10 Sellout Albums That Don't Suck

You can pretty much throw a dart at any Metallica release they have put out past the '80s and have people calling them a sellout. Whether it was the treason of radio rock on the Black Album or the outright betrayal of quality with St. Anger, fans have always had to say their piece about what constitutes the "true" Metallica. If you wanted to make a case for the real sellout though, the Load era seems to fit the bill.

Compared to the sounds of the Black Album, this was even more commercial than before, almost like the band had forgotten the "metal" part of their name altogether. That doesn't mean these albums are devoid of hooks though, with Until it Sleeps having a great build and introducing us to the new sound gradually. There are even some signs that these old dogs were learning new tricks, with the harmonies on 2x4 and the lurching rhythm of Where the Wild Things Are giving a nod to the worlds of stoner rock and even the work of Alice in Chains.

And if we're being honest, how many people still can't get enough of the adrenaline rush of Fuel? While we're nowhere close to thrash anymore, this was still a good attempt to mix up the formula for the world's most famous metal band. In a world where alternative was booming, these guys chose to play hard rock and made out like bandits.