# Worst album by a major artist at or near their prime **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849 "2006-08-30T22:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jean\_Poutine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a5b964/32.png) [@Jean\_Poutine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jean_Poutine)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/1 "2006-08-30T22:57:00Z")
I recently came upon Prince’s Lovesexy at a thrift store on cassette (!) for a dollar, and figured I was getting a fair deal. In reality, I wuz robbed. Granted, 1988 was after he peaked, but hell Sign O’ The Times was only a year or so earlier- didn’t he have any decent tracks left over from that? I mean, when the lead single from your album is Alphabet Street, which wouldn’t be in the Prince top 50, somethings wrong. Actually, there’s not a song on the whole album that would be his personal top 50. Add to it an usually large dose of his idiosyncratic silliness and religous drivel, and you get a thoroughly wretched listening experience. This got me to wondering, what other major artists have released real stinkers while reasonably in their prime? I have been told both Dylan and Mccartney had a real stinker, but can’t recall which albums these were. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/2 "2006-08-30T22:59:23Z")
Dylan - _Self-Portrait_ McCartney - Everything since _Abbey Road_😛 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/3 "2006-08-30T23:07:27Z")
Actually Dylan’s real stinker was the one simply titled _Dylan_, also known as “Columbia’s Revenge”–it was the album they put out when Zimmy switched over to Asylum. It consists of the stuff that wasn’t good enough to go on _Self Portrait_. :eek: Then Dylan came back to Columbia, who in turn took _Dylan_ off the market. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/4 "2006-08-30T23:20:37Z")
George Harrison–“Living in the Material World” Bruce Springsteen–“Nebraska” ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/5 "2006-08-30T23:28:56Z")
Yellow Submarine. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/6 "2006-08-30T23:34:43Z")
Eric Clapton, _Pilgrim_. The guitar god does elevator music… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/7 "2006-08-30T23:35:54Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] Bruce Springsteen–“Nebraska” [/QUOTE] Wow, really? I’m not into Springsteen, but it seems like everybody I know just loves that one. At the time it was released, Marvin Gaye’s “Here My Dear” probably would have qualified. It was an incredibly personal album that chronicled his love, marriage and (then-ongoing) divorce in detail, with his wife receiving a big portion of the proceeds. I think the album’s standing has improved over time, though. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/8 "2006-08-31T00:03:50Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] Bruce Springsteen–“Nebraska” [/QUOTE] I strongly disagree. I think most people who know Springstreen through “Born in the USA” or “Born to Run” feel cheated because it’s acoustic and has no backing from the “E Street Band.” Yet it has a number of strong cuts (e.g., “Atlantic City” and “State Trooper”). Anyway, since this thread will likely start numerous arguments, I’ll add to the controversy by nominating the Rolling Stones’ misbegotten psychedelic foray, “Their Satanic Majesties Request.” While I’ll grant it does have its moments (“2000 Light Years from Home” is one of my favorite Stones’ tracks), this attempt to sound like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd noticeably stands out as the only clinker in a streak of great Stones albums starting with 1966’s “Aftermath” and ending with 1972’s “Exile on Main Street.” Also, is it fair to count the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”? To me, that was a de facto greatest hits collection serving as a soundtrack album. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/9 "2006-08-31T00:16:46Z")
[QUOTE=NDP] Also, is it fair to count the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”? To me, that was a de facto greatest hits collection serving as a soundtrack album. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that one, as originally released, was a side of Beatles songs, some of which (including the title track) were reruns, and a side of George Martin instrumentals. And it did have “Hey Bulldog,” which rocks. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/10 "2006-08-31T00:18:25Z")
[QUOTE=NDP] Anyway, since this thread will likely start numerous arguments, I’ll add to the controversy by nominating the Rolling Stones’ misbegotten psychedelic foray, “Their Satanic Majesties Request.” [/QUOTE] Not controversial at all – in fact, it’s what I came in to nominate. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/11 "2006-08-31T00:30:43Z")
[QUOTE=NDP] Also, is it fair to count the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”? To me, that was a de facto greatest hits collection serving as a soundtrack album. [/QUOTE] Fair enough - I withdraw the nomination. But I figured that Weather Report’s **Mr. Gone** wasn’t major enough to be nomnated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/12 "2006-08-31T00:44:35Z")
