3 Albums That Made Fans Mad Before They Even Heard It

Many fans have come to hate albums after hearing them, but there are rare cases when they have gotten mad about a record before it was even released. Whether it’s the context under which the album is being released or a controversial album cover, check out three albums that made fans mad before they heard a single note, below.

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Two Virgins – John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Nowadays, an artist stripping down is far from rare. Though many draw the line at full-on nudity, our cultural relationship with sexuality is a loose one. Back in the late ’60s however, artists weren’t as brazen with that kind of thing. Well, most artists anyway… John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Two Virgins album cover was a deeply controversial one, featuring both artists posed unclothed. Seeing as how the Beatles were still alive, fans were shocked to see Lennon take such a left turn. Many of The Fab Fours less laissez-faire fans couldn’t stomach such a statement. There’s no telling their reaction once they actually heard this off-kilter record…In Lennon and Ono’s defense, this cover certainly speaks to their unbridled love. The pair never shied away from PDA, so it only stands to reason they would have a cover like this one.

[RELATED: 2 Songs John Lennon Wished He Had Written, Including a Paul McCartney Classic by The Beatles]

The Dark Side of the Moon Redux – Roger Waters

Some albums could stand to be reworked. The Dark Side of the Moon is not one of those albums. But, that didn’t stop Roger Waters from releasing a redux version of this masterpiece. “This record actually deserves a reimagining,” Waters said at the time. “Simply because the message has stood the test of time, the concept has stood the test of time and it’s a really important thing.”

Needless to say, fans were a bit shocked when Waters announced this record in 2023. They were left to wonder what Waters would change about this era-defining album. When it was finally released, many fans got on board with what Waters was trying to do. However, we’d bet the number of people who listen to the original version of this record is far larger than those who prefer Waters’ redux—still, you could make the argument that The Dark Side of the Moon remains a masterpiece in both forms.

HIStory – Michael Jackson

HIStory came at a weird time in Michael Jackson’s career. For many years, he was universally considered one of the greatest artists ever, no caveat required. In the ’90s, Jackson was hit with sexual assault allegations that to many, put an asterisk next to his legacy. To combat his sullied reputation, Jackson decided to release this record alongside a greatest hits compilation. Many fans found that strange, given his robust and celebrated catalog. In hindsight, this record was a powerful one, full of seminal Jackson hits. At the time of its release, there was too much going wrong with Jackson’s career for this album to receive its due.

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