Posted on 03/18/2021 5:50:25 AM PDT by mylife
Pop culture is forever playing tricks on us. What we perceive as an unrivalled classic that defined an era, in reality, quite often had a difficult upbringing sullied by capricious circumstance before fate decided it had been held down too long and unleashed it upon the world. Sometimes it would seem that the masses weren’t quite ready for these culture-changing epics. Other times it would seem that the fist of fate was unwilling to release the record from its ruthless grasp. We’re taking a look at the top ten times in which a record nearly sunk completely before it swam its way to gold.
First, though, let us ask why such a mind-boggling phenomenon happens so often? How on earth can such paragons of brilliant pop-culture have been initially condemned to the doldrums of the dismissed, unloved or misunderstood? Sometimes it’s like Google Glasses, and the world just isn’t ready. On other occasions, like trying to get into a bar after a few too many, there’s a bastard in the way. And the final key factor is that sometimes the littlest is always last in line, as talent gets wrestled out of the limelight by those already basking in it.
Fortunately, when it comes to these first-time floppers, they survived the test of fickle fate and wormed their way to the top. Without further ado, let’s have a look at the ten that will leave you head-scratching and wondering how such classics ever flirted with failing.
10 iconic albums that initially flopped:
The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)
Ramones – Ramones (1976)
David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
The Stooges – The Stooges (1969)
(Excerpt) Read more at faroutmagazine.co.uk ...
I saw Bowie once, at the first rock concert held in the Tacoma dome back in 83. He was GREAT!
So was my date, who I lost track of, she was just as great...
Still, I wonder how “War, What is it Good For?” would have fared if not for the book by Tolstoy?
That is AWESOME!
Vivarium Iggy! I saw the Stooges in 1968. Insane. Never dreamed they’d become iconic.
They changed the world.
The albums that last are often not popular in the initial spurt. Think of any of the great classic still played today albums. Then look up the Billboard Chart for their year. It won’t be the #1 album, probably won’t even be top 10. Usually that top is a bunch of stuff you won’t remember even if you were there.
I think even Dark Side of the Moon got off to slow start in the US.
Usually that top is a bunch of stuff you won’t remember even if you were there.
You mean insipid top 40 crap?
Usually that top is a bunch of stuff you won’t remember even if you were there.
You mean insipid top 40 crap?
Yup, the common denominator.
Texas Playboys light my fire...
It did hit #1 for 1 week almost 2 months after it came out. Then lost out to Elvis’ Aloha From Hawaii. World is a Ghetto by War is actually the #1 album of 1973, which honestly is better than most years’ #1. But still trash when you remember that’s the year of Dark Side, Houses of the Holy, Quadrophenia and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
One of my regrets in life is not carving out the time to go see Bowie live. I’ve been a huge fan of his music since I saw him on the Bing Crosby Christmas special when I was a kid! One of the few blasts from my past that I still listen to on a regular basis.
How does typing “viva” give us “vivarium”?
Have you ever heard Jimmy Cliff's rendition?
I liked Bowie more after his gender-bending phase.
I would have loved to have seen the Station To Station tour.
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