3 Iconic Albums From the 1970s That Critics Turned Their Nose at, but History (Thankfully) Corrected

Critical opinion isn’t the end-all-be-all of an album’s quality. Plenty of critics have panned genuinely wonderful records over the years. Unfortunately for the following three iconic albums, critics really didn’t give them much love when they were first released. Retrospectively, though, these records have become massive hits. Let’s take a look!

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‘Self Portrait’ by Bob Dylan (1970)

This record came right after Bob Dylan’s acclaimed country album, Nashville Skyline. With big shoes to fill, Dylan dropped the controversial release Self Portrait in 1970. Known for containing quite a few cover songs, live recordings, and slim new original pieces, critics tore it apart when it was released. The reviews were overwhelmingly negative.

That didn’t stop Self Portrait from becoming a commercial hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Years later, the album has gotten more love from critics for purposefully confounding convention at the time. Honestly, this really is a great album that deserved more praise in 1970.

‘Ram’ by Paul and Linda McCartney (1971)

I wasn’t even alive in 1971, and I’m still mad that critics didn’t give this album enough love when it was released. Ram is the only album officially credited to Paul McCartney and his wife, Linda, before the Wings era kicked off. Some absolutely amazing songs are on this record, from the upbeat “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” to “The Back Seat Of My Car”. 

And yet, somehow, critics really panned this one. Rolling Stone called it “monumentally irrelevant.” Even McCartney was allegedly bummed out by the criticism. Thankfully, over time, Ram has become a retrospective fan favorite among fans of McCartney as well as The Beatles. Some works just need a little time (such as whole decades) to resonate with listeners.

‘Tusk’ by Fleetwood Mac (1979)

Known as one of the most expensive albums ever made, Tusk followed up Fleetwood Mac’s legendary album Rumours in 1979. The record had big shoes to fill. Nowadays, even casual enjoyers of Fleetwood Mac would call Tusk a masterpiece of pop rock. And yet, after it finally dropped in 1979, critics really didn’t love it. It’s one of the most iconic Fleetwood Mac albums out there, but critics condemned it for sounding unfinished and not having the same commercial or cultural impact as Rumours.

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