Tuesday 20th October 2015 by Alexandra Pollard, Will Butler | Photos by Artwork

17 classic albums that were originally slated by the critics

All press is good press, right? - damning reviews of Oasis, The Smiths and Nirvana

Nirvana - Nevermind: "Most of Nevermind is packed with generic punk-pop that had been done by countless acts from Iggy Pop to the Red Hot Chili Peppers," and added "the band has little or nothing to say, settling for moronic ramblings by singer-lyricist Cobain." (Boston Globe)

Kanye West - Graduation: "He used to identify with everyday dreamers and strivers, now he seems happy to stay in his V.I.P. zone: all dressed up and behind that velvet rope." (The New York Times)

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers): More ciphers than masterful creations. In refusing to commodify themselves, they leave blank the ultimate canvas � the self.

NWA - Straight Outta Compton: "The lyrics on this record are unrelenting in their unpleasantness, the cumulative effect is like listening to an endless fight next door. The music on this record is without a hint of dynamics or melody." (Hifi News and Record Reviews)

Primal Scream - Screamadelica: "Spreads itself in so many musical directions, it almost belongs in the novelty record bin along with 'TV`s Favourite Bloopers'. One minute we`re in a '90s acid-house dance club playing Keith Richards` acoustic guitar, the next we are transported to someone`s goofy, secondhand impression of the original stage production of 'Hair'" (The Chicago Tribune)

Sonic Youth - Goo: "Goo is, if anything, a portrait of Sonic Youth at their most self-indulgently noisy and contentious. It teeters on the brink of a cultural breakthrough but falls just shy of the mark; the same could be said of Goo itself -- by no means a sellout, it nevertheless lacks the coherence and force of the group's finest work." (AllMusic)

The Smiths - Meat Is Murder: "These guys impose their post-adolescent sensitivity, thus inspiring the sneaking suspicion that they're less sensitive than they come on--passive-aggressive, the pathology is called, and it begs for a belt in the chops. "(The Village Voice)

Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory: "They scan; they fill a hole; end of story. They [say] nothing much about anything. What's the Story [sounds] laboured and lazy. On this evidence, Oasis are a limited band ... they sound knackered." (Melody Maker)

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses: : "They're surprisingly 'eclectic.' Not all that good at it, but eclectic ... Though they have their moments as songwriters - 'I Want to Be Adored' sums them up - their music is about sound, fingers lingering over the strings and so forth." (Robert Christgau)

Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap: "These are songs so sticky they should be hanging from Ben Stiller's ear, and I don't mean that in a good way. In fact, I mean that in the worst possible way." (Pitchfork)

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin: "In their willingness to waste their considerable talent on unworthy material the Zeppelin has produced an album which is sadly reminiscent of [the Jeff Beck Group's] Truth." (Rolling Stone)

Radiohead - OK Computer: "Radiohead wouldn't know a tragic hero if they were cramming for their A levels, and their idea of soul is Bono, who they imitate further at the risk of looking even more ridiculous than they already do." (Robert Christgau)

The National - Alligator: "In the absence of a band with personality, all that's really left to focus on is the singing - the awful, awful singing." (PopMatters)

Daft Punk - Discovery: "These guys are so French I want to force-feed them and cut out their livers. The way our butts plug in, there are better beats on the damn Jadakiss CD." (Robert Christgau)

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath: "Inane lyrics that sound like Vanilla Fudge paying doggerel tribute to Aleister Crowley." (Rolling Stone)

Muse - Showbiz: "Showbiz is not as clever as they think it is ... 'Unintended' and the title track are overwrought, prone to excruciatingly bad pseudo poetry." (NME)

Weezer - Pinkerton: "A collection of get-down party anthems for agoraphobics." (Entertainment Weekly)

Tags: Wu Tang Clan, Oasis, The Smiths, Primal Scream, Sonic Youth, Weezer, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, Muse Photo: ARTWORK

'Instant Classic' is a phrase that's thrown around far too much, we can all agree. Classic albums have to be put through the ringer, they have to fare well on the road and gain new fanbases years after they first drop. In short, classic albums aren't always born, they are made - a big part of this is being slated by the press.

Many of these albums we consider modern musical canon. Nevermind, 36 Chambers, OK Computer - just some of the names of these 'essential' records are instantly met by mass agreeance, but not by everyone.

For every glowing reviews and avalanche of gold stars, there are always fickle reviewers out there willing to shit on the records you love for an outrageously average freelance fee. Here are 17 classic albums that were originally slated by the press.

17 classic albums that were originally slated by the critics

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