3 Rock Albums That Listeners Loved Far More Than Critics Did

Critical reviews don’t always match audience tastes. Sometimes the listener can have a completely different opinion from those within the industry. The three rock albums below experienced this. Audiences liked these albums much more than their initial reviews suggested.

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‘Exile On Main St.’ — The Rolling Stones

The Stones’ “Exile On Main St.” is now considered a masterpiece, but when it was first released, critics found it muddy. The album featured a wide range of sounds, focusing on the band’s artistic pursuits rather than radio hits. This new approach for the band led to the album being deemed sloppy.

But, to fans, Exile On Main St. is all the better for its loose approach. The band’s listeners appreciated the change of pace, deeming this album an underappreciated gem. One track from the album, “Tumbling Dice,” is among The Stones’ biggest hits to date. Critics might’ve struggled to get on board with this album, but fans more than made up for that lackluster response.

‘Harvest’ — Neil Young

Some critics thought Neil Young’s Harvest was a departure too far from the sound on which he built his name on. In contrast to his other albums, Harvest had a sharp focus on “pretty” songs. Many critics thought Young was abandoning everything off-kilter about himself in favor of a more digestible sound.

That accessibility didn’t turn away all Young fans and certainly earned him some new ones. The songs on this tender singer-songwriter album added a new market to the folk legend’s listenership. With a few decades in between those initial reviews and modernity, we can hear this Young album for what it is: a unique, strong effort from an artist not afraid to take risks.

‘Led Zeppelin’ — Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin struggled to get good reviews in their early years as a band. Obviously, we now know the band eventually earned their flowers, but they fought to rise above the preconceived notions. Many saw their debut album as a bad impression of American blues.

Eventually, the band rose above those early negative reviews and became household names. They eventually became known for their interpretation of roots music, even revered for it. Sometimes when bands are too forward-thinking, listeners struggle to understand what they are hearing. With a little time applied and changed tastes, this debut became a masterpiece.

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