Albums that became heralded as masterpieces years after release

Skip Spence - Oar
Shuggie Otis solo
Big Star
Nick Drake
Gram Parsons solo
Gene Clark - No Other

 

This one for sure.

 

Certainly VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO, PET SOUNDS, SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO . . .

But as someone pointed out upthread, there wasn't a real critical community until 1970 or so. So maybe those just didn't sell like the influential masterpieces they were later acclaimed as.

 

Maybe only in the U.S: Jenner commented that: "In terms of the U.K. and Europe it was always fine. America was always difficult. Capitol couldn't see it. You know, 'What is this latest bit of rubbish from England? Oh Christ, it'll give us more grief, so we'll put it out on Tower Records', which was a subsidiary of Capitol Records [...] It was a very cheapskate operation and it was the beginning of endless problems The Floyd had with Capitol. It started off bad and went on being bad."

 

The hipsters luv it...

You must have missed out on the last issue of HQ (hipster quarterly)

 

Honestly? I'd much rather listen to the Red and Green albums than Pinkerton.

 

Love - Forever Changes

 

The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed seemed to have new life in the early 70s when radio discovered Nights in white satin. The merging of rock into classical elements was welcomed by the prog rock movement

 

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea took years to take hold but is now considered a "modern" masterpiece. Where is rjp to dispute this?

 

I suspect the intent was, 'Album one of A Nice Pair'.

 

Tons of "60's Garage", like "The Litter", not really fair tho; as most were regional releases. Same for "60's Psych".

"S/T - The Ramones"
"Never Mind The... - Sex Pistols"
"S/T - The Stoned Roses"
"Pablo Honey - Radiohead"

 

It took years for a sizable audience to regard Jeff Buckley's "Grace" as a masterpiece, although the critics were on to to it from the get go.

 

I do remember Johnny Ramone saying he didn't know or hear anything about the Ramones being big influences on a large number of bands until the 1990s.

 

Astral Disaster by Coil.
The Sea Priestess and the Mu-Ur were repulsed by its disastrous tale at first. But over time they appreciated this story of their astral, alien origins. Indeed, Astral Disaster is recognised widely now by the Mu-Ur as being a masterpiece.

 

Pet Sounds, #1 Record and Exile were considered classic albums from release date. Exile debuted at #1 on the Aussie charts and the NME devoted almost a whole issue to it on release.

 

I dunno what actually qualifies as "masterpiece" ... I guess it has to do with tastes. Paul set out to make an incredible pop album and he succeeded for me (and finally getting props from many he deserved.) After The Beatles I dunno what people were expecting Paul to do .. bring world peace with music, end the Vietnam War, change the space time continuum, get into an even more nasty pissing match with Lennon ... who knows. I listen to Ram and there are so many little sparkles of creativity jammed into that album that it really stands alone. I think Paul succeeded in exactly what he was trying to do. I will concede that the songs themselves are not as strong as what Paul had done in the past (and what some of his contemporaries were doing at the time) but it is an incredibly fun ride. I enjoy listening to Ram more than any other album by The Beatles post 67 collective or solo. A lot of well executed musical nods to The Beatles and Brian Wilson from somebody who sounds like an extremely talented fanboy. Masterpiece.

 

The Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge

 

They were classics at the time. Probably more than now.

 

Not by mainstream rock critic standards. Just ask Jann Wenner.

 

Lorca and Starsailor by Tim Buckley

 

But the public bought them by the truckload and they had lots of credibility. Getting Lenny Kaye or Lester Bangs to review Close to the Edge probably wasn't a good idea

 

Well spotted.
If you admitted to liking that in 1971, you had balls.

 

It was a #1 album and it's never been out of print (through FOUR labels changes) the only people that hated it were rock critics. It was a masterpiece in 1971 and it still is,

 

Fair enough, but when we start equating "masterpieces" with what the public bought by the truckload, everything gets a little ambiguous, imo.

 

I was at school when those albums came out and they were totally respected at the time. If you were to name a Budgie album I'd agree with you.