Given that Self Portrait and Satanic Majesties have already been chosen … Mike Oldfield’s Heaven’s Open. It was his last contractually obligated album for Virgin and Branson, and to save money he did the singing himself. :eek: It can be listened to as one long rant against Virgin and RB. Oddly enough, the album before, Amarok, designed to be totally uncommercial - 60 minutes long and one track, is a masterpiece. Well I think he’s major! ---
**Author:** ![Victorian\_Squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5a626/32.png) [@Victorian\_Squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victorian_Squid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/13 "2006-08-31T01:21:58Z")
R.E.M. followed up the mega-huge _Out Of Time_ with the nearly perfect, career defining _Automatic For the People_. Then, apparently having collectively had their brains trans-reversed by aliens, they decided that what they _really_ wanted to be was a pseudo-grunge, Patti Smith-stalking glam band. I challenge you to walk into any used CD store in the land and not find at least five copies of _Monster_. At least from then on they were consistently excreble. Belle & Sebastian have never made anything better than their first two albums, but they were so good that good will carry-over sustained them through the only OK _Boy With the Arab Strap_ and the pretty-not-good _Fold Your Hands…_ Now they sound like a B&S tribute/parody band. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who liked the last Talking Heads album (_Naked_, was it?). Other’s probably considered them past their prime, but I thought _Wish_ was the best album the Cure ever made (incredibly awesome concerts for that period, too). They followed it up with the decidedly crappy _Wild Mood Swings_. They don’t seem to have recovered. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/14 "2006-08-31T02:35:07Z")
[QUOTE=Victorian Squid] I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who liked the last Talking Heads album (_Naked_, was it?). [/QUOTE] I like it. It’s pretty clearly not their best work, and I’m not sure you can really say that they were at their prime when they did it, but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/15 "2006-08-31T02:40:25Z")
Classic Example: Lou Reed’s **[Metal Machine Music](http://tinyurl.com/nwc53)** – he wrote it to kiss off his record company and nearly wrecked his career. It is unlistenable. Reed is quoted as saying “Well, anyone who gets to side four is dumber than I am.” “Yellow Submarine” was a soundtrack album. Originally it was one side of movie music by George Martin with six Beatles songs, four of which were new. “Hey Bulldog,” “All Together Now,” and “Only a Northern Song” are all worthy entries to the Beatles’ song list. Similarly, Pink Floyd’s “Obscured by Clouds” was only so-so, but was also a soundtrack. Jefferson Airplane’s “Bark” cost them a lot of credibility. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/16 "2006-08-31T02:50:42Z")
The fun part is arguing “peak” as opposed to “lousy album.” _Bark_, for example, was definitely well after the Airplane’s peak. _Satanic Majesties_ was right in the middle of the Stones most fertile period. _Nebraska_, however, is a masterpiece. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/17 "2006-08-31T03:29:17Z")
[QUOTE=Victorian Squid] R.E.M. followed up the mega-huge _Out Of Time_ with the nearly perfect, career defining _Automatic For the People_. Then, apparently having collectively had their brains trans-reversed by aliens, they decided that what they _really_ wanted to be was a pseudo-grunge, Patti Smith-stalking glam band. I challenge you to walk into any used CD store in the land and not find at least five copies of _Monster_. At least from then on they were consistently excreble. \ [/QUOTE] I was going to argue against this, now I’m not so sure. _Monster_ was certainly a 180 shift from _Automatic_ but I think they made the album they wanted to make (and I happen tolike it well enough). I guess your point regarding the OP is arguable, I disagree with the “consistently excreble”, as _New Adventures in Hi-Fi_ is one of my favorite REM records and is certainly less different style-wise than _Monster_. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/18 "2006-08-31T03:59:28Z")
I have a soft spot for _Reveal_ (soundtrack for my South African vacation), but I have to agree about Monster. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/19 "2006-08-31T04:09:50Z")
**Fleetwood Mac** after enjoying a huge success with their “ **Rumours** ” album, then released the long-awaited and hugely disappointing “ **Tusk** ”. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/20 "2006-08-31T05:40:47Z")
_Tusk_ was good. It was moody, complicated music in the age of the Late Disco Era. And it did sell remarkably well, multiple platinum during a recession, just not the uniquely high sales of _Rumours_. You want crappy Fleetwood Mac? Try anything after, say _Mirage_. Especially _Behind the Mask_. You want really crappy Stevie Nicks? Avoid, at all costs, the abomination known as _Street Angel_. In fact, avoid anything after _Bella Donna_ and _The Wild Heart_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849.md?page=2)