10 Classic Albums That People Originally Hated

The Velvet Underground always seem to get the title of that one band that everyone got later. As opposed to other art rock acts in the late '60s, the Velvets didn't see nearly as much time on the charts, what with their odes to being strung out on heroin and waiting to score some drugs from a dealer on the mean streets of New York City. If you thought the first record was bad though, people were lining up to take shots at White Light/White Heat.

Then again, this album almost seems designed to annoy the more fairweather rock fans, with an aptly titled fiery production and some of the most scattered song fragments coming from Lou Reed and John Cale. While this album can be a bit of a tough listen just starting out, the Velvets were actually onto something brilliant on here.

Across the title track and Lady Godiva's Operation, Reed and co. had created something that was very ahead of its time, combining chaotic guitars and artistic vocals to create the beginnings of punk, metal, and noise rock later down the line. This all comes to a head on Sister Ray, a 17-minute journey where Reed practically has a personal battle with his own instrument. Like all Velvet Underground albums though, White Light/White Heat was practically buried until we saw its offspring emerge in the decades that followed.