Rolling Stone--50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists

[GulDukat]

50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists

I like some of these, i.e, Changes by The Monkees and Music From the Elder by KISS.

St. Anger should have been ranked #1, IMHO.

[roolfdriht]

Interesting - thanks for sharing!

Not a lot here that I'm familiar with, probably for good reason. I can understand the selection of Madonna's American Life and Liz Phair's eponymous album, though I have major soft spots for both (or in the case of the latter, the self-penned tracks...the Matrix contributions are execrable).

Feel like U2 should have made an appearance here, even if it required stretching the concept from "genuinely horrible" to "horribly boring".

[GulDukat]

Interesting - thanks for sharing!

Not a lot here that I'm familiar with, probably for good reason. I can understand the selection of Madonna's American Life and Liz Phair's eponymous album, though I have major soft spots for both (or in the case of the latter, the self-penned tracks...the Matrix contributions are execrable).

Feel like U2 should have made an appearance here, even if it required stretching the concept from "genuinely horrible" to "horribly boring".

Their new album of new renditions of old songs is among their worst work that I've heard by them. It's just so dull.

[botley]

I don't think 'genuinely horrible' is an apt headline, since this list pretty much runs the gamut from lukewarm-to-lazy efforts (except of course for Latest Record Project Volume 1, which is pretty awful).

[frankie teardrop]

i will go to bat for the first half of never let me down any day of the week. agree that it loses steam and falls flat after "glass spider," but it has some truly brilliant moments.

i also love the self-titled liz phair album and think it's a lot of fun for what it is... that joni record is pretty good too, i don't mind the trope.

[BRoswell]

Yeah, the original mix of Never Let Me Down is definitely pretty weak. There's some good lyrical content sprinkled throughout, but the production is pure 80s cheese. The re-recorded version that was released a few years ago sounds really good though. Not perfect by any means, but it gives it some much needed edge.

[Tom]

This list also doubles as a showcase of generally terrible cover art.

[allegro]

I can't believe that Styx's "Kilroy Was Here" isn't anywhere on this list.

[botley]

I can't believe that Styx's "Kilroy Was Here" isn't anywhere on this list.

In truth would or did Rolling Stone's writers ever qualify them as "brilliant"?

[Erneuert]

@botley , do we go with Outland or Machine + Soul for Gary Numan?

[allegro]

In truth would or did Rolling Stone's writers ever qualify them as "brilliant"?

Oh, sorry, yeah; you’re right.

[botley]

@botley , do we go with Outland or Machine + Soul for Gary Numan?

100% Bullshit + Turds

[henryeatscereal]

I love how they always include KISS "The Elder", when they have SO MUCH worse albums than that (Monster, Sonic Boom...), RS makes me Yawn...

[GulDukat]

I love how they always include KISS "The Elder", when they have SO MUCH worse albums than that (Monster, Sonic Boom...), RS makes me Yawn...

I really liked Sonic Boom. I liked The Elder too.

Hot in the Shade kind of sucks, and "Forever" is their worst song, imho.

[henryeatscereal]

I really liked Sonic Boom. I liked The Elder too.

Hot in the Shade kind of sucks, and "Forever" is their worst song, imho.

"The Elder" is great and i would take "Hot In The Shade" over "Sonic Boom" anyday; i like "Forever", it's a cool power-ballad.

[GulDukat]

"The Elder" is great and i would take "Hot In The Shade" over "Sonic Boom" anyday; i like "Forever", it's a cool power-ballad.

I always hated "Forever." I looked at the credit and saw it was co-written by Michael Bolton, so it all made sense. I friggin' love The Elder, or "a bad Genesis album" as Gene calls it. Hot in the Shade isn't that bad, just overly long and the songs are okay, but not great, except for "Forever," which is their all-time worst.

[marodi]

I can't believe that Styx's "Kilroy Was Here" isn't anywhere on this list.

In truth would or did Rolling Stone's writers ever qualify them as "brilliant"?

Hey you two! I resent that! Styx was my favorite band before I started listening to that Twent guy!

I WILL NEVER STOP SINGING Mr ROBOTO!!!

[poinoup]

I like Liz's self-titled. "Funstyle" however...

I feel like binging some "Trainwreckords" now.

[allegro]

Hey you two! I resent that! Styx was my favorite band before I started listening to that Twent guy!

I WILL NEVER STOP SINGING Mr ROBOTO!!!

G and I saw Dennis DeYoung at Taste of Chicago for free (Styx originated in Chicago) and he actually put on a great show. People forget how many hits Styx had!

But, sadly Miss Marodi, that album is when Styx jumped the shark. Tommy Shaw left because of the cheesy tour and it broke up the band (for a while).

Styx was, indeed, a brilliant band.
@marodi - this is just for you:

[allegro]

I love how they always include KISS "The Elder", when they have SO MUCH worse albums than that (Monster, Sonic Boom...), RS makes me Yawn...

As a former member of the Kiss Army as a teen in the 70s, come on … I can’t believe RS included Kiss as “brilliant.”


The Liz Phair inclusion is bullshit. (Edit: Meaning: Male journalists keep unnecessarily piling on that album.)

[marodi]

G and I saw Dennis DeYoung at Taste of Chicago for free (Styx originated in Chicago) and he actually put on a great show. People forget how many hits Styx had!

But, sadly Miss Marodi, that album is when Styx jumped the shark. Tommy Shaw left because of the cheesy tour and it broke up the band (for a while).

Styx was, indeed, a brilliant band.
@marodi - this is just for you:

Awww thank you, darling @allegro ! I do still love Dennis. Last year, there was a special on PBS where he sang a lot of Styx' songs and even at his age, he's still got the most incredible voice.

Of course you're right about Kilroy. DDY went on a rock opera fantasy and that was not what Tommy Shaw and JY wanted. JY is a mellow Scorpio, like me so he didn't raise too much hell (his wife died a few months ago, by the way; DDY posted a very lovely tribute about her on FB, on his and Suzanne's behalf) but Tommy, as a good Virgo, was not having any of it. Never underestimate the short guy with a doll's face; there's a volcano underneath that face.

Anyway, I've always felt that Styx peaked with The Grand Illusion. That album never gets old. I have a their albums on vinyl, from Styx to Kilroy Was Here. I'm quite proud of that. I may post a pic of it someday.

I also think that a lot of people have forgotten the amazing vocal harmonies that Dennis and Tommy were pulling. Pure candy for the ears.

And now, for some reasons, I'm craving some KFC; huh.

[Jinsai]

i will go to bat for the first half of never let me down any day of the week. agree that it loses steam and falls flat after "glass spider," but it has some truly brilliant moments.

Glass Spider is great though... not a fan of Tonight or Never Let Me Down on a whole though, but I think Black Tie White Noise is criminally underrated.

[marodi]

My husband saw Styx for the Pieces of Eight tour and insists THAT was a pretty good album, too!

Yep.