every example of an album where someone uses their full name to show how serious they are this time.

https://i.discogs.com/F_cjCI6YUrU4zHz5q2Zuimub7wR92zRIBe50zgeiHJw/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:498/w:500/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTM0MDQy/OTYtMTM1Mzc4NzU2/NC03MDU3LmpwZWc.jpeg

https://i.discogs.com/r-AkBHE51kxPABPbMsw_aJfFDfu0Pxf3VhZe_TE70Zw/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTEyMTM5/MTQzLTE1MjkwODcx/NDktNjM2OS5qcGVn.jpeg

https://i.discogs.com/liy4c7_djhskXZYATJbKw27K-5Xh0x19IWi4fFSWGyU/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:597/w:592/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI3ODUw/MzctMTM2OTY3NDA1/My04MTYxLmpwZWc.jpeg

more plz?

"WPC" = William Patrick Corgan

https://i.discogs.com/o-w6aaCkssXVawWZkTtEZCLfsd7awFfbhYshgfMOkws/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:538/w:540/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTExMDAw/MDY0LTE1MTA3MzA2/MDItNTY4NC5qcGVn.jpeg

I like when electronic musicians who normally use an alias break out their government name for the more "personal" ambient album. Failing to think of an example at the moment but I know there are many out there, will return with answers.

Scott 4 by Noel Scott Engel, AKA Scott Walker.

https://thehowlinghex.bandcamp.com/album/neil-michael-hagerty-the-howling-hex

He did it first with this one:

https://i.discogs.com/J7AcQ3n8aNFqAg6kOIY15j3yxtKYBR309C6nw8X98dI/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:594/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTQyNzkx/NzktMTU1MzQ2NzQ5/Mi03OTAxLmpwZWc.jpeg

https://i.discogs.com/J7AcQ3n8aNFqAg6kOIY15j3yxtKYBR309C6nw8X98dI/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:594/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTQyNzkx/NzktMTU1MzQ2NzQ5/Mi03OTAxLmpwZWc.jpeg

LOL I'm tired, sorry

After four albums as Gowan, the Canadian singer/pianist took the name Lawrence Gowan on his fifth album, ...but you can call me Larry.

I like when electronic musicians who normally use an alias break out their government name for the more "personal" ambient album.

Anthony Child and Kevin Richard Martin both immediately come to mind

I'm going to assume the Richard D James album is a parody on this trope...

I guess Michael Martin Murphey was always serious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeG2BlvCfPY

Michael Oldfield - Heaven's Open

Except surely not because he was trying to be more visibly Serious Artiste but rather to piss off Branson

I read that it was a joking reaction to his sister renaming herself "Sally Natasha Oldfield" on her latest album. Though annoying Branson was surely a desirable side effect.

Does Del Shannon's 'The Further Adventures of Charles Westover' count? I think it was released under the name Del Shannon and not Charles Westover, and it doesn't use his middle name.

https://i.discogs.com/aryg4L3PDyfpecxlcQQbhX2hSZYmj0CpblqBdGZET50/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:486/w:546/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTYwNzgx/NTItMTQxMDQ4NDI2/MS03Nzg4LmpwZWc.jpeg

Jace Clayton (aka dj /rupture) - The Julius Eastman Memory Depot

The Marshall Mathers LP

I can't wait for the Marshall Bruce Mathers III LP

In the PWL days Kylie Minogue was either that or just Kylie but for her 1994 reimagination she was just Kylie Minogue, and titled the album as such to differentiate (and mark a departure) from Kylie (1988). So I guess it sort of counts? Esp in light of how in 2000 she rediscovered disco and was primarily just Kylie again.

“I’ve Got My Own Name To Use”

Thanks morrisp

The TV version of this is Vic Reeves becoming Jim Moir in his more serious roles

kinda surprised that madonna never did a MADONNA LOUISE VERONICA CICCONE album. but there is time yet.

