Problem: Background: Blues Traveler is an American rock band formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band's music covers a variety of genres, including blues rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock. It is known for extensive use of segues in their live performances, and was considered a key part of the re-emerging jam band scene of the 1990s, spearheading the H.O.R.D.E. touring music festival. Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla, and keyboardist Ben Wilson.
Context: On August 20, 1999, Bobby Sheehan was found dead in his New Orleans, Louisiana home, where he had been recording music with some friends the night before. Sheehan's death was ruled an accidental drug overdose, with cocaine, Valium, and heroin found in his system. The remaining members of Blues Traveler convened and agreed that Sheehan would have wanted them to continue as a band. Auditions for a new bassist were held in concert, and included Chan Kinchla's younger brother Tad, who was unanimously determined to be the best choice for the role. Additionally, an open call was sent for a permanent keyboard player, a role of which Sheehan had often been a proponent. In January 2000, Ben Wilson of the jump blues band Big Dave & the Ultrasonics was chosen, and has since become a central contributor to the band's songwriting. The band discarded their concept album material, instead releasing a smaller online EP, Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler's Tale of Sun and Storm, and went to work collectively composing a new set of songs with the new lineup. The resulting album was Bridge, which had the working title Bridge Outta Brooklyn as a tribute to Sheehan (with both the acronym B.O.B. and his nickname "Brooklyn Bobby"). The songs "Girl Inside My Head" and "Just for Me" received airplay, but the album's sales fell somewhat short of expectations. The live album What You and I Have Been Through and the compilation Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics were both released in 2002.
Question: Why'd they discard their concept album material?
Answer:

Problem: Background: Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band that was formed in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released nine full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of styles, including nu metal, death metal, groove metal, and thrash metal. Fear Factory was enormously influential on the heavy metal scene in the mid-to-late 1990s. Fear Factory went on hold in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but re-formed a year later without founding member Dino Cazares, adding bassist Byron Stroud, and previous bassist Christian Olde Wolbers as guitarist.
Context: In 1991, Fear Factory recorded a series of cuts for their debut album with the then-little-known producer Ross Robinson in Blackie Lawless' studio. The band's members were unhappy with the terms of their recording contract and caused a delay with the album's release. The band retained the rights to the songs, many of which they re-recorded in 1992 with a different producer, Colin Richardson, for inclusion on their debut release Soul of a New Machine. Meanwhile, Ross Robinson obtained the rights to the recording, which he used to promote himself as a producer. The album was officially released in 2002 by Roadrunner Records under the title Concrete after the band's breakup. The release was controversial because the album was issued because of the band's outstanding contractual obligation and without the approval of every band member. Fan opinion has been divided as to whether Ross Robinson's production properly captured the intricacies of the band's sound. The released album favored a straight-up approach and Robinson's distinct drum sound. Concrete has become an important album for fans of the early Fear Factory sound; it can be seen as a bridge between the band's sound on their demo recordings and their debut release, Soul of a New Machine, and a blueprint for later songs and B-sides. Based on the Concrete recording, Max Cavalera recommended Fear Factory to the then-death-metal-focused Roadrunner Records label, which offered the band a recording contract. While the band signed the contract, it has since become controversial because of Roadrunner's treatment of the band during the events surrounding its 2002 breakup. This was reflected in the first album Archetype (2004), which was released following the band's re-formation. The opening song with lyrics by Burton C. Bell, "Slave Labor", was direct about the band's feelings on the matter. After working with numerous bassists, Andrew Shives was hired as a live bassist prior to the release of Soul of a New Machine.
Question: Was the album a success?
Answer: The release was controversial because the album was issued because of the band's outstanding contractual obligation and without the approval of every band member.

Problem: Background: Eurythmics were a British music duo consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart. Stewart and Lennox were both previously in the band The Tourists (originally known as The Catch), who split up in 1980; Eurythmics were formed that year in Wagga Wagga. The duo released their first album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little fanfare, but went on to achieve global success with their second album Sweet Dreams
Context: After strenuous years of touring and recording (Eurythmics had released eight studio albums in eight years), a rift had developed between the duo and Eurythmics disbanded, although no formal notice was given. Stewart began writing film soundtracks and had a big international hit in 1990 with the instrumental track "Lily Was Here" (featuring saxophonist Candy Dulfer). The single reached no.6 in the UK and the Top 20 throughout much of Europe, as well as in Australia and the US. He also formed a band called The Spiritual Cowboys, releasing two albums with this group in the early 1990s. Lennox took time off from her career to have a baby and to consider a life after Eurythmics. Accordingly, the duo had very little communication with each other from 1991 to 1998. In 1991, Eurythmics' Greatest Hits collection was released, entering the UK album chart at No. 1 and spending a total of 10 weeks at that position, as well as becoming a massive worldwide seller. New remixes of "Sweet Dreams" and "Love Is a Stranger" were also released as singles at this time. During 1993, a live album entitled Live 1983-1989 featuring recordings from various years throughout Eurythmics' career was also released. In 1992, Lennox released her first solo album, Diva. The album was a critical and popular success, entering the UK album chart at no.1 and achieving quadruple platinum status (more than any Eurythmics studio album had done), as well as producing a string of five hit singles. She followed this up in 1995 with her second album, Medusa, an album of cover versions. It became her second number one album in the UK, reaching double platinum status both there and in the US. Stewart, meanwhile, released the solo albums Greetings from the Gutter (1995), and Sly-Fi (1998), but neither was commercially successful.
Question: Was Stewart successful becoming solo?
Answer:
The single reached no.6 in the UK and the Top 20 throughout much of Europe, as well as in Australia and the US.