10 Most Hated Classic Rock Albums (From Great Bands)

When Giants Fall...

By Tim Coffman /

There are certain bands that you can just depend on. Regardless of what may be in their path, great musicians of old have always found ways to overcome adversity with some of the greatest music of their generation. However, sometimes the hard times can really reflect in the music the band makes.

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These albums are the times where we found out that no band can keep the flame burning forever. Even if a band has had a perfect track record, there is always that one record that everyone wants to keep under wraps. Whether it be through the artist going through a new sound, having a new member in the group, or just being plain uninspired, these albums have been dragged through the mud by countless rock fans for years.

The negative backlash that these albums have received has led some artists to make a sharp course correction on their later material as a way of apologizing to their fanbase. While these bands have made albums that we display with pride, these are the forgotten records that we keep in a box of shame. They may have some good gems, but you might want to proceed with caution through most of these tunes.

10. Pop - U2

U2 were one of the greatest rock forces throughout their 80's run. With each record breaking new ground, everything climaxed with The Joshua Tree, whose classic songs still hold up today. Even after the 90's reshaped rock going forward, the band proved they were worth sticking around with their drastic left turn album Achtung Baby.

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It seemed that the band's more experimental side was actually going to work, so they doubled down on it with Zooropa. Then they started to get a bit carried away...which brings us to Pop. Then again, this album is not the most unlistenable thing a band of U2's ilk have ever made. This seemed to be the logical next step after experimenting with more electronic samples on tracks like "Zoo Station," except the execution falls flat this time.

Instead of defining the trends of the time, this record sounded like U2 playing catch up with the trends of alternative and EDM music. With half of their fanbase still used to the more straight ahead rock style, these backing tracks feel like half-forgotten demos from a Prodigy record. This record may not have been great, but it did give the band incentive to get back to basics, which they went on to beautifully on their bounceback record All That You Can't Leave Behind.

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