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)
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.