Dunno why I was thinking about this subject over the weekend. The question is: which bands made the leap from an independent label and produced the best albums of their careers, and which made the leap and released crap, overproduced, way-too-slick albums? Jawbox = successful leap
Read Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad for insight on how a slew of 80s bands did after the jump. Generally, indie bands who jump fail both commerically and artistically -- R.E.M. did well, the only example that hits me immediately -- but almost all bands on major labels fail, not just those who go from indie darlings to a major.
For what it's worth, I think the new WB-financed Hot Hot Heat album blows, and I loved their Sub Pop stuff.
Modest Mouse, yes. And I guess The Flaming Lips count, even though they had been on that label for a while before they put out the Soft Bullitien.
Less Than Jake released their best album after moving from Asian Man to Capitol. Since then, though... yeesh...
Elliott Smith - I don't know how well they did commercially but musically, I like his Dreamworks output more than his Kill Rock Stars stuff.