commercially disappointing major label rock/alternative albums of 1996

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a lot of 95/97 albums are in the same boat but i wanted to emphasize what a bloodbath '96 was in particular

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

my firs thoughts about this period were "Belly and Juliana Hatfield."

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

Before I opened this thread I knew I was voting for black love

l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

album sales in general didn't drop in '96 so i kinda wonder if there was some mass exodus to, like, rap and country among teenagers in that period or if the rock crowd just became really fractured post-Cobain and a thousand different indie bands siphoned off the fans of these 20 platinum acts

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

Was just listening last night to Three Snakes and One Charm and it's still my favorite Crowes album.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

my firs thoughts about this period were "Belly and Juliana Hatfield."

Fond of both of those albums.

You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

if ship had included '95, yes, King would have been my pick.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

good lord this list is mostly horrible. i have hopes for ilx managing not to vote for pinkerton, not that its bad, just that its what the rest of the internet would vote for and i am elitist scum

O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

I voted No Code, my favorite PJ album & one I have a lot of time for still.

Broken Arrow really seemed like one album too far. saw Neil live on that tour & was both rocked & shocked at how pointless it seemed.

Euler, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

jesus christ, WHIGS

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

I recently burned a CD-R with "Universal Heartbeat" on it.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

i am voting for boys for pele? how did that happen

O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

my firs thoughts about this period were "Belly and Juliana Hatfield."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, May 3, 2012 2:42 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Heard songs from both of them today!

i love the large auns pictures! (Phil D.), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh wow "Universal Heartbeat," now that's a song i haven't heard or even thought of in 10+ years

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

Before I opened this thread I knew I was voting for black love

mookieproof, Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

Afghan Whigs were a band i always assumed i'd really dig but never got around to their albums until Spotify made it super convenient and uh...nah, don't really like them nearly as much as i thought i would.

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

^this

O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah Amazing Disgrace was the album that got me into the Posies and i have a huge sentimental attachment to it, even though it is definitely flawed and i probably consider Frosting a better album overall.

i'm gonna vote whigs, but cosign - ken stringfellow wrote an incredibly detailed recording diary of amazing disgrace that's somehow still floating around the internet and makes it very clear how much thought went into that record (and/or how much money DGC was willing to blow on it)

scream blahula scream (govern yourself accordingly), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh sweet, thanks for the link!

it is kind of fun to hear about how much money was flushed away in the after glow of those 91-94 boom years.

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 18:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

some dude, would you have considered Bob Mould's eponymous record? A big disappointment after the Sugar records.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

afgan wigs in a heartbeat

btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

i really like the posies, and even ken stringfellow solo, but please

Before I opened this thread I knew I was voting for black love

― mookieproof, Thursday, May 3, 2012 1:55 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark

i think you have to be in just the right mood to hear black love, and also listen to it all the way through to get the full effect. it's a real start-to-finish corker imo.

former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

the Mould wasn't major label, was it?

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Rykodisc, I think

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah ryko was still indie back then

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

album sales in general didn't drop in '96 so i kinda wonder if there was some mass exodus to, like, rap and country among teenagers in that period or if the rock crowd just became really fractured post-Cobain and a thousand different indie bands siphoned off the fans of these 20 platinum acts

― Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, May 3, 2012 11:44 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

alanis

hologram ned raggett (The Reverend), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

pinkerton is the only album on this list that i've ever even come close to liking, so that.

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

Another couple of flops (at least in the UK):

Tricky - Pre Millennium Tension
The Auteurs - After Murder Park

Both decent records imo

btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

i listened to Pinkerton again today trying to figure out if i'm being stubborn and contrarian about it but no, it's just terrible.

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

Afghan Whigs were a band i always assumed i'd really dig but never got around to their albums until Spotify made it super convenient and uh...nah, don't really like them nearly as much as i thought i would.

― Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, May 3, 2012 11:57 AM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^this

― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Thursday, May 3, 2012 11:57 AM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

afghan whigs are just horrible. so bellowy and gross. like being beaten with a sweaty brick.

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

Weezer were never good for more than four singles.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

i listened to Pinkerton again today trying to figure out if i'm being stubborn and contrarian about it but no, it's just terrible.

it's not a great album, overall, but it does have some great songs on it. suppose a lot of these are half-defensible by that standard...

