10 Classic Albums That Were Originally Considered Failures
7. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
As the hippie culture started to slowly die out in the late '60s, bands were coming to the forefront brandishing a heavier brand of rock. Whether it was the punkish aggression of the Stooges in the States or the manic blues riffage of Led Zeppelin rocking the UK, rock was becoming much more weighty than many people could have imagined. Black Sabbath should have been the kings of heaviness, but the reception from the musical big wigs was originally ice cold.
When assembling their first set of tunes, Sabbath made a demo of what would become their first album, only to have every other record company turn them down. With songs that dealt with taboo subject matters and a harsh assault on your eardrums, most high-brow critics thought that Sabbath's music was far too uncommercial when compared to the likes of Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin.
After finally finding believers in Vertigo Records, Sabbath's first album finally saw a release in 1970, where it quickly found its way up the charts on sheer shock value alone. Black Sabbath may have been considered the black sheep in the world of hard rock, but once they got their first taste of success, the age of heavy metal was officially underway.