'are our top 10 artists who jumped the shark in the century's first 10 years.

Who qualifies as a shark jump? Basically, any artist that altered its image for the worse -- either through bad music, foolish actions or an ill-advised lineup change.

Aerosmith

We know that Genesis went on without Peter Gabriel, that Queen has had success with Paul Rodgers, and that Journey recently made a comeback without Steve Perry. But, really -- Aerosmith without Steven Tyler? Come on, guys. Ditching the voice of the band often signals a shark jump. Remember Van Halen with Gary Cherone?

R. Kelly

This R&B star always had a thing for naughty lyrics. But when several allegations of sex with minors surfaced, those lyrics all became a little icky. None of the charges have stuck, and Kelly has managed to stay atop the charts, but try reading a review of his latest without some mention of sex scandals. What a way to make your mark!

Jewel

This Alaskan singer/songwriter was a darling of the critics with her folksy, poetic coffeehouse hits. Then, in 2003, she released a slick, club-friendly dance album, '0304.' Ehe even donned a wet T-shirt to help boost sales. The record did well, but to many fans she was a sellout. Now she's trying to pass as a country artist, leading us to wonder: When the time comes, what will her hip-hop moniker be?

Chris Brown

Here's a guy who had it all: A recording contract at 16, acting gigs, money and and hot girlfriend. So why's he gotta be such a jerk? Photos of a battered Rihanna turned everyone against the 20-year-old Brown, who went on to lose endorsements and radio play. A verbal spat with Oprah didn't help his cause. And more recently, he whined that stores are conspiring to keep his sales down. Is 20 too old for a spanking?

Barenaked Ladies

In the '90s their ubiquitous single 'One Week' marked both the pinnacle of their success and the beginning of the end. The witty indie band hit it big with the tongue-twisting song about 'X Files,' anime and tantric Sting. By 2008, they recorded a children's record -- all well and good. Shortly thereafter, key member Steven Page -- the nerdy one with the glasses -- made the kid-unfriendly move of getting arrested for drug possession, wrecking the band's squeaky-clean image. His departure by "mutual agreement" in 2009 was the final nail in the coffin.

Eagles

Many suspected the Eagles were merely in it for the money when they saw the jaw-dropping ticket prices for their concerts. Then the band fired longtime guitarist Don Felder in a dispute over money and released a forgettable album exclusively with Wal-Mart. With two of the top 10 selling albums of all time, shouldn't these guys already be billionaires? And we thought it was about the music.

Kanye West

One of the leading figures in music, West fused soul and rap with real instrumentation, taking hip-hop in a new direction. Despite a few controversial comments, he was always hip enough to overcome his mouth. Then in September, he interrupted Taylor Swift's MTV Music Awards speech, suggesting Beyoncé was a more worthy candidate. Proving he had gone too far, even President Obama, whom West had supported, called him a "jackass." And now the image we had of this once cool visionary is of him looking all hangdog on 'Jay Leno.'

Oasis

The infighting between the Gallagher brothers finally forced the band to split this fall. But the rest of us got tired of their whiny bickering years before. And why were these guys ever compared to the Beatles? Just when you thought they were gone for good, Liam Gallagher recently announced that the band would forge on without brother Noel, going by the new name -- and surefire shark jump indicator -- Oasis 2.0.

Whitney Houston

In the '80s and '90s. Houston was a megastar with a reputation for being one of the nice ones. Then she became unreliable, got hooked on drugs and recorded that shark-jump milestone, the Christmas album. Her real downfall, though, came when she appeared on reality TV with her then-husband Bobby Brown, showing the world her dragon personality. Also? No hits in the 2000s.

OutKast

On the heals of 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,' it seemed like this hip-hop/soul duo finally achieved the superstardom their magnificent output deserved. But as soon as they achieved success in music, they already seemed bored with it -- and each other, seeking to separately try their hand at acting and other endeavors, including an Andre 3000 cartoon series. Now that Polaroid picture song is just a guilty pleasure from a seemingly spent act.