Have any of you ever found that an artist you previously were a fan of released the album you consider their best after they had already earned your fandom? For example, it's 1974 and you're a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. Then, the next year he released Born To Run, arguably his best (and I doubt many who argue against it would suggest one of his earlier albums instead) and you like it more than his first two albums. Has something like this happened to anyone?

This happened to me with PJ Harvey, as I was already a fan when Stories For The City, Stories For The Sea came out in 2000, and that's my favorite of hers. Interestingly, the album directly after that is my least favorite of hers. Quite a drop-off. This may have happened with Björk as well. I think I was already a fan when Homogenic came out, but I can't remember. It's too long ago.

"Brick By Brick" is my choice. I was at the height of my Iggy fan-dom, and this album didn't disappoint. I don't think it's his best, but it's up there. There was definitely a drop-off in quality after it.

Umm...all the time?

Some examples:
Fugazi
Wilco
Spoon
Luna
Hot Snakes

See, it happens all the time that an artist I already like comes out with an album I think is "up there". Radiohead, for example. I was a fan after The Bends but their next two were both awesome as well. But did either one become my favorite? Not yet, at least.

Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
Modest Mouse - Good News...
A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
Tool - Lateralus
Coldplay - Rush of Blood to the Head

I'll also include Madvillainy as I liked Doom and Madlib before on separate projects.

Tom Waits: Blood Money began my love.
Rain Dogs became my favorite. Well, Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, The Heart of Saturday Night......

Ah, that's something different though. Maybe I should've been clearer. You went back and discovered pre-existing albums. That's different than if you had previously loved Rain Dogs and then switched to Blood Money when it was released.

On another note, I need to get Blood Money and Rain Dogs.

Hmmm... really? I don't like Lateralus at all and I loved Aenima. The Moon & Antarctica is still my fave from Modest Mouse, and no way did Blazing Arrow live up to NIA in my mind.

One that immediately leaps to mind is Frank Black. I was a big fan of the Pixies, and in my eyes that band peaked with Doolittle and then seemed to be heading downhill (slowly) - so I never would have predicted that Black's later solo stuff (particularly Teenager Of The Year and Black Letter Days) would become albums I liked even better than the Pixies.

New Pornographers - Electric Version, then supplanted by Twin Cinema.

This is interesting. Seems that not everyone is as closed-minded/loyal/stubborn as me.

nirvana: "nevermind" to "in utero"
and
decemberists: "castaways" to "picaresque"

come to mind right away

New Pornographers is a band where I don't think I could choose one favorite album. Others like that, off the top of my head, are Blur, Crooked Fingers, and Talking Heads.

Oh, gotcha. Yeah after reading other posts I realized mine wasn't quite relevant to the topic, sorry.

I can't say Real Gone is one of my favorites. Sorry Tom.

By the way, Rain Dogs is ALWAYS cheap. Always. I see it new for 7 dollars all the time.

The White Stripes - liked em beginning w/ De Stijl and was first on board for White Blood Cells and Elephant

Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn (inspired by shmoo)

My old roommate said earlier this year that the only Waits song she can stand is "Hoist That Rag". Odd. I think she just heard it so much on KEXP that it wormed it's way into her head.

That's probably my favorite off of Real Gone.

Maybe it was what she was listening to. I hated Tom Waits the first time I heard him. I don't know, then I became infatuated.

Another one:

Graham Parker and the Rumour released their '76 debut Howling Wind and Heat Treatment in the space of one year. Both were stunning, punky updates on the same influences that shaped the Band, Van Morrison, and Springsteen - but it was their '79 album Squeezing Out Sparks that immediately became my favorite (and still is).

That new Marah record is a serious contender.

Totally. They seemed dead and buried after Float Away With The Friday Night Gods. I never would've predicted they'd be able to come up with anything that came close to Kids In Philly.

Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
Download - Effector
Peter Gabriel - Up
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Snoop Dogg - R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece
Usher - Confessions

Blur earned my fandom with Modern Life Is Rubbish, then they released Parklife.

I was also one of the few who was into Neutral Milk Hotel, starting with On Avery Island. In fact, at an in-store, soon after the release of Aeroplane..., I was "the guy" who shouted for "Song Against Sex" and surprised the band.

Radiohead - The Bends ---> OK Computer
Animal Collective - Here Comes the Indian ---> Sung Tongs
Mike Ladd - Welcome to the Afterfuture ---> In What Language?

Damn, that's all I can think of right now. With most artists there's either been a decline or, at best, a nice comeback after a period of slacking.

Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Feels
Vashti Bunyan - Just Another Diamond Day - Lookaftering