15 Iconic Albums and the Amazing Stories Behind Them

The stories of many legendary albums are full of drama, groundbreaking developments, and significant turning points. Here are 15 examples that are not only unforgettable in musical terms, but also because of their genesis or their historical significance.

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1. Johnny Cash – “At Folsom Prison” (1968)

After a difficult but successful drug rehabilitation, Johnny Cash played two shows at the maximum security Folsom State Prison in California on 13 January 1968. Cash, who had always viewed himself as an outlaw, felt a connection with the prisoners and reached out to his audience. Casting away all the doubts of his record company, he was the first musician to record a live album in prison, at the same time reaching a personal turning point and making history. Released four months after it was recorded, the album “At Folsom Prison” has sold over six million copies to date.

2. The Beatles – “The White Album” (1968)

Despite or because of various controversies, the “White Album” became one of the most important milestones in the history of the Beatles. One of the special features of this masterpiece is its extraordinary complexity, which also reflects their previous spiritual sojourn in India. And there were plenty of differences. The influence of Yoko Ono, perceived by many as harmful to the band, grew continuously. Drummer Ringo Starr even left the band temporarily during the recording sessions, which resulted in multi-instrumentalist Paul McCartney playing drums on some songs.

3. David Bowie – “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” (1972)

With this album, David Bowie, already known as a musical and visual chameleon, created his alter ego Ziggy Stardust for the first time: an androgynous, extraterrestrial rock star who allowed Bowie to experiment with identity, fame, and the transience of rock’n’roll. Ziggy is meant to deliver a message of hope to humanity and take the fear out of topics such as fame, isolation, sexual ambiguity, drugs, or doomsday fantasies. The embodiment of Ziggy Stardust ultimately became a problem for Bowie, especially as the boundaries between the artist and the art figure became blurred. The concept album was visionary and still is today.

4. Pink Floyd – “The Dark Side of the Moon” (1973)

Pink Floyd’s concept album “The Dark Side of the Moon” reflected the social turmoil in the USA at the time and was also inspired by the psychotic breakdown of their former band member and singer Syd Barrett. It was to become a real milestone album that dealt with topics such as war, the omnipotence of money, coping with mental illness, greed, and various other conflicts on the dark side of human existence. The album with the prism cover catapulted Pink Floyd into superstardom. With over 50 million records sold, it is the third best-selling album of the past decades.

5. Fleetwod Mac – “Rumours” (1977)

The name said it all: the album “Rumours” was created during a time of personal conflicts within the band. Things were getting out of hand: Peter Green was no longer part of the band, and Christine and John McVie’s marriage was breaking up. The relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham also ended. These and other issues caused the rumour mill to boil over. The lyrics were characterised by honesty and openness, and the songs reflected the emotions in an incomparable way. Take “Go Your Own Way”, for example. Despite the personal turmoil, the band members showed human and musical greatness and created one of the best-selling albums of all time.

6. The Sex Pistols – “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” (1977)

The Sex Pistols with lead singer Johnny Rotten were pure rebellion. With the album “Never Mind the Bollocks”, they kicked off the punk revolution. The album contained plenty of explosive material. The very word “Bollocks” caused a massive uproar. Record shops refused to stock the album, and some charts didn’t even print the full title. The Sex Pistols cultivated an image of anarchy and rebellion. Much of the British public was shocked. The youth were not. Instead, the Sex Pistols were celebrated and became a symbol of youth uprising and social unrest. This album from 1977 was to become their “outrageous” calling card.

7. Michael Jackson – “Thriller” (1982)

“Thriller” was nothing less than the crowning of Michael Jackson as the King of Pop. Both the production of the album itself and the 14-minute music video for the lead single were immensely costly and characterized by numerous discussions and challenges. But above all, they were one thing: absolutely ground-breaking. Released on 30 November 1982, the album revolutionized pop music and helped to establish music videos as a new art form. Peppered with top hits, Thriller made Michael Jackson a global superstar.