Thanks morrisp

No prob – happy to paste the italicized image URL a third time, just lemme know

https://i.discogs.com/JYdtNNDUOA6vqFGXxAp7v_T5yHfEnT16-B0abYvC4n4/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE5NTYw/NzMtMTUyNDYzNzQz/Ni0zODE2LmpwZWc.jpeg

John Dawson Winter III

James T Pursey used for solo releases from Jimmy Pursey of Sham69 eg the 1983 album ‘Revenge Is Not The Password’.

https://i.discogs.com/p0Zv1W2LX801pvxk-pdhLqvRa3lQ-vSoh1HCWh6npuo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2NTgz/MTItMTQ3MTQyMTEw/My00MjUzLmpwZWc.jpeg

John R. Cash

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a4/Barbra_Joan_Streisand_%28album_cover%29.jpg

Barbra Joan Streisand

"James T Pursey used for solo releases from Jimmy Pursey of Sham69 eg the 1983 album ‘Revenge Is Not The Password’."

i always thought these were interesting though probably forgotten/ignored by most. they are weird. and definitely him trying on a serious hat.

Richard P. Havens, 1983

"Lumpy Gravy" is credited, on the sleeve at least, to Francis Vincent Zappa. Although he was actually christened Frank and not Francis, I believe

Vangelis O. Papathanassiou - Earth. Although it would have been better if he'd gone for the full Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou. Imagine fitting that onto a t-shirt!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Earth_the_album.jpg

Hrvatski --> KFW

The fact that Kylie Minogue is her real name cracks me up, because it sounds like a made-up nonsense name for a plastic pop star on a cartoon show.

xps zappa didn't know he was just called frank until later.

Elvis Costello kinda/sorta released King of America as Declan MacManus. I think he legally changed his name back around that time, and added the middle name "Aloysius."

Donald Clark Osmond sounds like an assassin

http://i.imgur.com/ANYznhy.jpg

Alexander Spence

https://devonrecordclub.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/skip-450x450.jpg?w=640

J.G. Thirlwell, Manorexia: The Mesopelagic Waters

On Tzadik, so you know he's a serious composer, not just that crazy Foetus guy.

https://i.discogs.com/iMF-OoyCIKlX20_o3jFuHOGvr8xFtsNRRw9K0C7uEao/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:599/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIyMDUz/NDUtMTM4OTQzNDU5/Ni0zMTE2LmpwZWc.jpeg

Hold on, is that Kristen Hayter, or rather Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, album I keep hearing about an example?

Kristin* Hayter

I guess John Cougar Mellencamp doesn't quite count...

Mellencamp may be the only artist that has had hit records with four different names (not his doing, of course)

Outside of dance music perhaps.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/36/DeborahHarryDefDumb%26BlondeAlbumCover.jpg
The title doesn't really match up though

Hold on, is that Kristen Hayter, or rather Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, album I keep hearing about an example?

― you can see me from westbury white horse

Too early to tell. Imo these albums have to be one-offs (or a significantly small percentage of overall releases, anyway) so the emphasis on "this time I am real serious, for sure" is there. If you're just using your full name as an artist name forever then it hasn't got the same vibe.

https://i.discogs.com/iQ-r78yE-hWJMGxmILSoeSC-zYXPmt3izLW1g0jXj80/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:500/w:500/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIzMTEz/NjUtMTI3NjEwMDk5/Ni5qcGVn.jpeg

Peggy Lee - Norma Delores Egstrom From Jamestown North Dakota

https://i.discogs.com/iQ-r78yE-hWJMGxmILSoeSC-zYXPmt3izLW1g0jXj80/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:500/w:500/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIzMTEz/NjUtMTI3NjEwMDk5/Ni5qcGVn.jpeg

I wonder how infinitesimal the odds are that Bowie considered doing this? David Robert Jones - Just a Plastic Sax Player from Brixton

https://i.discogs.com/k0a8Xb8a6lHbPA82r-heIcE0vvkIo8bmMUS4i8uBWHA/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:594/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2MzI5/MDAtMTYzNTkzMDMy/NS0yMjc1LmpwZWc.jpeg

Dido should do an album with her full name

Had to look that up^

As she was born on Christmas Day, she also celebrates an "official birthday" on 25 June, following the example of Paddington Bear.

WTF? lol

"Glen Travis Campbell"

https://i.discogs.com/VuimaygcZEKTZf4ErzfVff8-M6wqW9lD-7RTxXOD8AY/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE1OTUz/NjYyLTE2MjM3MTYy/NjctMzg2NS5qcGVn.jpeg

I feel as though the phenomenon of artists putting childhood photos of themselves on their album covers (My Name is Barbra, Elvis Country, Illmatic etc) is a variation on this.

...unless it's a butt shot:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Sebadoh-Bakesale.jpg