10 Underrated Albums From Music Legends
According to collectors on Discogs, these releases from Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, The Rolling Stones, and more deserve your attention.
When you think about popular artists, certain albums immediately come to mind. Pink Floyd conjures thoughts of The Dark Side Of The Moon. Discussing Depeche Mode inspires you to put Violator on. For Neil Young, Harvest is your go-to.
But what about those albums that fall between the cracks? Artists like Depeche Mode and Neil Young aren’t beloved because they released one great album. Their extensive catalogs contain classics, divisive artistic choices, and incredible albums that, for whatever reason, aren’t celebrated as much as they should be.
That’s why we asked our Discogs Facebook followers one simple question:
What is the most underrated album from your favorite artist?
By collecting the responses with the most “like” and “love” reactions from fellow fans, Discogs has compiled a list of the most underrated albums from iconic musicians.
Obscured By Clouds (1972)
by Pink Floyd
Released between fan favorites Meddle and The Dark Side Of The Moon, Obscured By Clouds was overshadowed and is often overlooked. However, this soundtrack to the French film La Vallée combines musical elements from Atom Heart Mother and Meddle, as well as lyrical themes that would later inform their better-known albums of the 1970s.
Ultra (1996)
by Depeche Mode
The future of Depeche Mode was uncertain during Dave Gahan’s ongoing issues with drugs and the departure of long-time member Alan Wilde. Ultra subverted all expectations as the band embraced new sounds and vocal techniques to craft an album that established Depeche Mode as a rejuvenated group entering a new era.
On The Beach (1974)
by Neil Young
After the monumental success of Harvest, Neil Young decided to approach recording in a more haphazard manner and focus on songs wrought with despair. The end result was On The Beach, an album that was not a commercial success upon its release but is now held in high regard.
Outside (1995)
by David Bowie
Working with Brian Eno for the first time since his Berlin Trilogy, Bowie incorporated influences from outside the mainstream and used the TV series Twin Peaks as inspiration for the album’s nonlinear narrative. The adventurous art rock, jazz, industrial, and ambient elements of the album make it an essential release that some Bowie fans haven’t spent enough time with.
The Great Escape (1995)
by Blur
Parklife was the album that solidified Blur as Britpop royalty, so its follow-up, The Great Escape, doesn’t always get the love it deserves. The album’s inventive experimentation, memorable melodies, and dark subtext show the members of Blur at the peak of their powers.
Goats Head Soup (1973)
by The Rolling Stones
Following Exile On Main Street was no easy task, but Goats Head Soup is all killer, no filler, according to many Stones fans. It may not have as many hits as its predecessor, but Goats Head Soup is a testament to the songwriting skills the band continued to sharpen throughout the 1970s.
Flash Gordon (1980)
by Queen
Queen worked on the Flash Gordon soundtrack while they were writing and recording The Game. Many criticized the band for releasing it as an official Queen album, but years later, most view Flash Gordon as one of the most iconic movie soundtracks of all time.
Signals (1982)
by Rush
By exploring new lyrical themes and incorporating more synthesizers, Rush modernized their sound with 1982’s Signals. The eclectic influences found throughout the album were polarizing upon their release, but many fans now view Signals as a Rush classic.
I Am Kurious Oranj (1988)
by The Fall
Since I Am Kurious Oranj was written as a soundtrack for a ballet and was released shortly after singles from The Frenz Experiment charted in the UK, it may have been initially neglected by some listeners. Now, it is viewed as an under-appreciated gem that fans of The Fall should take note of.
Diver Down (1982)
by Van Halen
After the dark departure that was Fair Warning, Van Halen returned to their feel-good party band roots with Diver Down. It would soon be eclipsed by the massive success of 1984, but Diver Down holds its own as a Van Halen album that fans should hear.
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