It’s no secret that some Rolling Stone album reviews haven’t aged as well as the albums they initially slammed. In fact, the publication seemingly had it out for new bands. At least, that’s what the reviews below seemed to indicate.
We combed through the Rolling Stone archives and read some reviews on notable debut albums that are now considered classics. While time has treated these titles well, the same can’t be said for their initial reviews.
Here are just five debut albums that have gone on to become iconic that were panned upon release by Rolling Stone.
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin I
John Mendelsohn comparing Zeppelin to the Jeff Beck Group. Mendelsohn saved his harshest critique for Jimmy Page, calling him “a very limited producer and a writer of weak, unimaginative songs.” Mendelsohn also noted that “the Zeppelin album suffers from his having both produced it and written most of it (alone or in combination with his accomplices in the group.)”
It’s a good thing Jimmy improved a little in the writing department, right? Then again, he wasn’t half-bad to begin with
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
on their debut, writing, “The whole album is a shuck…the album has nothing to do with spiritualism, the occult, or anything much except stiff recitations of Cream cliches that sound like the musicians learned them out of a book, grinding on and one with dogged persistence…They even have discordant jams with bass and guitar reeling like velocitized speedfreaks all over each other’s musical perimeters yet never quite finding synch – just like Cream! But worse.”
Bangs may have been lauded as “America’s greatest rock critic,” but we’re sure there are plenty who disagree with his assessment here.
Van Halen – Van Halen
, “Mark my words: in three years, Van Halen is going to be fat and self-indulgent and disgusting, and they’ll follow Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin right into the toilet.”
It’s pretty safe to say that Charles was a little off in his prediction. However, he did have nice-ish things to say about the members of Van Halen. He wrote that Eddie Van Halen had “mastered the art of lead/rhythm guitar in the tradition of Jimmy Page and Joe Walsh.” Charles also wrote that David Lee Roth “manages the rare hard-rock feat of infusing the largely forgettable lyrics with energy and not sounding like a castrato at the same time.” He closed by saying that Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen were “competent and properly unobtrusive.”
Actually, it’s also pretty safe to say that Charles M. Young was a massive jerk.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced
It’s difficult to imagine anyone saying anything negative about the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but Jon Landau found a way. While Landau praised songs like “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” and “The Wind Cries Mary,” he wrote of the rest of the album, “Everything else is insane and simply a matter of either you dig it or you don’t. Basically, I don’t for several reasons. Despite Jimi’s musical brilliance and the group’s total precision, the poor quality of the songs and the inanity of the lyrics too often get in the way.”
Yeah…whatever, Jon. Fun fact: This review appeared in the very first issue of Rolling Stone. And yes, the Jon Landau in question is the same guy who went on to become Bruce Springsteen’s manager. Wonder what The Boss thinks of this review?
AC/DC – High Voltage
, the hard rock genre “unquestionably hit its all-time low.” On top of that, “Lead singer Bon Scott spits out his vocals with a truly annoying aggression which, I suppose, is the only way to do it when all you seem to care about is being a star so that you can get laid every night.”
And what’s so wrong with that?!
