The Pop Corporation

It always feels like music is destined for the young, but sometimes, artists hit a late career high and have a hit long after a supposed imperial period. Artists of a certain vintage (and some not so old, obviously) find a new voice, often with a more mature sound or finding new creativity in age.

There’ll be some obvious choices in this list, because there’s no point denying the greatness of say, Johnny Cash’s later life output – especially given how patchy his work was in the ’80s. There will also be some that you may not have considered ‘later career’, because when someone has decades of hits, they might all blur into one ‘period’ in your head.

Although not necessary, an element of surprise at a late stage blooming is always advantageous. An artist may have continued to release music, but for one to take hold after a lean period makes a late-stage banger all the sweeter.

KYLIE MINOGUE

An artist who has reinvented herself numerous times, from SAW popster, to Hipster Kylie, to a woman who almost single-handedly carried the torch for disco… she then fell off the radar a little, and a Glastonbury performance almost had her in the nostalgia bracket for a while. However, you’re a fool if you write Kylie off.

‘Padam Padam’ was unleashed on the world and remarkably, it was well over two decades into her career that she finally broke the States.

ROLLING STONES

Who would have ever thought that Mick Jagger would be rolling back the years with a vintage Stonesy gospel number and create a song so wonderful that it reminds you of why you love the band so much in the first place?

GIL SCOTT HERON

‘I’m New Here’ was a critical hit for an artist who was getting cultural cache in the ’70s. He continued to release music, but ‘I’m New Here’ was a real renaissance for the soul legend. Released on XL after 16 years in the wilderness, he returned produced by Jamie XX and a new generation of fans was born.

NICK LOWE

After the pub rock years and producing seminal punk cuts, Nick Lowe released ‘Sensitive Man’, which was his first video proper in 18 years. Nick Lowe is a genius – we all know that – but now, with his silver fox hair, he released a record that matched anything he’d done in the past and a song that also was a beautiful thing that could only be made by someone his age and at his stage of career.

MADONNA

Her Madgesty didn’t really leave the limelight, but let’s not forget she was 47 years old when she unleashed acid-disco monster ‘Hung Up’ on the public. If ‘Ray Of Light’ is considered ‘late period’, then that period onward (for a handful of LPs at least) is a real Madonna vintage period. Madonna’s ability to adapt to the pop climate might be unmatched in music history, and the fact we could have chosen a number of songs for this slot is testament to her magnificence.

DURAN DURAN ‘ORDINARY WORLD’

It might be a bit of a stretch to have ‘Ordinary World’ as a ‘late stage’ hit, but we feel it deserves a mention. Their imperial phase was ’81/’82 and hits of course followed, but everyone was surprised in ’93 when they casually released one of their finest songs in the middle of the burgeoning BritPop landscape. Even if you balk at the inclusion, you can press play and have a lovely time listening to it.

ROY ORBISON

At 52 years, decades after his early Sun Records hits, The Big O released ‘You Got It’, which is effectively a Travelling Wilbury’s song, with Jeff Lynne at the wheel. A posthumous hit doesn’t work in every case here, but Orbison recorded this in ’88 and while released after his death, it counts.

APHEX TWIN

Synths don’t age, and beatlord Aphex Twin vanished for a time, disappearing into alter egos and whatnot, before returning with the ‘Syro’ LP – a real return to form. The comfortingly daft title of ‘minipops 67 [120.2] ‘ reminded everyone just what they’d been missing.

ARETHA FRANKLIN

Kicking off her recording career in 1960, and having a slew of incredible hits in the mid ’60s, Aretha surprised radio listeners with a couple of ’80s BANGERS, notable ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves’ and the glorious duet with George Michael below. Of course, soul fans will note the ’82 club gem ‘Jump To It’, but even including that, it just goes to show someone can have great music and they don’t have to be in their twenties to do so.

BOB DYLAN

Also in the singer-songwriter slot, you could have had Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. However, no-one surprises with a late-stage success more than Bob Dylan. After the ’80s, it was easy to think Dylan would retreat into a world where only super-fans would be raving about him. However, he came back with ‘Love & Theft’ and ‘Time Out Of Mind’. Then he came back again with ‘Rough & Rowdy Ways’. Lizardy Bob came to town and remarkably, wouldn’t leave.

NEIL YOUNG

It’s one thing to have a hit in later career, but to release a song that’s one of your best? That’s what Neil Young did with ‘Harvest Moon’. The perfect middle aged ballad where he croons “I’m still in love with you – I wanna see you dance again”, you’re imagining mum and dad having a slow dance in the kitchen together now the kids have grown up and flown the roost. Utterly gorgeous.

PRINCE

Prince’s longevity is well known and well documented, but honestly, some of the late-stage Prince stuff is up there with his best work. It kinda flew under the radar, but his ‘Breakfast Can Wait’ showed his neo-soul peers that Prince was still a tour de force. 2013 was the showcase of this song and, not only is it brilliant, but the artwork is Dave Chappelle in his Prince get-up.

TAKE THAT

Who would have ever thought that Take That were going to go away and then come back all Marks & Spencers grown up and release some music that matches the best work of their youth? Only the most insane fan would have predicted it. No wonder Robbie rejoined for a bit.

PAUL MCCARTNEY

Listen, Paul McCartney never stopped having hits. However, the release of McCartney III saw ‘Deep Deep Feeling’ dropped on us and it’s mature, modern, magical McCartney. It’s an epic, sensual banger that came out of absolutely nowhere. How the fuck does he do it? He’s arguably the greatest human who has ever lived.

JOHNNY CASH

Johnny Cash and Rick Rubin were a marriage made in heaven. Taking Cash back to his musical roots, you could argue that Cash’s American series of LPs are the greatest late-stage releases of any artist. Incredible work and a fitting end to a career for one of America’s greatest ever entertainers.