50 Albums That Were Unfairly Hated On

From classic rock masterpieces to Cruel Summer, these LPs are so much better than first impressions indicated.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Given the overwhelming amount of music that comes out every year, it’s no surprise that not every release hits its mark. More often than not, albums get rejected—shoved off toward dollar bins, used CD racks, and the dustiest corners of iPods and hard drives. That's not just a fate reserved for full-lengths from unknowns, either. It happens to music's superstars, too.

But such dismissals are not always just. Many unsung masterpieces get passed over upon first impression. This is usually because of fan indifference, poor critical reception, lack of record label support, bad timing, or some combination of all of those factors. It's the reason why certain records from artists as disparate as Cam'ron and The Beatles are still considered fails, even though they're actually pretty great.

It's time to correct some of those misconceptions. Here's a look at 50 Albums That Were Unfairly Hated On.

Written by Daniel Margolis

RELATED: 50 Unreleased Albums That We'd Kill To Hear

50. Cam'ron, Crime Pays (2009)

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49. Kiss, Music From "The Elder" (1981)

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48. Elvis Costello, Goodbye Cruel World (1984)

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47. Britney Spears, Blackout (2007)

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46. Steppenwolf, For Ladies Only (1971)

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45. Dee Dee King, Standing In The Spotlight (1989)

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44. Rihanna, Rated R (2009)

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43. Pharrell, In My Mind (2006)

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42. Die Antwoord, Ten$ion (2012)

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41. The Beatles, Yellow Submarine (1968)

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40. Jimi Hendrix, War Heroes (1972)

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39. Bob Dylan, Self Portrait (1970)

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38. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Mardi Gras (1972)

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37. DJ Shadow, The Outsider (2006)

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36. RZA, Bobby Digital In Stereo (1998)

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35. Metallica, St. Anger (2003)

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34. Sly & the Family Stone, Small Talk (1974)

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33. Jay-Z, Kingdom Come (2006)

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32. G.O.O.D. Music, Cruel Summer (2012)

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31. Muddy Waters, Electric Mud (1968)

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30. Aerosmith, Night in the Ruts (1979)

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29. Leaders of the New School, T.I.M.E. (1993)

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28. Paul and Linda McCartney, Ram (1971)

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27. The Velvet Underground, Squeeze (1973)

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26. Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music (1975)

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25. The Doors, The Soft Parade (1969)

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24. The Who, It's Hard (1982)

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23. Tha Dogg Pound, Dogg Food (1995)

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22. Yoko Ono, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (1970)

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21. Kanye West, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

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20. Guns N' Roses, Chinese Democracy (2008)

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19. De La Soul, Stakes Is High (1996)

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18. The Pharcyde, Labcabincalifornia (1995)

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17. Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams (2007)

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16. LL Cool J, Walking With A Panther (1989)

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15. EPMD, Business As Usual (1990)

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14. Eric B. & Rakim, Don't Sweat The Technique (1992)

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13. Boogie Down Productions, Sex and Violence (1992)

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12. Black Flag, My War (1984)

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11. Eugene McDaniels, Headless Heroes Of The Apocalypse (1971)

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10. OutKast, Idlewild (2006)

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9. Neil Young, Trans (1982)

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8. Radiohead, Hail To The Thief (2003)

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7. Prince Paul, Psychoanalysis: What Is It? (1996)

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6. Nas, I Am.../Nastradamus (1999)

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5. Led Zeppelin, In Through The Out Door (1979)

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4. M.I.A., Maya (2010)

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3. Nirvana, In Utero (1993)

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2. The Rolling Stones, Exile On Main Street (1972)

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1. Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique (1989)

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