4 Legendary Albums That Flopped When They Were First Released

It’s hard to imagine the likes of Bob Dylan and Lou Reed ever flopping, but it does happen. Some of the greatest musicians of our generation have released an album that did poorly, but whether or not those albums deserved to flop is up to you. Let’s take a look at four incredible albums that flopped when they were first released!

1. ‘The Times They Are A-Changing’ by Bob Dylan

This iconic 1964 album by Bob Dylan was quite a hit in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, it was more or less a flop in the US. The Times They Are A-Changing didn’t even make it to the Top 20. It’s odd, considering this is one of Bob Dylan’s most influential records of his career. This record not only impacted music, but also culture as a whole. 

2. ‘#1 Record’ by Big Star

Fate was not looking out for Big Star when #1 Record came out in 1972. Most classic rock fans today are able to identify its iconic cover. “Thirteen” is a fan-favorite even now. But when it was first released, the album didn’t do well at all. Big Star would come apart just three albums later.

Luckily, though, Big Star’s fanbase began to grow in later years. By the 1990s, this album became a cult classic. Maybe they were just ahead of their time.

3. ‘Forever Changes’ by Love

The 1967 album Forever Changes by Love is an absolute classic now. However, it didn’t do well when it was first released. In fact, it only made it to no. 154 on the US charts. This is a great example of a stunning piece of music that flopped through no fault of its quality. It’s an incredible psychedelic folk album, but it’s also a bit of an oddity. The mid-60s crowd wasn’t quite ready for it.

4. ‘Metal Machine Music’ by Lou Reed

Some would say that this release from Lou Reed isn’t exactly legendary. However, hardcore fans tend to look at this unique piece of work with some affection, so we think it’s worth a spot on our list of albums that flopped when they were first released.

Metal Machine Music from 1975 is unfortunately considered the most returned album in history. Whether or not there are stats to back that up is unknown. What is known is that it is a heavily distorted, quite experimental, and noisy piece of work that Reed recorded when he was “stoned out of his mind.” Some fans love it simply for how ridiculous it is. It was definitely not what conventional listeners were expecting.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives

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