10 Failed Albums That Became Cult Classics
5. The Zombies - Odessey And Oracle
As the oldest record to feature on this list, 'Odessey and Oracle' has had to persevere through multiple decades to earn its reputation as a cult classic. This status is made even more impressive considering the lukewarm reception the album received upon its initial release in 1968.
With the majority of the album being recorded at Abbey Road, expectations for the albums performance upon release were high. Sadly, The Zombies' second studio album bombed with critics and didn't perform much better among fans. The bands debut full-length record from 1965 titled 'Begin Here' had clearly set the bar too high for fans after it was (at the time) compared to albums such as 'Rubber Soul' by The Beatles.
However, 1969 saw the single 'Time of the Season' suddenly become a huge hit in North America seemingly out of the blue. The album itself failed to chart but the single managed to reach #1 in the Canadian singles chart and #3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This shock success was too little too late however, as The Zombies split up shortly before the album was released and the songs from this record were not performed live by the original line-up until 1997.