Call it a comeback: Music's greatest stories of career revival

For most of the 1970s and into the early '80s, ABBA was a global pop music phenomenon. Tunes like "Dancing Queen" and "Take a Chance on Me" became staples of Top 40 radio and made the Swedish quartet beloved in more than just its homeland. However, in 1982, the group broke up, and while the music was still a radio staple, ABBA dropped out of the international limelight. That was until 1992, when the greatest hits compilation ABBA Gold was released and became the band's best-selling album of all time and brought the group back to the airwaves and the charts. Then, seven years later the group became more popular than ever thanks to Mamma Mia!, the massively popular musical inspired by the music of ABBA. The Tony Award-nominated musical spawned a movie version, and sequel. The four members, however, did not appear together as a group until the Stockholm premiere of the musical in 2005, only their second appearance together since their dissolution.

From 1973-77, Aerosmith was royalty when it came to hard rock success. With its bluesy vibe and Steven Tyler's shriekingly brilliant vocals, Aerosmith influenced the likes of Motley Crue, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. However, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, drug abuse had plagued the band, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford departed, sales were down and it appeared the end of the band was imminent. Then, after a lukewarm comeback tour, Aerosmith was reborn with a  remake of "Walk This Way," a groundbreaking collaboration with hip-hop kings Run-D.M.C. in 1986. A year later, the release of Permanent Vacation — which featured writing by mainstream pop rock hit maker Desmond Child — set the band on its schlock-loving way to becoming MTV darlings and, amazingly, bigger than it had ever been.

It can be argued that Bowie delivered a comeback more than once during his iconic career. Following his breakout 1969 effort Space Oddity, Bowie's "experimentation" period of the early 1970s had been pretty much forgotten until he created his legendary alter ego Ziggy Stardust and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, from 1972. Then, after a dry spell of inconsistent studio success in the late 1970s, Bowie hit his commercial peak with Let's Dance (1983). Various levels of commercial success and critically praised experimenting followed, then two days before after his January 2016 death, Bowie released Blackstar, which has been hailed as one of the best albums in his storied catalog.

In her defense, Mariah Carey has enjoyed serious longevity as the "Queen of Christmas." However, after dominating the 1990s with mega-hits such as "Vision of Love," "Emotions," "Dreamlover," "Hero" and "Always Be My Baby." However, by the end of the 1990s and amid the early 2000s, Carey struggled to deliver hits, ended her marriage to Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola and dealt with mental-health issues. Then came The Emancipation of Mimi (2005), a gritty, personal comeback record that won Carey three Grammy Awards and jump-started her career — outside of the Christmas realm.

The country and rock legend never really went away, but when the man who brought us "Folsom Prison Blues","I Walk the Line" and " Ring of Fire" started doing covers of 1990s hits like Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt," Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" and "Personal Jesus" from Depeche Mode, he introduced himself to a new generation of rock fans. In turn, they learned just how cool the "Man in Black" had been all along. His late-in-life success with the American Recordings series of albums only reinforced his iconic legacy.

Cheap Trick might be the most underrated band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Its first four albums from 1977-79 are a collective example of rock greatness. But during the first half of the 1980s, Cheap Trick fell off the mainstream rock map, though the band still harbored a loyal following. Then Lap of Luxury was released in 1988, and thanks to the cheesiness of "The Flame" and MTV, Cheap Trick became more popular than ever, and found a new generation of fans. 

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Cher, the entertainer, is her ability to adapt with the times. In the mid-1960s, she and then-husband Sonny Bono enjoyed success as a folk-pop duo. Following their divorce in 1975, Cher enjoyed modest success as a solo artist, notably in the disco genre. However, her visible prominence waned until she returned to the scene in the mid-to-late 1980s with MTV favorites like  "I Found Someone" and "If I Could Turn Back Time." She then became a dance-pop icon with the release of 1998's Believe; the album's title track saw her become the oldest woman (at age 52) to top the Billboard Hot 100.

The popular mainstream power rock outfit has not put out an album since 2009's Full Circle , but Creed was quite busy in 2024 after reuniting. In April, it headlined the "Summer of '99" cruise, and followed that successful endeavor with "The Summer of '99 Tour." It was the first time the band — with lead singer Scott Stapp  back in tow — seriously toured since 2012. As a response to Creed's resurgence, some of its classic tunes became quite popular on streaming platforms such as Spotify, as well as returning to Billboard charts. The band has continued to stay busy playing music in 2025.

There are more than a few professional music critics who feel The Cure's Songs of a Lost World was among the best rock albums of 2024. At the very least, the first studio album in 16 years from the beloved, Hall of Fame mood rockers is something special. In actuality, it could also pass for a Robert Smith solo album, since the legendary frontman — who, at age 65, sounds better than ever — wrote the entire record. While The Cure never really went away, at times still embarking on tour and/or headlining festivals, that significant gap between studio albums earns these legends a place on our list. 

Among the giants of pop rock and MTV thanks to its first five albums Duran Duran (1981), Rio (1982), Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), Notorious (1986) and Big Thing (1988), Duran Duran were international superstars. But the late 1980s and early 1990s were quiet for the band, which endured member comings and goings and inconsistent commercial success. But, in 1993, it released Duran Duran (yes, same title as its debut), which included the No. 1 smash "Ordinary World," and second hit "Come Undone." Duran Duran was back, relevant, and a regular touring machine that has since released nine more studio albums. 

