The Velvet Underground & Nico

Classic

reminds me of my sister, ive loved this album for a while already. she used to tell me i had lou reed eyes whatever that means

Heel leuk album

fun

Classic, easy 5.

Ouvi esse album no ano de 2022, tinha 14 anos. A faixa que me atraiu foi Femme Fatale, pois eu fui uma adolescente aspirante a uma performance de misandria, eu assistia Gone Girl, recitava seu monólogo "Cool Girl" e consumia conteúdos com tag "femcel" porque considerava celibato não namorar aos 14 anos. Então Femme Fatale era essa faixa que acompanharia essa fase. Conheci o álbum pois era do tipo que procurava pelos clássicos da música, e esse álbum é um clássico, eu adoro toda sua calmaria e sofisticação.

4.5/5

Классика, тёмный поп.

4 notes and it's a five stars

Went into this with demand avoidance thinking it would be underwhelming or overhyped. It sounds primitive but so fundamentally different to popular rock music at the time that I can see how influential it ended up being for grungier 70s/80s punk and rock. Clearly pushed boundaries on subject matter and didn't have a notably weak song. 5 whole stars

Absolute classic. So influential sonically and very risqué for the time. Nico’s lead vocals are a welcome break on Femme Fatale et al. 5 stars, no notes

Probably the most confusing albums for me, not only in this list, but overall from what I have heared in my life, since my first listens years ago. It started a lot of things and tropes that I both like and hate in rock music. I can't decide if I think that Nico's voice and charisma is beautiful or if she creeps the hell out of me. I can't decide if I think that Lou Reed is a genius or one of the phoniest posers in music of 20th century. I can't decide if I think that John Cale is cool creative guy or a talentless liar. I don't know if Heroin is prentious drug propaganda or one of the most haunting songs ever. I don't know if Venus is Furs fascinates me or annoys me. I don't know if I love this band and album or if I hate them. My sincere question to people who actually considers them VU fans - do you feel the same way about this music or you unambiguous in that matter? The rating for this one for me could only be either one or five... I'll go with 5.

One of the most important albums for American music in general, but of course a seminal album of rock and roll. VU's influence continues to this day. This launched three incredible musical careers: Lou Reed, John Cale and Nico. The world is better for it. If we ignore ALL of that, this is still a 5 star album. Run Run Run is maybe the weakest proper song. Heroin can try your patience if you aren't in the mood for the electric viola freakout. The Black Angel's Death Song feels the most of it's time, something like early Dylan or electric Phil Ochs, compared to its timeless siblings. I don't think European Son is anyone's favorite. Still, they're great songs.

The ultimate, the seminal rock album, fundamental and wholly essential

really good. comforting

about as good + influential as it gets

classic

Alternative rock started with this album. Listen to it, and you understand why this is your favorite rock artist's favorite album. The subject matter turns a little risque, and some of the sounds come off experimental, such as same-tuning all the strings of a guitar or using paper clips on the hammers of a piano, but the voices of Lou Reed and Nico create a definite atmosphere of The Factory. Musically, I'm giving it a fifth star due to its influence. Iconic album cover, BTW.

Growing up I was obsessed with the lore surrounding the creation of this album. The perfect example of artists having the freedom to breath the life they want their art to embody, lighting it on fire, and blowing the fire away for others to catch it. Musically sounds pretty dated because of it's classic jangle pop aesthetics and the old timey production techniques they clearly used to make it sound more raw. The but story telling, the uneasy urban vibe each song brings that invites you and horrifies you to explore more corners of the city where you find characters that you come across once and others that leave a mark in your life. I play Sunday Morning to my daughter all of the time, the flow from song to song is nonsensical but works perectly. Now let's get into the Nico part of the album; she's the Fergie of this album, made them more noticible, but not an essencial part of the band in the long run. Classic Warhol Muse. Yet her pressence is not just another one of those characters in the story, Moe couldn't have sung her songs if she wasn't there, Femme, Venus, Parties and Mirror are absolutely essential to the album experience.

This is a holy grail for me, even though I have to admit that I find bananas (as in the fruit) a tad overrated. Their taste and texture are rather meh if you don’t eat them at the perfect stage of your preferred ripeness. In my humble opinion, this is the only even remotely controversial point one could raise when it comes to this ever-stunning piece of musical history. Glad that you can peel the skin off the cover…

Not a TRUE 5-star album - "European Son" is a tough sell - but for the purposes of this website? Absolutely. 4.5/5

Brian Eno sums up the importance of this album nicely, paraphrasing, but it might have only sold 30,000 copies, but everyone who bought a copy started a band. Hugely influential.

The cover art itself gets a 5. This is a true, classic album.

