The Halo Effect: “If we see a person first in a good light, it is difficult subsequently to darken that light”
In David Hepworth’s book on 1971, he uses the Halo Effect to explain why “What’s Going On” has such a reputation for being a great album (basically, the excellence of the opening and closing tracks casts a halo over the rest of the album).
That got me thinking about where else this effect can be seen. Oddly enough, the first name that came to mind was David Letterman. When he retired a couple of years back, tributes poured in about his 30 years as a talk show host. Yet most of the clips that were recalled were from the 1980s. As someone who only saw his show from the late 90s onwards it was difficult to see what the fuss was about: a fairly cranky middle-aged guy making jokes with his bandleader? I think a lot of the goodwill that was extended to him was a result of the Halo Effect created by his early 80s shows, when he really was a breath of fresh air.
In sports, few teams benefit from the Halo Effect as much as the Brazilian national team. Even though they abandoned their old style of play in the late 80s, we still think of each Brazil team as being the heirs of Jairzinho, Pele, Carlos Alberto and the others of the great 1970 team. Each time a World Cup comes around, there’s talk of “jogo bonito” and “samba style football” that doesn’t bear much resemblance as to what’s happening on the pitch. Similarly, the Dutch team have been counter-attacking bruisers for over a decade, but we still carry a torch for them, because of the Halo Effect cast by Cruyff, Neeskens et al.
Perhaps it’s unfair to talk of the Halo Effect with musicians. There’s a general acceptance that they produce their best work in their 20s, so why give someone a hard time if they’re still around 30 or 40 years later and not producing great stuff? Having said that, there are a couple of names that come to mind. Neil Young is one who seems to retain a lot of goodwill from people who got to know him in the 70s (or 90s), even as he tests their patience with each record. And Morrissey’s career seems to be sustained by the residual energy of the intense relationship with his fans in the 80s.
Anyone else come to mind? Stephen Fry maybe? Metallica?
Kaisfatdad says
I think you are really onto something here.
Dr Who springs to mind. I’ve not really been keeping up to speed with the recent series, but the reboot by Rusell T Davies was a thing of genius. My loyalty was ensured for a long while.
Neil Young’s recent records may be awful (I haven’t had any motivation to listen) but live he is still something very special. I saw him at Roskilde with his new young band and they were sensational.
Sewer Robot says
While I dig the general idea – my first few posts on here are legendary, but lately I’ve done nothing to deserve my by-the-front-door spot in the AW car park – I’m dubious about any “Halo Effect” as I’m still trying to get my money back having been fooled by all the advertising as to the supposed “effect” of Hai Karate aftershave…
pawsforthought says
I can certainly think of a few records where this happens. I seem to remember the Killers first album was chock full of goodies for the first 15 minutes, followed by a general hum of “will this do?”
Hawkfall says
That’s a great call. I also think Avalon benefits from this: you get More Than This and Avalon in the first three songs. Of course you’re going to feel kindly about the album after that, even if you can’t remember many of the other songs.
metal mickey says
I tend to think of those as “tentpole” tracks – the ones that keep the rest of the album propped up. They’re usually (though not always) the singles, either easing the listener into the whole album experience, or being way-stations in the midst of more challenging songs (or alternatively of course, just putting all the good stuff first…)
Talking of Bryan Ferry, I remember him saying that he’d named his album “Bete Noir” deliberately after the most ‘difficult’ track, hoping it might get listeners to pay more attention to it…
Leicester Bangs says
Oh yeah. Maybe Stephen King. And Martin Amis.
Hawkfall says
Stephen King’s interesting. The thing is, most Stephen King books have the same cover don’t they? And they’re around the same size. So we buy them, thinking they’re going to be like Pet Sematary or The Shining. I also think that, like AC/DC, people’s positive memories of Stephen King are formed at an early age.
retropath2 says
After the first dozen, taking us perhaps to the 1980s, not only were they reliant on the same cover but, broadly, the same stories, all hurriedly written as he wrote, never quite sure what would happen next, hence the tropes of the last time he got stuck. How many books as he written around writers with block now?
davebigpicture says
I gave up on King, probably in the 90s when I felt that he didn’t know how to finish a story. The endings felt like they were dashed off. See also James Herbert.
Hawkfall says
Interesting that you point out that the 80s may be the rot set in. He stopped drinking at that time, and in his “On Writing” book, he is frank about worrying if he could still do it sober. Of course, correlation is not causation, and it may just have been a simple running out of ideas, but I wonder if he was a different writer when he had an alcohol buzz?
Kid Dynamite says
Nah, the stuff he wrote when he was at his drinking and drugging nadir is amongst his very worse. The Tommyknockers, anybody?
evilspock says
Abandoned King during his booze and coke days – was ‘It’ one of his out-of-it books? – That was good apart from the absurd kiddie orgy at the end. And his sober novels didn’t get any better (god, Lisey’s Story is just about the worst thing I ever tried to read). The ending of every book seemed to be ‘oh, it was something to do with the Dark Tower”, self referential crap. 22.11.63 was fantastic though, a surprising late return to form. (Don’t go near the miniseries!)
