10 Best Rock Albums That Everyone Forgets About

There's the common misconception that all good music rises to the top eventually. I mean, if it isn't good, then why would it be played for hours on end on radio, Spotify, and virtually anywhere else you hear music? Well, just because some albums are in the shadows doesn't necessarily mean that they're bad.

Throughout the years, there have many records that haven't gone away so much as they have left the collective memory of rock and roll. As far as the charts and even some of the fairweather fans of rock are concerned, these records are practically tucked in the dark corners of obscurity. What's even more surprising is that these albums actually have some of the best material that these artists have ever made on it. That's not to say that they aren't lacking in some commercial potential in some spots, considering that there's no way some of these songs could have been catchy singles.

On the other hand, to rid yourself on any of these amazing albums would be a crime to both yourself and the rest of the music world. Even if you can't remember a thing about the albums in question, let's see if these jams jog your memory.

The Velvet Underground as a whole tend to not really get a fair say in the history of rock and roll. Despite being hated in their time as being unprofessional and avant garde, the weird musings on albums like their debut record with Nico became the benchmark for punk and hard rock later down the line. However, White Light/White Heat deserves just as much praise and more in retrospect.

If you thought the first VU record was a bit rough around the edges, then you haven't seen anything yet, with this album sounding almost unproduced in places. From one track to the next, the mix of these cuts are borderline amateurish, and yet they manage to sound absolutely amazing under these conditions. In addition to the noise of something like the title track, songs like Lady Godiva's Operation intersperse those little bits of art rock into the picture, with John Cale and Lou Reed in a virtual duel with each other.

The best tracks actually manage to do both at the exact same time, with Sister Ray being a 17 minute exercise with feedback being used to create one of the most chaotic pieces of sound design ever conceived. Though White Light/White Heat may have been considered a sophomore slump in its time, there are still post punk acts the world over trying to duplicate what this album does effortlessly.