3 Perfect Albums That Didn’t Do as Well in Their Heyday as You Might Think

These rock albums are legendary. They remain among the most beloved records of this era of rock, despite not doing well commercially at the time of release. These albums might’ve had critical acclaim or fan praise, but the charts did not reflect how important they would become. Time was more than kind to these records, giving them the props they deserved from the get-go.

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‘Pet Sounds’ — The Beach Boys

Though The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds did fairly well, it paled in comparison to some of their other albums and became something of a commercial letdown. It peaked at No. 10 on the charts, failing to match the whirlwind success of their other, more blithe records.

Though this album is now considered one of the greatest efforts ever, it’s easy to see why it may not have done that well in its day. Pet Sounds was a sonic departure for the band, with Brian Wilson experimenting in the studio. Weird and different doesn’t usually spell commercial success, but it does often prove to be enduringly awe-inspiring. This album is indicative of that.

‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ — The Velvet Underground

Perhaps one of the best examples of this idea is The Velvet Underground’s most famous album. This record is a cultural institution today, but when it was released, it only reached No. 171 on Billboard’s US album charts. It was a full-on commercial flop.

Despite that setback, this record has become one of the most enduring albums of the 1960s. Aside from the legendary banana album cover, this record features tentpole songs that defined the art rock of its era. Plenty of bands drew inspiration from this album back in its day, and it still gets cited as a reference point today.

‘Forever Changes’ — Love

1960s rock fans will know this Love record, though many unfamiliar with that era may be lost. At any rate, this record was massively influential in its day, rejecting the agreed-upon sentiments of “The Summer of Love”. Despite how important an album it is, it did not do well on the charts.

It only hit 154 on the charts, falling far short of major success. Nevertheless, this album earned Love something arguably more important: longevity and the honor of being a reference point for many other musicians.

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