3 Classic Rock Albums From the 1970s That Were Perceived Cash Grabs (But Ended up Being Brilliant Anyway)

Even the most talented and art-focused musicians release albums specifically to just make money. For many, being a musician is a job, after all. Somebody’s got to pay the bills. And when it comes to the following classic rock outfits from the 1970s, they released albums that many listeners perceived as cash grabs. But even if they were, it doesn’t mean they weren’t fantastic pieces of work. Let’s look at a few albums from the 1970s that ended up being brilliant—cash grab or not.

Videos by American Songwriter

‘Alice Cooper Goes To Hell’ by Alice Cooper (1976)

Alice Cooper has always been a stage rocker. It’s a big part of his brand. Unfortunately, when it comes to Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, the follow-up to Cooper’s successful Welcome To My Nightmare, some fans thought the shock rocker leaned too far into his stage persona. One can’t deny that there are a lot of repeated themes on this album, and it doesn’t particularly venture anywhere new. Still, Cooper gave the masses what they wanted: More shock rock, more Cooper. I think it’s a great album, even if it was released so that Cooper could extend his time in the spotlight. It’s a classic from the mid-70s era.

‘An American Prayer’ by The Doors (1978)

Jim Morrison’s death in 1971 was a sudden tragedy, one that shook fans (and The Doors themselves) to their core. An American Prayer was released by the band several years after their frontman passed, and some saw the album as controversial. I can see why. The entirety of the record featured Morrison’s poetry, a la spoken word, against instrumental backing. Critics bemoaned the album as a way to profit from the singer’s death. Fans, though, loved it. It was even nominated for a Grammy Award. And in retrospect, I think it’s a beautiful ode to a complicated man and standout figure in rock music history.

‘Black And Blue’ by The Rolling Stones (1976)

When Black And Blue by The Rolling Stones was in the marketing stage, it was touted around as a jam album with more of a focus on free-form experimentation. It definitely ended up fitting that bill, with songs like “Hot Stuff” showing a different element of the band. However, critics at the time dragged it until it was black and blue (ha!) because of the lack of direction and coherence throughout the album. The record sold well because The Stones were so huge at the time, but it was clearly a worth entry on our list of classic rock 1970s albums that were cash grabs. Still, even though it was rushed, it’s still a decent record.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images