Great influential album.Once again solid songwriting this time with darker themes

Top 10 all time albums. If you are reading this and don’t know…shame. Sort it now.

Obviously a massively important and influential album. Whether you find it an enjoyable album will vary. After all, one song was so intense that bar owners banned them from playing it because everyone would leave when they did. Starts with the sound of bells and an ethereal woman's voice and ends with seven minutes of screaming feedback and noise. In between it covers drug use, masochism, death, existential ennui and the like. The songs are droning and so simple. Lou Reed famously said that two chords were all you need and more than three you were playing jazz. It's a Weirdly split album. You have the songs like Boots of Leather and Heroin being all New York Art scene and then Nico's songs standing off to the side with their cool German Caberet. There's nothing else like it, not even in the Velvet Underground's catalogue. Mo Tucker thunders away on the drums in almost tribal ways. John Cale uses a viola like a noise machine, Lou Reed's guitar solos sound, at times, like a chicken scratching and his vocals are more spoken than sung. He was, he claimed later, "the original rapper". But it's hard to imagine where music would be without this strangely perverse album. Punk drew on its DIY aesthetic and shock value, post-punk just absorbed it whole. There's a whole school of noise rock that can trace its origin back to this. At the time no-one really understood it or knew what to do with. Record stores wouldn't sell it, radio stations wouldn't play it. But in the years since it's become one of those albums for which the word "classic" isn't big enough. It's one of the albums that define what rock music actually is.

It is outrageous that practically 60 years along, this album still sounds startling. On today’s listen it really struck me how literally jam packed it is with iconic songs across its entirety. It’s hard to believe as side one finishes, that there is still more magic still to come. There’s no point talking about how amazing it was that they achieved this way back in ‘67, because it could have been released any time from then to now and still been a remarkable piece of art. It was one of the first albums I ever bought, and it remains one of the best I own to this day.

Every…single…song. Such a great album.

I FUCKING LOVE THIS ALBUM. FINALLY.

"One of the most influential rock albums of all time." That just says it all. Agreed. If something deserves 6 *s, this would be an example. Goes to 11....

Nice

I have listened to this album hundreds of times over my lifetime; suffice to say one of the greatest albums ever recorded and certainly one of the most influential. I can never get my head around it was recorded in 1966, so ahead of its time. One of only a handful of albums I'm guaranteed to listen to at least every few months. A comfy 5 star!

gooddddd

A classic that takes me back to living in Axbridge and playing on repeat whilst spending hours playing championshop manager. Simpler times.

Incredibly important and influential record for the projected future of experimental, alternative and punk rock later on down the line, this probably the only good thing that Andy Warhol has ever made himself be a part of. Yes, it's not for everybody and it's quite messy, but there's a kind of naive beauty to how raw and earnest this whole project is. Definitely a fantastic record that gets better with age.

Fantastic album

Unique, inspiring, groundbreaking. Sometimes feels warm, sometimes cold. Always good

Their first show under Andy Warhol's management was at a psychiatrist's convention in New York. Warhol had been asked to give a lecture. He showed a film instead, and The Velvet Underground played. By most accounts, nobody really noticed. That image stays with me. Not a dramatic confrontation — just radical music, largely ignored, in a room full of people trained to notice things. And yet everyone who bought this album, Brian Eno famously said, started a band. The influence arrived decades late, but it arrived. The album itself is stranger and more varied than I remembered. Lou Reed and Nico trading lead vocals — her deadpan German weight against his Long Island drawl. "Sunday Morning" as a lullaby opener, then "Heroin", then "Venus in Furs". Dark subject matter made strangely accessible. Raw by design, not by accident. 4.5/5 — and the half point is just honesty. The rest is unmistakable.

There's a reason this is so highly regarded. Excellent and interesting.

Great, great record. It’s almost hard to believe that this was from 1967

It's got its status for a reason. The Heroin/There She Goes Again/I'll Be Your Mirror 1-2-3 punch is an all timer

so unique

i love it so much

Majority classics - very 60s but I’m a 60s fan!

ikoniskt

Så coolt! Perfekt att få detta efter ett The Who-album som släpptes samma år, men inte i samma värld. Uttjatat grepp men det står ju i sådan kontrast till allt annat man hört inom dåtidens rock att det är svår att greppa. Och vilka låtar! Är det kanske mitt favoritalbum? Är det ens mitt favoritalbum med VU? Älskar hur som varenda liten del av den: den sladdriga rytmsektionen, migränfiolen, det hårda, det mjuka, det falska, det skalade omslaget, Lou Reed som alltid fick till känslan av att han berättade något just för dig, grova Nico och på det känslan av att "det här kan ju jag göra själv!". Även om vi inte kunde så försökte vi.

