[koumori]

Yeah, I don't think the term "has-been" really takes into account their money, or whatever. It's just comparing how much public success/fame they had in the past, and how much coverage they earn now.

I think a lot of these had so much hype at their peak that they probably chose to go under the radar once they had got enough advertising deals etc to ensure money for a long while. Being famous can be tiring, and most of these literally were famous from..their fame. Sure, some of them made some good music and some made average films or whatever, but they weren't especially blessed with obvious talent and I guess they realised that when the haters starting rolling in complaining. ("why are they popular anyway ")

As happiholic said, "has-been" isn't the nicest or most accurate term but I get what the article is trying to say. For me, they're pretty much spot on. None of the people on the list seem that interested in continuing the career that made them famous in the past. Not passionately, anyway. It doesn't undermine their past achievements though.

@Avril discussion: I'd agree with it, since the only thing I've read about her in the last two years is her engagement to that Nickleback singer. Lol. She'll always be my guilty karaoke go-to but I don't really think of her as a singer anymore, at least not an active one.