10 Failed Albums That Became Cult Classics
8. Magazine - Real Life
Released among a thick cloud of punk rock classics in 1978, it's easy to see why 'Real Life' struggled to gain much notable attention or praise upon its unveiling to the world. Even though calling this album a failure is possibly quite harsh, it's initial impact on the scene is still dwarfed massively by its current cult classic stature.
As the debut record from post-punk and new wave band, Magazine, 'Real Life' took the idea of punk rock and completely changed its perspective and message. The raw, adrenaline pumping two-minutes of fury punk rock aggression had been replaced by an atmospheric, broader sounding tone. At the time, this was an extremely progressive record and it still holds up today.
Peaking at #29 in the UK albums chart and the lead single, 'Shot by Both Sides' just missed out on a place in the UK top 40 singles chart. The legacy of this album has grown far beyond this initial moderate success, and is considered by many music journalists and critics as an essential record in music history. It is also viewed as an integral release in the history of post-punk and a key figure in the sub-genres formation in the early 80's.