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

Weezer were never good for more than four singles.

i like the debut pretty much all the way through.

10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

No Sammy, Tales Of Great Neck Glory, no credibility.

kornrulez6969, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

I must have listened to that PUSA album 50+ times back in those days. Mostly because it was the only tape I owned and I didn't always have access to a CD player. I actually got the first PUSA disc taken away from me (I was blasting it in my room w/ the window open and my parents came home right as "Fuck you kitty" came on). Dunno if I could stomach II today - I remember "Lunatic to Love" and "Volcano" and maybe "Mach 5" well but the rest was full of so much generic rock riffing and genuinely unclever lyrics, though I remember a few funny moments in retrospect.

I voted Factory Showroom - I remember such a huge backlash at the time since it had things that resembled *real* three-verses-and-a-bridge songs and had ONLY 13 songs on it, but in retrospect it was a pretty tight album. "Spiralling Shape" was my favorite song ever for a while.

That's a pretty funky dance, Garfield. Show me how you do it. (frogbs), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

some major sophomore slumps on this list!

tylerw, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

underperforming major label debuts are a different category re: Sammy

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

whigs

goole, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

Bush - Razorblade Suitcase
Counting Crows - Recovering The Sattelites
Gin Blossoms - Congratulations I'm Sorry
Hootie & The Blowfish - Fairweather Johnson
Metallica - Load
Pearl Jam - No Code
Soundgarden - Down On The Upside
Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop

All of these had songs that were on the radio a lot.. some had #1 modern rock singles, and a few of these were #1 on Billboard albums. And except for Pearl Jam, they all had decently huge MTV videos.

http://emptyv.multimedia.cx/eMpTyV/index-1996.html - they all have videos featured in this list which was shown on MTV several times and whose results were partially based around album sales.

billstevejim, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

i remember secretly thinking 'razorblade suitcase' at least sounded awesome (not knowing anything about albini at the time) and also liking (gulp) ministry's dylan cover

goole, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

feel like there's a whole paper to be written about just the titles of these records.

tylerw, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

I used to be crazy about Black Love, but the only one of these that I think is classic now is Pinkerton.

da croupier, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

If Exit The Dragon had been 1996 I might have voted for it just to keep it from getting a goose egg, though.

da croupier, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

Fuckin... this list makes me feel like I'm lying on my back in a used bin, in a state of sleep paralysis.

bit.ly sno cone maker (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

wow awesome link billstevejim

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

Vatican gift shop, Ioved it. Also the art.

fka snush (remy bean), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

real talk, i heard "Old Man & Me" on the radio recently and kinda jammed to it

Neil Young’s social media channels (some dude), Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

I don't get why Pinkerton sounds bad to some people.. "Falling For You" and "Across The Sea" are the exact opposite of "terrible"

billstevejim, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

boys for pele i guess

really im not voting because ive only heard four of these records

this is not what the 90s was like in my head

Lamp, Thursday, 3 May 2012 19:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

thought of another album for the 'accidental omissions' list along w/ Cracker and Tom Petty

some cute (some dude), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:25 (11 months ago) Permalink

oh man – I assigned this album when I was arts editor in college. "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You"!

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:27 (11 months ago) Permalink

Just listened to "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You" this morning. Another pretty little Lemonheads tune, if ultimately fairly empty at its core.

Quiet Desperation, LLC (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:28 (11 months ago) Permalink

I did not like that album

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:38 (11 months ago) Permalink

Blame the drugs.

Quiet Desperation, LLC (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

it's a shame about evan

some cute (some dude), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:42 (11 months ago) Permalink

Wasn't that around the time he started doing stuff with Noel Gallagher? Yeah...

Quiet Desperation, LLC (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:49 (11 months ago) Permalink

his vocal sounds like he's singing around a gob of Listerine.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:51 (11 months ago) Permalink

some really good stuff on it, first three tracks especially, but oh god C'mon Daddy is fucking terrible

Jamie_ATP, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

I love the sound on that Lemonheads album. It's so bright and airy. While there aren't any stand-out songs, first half of the record is really solid. I like the cover of Knoxville Girl. It always seemed that there was something pretty fucked up lurking behind the Dando persona and that choice of song is kinda, "Yeah, that makes sense."

brontosaur, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:14 (11 months ago) Permalink


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