10 Albums Which Almost Destroyed Their Creators

One of the most infamous albums in popular music history, Smile is unique on this list in that it is the only record out of the ten which was never actually released, at least not in the form in which it was originally intended. Smile was initially conceived as a follow-up to The Beach Boys' 1966 classic, Pet Sounds. That record, similar to The Eagles' Hotel California, piled added pressure on the band thanks to its immensely positive critical reception, particularly in the UK. In terms of both composition and studio techniques, Pet Sounds was an extraordinary leap forward for the band and its lead creative force, Brian Wilson.

Wilson, whose mental health was already in decline, became obsessed with topping the band's previous record. Under Wilson's direction the group, and assorted session musicians, spent 50 hours in the studio, over ten months. With deadline after deadline looming and then passing, Wilson found it impossible to complete the project, endlessly editing and re-editing to no avail.

A stripped-down version of the album, entitled Smiley Smile, hit the stores in 1967, but it would be another three decades before Wilson finally brought his vision to life. Brian Wilson Presents Smile was released in 2004, with no contributions from the other original members. The album received critical claim and sparked public animosity between Wilson and his former bandmates.