Jackthebiscuit says
Oasis?
badartdog says
fuck, yeah.
fentonsteve says
I’d give them a dirty halo, or put them in the ‘polishing a turd’ category. I saw them pre-fame and thought they were utter shite, then got progressively worse. My blindspot, I know. Perhaps I should post this on Moosey’s “clashing with received opinion” thread.
Rigid Digit says
Although never massively successful, West Ham United seem to have the Halo Effect in football
“The West Ham Academy”
“Playing the West Ham way”
“West Ham won the World Cup”
etc
3 FA Cups, a European Cup Winners Cup and a 3rd place finish in Division One – comparatively successful perhaps, but not exactly an over-stocked trophy cabinet
Rigid Digit says
Eric Clapton – still trading on the “Clapton Is God” graffiti
V.Bland
Hawkfall says
With Eric Clapton, the Reverse Halo Effect also applies. If your first exposure to him was in the 80s or 90s, you’re hardly going to want to investigate his 60s and 70s stuff because to you he’s one of those guys in an Armani suit from Dullsville. Similar effects play out for Elton John, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder. It took me ages to get round to investigating Stevie: Ebony and Ivory and I Just Called to Say I Love You had a lasting effect.
pawsforthought says
I can certainly relate to that. Thank goodness I got there in the end.
Rigid Digit says
It pains me to suggest this (because I din’t actually believe it), but … Paul Weller.
If/when that fateful day arrives, we will get Thats Entertainment, Town Called Malice and (probably) The Changingman played on a constant loop
DougieJ says
Could add Eton Rifles, Going Underground and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight but take your point.
But everyone gets brutally edited in a testimonial or obituary. In a nutshell – the Hey Jude Hitmakers.
DougieJ says
Further brutally unsentimental obituary summarising:
Elvis Costello – the Oliver’s Army hit maker
Sting / The Police – the Every Breath You Take hit maker
Beyoncé – the Crazy in Love hit maker
Prince – the Purple Rain hit maker
Madonna – the Like a Virgin / Prayer hit maker
George Michael – the Careless Whisper hit maker
Etc, etc…
Sewer Robot says
Joe Strummer – the no hit maker
– deramdaze
fentonsteve says
Bankrobber was on ToTP – I watched it. The Clash weren’t, but Pan’s People* were. And Should I Stay Or Should I Go went to number 1 later on.
(*) Or Legs & Co, I can never remember.
deramdaze says
American jeans commercial … not two-faced then.
Check out their chart positions, the 60s dodgers who praise them to the hilt now were no more buying their singles than I was.
They were buying Adam & The Ants, Blondie and The Tweets.
MC Escher says
I think you’re getting ver Clash mixed up with Crass. Easily done.
Pessoa says
Ray Davies has won a place in the heart of English culture today that even Paul McCartney cannot quite attain, and it’s for work written around fifty years ago. That’s not meant disrespectfully (although I should call them both Sir).
retropath2 says
So true: very little of worth since 1975 really. Bit like Status Quo.
Hawkfall says
Status Quo’s quality control nosedived after both Coughlan and Lancaster left. You get the idea that they would have looked at Margarita Time and said “Nope”.
Kaisfatdad says
Reverse Halo. Anyone whose first experience of Chuck Berry was that song about his todger, would have little inclination to explore his magnificent back catalogue.
Ray Davies at least continues to write interesting, intelligent songs. Just stumbled this oddity.
fentonsteve says
New Order. First one a bit Joy Division-lite, followed by four corkers. Their last decent album was released in 1989. Recent post-divorce album is better than the last few stinkers, but that’s not saying much.
Leicester Bangs says
Good one. New Order might also be subject to a micro-halo effect with ‘Crystal’ and ‘Krafty’ being so good that you could feel positively inclined to their respective albums.
On the other hand: ‘Rock The Shack’, ‘Jetstream’.
Sewer Robot says
Hmmmm… it does seem to be tricky to tease out the subtle difference between “did his/her/their best stuff early on (which is true in so many walks of life) and an actual “Halo Effect”.
How about: just because every single person who saw Roberto Carlos’ free kick in the Le Tournoi* felt their jaw hit the floor doesn’t mean we have to keep letting him take all the frees when he hasn’t scored one in years and he’s playing in the same team as Zidane, Rivaldo, Robinho etc
(*even that one went in off the post, the jammy sod…)
andielou says
Someone once told me that Beyoncé wrote Halo about Michael Jackson. If this is true then the halo effect must surely have influenced the lyrics?
DougieJ says
On a fitba’ theme, sadly the phrase ‘wouldn’t it just be typical of Scotland to lose to the Turks and Caicos Islands then beat Brazil’ no longer holds water…
Sniffity says
Paul McCartney.
He even wrote a song about it, Halo Goodbye.
NigelT says
The Stones are surely the most obvious example – as has been noted ad nauseum, the last 45 years or so rely on the previous 10.
Hawkfall says
Thing is, it’s generally agreed that the Stones made their last great album in 1978. AC/DC made their last great album in 1980. Yet the latter don’t get nearly as much criticism for it, which is a bit unfair I think, given that the Stones have probably made better records than AC/DC have in that time.