Streaming was supposed to free us from appointment television, endless reruns, and whatever random procedural happened to be on at 9pm. Instead, it’s given us something arguably worse: shows that look prestige-y, sound expensive, and somehow still feel like background noise you didn’t ask for. Cable at least knew what it was. These shows? They often aim high, miss wildly, and leave viewers nostalgic for the days when changing the channel was easier than committing to eight disappointing episodes.

Today, the name Lucille Ricksen is largely unknown to most people. However, in the early 1920s, her face appeared everywhere. Hollywood touted her as the newest rising star, and maybe she would have been, if the very industry that let her shine hadn’t worked her to the point where she couldn’t go on, snuffing out her light far too soon.

He made history by being true to his talent when it was rare. Marvin Lee built a career on giving everything he had, even when his body protested, and that stubborn spirit never really left.

Millennial women may have jobs, responsibilities, and a concerning number of browser tabs open at all times—but emotionally, many of us are still exactly who we were the first time a girl group chorus hit just right. The 2000s weren’t just a great era for girl groups; they were a full-on personality-forming experience. These songs taught confidence, heartbreak, friendship, independence, and how to dramatically stare out a car window like you were in a music video.

Lineup changes can kill a band’s chemistry, confuse fans, or signal the beginning of the end. But some groups flip the script and turn personnel turnover into a rebirth. Whether due to musical evolution, tragedy, personality clashes, or creative ambition, the following bands kept their spark alive despite major changes, sometimes becoming even better in the process.

Every artist on this list reached a moment where momentum stalled and the future felt uncertain. These albums arrived at critical points when another misstep could have completely ended things. Instead, they reconnected artists with audiences, and ushered in some of music's best comebacks.