Fleetwood Mac began as a guitar-driven blues-rock band that also had some progressive tendencies. When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined prior to its 1975 eponymous album, Fleetwood Mac became a commercial pop-rock force. Buckingham's songwriting was a big reason for the band's subsequent consistent mainstream success... but, famously, so were the  personal tensions between the band's members during the late 1970s and into the '80s. From there, Buckingham and Nicks enjoyed various levels of success as solo artists. However, it wasn't until the release of live gem The Dance (1997) and its accompanying concert video that featured a reunited Fleetwood Mac and introduced them to a newer era of fans, with more success to come.

These East Bay pop-punks broke big with their third studio album Dookie (1994), then kind of treaded water through the rest of the 1990s [despite the success of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)"], before struggling to stay afloat in the early 2000s. Just when it seemed like Green Day was never going to find consistent success nor approach the heights of popularity that Dookie brought them, it delivered one of the great concept albums of all time in 2004's stellar comeback American Idiot. The record propelled the band to even greater mainstream heights while also recognizing them for their maturity and artistic bona fides, and opened the door for the trio to become multimedia superstar entertainers — as well as a band that still packs a house.

The power rock of Ann and Nancy Wilson fueled Heart to consistent success, beginning with 1975's classic Dreamboat Annie, right up until Dog and Butterfly from 1978. Songs like "Barracuda," "Crazy on You," "Magic Man" and "Straight On," remain classic rock staples. However, the first half of the 1980s weren't kind to Heart, and band dysfunction didn't help. Then the group signed with Capitol Records and released its self-titled 1985 mainstream smash that further continued a more Top 40 vibe and a drastic sonic change to a more glam metal, polished sound to reflect contemporary tastes. The songs played well on MTV and generated more exposure than Heart had ever achieved. 

Meat Loaf's stellar 1975 rock opus Bat Out of Hell is one of the greatest debut records of all time. And, though he put out several albums after, none generated the same level of critical acclaim and over-the-top pop-rock brilliance. That was until Meat Loaf resurfaced in the public eye with 1993's Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. Loaded with more bombast from longtime writing collaborator and producer Jim Steinman, this exceptional sequel, fueled by "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" — his only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 — proved that a now-thinner Meat Loaf was back and bigger than ever.

Many rock critics, or those in the know, considered Orbison to be the next Elvis Presley. And, in many ways, at least musically, there were similar elements to their respective careers. Both played at Sun Studios, earned massive success, but then fell on hard times. Orbison had more than 20 Top 40 hits from 1960-66. However, the late 1960s throughout the 1970s and into the '80s proved rough for Orbison. Then, in 1988, he co-founded popular supergroup Traveling Wilburys, featuring George Harrison,  Bob Dylan , Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. Sadly, Orbison died of a heart attack in late 1988 at age 52. His career comeback came to a posthumous conclusion with the release of hit "You Got It." 

There was the suave, swoon-worthy Elvis from the 1950s and '60s, pounding out rockabilly tunes like "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock." All that made him the biggest star — and entertainer — in the world. Then after a seven-year hiatus from performing live, he returned with his legendary 1968 Elvis comeback special. From there, Elvis-mania was revived and he became a staple on the Las Vegas performing circuit. "The King" was bigger than ever, though his final reign would not last long as prescription drug abuse and weight gain ultimately led to his sudden death in 1977 at age 42. 

During the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Santana was a rock staple thanks to hits like "Evil Ways", "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va." Looking to revive his career after spending time without a record label, Carlos Santana hooked up with Clive Davis and Arista Records and thus began the band's successful second wind with 1999's Supernatural. It also helped to bring aboard a budding contemporary star in Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas to cater to the present-day pop-rock crowd. The result was the nauseatingly catchy "Smooth," which spent 12 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

A staple of 1970s and '80s arena rock, Styx continues to tour, performing classics such as  "Come Sail Away," "Lady" and "Babe." However, after the band went on hiatus following the release of 1983's Kilroy Was Here, it essentially fell off the planet. That is, until it resurfaced — though without guitarist/co-vocalist Tommy Shaw at the time — to release 1990's Edge of the Century. The album featured the hit "Show Me the Way," an uplifting track that was used to lift spirits during the Gulf War (1990-91) via the (not band-approved) song's "Desert Storm Mix". From there, Styx's music was further revived through shows like Freaks and Geeks, South Park, and the Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy.

Aside from Elvis, there has been no better comeback within the music industry than that of Tina Turner. One of the great performers during the 1960s and into the '70s with then-husband Ike Turner, Tina Turner rose from the ashes of her troubled and abusive marriage, as well as the lukewarm response to her attempts to go solo in the second half of the 1970s, Turner broke back onto the mainstream music scene with 1984's Private Dancer and its Grammy Award-winning hit "What's Love Got to Do with It." From there, Turner was essentially unstoppable, building herself into one of the biggest entertainers in the world, selling out arenas and stadiums to solidify her icon status -- for the second time.

While Usher never seemed to go away, the announcement that he would headline the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show was a bit curious, considering his most recent studio album at the time was 2016's Hard II Love. Well, in a strategic fashion, Usher released 2024's Coming Home, his ninth studio record, to coincide with his Super Bowl performance, which drew a mixed reception. While the R&B/pop star might not span universal musical tastes, he was back in a big-time way.