Recommendation for the Week, 9/26-10/2

Last week, students of Montclair State University in New Jersey got a taste of how sick and twisted some people can be. After a concert with emerging hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj was announced, students were excitedly awaiting the arrival of the fall concert. However, as Minaj revealed on Twitter, she had no idea the concert was even scheduled. As it turns out, a man claiming to be Minaj's promoter told Montclair she would play the show, took the $40,000 appearance fee, and fled the state and possibly the country. The concert was of course cancelled, and Montclair's student body was left to wonder what could have been.

This happens a lot more than you'd think in music--fans wondering what could have been, that is-- and it's more and more depressing every time. Whether it's a band kicking out their stellar vocalist, breaking up far too soon, or never following through on a project, there are so many moments in music that have left fans begging for more, or begging for a different outcome than the one they were given. So here they are, the top moments that made us wonder "What if?" the most.

Chiodos
By now, you've probably heard about Craig Owens's less than amicable departure as Chiodos frontman. The band cited Owens constantly juggling his numerous side projects (ie. Cinematic Sunrise, Isles and Glaciers) and putting Chiodos's third release on the back burner as his reason for departure, but that doesn't make the decision any less puzzling. Owens was arguably the best frontman in the scene, and Chiodos had just finished a stint headlining the Vans Warped Tour before his stunning dismissal from the band he was quite clearly the signature member of. And given the fans' appreciation for the leaked demo "Thermacare," it is evident that Chiodos lost a great chunk of their fanbase when they relieved Owens of his duties.
Key Tracks: "The Undertaker's Thirst for Revenge is Unquenchable (The Final Battle)," "The Words 'Best Friend' Become Redefined"

Saosin
When the world looks back on the career of the always-enigmatic Anthony Green, they will likely remember him for his work in Circa Survive. However, many will point to the work he did with Saosin as Green's most impactful work and contribution. The story behind this is even more peculiar: Green was on his way back to California to record Saosin's debut album (which is phenomenal, by the way) before he had an epiphany on the plane ride over, and left the band to start Circa. It seems to be the right decision, as Circa continue their meteoric rise through the scene, but given the flop Saosin released just two years ago (In Search of Solid Ground), fans can't help but wonder whether or not Saosin could have reached the elite status Green has reached with Circa Survive had it not been for that fateful flight.
Key Track: "Seven Years"

The Receiving End of Sirens
This is likely the band mentioned with the least amount of success, as seen through the band's brief stint as one of the best bands to come out of the post-hardcore genre. With two masterpieces under their belt (Between the Heart and the Synapse and The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi), the band decided to call it quits in 2008, and left behind a world of potential to focus on their developing families. The band has recently "reunited" to record a few demos that were never given the TLC of being released, but it appears to be too little too late, as TREOS would return to a scene overrun by cruck-core "acts" with fans far too young to know what the band's name even means.
Key Tracks: "Planning a Prison Break," "Smoke and Mirrors" 

Brand New's Fight Off Your Demons
As Brand New was relishing the critical and fan acclaim of 2003's Deja Entendu, they had it all: TRL airplay, the "Most Anticipated Albums" cover of Alternative Press, and they were named a "Band to Watch" by Spin magazine. All of this seemed to add up to Brand New being the next band to break through and become "the next big thing." However, something peculiar happened on the way to the promised land. A leak of the demos that the band had developed (for what appears to be for the album, called Fight Off Your Demons), and fans were able to see the dark, moody sound the band had segued into. However, Jesse Lacey and Co. were so disgusted with the leak they scratched everything and started over. And while there were a few songs from Demons that ended up on the album itself (initial versions of "Luca" and "Sowing Season" were on Demons, and both showed up on The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me), there are a few songs that were not released that many Brand New fans will quickly point to as a band's best work, making the Fight off Your Demons saga of Brand New's career all the more peculiar.
Key Tracks: "Untitled 1", "Untitled 5", "Untitled 3"

So now that I've successfully rehashed all of these old wounds of my iTunes library, I'll turn it over to you: who did I miss? Who do you miss from music? Who do you think broke up, changed members, or scratched projects far too soon? Leave them in the comments, I'd love to hear from you.