Examples of artists who built their careers on music that they didn't really like.

Along the lines of the Gene Autry thing, Rosemary Clooney hated the quirky pop songs she did such as "Come On-A My House" and "Botch-A-Me" that were her first big hits

Cause she was a JAZZ singer, baby

Supposedly, the sessions for Gene Autry's version of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," which I think he introduced, at least as a hit, took forever, because he can be heard complaining so much about the material; he didn't want to cut it because he knew damn well it would be a monster and he'd be stuck it with it (might not have to sing it in non-seasonal shows, but he'd have to hear himself singing it on the radio every xmas from then on).

― dow

i don't know if it's what he _really wanted_ to do, but gene autry started out doing jimmie rodgers-style yodeling murder ballads and protest songs like "the death of mother jones". i really love this material, actually.

Second on Alex Chilton, but would it be more appropriate to cite the Box Tops, whom Chilton always referred to as the creation of Dan Penn, than the Box Tops?

Waylon Jennings, and perhaps Willie Nelson, also come to mind here.

than Big Star, that is.

I talked to a couple of Showaddywaddy back in the day, they music they actually liked was things like The Eagles (they were just being known in the UK back then), it's not that they hated the stuff they did but basically it was a job, and a well paid one.

Did Bob Dylan not want to play rock and roll from the beginning, but fell in with the folk scene because it was happening at the time?

And Tom Waits, maybe? Sort of got stuck in a stylistic rut until he met Brennan

Dylan was a rock n roller but fell deep in love with Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly

Wondering where Richie Blackmore falls on this.

Built his career on 20th Century music, really wanted to play 16th Century music?

What about something like Simple Minds hating their biggest hit, "Don't You (Forget About Me)"? Is that this thread or another?

MGMT have repeatedly trashed their first album

Cause she was a JAZZ singer, baby

Someone introduced Elvis to Ernest Tubb and Tubb, the most gracious and courteous of entertainers, listened patiently as the nineteen-year-old poured out his love for Tubb's music and told him it was his real ambition to sing country music. "He said, `They tell me if I'm going to make any money, though, I've got to sing (this other kind of music). What should I do?' I said, `Elvis, you ever have any money?' He said, `No, sir.' I said, `Well, you just go ahead and do what they tell you to do. Make your money. Then you can do what you want to do.'"

MGMT have repeatedly trashed their first album

― Treeship

i think that's a different thing. p. sure peter stampfel has repeatedly trashed every record he's ever made, but that doesn't mean he's spent his life choosing to make music he doesn't really like.

Jerry Garcia.