Social Picks: The Most Underrated Albums of All Time

#1

Pieces Of A Man

Gil-Scot Heron

1971

As well-known as Gil Scott-Heron may seem in music circles, most people aren’t privy to the legacy he created and how it helped influence modern hip-hop. On his studio debut, Pieces of a Man, he blends political awareness with soul, jazz, funk, and blues. Pieces of a Man contains some of Scott-Heron’s most timeless works, like “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” and “Home is Where the Hatred Is.”

#2

Portishead

Portishead

1997

When listeners first think of Portishead, they’re most likely to conjure up the dusty grooves of their debut, Dummy, one of trip-hop’s greatest records. Due to the album’s legacy, the group’s self-titled sophomore effort gets lost in conversation. After the sample-heavy approach of Dummy, the trio regrouped for an offering almost void of outside material. Still, the smokey, backroom vibes and spectral storytelling remain.

#3

Ram

Linda McCartney and Paul McCartney

1971

Following the breakup of the Beatles, Paul McCartney struggled to come into his own as a solo artist. While his former band mates penned classics like Imagine and All Things Must Pass, McCartney received critical lashings for his solo work. However, time has been kind to his early solo output, including Ram, the only collaborative album between him and his wife, Linda. Once deemed irreverent and left-field, Ram is now viewed more favorably as a playful, entertaining collection of songs that showcase the Liverpudlian’s lighter side.

#4

Soup

Blind Melon

1995

As one of the great, underrated bands of the ’90s, Blind Melon‘s most critically acclaimed release, Soup, never received the commercial success it deserved. This dark slice of alternative rock is Blind Melon’s last before the passing of vocalist Shannon Hoon. Complete with plenty of macabre topics, Soup is an emotive tightrope for the singer, balancing the life of rehab, recovery, and bearing witness to a suicide. Still, Blind Melon’s effort has become an “if you know, you know,” a gem from an expansive time in alternative music’s history.

#5

Midnite Vultures

Beck

1999

After achieving commercial success, Beck turned his attention to making what he called a “big, dumb pop record.” Midnite Vultures blends Beck’s coy humor with homage and parody. With irreverent lyrics belted over G-funk and electro instrumentals, the record captures the cheeky, late-night TV vibe that came with the end of the millennium.