Just an absolute banger. Ask yourself: How would this be received if released today? It would still be good, which makes it insane for 1967! 5/5

I have already heard this album but just listened to it again , i think its the most experimental record to come out in 60s . While it still has that classic pyschedelic sound of the era velvet underground twists that sound up , its way more experimental and way more noisy. Lou Reed and the velvet underground has influenced many a modern rock band with this sound . Despite all the chaos, Nico brings lush feelings with her beautiful vocals ,the two love songs(femme fatale and ill be your mirror) nico wrote which i think are one of the best love songs ever written, she adds a lot to the album, ill be your mirror proves my point, its the peak of love song writing, i dont think there are many songs that can make you feel the way this song does. I dont want to talk about this album like its a completely noisy experimental rock album but its not a classic chill rock album, of course songs like sunday morning are honestly really beautiful, its just that this album has a lot of genres mixed together, while some songs are lush and beautiful, other songs like im waiting for the man, run run run, venus in furs are just crazy they almost sound like a garage rock band with those distorted guitar riffs. Heroin and European Son were some songs that I didnt think it would be possible to be this avantgarde in the record's era the songs are real noisy and weird. This album is for sure one of the most influential albums of all time. Album is definitely as good as everybody says it is . Its an amazing experience to listen to this experimental/art rock record and songs about love and drug use.

do i even need to explain myself? i don't think i do. 10/10 FAVOURITE SONGS: WAITING FOR THE MAN, ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES, HEROIN, I'LL BE YOUR MIRROR, THE BLACK ANGEL'S DEATH SONG, EUROPEAN SON

não acho que seja perfeito não. mas definitivamente tá mil anos a frente do tempo e eh um dos albuns mais influentes de todos né. 1967 e os cara fazendo BARULHEIRA de boa qualidade como pode no mais, femme fatale e heroin já valem as 5 estrelas aqui. gosto daquela frase do brian eno lá e quero acreditar que seja vdd. ouvir isso aqui na época deve ter mudado a vida de uma galera. mto bão, como pode

Great album it was amazing I put most of the songs on my playlist my only criticism is why did I get death but in a sound Also for my 3rd day I have got good albums 2 days in a row except my first album

This is in the top echelon of albums to hear before you die. It influences 70/80% of this list? More? I only wish I was one of the 30,000 that started a band….

I wavered a bit on this between a 4 and a 5, but in the end had to see that this really does deserve the hype. Sunday Morning and I’m Waiting for the Man are fantastic openers, and set the tone for creative and fast paced songs throughout. Nico’s occasional vocals have a slightly strange quality to them, but fit well with the eerie sound of songs like I’ll be Your Mirror. It’s experimental, but unlike most albums with that on this list, is still a brilliant and gripping listen (the final two songs aside).

An incredibly influential album that still sounds ahead of its time. Aside from the album’s significance to the development of experimental music, art rock, glam rock, and what was to become alternative rock, it’s an album I really enjoy listening to. There’s so much variety, from the dream-like opener ‘Sunday Morning’ to songs describing the grittiness of life in New York on songs like ‘I’m Waiting for My Man’ and ‘There She Goes Again’ to the hypnotic psychedelia of ‘Venus in Furs’. This really is an album you should listen to before you die.

An incredibly influential and also fantastic album with a lot of stylistic variety. There’s gorgeous dreamy pop (‘Sunday Morning’, ‘Femme Fatale’, ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’), grinding garage rock (‘I’m Waiting for the Man’, ‘Run Run Run’), and more avant-garde offerings like ‘Venus in Furs’, ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ and ‘Heroin’, three absolute album high-points. The ending is slightly underwhelming (‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ is my least-favourite track, and ‘European Son’ starts off promisingly but then descends into a mad jam which is just fine); nonetheless the preceding tracks are sufficiently excellent to ensure the album holds onto a 5-star rating.

