10 Famous Albums You Didn't Know Were Almost Completely Different

Despite being hailed as one of Weezer's greatest records (and regarded by many fans as the pinnacle of the group's musical output) the record was originally received rather poorly. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo was profoundly embarrassed by the rawness of the material he had written (something that would ultimately lead to the album's critical praise).

This was likely especially frustrating when the record itself was so vastly changed.  Following 1994's Weezer (or The Blue Album) Cuomo began penning a science fiction rock opera with the working title Songs From The Black Hole. The album was to be extremely high-concept, taking place in the year 2126 and focusing on the Betsy II spaceship. There was also a cast of characters voiced by various members of the band including Wuan, Jonas, Laurel and a robot named M1.

Following surgery on his leg, however, Rivers began writing darker material, and the album – despite extensive recording having taken place – was scrapped. One can only speculate on whether Songs From The Black Hole might have had a more instant critical success, and what effect that might have had on the band's career. Might Cuomo have never started pandering to the mainstream?