8. Metallica – “Metallica (The Black Album)” (1991)

Metallica’s Black Album divided the fans. The fact that they achieved their commercial breakthrough in 1991 with a new and more mass-compatible sound caused hardcore fans to rise up on the barricades. The band had moved away from their thrash metal beginnings, and many fans accused them of betraying their original sound. At the same time, however, it was undoubtedly Metallica who catapulted metal out of its underground niche and made it much bigger worldwide. The commercial success was simply overwhelming.

9. Nirvana – “Nevermind” (1991)

When “Nevermind” was released in 1991, the music world changed forever. The album brought the grunge sound into the mainstream and popularized the genre worldwide. The raw lyrics of lead singer Kurt Cobain appealed to generations of outcasts and, together with the energetic music, marked a cultural turning point. Many of the songs on the album deal with feelings of alienation, isolation, and being an outsider. The music embodies raw, unfiltered anger against social norms and authorities. As is well known, these were feelings that Kurt Cobain himself constantly struggled with and which ultimately led to his suicide.

10. Radiohead – “OK Computer” (1997)

Considered a milestone in music history, “OK Computer” by Radiohead not only marked a turning point in the development of rock music but also in the band’s career. At a time when the simpler sounds of bands like Oasis were dominating the charts, commercial success was all but guaranteed. But it didn’t take long to arrive. For the album, Radiohead had combined the Britpop sound with influences from ambient, avant-garde, and electronic music. After the tour, they were completely exhausted, but had created an album that is considered one of the most influential records of the 1990s.

11. Eminem – “The Marshall Mathers LP” (2000)

The album “Marshall Mathers LP” caused a great deal of controversy, and the critics certainly had plenty to draw on. There was plenty of fuel for the fire: it contained lots of problematic lyrics, peppered with glorification of violence, homophobia, and misogyny. As a result, Eminem became embroiled in several legal disputes in connection with his lyrics. His mother sued him for defamation. His ex-wife, whom he brutally murdered in his song “Kim”, also sued him. Rumour has it that the press frenzy was intentional and deliberately calculated by him.

12. Linkin Park – “Hybrid Theory” (2000)

“Hybrid Theory” was named after the band that Linkin Park had previously performed as. When Chester Bennington joined the band after the first few moderately successful years, they created an unmistakable sound with powerful, emotionally intense vocals and elements from rock, metal, rap, and electronic music, becoming pioneers and trailblazers in the process. The album achieved nothing less than bringing nu-metal into the mainstream and leaving a lasting mark on pop culture.

13. Green Day – “American Idiot” (2004)

There’s a special story behind this album. After all, it was supposed to mark a turning point in Green Day’s career. They had previously recorded an album titled “Cigarettes and Valentines”. However, the recordings were stolen. Initially causing a deep crisis within the band, this unfortunate event later sparked a spirit of change and optimism. They were forced to start anew. Green Day experimented with new sounds and styles, rolled up their sleeves with controversial lyrics, and made a fresh, provocative start. As a result, “American Idiot” became a politically charged album that criticized the policies of George W. Bush and the Iraq war in particular.

14. Amy Winehouse – “Back to Black” (2006)

Amy Winehouse’s album “Back to Black” became the tragic anthem of her generation, especially for those who were struggling with problems themselves. The album was written and recorded at a time when Amy was in emotional turmoil and struggling with severe drug and alcohol abuse. The constant pressure and media attention exacerbated her personal problems. The raw honesty and vulnerability in her lyrics reflected her own struggles. Quite a few songs on the album come across as a cry for help or even a premonition of her tragic end.

15. Arctic Monkeys – “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” (2006)

The story of “Whatever People Say I Am (…)” is quickly told – in the truest sense of the word. It is the fastest-selling debut album in the UK. At the beginning of the 2000s, there was a massive indie rock boom, fueled by early adopters of social media. The Arctic Monkeys played a key role in shaping it. It quickly became clear that although life wasn’t necessarily getting better, it was certainly getting faster. The Arctic Monkeys provided the prime example of this with their album.

Your Picks: Which Iconic Albums Did We Miss?

How about you? Which album has influenced you the most, and what is the story behind it?

Lawrence started playing the electric guitar because of his passion for rock music. Back in the day he played in a metal band, but now plays more for himself.

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