3 Legendary Albums That Music Critics Originally Hated

Some of the most legendary and world-renowned albums of all time were absolutely torn apart and hated by music critics when they were first released. If anything, that seems to be a sign that a musician or band put together something truly innovative and ahead of their time. Let’s look at a few examples of this phenomenon, shall we?

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‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath (1970)

Someone at Rolling Stone called this album “just like Cream [but] worse,” and I can’t get over how absolutely wrong a critic could be. And that individual wasn’t alone. Black Sabbath is an album now considered one of the most legendary pioneering heavy metal albums of all time. And yet, it was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics when it first dropped. Some called it the “worst of the counterculture.” The bad reviews didn’t stop the album from becoming an innovative hit at the time. It peaked at No. 8 in the UK and No. 23 in the US. Who’s laughing now?!

‘Led Zeppelin’ by Led Zeppelin (1969)

If someone today described Led Zeppelin as a “Jeff Beck Group twin” or “foppish,” you’d probably look at them like they had a second head. But those are real words used to describe the band after they dropped their now-legendary self-titled record in 1969. So much of this album’s early critical reception was negative. It seemed like many critics were knocking the band down for their authenticity. They had to fight to prove they were as original as it got, and eventually, Led Zeppelin became a retrospective classic.

‘Exile On Main St.’ by The Rolling Stones (1972)

Exile On Main St. is an album beloved by diehard Rolling Stones fans and casual listeners alike. In fact, by the end of the 1970s, the album had gotten a ton of love and helped catapult the band to further international fame. But shortly after it was released, this entry on our list of legendary albums was really hated by contemporary critics. The majority called the album’s songs “inconsistent.” Though, some critics noted that it was clear the band had what it took but just needed to mature a bit. A string of No. 1 hit albums would soon follow.

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