10 Classic Albums Critics Hated but the World Loved
As hard as critics try to be clairvoyants about new albums and their importance, the only true judgment comes with time. In these 10 cases, many critics or even the majority of critics panned a record which went on to become an universally acclaimed classic.
Historically, the moments that divide professional critics come when a massive shift in the sonic landscape appears. In 1970, that shift arrived with Black Sabbath’s debut album, signaling the arrival of heavy metal. Many critics didn’t get the group’s sound, with Rolling Stone calling Sabbath “just like Cream, but worse” and veteran critic Robert Christgau dubbing Black Sabbath “the worst of the counterculture on a plastic platter.”
It’s hard to believe these days, but critics used to love beating up on Queen… not just for one album, either. During Queen’s ascent to legitimate rock gods, Rolling Stone never quite understood the operatic rockers, giving the band’s Jazz album a brutal review: “Makes me wonder why anyone would indulge these creeps and their polluting ideas.” The Chicago Tribune also gave Jazz a 1.5/5 rating, while the Village Voice bestowed a C+ upon on record. Apparently, “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “Bicycle Race” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” just didn’t exude that star quality.
AC/DC are one of the world’s greatest examples of a pure rock ’n’ roll band, but their style wasn’t entirely welcomed once they made their way over to the U.S. In a now infamous Rolling Stone article, High Voltage was called “calculated stupidity” and the “all-time low” of hard rock. Thankfully, the public heard “It’s a Long Way to the Top,” “The Jack” and “T.N.T.” and begged to differ.
Check out these 10 Classic Albums Critics Hated but the World Loved in the Loud List above.
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