An indication of an artist in it for the long run is the ability to survive the "sophomore slump"--the tendency for an artist to significantly decline commercially from their first album to their second.
What artists have you observed to be victims of the dreaded sophomore slump?
Gaga... Born This Way was a decline from The Fame.
Gaga didn't decline from The Fame to Born This Way. The Fame by itself actually sold less than Born This Way. It was only the rerelease and bundle with The Fame Monster that resulted in The Fame's increased sales.
