The success works of music depend on various factors, including reviews and sales. Some works received glowing remarks from industry sources only to fail commercially, while others are panned critically only to make big bucks in the market.
There are some music albums, which either went unnoticed during their time or were generally unsuccessful in terms of sales. Unlike most flops, however, these albums have found the recognition they deserve later. Some were simply ahead of their time while others were rediscovered thanks to their artists' later success and fame.
Here are four albums, now considered classics, which were flops when they first came out:
"Pinkerton" by Weezer (1996)
Perhaps its darker themes and abrasive sounds that was a stark contrast from their eponymous 1994 debut album made their sophomore "Pinkerton" earn the unified dislike of both fans and critics, thus falling far behind sales expectations. It was widely criticized that its frontman and songwriter Rivers Cuomo reverted to the mainstream-accepted themes and lyrics for their next works after a five-year hiatus.
However, people started to realize the genius within "Pinkerton," and it was later recognized as the band's most exceptional work. Rolling Stone, the music publication, retracted their original lukewarm review and published a more positive one. It also landed in the magazine's greatest album of all time back in 2002.
The fanbase was so entitled that when the band returned in 2001 with "Weezer," better known as "The Green Album," the group was once again subjected to the same adverse reaction they felt with the first release of "Pinkerton."
"Bleach" by Nirvana (1989)
Nirvana's debut album already embodied one of the best acts the Seattle grunge scene has to offer, receiving generally positive reviews from critics. However, it didn't sell so well upon its first release, despite music critics saying that they "really love" it and that it was "completely melodious."
However, when Nirvana released their next album "Nevermind," the instantly-recognizable album with the underwater baby on the cover, the band was immediately propelled to rock stardom, and everyone wanted to hear the band's work. "Bleach" was reissued in 1992, with an international release courtesy of Geffen Records.
It originally sold 40,000 copies pre-Nevermind and has sold more than 1.9 million copies in the US alone ever since. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's untimely death in 1994 also boosted listener volume for their works, "Bleach" included.
"Monolith" - Kansas (1979)
Prog-rock pioneers Kansas released their self-produced sixth studio album "Monolith." It received wrath from reviewers, which might have contributed to its poor album sales. Rolling Stone's John Swenson pulled no punches as he called Kansas as a "populist group, which means it serves up pretension without glitter or a fake British accent."
Retroactively, "Monolith" was among the first bands to use music videos as promotional tours - releasing videos for "On the Other Side," "People of the South Wind," "Reason To Be," and "Away from You." Note that it was in 1979, two years before Music Television (MTV) was launched in 1981, which meant that it was not a sound strategy back in its time.
While "Monolith" already sold 800,000 copies and earned a gold certification during its time, it continued to rake in sales and ultimately gained a platinum certification from the RIAA in 1995.
"Ramones" by the Ramones (1976)
For non-fans out there, the Ramones was a band whose members adapted pseudonyms with the surname "Ramone," apparently inspired by The Beatles' Paul McCartney, who checked in hotel rooms as "Paul Ramon."
While they are now among the most iconic bands to be associated with punk rock, their debut album set the punk royalties off to a rough start. In 1976, they released their eponymous album to critical acclaim from critics who have been watching their movements closely from their previous gigs.
Despite the critics raving about it, it only sold 6,000 units within its first year of release, peaking at the 111th spot of the Billboard 200. It was only in 2014, 38 years after it was made commercially available that the album earned its gold certification from the RIAA.
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