3 Pop Albums That Flopped but Changed Songwriting Forever

Pop albums have flopped often through the years, either commercially or critically. It’s part of the industry, and even amazing albums have historically not gotten the love they deserved. When it comes to the following three pop albums, many would have said that they “flopped” back in the day. However, in recent years, they’ve come to be retrospective masterpieces that are still inspiring songwriters today. Let’s dive in, shall we?

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‘The Dreaming’ by Kate Bush (1982)

It’s wild to think that Kate Bush’s 1982 record, an entirely self-produced experimental work, was considered a flop back in the day. This avant-pop album received very mixed reviews, though it didn’t flop commercially, as it peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts. 

Retrospectively, songwriters, critics, and musicians globally have praised the album. Even fans ranked the album among the best ever produced in a poll from NPR. Artists like Björk and Big Boi of Outkast have named The Dreaming as one of their favorites. I’m quite happy that this unique piece of work has finally gotten its flowers after all these years.

‘American Life’ by Madonna (2003)

In post-9/11 music, specifically during the rest of the 2000s, politically-charged albums were quite common. However, many such records were reserved for punk rock and relatively non-mainstream genres. Look at American Idiot by Green Day, for example. Not a lot of pop artists were making songs about American politics, political self-awareness, and introspective pieces during that era. 

Madonna dropped an album that fit that bill beautifully, called American Life, in 2003. It received very mixed reviews, with some critics calling the musicality of the record “brash” and lyrically confusing. Nowadays, though, this album has gotten more love for the depth of its lyrics. Today, plenty of musicians get political in their music. It’s a shame that Madonna’s creative effort in 2003 was just too “out there” for listeners at the time.

‘Impossible Princess’ by Kylie Minogue (1997)

When this album from Australian icon Kylie Minogue dropped in 1997, it definitely did not get much love. It hit the Top 10 in Europe and the UK, but critics had more or less ripped the record to shreds. Critics and fans alike weren’t too happy about the intimate lyrics within the album’s songs and the stark divergence from Minogue’s very typical pop sound of the era. 

Personally, I think those criticisms were pretty lame, as the album would later get a lot more love for being a personal and experimental pop gem. Plenty of pop stars today get very intimate in their lyricism, and Minogue was one of the first to do it.

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