Breaking through the music industry is never easy. Just like with everyday life, setbacks are a part of the parcel. Before making it big, these A-list musicians have gone through the ups and downs in surviving the climate.
Fortunately, they have shown fantastic character and ended up becoming some of the greatest to exist in their respective genres. They've sold millions of albums and broken dozens of records. From Bruno Mars to Kanye West, here are some examples of ten artists who were dropped from their labels and why.
10 Bruno Mars
Before sweeping a couple of Grammys in one night and becoming the R&B icon we know today, young Bruno Mars was hungry and ready to leave his mark in the industry. After graduating from high school, the "Leave the Door Open" singer moved to Los Angeles and signed a contract under Motown Records alongside his long-time friend Philip Lawrence. Unfortunately, the deal turned out fruitless, as the management felt he was too green for the industry and he needed to polish his skills further.
9 Beyoncé
Before shooting to stardom as one-third of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé and the girls auditioned with several labels before they ended up signing to Elektra Records, in 1995. Unfortunately, the group was cut by the company for being "too young and undeveloped." Things went sour in her household as she got dropped by the label, but she soon found a home at Columbia Records.
8 50 Cent
For 50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' is not just an album title; it's a lifetime mantra of every street hustler just like him. In fact, before forming an unstoppable trio with Eminem and Dr. Dre under the Shady/Aftermath joint deal, 50 was already signed to Columbia Records. His intended debut album, Power of the Dollar, was soon shelved after the rapper got shot nine times and blacklisted from the industry. Eminem saw an opportunity in him, and the rest is history.
7 Diddy
While he wasn't exactly a rapper at that time, Sean "Diddy" Comb's rise to stardom would have never happened if Uptown Records did not fire him because his ego was too big. Back then, Diddy served as a talent director and helped pave the way for the likes of Jodeci and Mary J. Blige.
After he got fired, Diddy took to the streets and formed his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment. With a roster consisting of The Notorious BIG and Craig Mack, the label became one of the most important cornerstones in the hip-hop culture.
6 Jhené Aiko
Before the fame, Jhené Aiko was associated with B2K, a boyband in the early 2000s. After gaining her own following and signing to Epic Records, the singer asked to be dropped from the label to focus on her studies. In addition, she was already mother of one. It took her over five years to finally come back to the music that she loves and release her debut album, Souled Out.
5 Madonna
While having a rough career start isn't the case here, Madonna's contract dispute with Interscope Records is worth noting. After nearly a decade under the well-renowned label, Madonna was reportedly "in talks" to return to Warner, as noted by New York Post. Her three albums under Interscope: MDNA (2012), Rebel Heart (2015), and Madame X (2019) ended up becoming some of the worst-selling albums of the controversial pop star.
4 Ed Sheeran
Before gaining international success, young Ed Sheeran kept knocking on several record labels' doors, but most of them found the singer "unappealing" due to his looks. Little did they know, Ed Sheeran would go on to become one of the highest-selling tour performer of all time.
"Every single label I had gone to at the time had told me this song wasn't a hit, this song wouldn't work, and the fact that I was slightly chubby and ginger wasn't a good marketing tool for them," he told online youth TV channel SB.TV.
3 U2
U2 is another tale of inspiring success. The Irish-based rock band used to send their demo tape to several recording companies. One of them was RSO Records, who sent them a letter saying, "We have listened with careful consideration, but feel it is not suitable for us at present. We wish you luck with your future career."
Now, U2 joins the likes of The Rolling Stone, Madonna, Ed Sheeran, and AC/DC as the best-selling worldwide performers. RSO must be kicking themselves.
2 Linkin Park
Linkin Park is another feel-good story of a dream coming true. As the late Chester Bennington revealed, the band had their fair share of struggles in landing a record deal. They played over 50 showcases for record labels before signing with Warner, who had previously rejected them. The label even admitted to struggling to understand Linkin Park's musical identity that fuses hip-hop with rock, but their debut, Hybrid Theory, ended up selling 27 million copies.
1 Kanye West
Kanye West may be one of the most influential acts in hip-hop now, but back in the day, nobody would bet on him. Back when gangsta rap was dominating the charts, many had written off Kanye West's "soft upbringing. People knew him as a producer more than a rapper before Jay-Z, whom West had produced for, signed him to Roc-A-Fella.