I usually don't have a hard time realizing an artist I like is
When I hear the following statements for their new albums, then I know they are DONE...
1) This is grown up music...This the worst thing I hate to hear from my favourite artists, it just means the swag and juice is GONE...All that is left is shell...
2) I have something for everybody...That to me means "I am trying to sell out"...Change is good, but I like to see where the change/growth is coming from...It needs to make sense from a creative perspective...
3) They list more than 3 producers with completely different sounds e.g. Premo, Timbaland, Lex Luger and etc...How the hell is such project play from beginning to end...?
4) The album is not released on the projected/close to the projected date, and the excuses are A) I am waiting for the right time/situation, B) I have all the songs, but I am finishing up this last life altering track...
5) When they switch from in-house production to the "new producer in style"..When this happens I know that artist has lost that "It" factor that made me like them, and they want to compensate with "better" music to mask their

status...