No Doubt or Gwen Stefani solo?

briskwalker45 said:Like I was saying, there’s just a better way they used to explore things—it felt more uniquely them. And the songs had this upbeat energy, I don't know...

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly? I think the music was way higher quality back when everyone was still in the band (thank God for that, though).
Gwen had maybe two or three solid singles, but the rest was just...☕
I absolutely live for those ska elements they used to pull off, along with that quirky, offbeat vibe that always shined through in their music videos. We'll just have to wait and see how it all looks once they drop the first single...

Not much to debate here. ND just has way better songwriting and more distinct vibes across the board. It’s not just about "Don't Speak"—you actually have to listen to their whole discography. Someone mentioned Bathwater earlier, though I can't believe I missed that in the previous post.😲I guess during that era, Gwen was actually showing some real personality and artistic flair. But then her solo career got so caught up in the media circus and public opinion that she just merged with whatever trend was happening. It became all about the outfits and the magazine covers being just as important as the music itself. Which is why the whole thing ended up like most music today... basically crap.

ambereagle86 said:There isn't even much to debate here. Honestly, Notre Dame is just on a completely different level when it comes to musical quality and depth. It’s not just about "Don't Speak," either—you actually have to sit down and listen to their entire catalog to get what I mean. Someone mentioned Bathwater earlier, and I can't believe I missed that in the previous posts!😲Honestly, during that specific era, Gwen was actually showing us who she really was and what her true artistic vision looked like. But once she went solo, everything shifted. Her entire career became so heavily dictated by the media and public perception that her identity just kind of dissolved into whatever the current trend was. It reached a point where the outfits and the magazine covers were treated as being just as important as the actual music itself. That’s exactly why it all turned out the way most modern music does today—it's just total garbage.

👍👍👍
I couldn't agree more.

quietwalker17 said:I hear what you're saying, though I suppose the music felt a bit more cohesive when everyone was still in the band together (thank goodness for those years, though).
Gwen had maybe two or three truly great singles, while the rest was... well...☕
I’ve always been a huge fan of those ska influences they used, and that quirky energy they brought to their music videos. I guess we'll just have to wait until the first single drops to see which direction she's taking this time...

In my opinion, Gwen really did have all the hits, and honestly, even her unreleased tracks from the albums are quite lovely. Plus, she always turned her tours into such incredible spectacles.
On the other hand, looking back at the songs from ND, there were definitely some boring ones and tracks that weren't quite up to par...
But I suppose it's just a matter of math—she released so many, many more songs with ND that it was bound to happen that not everything would be a masterpiece.
Ultimately, I think Gwen is a legend, both as a solo artist and during her time in the group!
😍

briskwalker45 said:Gwen had all the right signals, and honestly, even the unreleased tracks from that era are incredible. Plus, she turned that tour into an absolute spectacle.
On the flip side, if you dig through the songs from the ND days, you're definitely going to find some fillers and tracks that just aren't up to par...
But then again, it’s just basic math—she released wayyyy more music with ND, so it’s impossible for every single track to be a masterpiece.
At the end of the day, Gwen is a legend, both solo and with the band!
😍

I have to disagree, but Sweet Escape was such a massive letdown....🤣
Gwen really needs to lean into her full vocal range because she clearly has the talent, but I feel like she only truly finds it when she's with no Doubt. I haven't heard her really belt anything out in her solo stuff, whereas she absolutely crushed it back in the ND days.

Personally, I’ve always felt that Sweet Escape stands out as one of the most exceptional albums ever released...
Of course, everyone has their own unique preferences. 😉

briskwalker45 said:Personally, I think sweet Escape is one of the best albums ever made...
But hey, to each their own. 😉

Exactly my point.👍
I was actually talking about the song itself...🙂

ambereagle86 said:There’s really no debate here. ND offers much higher quality and more distinct musicality across the board. It isn't just about "Don't Speak"—you actually need to sit down and listen to their entire catalog to get it. Someone mentioned Bathwater earlier, and I honestly can't believe I missed that in the previous posts.😲During that era, Gwen was actually letting her true personality and artistic vision shine through. Her solo career, however, became so heavily dictated by the media and public perception that she essentially merged with whatever trend was happening at the moment. It reached a point where the outfits and magazine covers were treated as being just as important as the music itself. That’s why the whole thing ended up like most modern music today—it's just total garbage.

You said it all. 🙂

Doubt, there's absolutely no question about it...😬

Honestly, the only thing I really vibe with from Gwen is that first album. The songs were absolute killers. She kind of lost her way a bit with the second one, though she did drop a few solid ballads here and there.
Still, they’re definitely better than Doubt, no doubt about it. My top picks have gotta be Just a Girl, Bathwater, and Running.

Lisa Jones2 said:Hey, I used to listen to Shakira constantly, but a few days ago I realized that No Doubt actually has much better songs. I tossed everything by Shakira aside... they're honestly just incredible. I downloaded their album and I love it all. Now I'd love it if someone could tell me everything they know about them, or maybe suggest an interesting website, because I don't know anything about them yet.

You're quite the loyal fan, aren't you? 🤣

I suppose they’re just better when they work together. Every musician who decides to go solo doesn't always find that same level of success; there are certainly a few exceptions, I guess, but they truly seem at their best when they stay as a group.