Listened to on my Apple AirPods Max. On occasion, Apple Music will give brief descriptions of albums you click on, usually with some commentary peppered in. For ‘Velvet Underground & Nico’, they quote fellow musician Brian Eno in a statement of how the band was not super popular, but was highly inspirational, causing those who did listen at the time to start bands of their own. The description continues about the looseness in feeling from Velvet Underground, how “they didn’t really sound like professionals, but they didn’t really sound like normal people either”, and how that works to make listeners feel like it’s something they could do as well. The reason I spend that paragraph pulling from the Apple Music description is that it summarizes my overall feeling to an absolute T. This is an album that separates itself from the likes of contemporary pop rock explorations into experimentation found from The Rolling Stones or The Beatles. Where their combinations of radio friendliness and earnest creative thinking felt very laden in a technical expertise and talent that feels unachievable by the average joe schmo, The Velvet Underground go full bore into creative expressions, pushing the limits of rock n roll within a graspable, understandable format, which in turn pushed the limiting factors of technical mastery to the background. It doesn’t sound overly improvisational or random, outside perhaps the closing track ‘European Son’, but there is this looseness throughout that really effectively captures feeling over execution. This can be found in the solos in songs like ‘Run Run Run’ that have this kind of jagged, stiff tremolo picking throughout that doesn’t feel nearly as clean cut as something that ‘guitar gods’ of the time would have played, but plays the way a solo needs to play on these tracks—raw and energizing. In several moments, the band falls out of time with each other, and sometimes notes aren’t played exactly as they probably were intended, but it never really feels amateurish, always just feeling honest in effort and in thought. There is also a strong leverage on repetition, with long run times in the tracks, not because there is an absence of creative output, but because it’s utilized to immerse and almost underline what is being played, which in itself takes it’s own talent to achieve—playing the same rhythm over and over without sounding boring. None of this is meant to discount the musical abilities of The Velvet Underground, of course. But this album almost makes me feel like I’m in a garage with my friends, who are just making art for the sake of expression, doing what they can to make stuff that doesn’t just sound good, but is interesting. Between these dives into freaky experimentality like ‘Venus in Furs’ and ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ are more conventional tracks, whether pointed towards typical rock n roll (‘Waiting for my Man’) or this soft and sweet pop (‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’, ‘Sunday Morning’). But it never, ever feels uninspired. Whether it’s within the conventions of the time or not, Velvet Underground push such a monumental creative undercurrent, and it’s really just beautiful, plain and simple. Two of my favorite highlights from this album are ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ and ‘Heroin’, which could not stand more opposed to one another, and perhaps no other duo of songs could perfectly portray what this album has to offer. One is a 7 minute long track that pushes this constant of tension and release while depressingly delivering an ode to self destruction through drug abuse, while the other is just over two minutes long—the shortest track on the album—about true love lifting oneself out of their own judgments and cloud of self-doubt set to breezy and jangly instrumentation. It isn’t rare to hear good music, but it can be exceptionally rare to hear music that you not only connect with, but feels genuinely inspiring, and makes you want to go and make your own music, or be creative in any other way. It can be easy to forget, but the people who make all our favorite music are just that, people—like you and me. This album feels like ‘people’ can make amazing stuff, not just ‘musicians’ who have some intangible, inherent talent that we can only daydream about.

5/1/26. Classic album, first heard it years back and loved it ever since. Don't think other albums I've heard sound like it, with the tambourine rhythms and haunting lyrics, plus interesting instrumentation on each track.

hermoso disco, femme fatale me destruye, nunca lo habia escuchado entero

This is a curious album although a classic and loved by me because of the memories it brings back. A mix of beautiful melodious songs and some drug-addled ramblings. But it's great

Frequently all over the place, but awesome. One of a kind, most of the tracks still sounding amazing. Hard hitting themes, weird and lovely.

This sounds like if you asked a bunch of junkie artists to make a pop album, and they were also really really good at making a pop album.

Amazing. Nothing like it before or since.

interesting. glad i listened to this. i liked this, this was different from my normal tastes. i think i'll listen to this regularly, at least sunday morning.

Shiny Shiny Shiny Boots of Leather

Bagus bat jir lah kane bener

En 1967, le monde était censé porter des fleurs dans les cheveux et chanter l’amour universel sous acide à San Francisco. C’était le règne du psychédélisme coloré, des mélodies sucrées et de l'optimisme béat des hippies qui pensaient que le monde allait changer avec des câlins. Et puis, venus des bas-fonds crasseux de New York, débarquent ces quatre types et cette égérie glaciale. Des types en noir, avec des lunettes de soleil à l’intérieur, qui n’en ont strictement rien à foutre de votre « Summer of Love ». Le Velvet Underground, c’est l’anti-Beatles, c’est le revers de la médaille. C’est ce qui se passe quand les lumières s’éteignent et que la paranoïa commence à gratter aux portes du cerveau. Ce n’est pas un disque, c’est un constat de décès de l’innocence et putain, qu'est-ce que c'est bon. Dès les premières notes de « Sunday Morning », on se fait avoir. On croit à une petite ritournelle innocente, un truc de boîte à musique pour se réveiller doucement. Mais rapidement on sent que c'est le calme avant une tempête de merde. Et de la merde, il y en a car cet album c’est une plongée en apnée dans tout ce que la société polie préférait ignorer à l’époque. L’héroïne, le sadomasochisme, l’aliénation urbaine, les junkies qui attendent leur fix au coin de la rue. Lou Reed n'écrit pas des chansons, il écrit des dépêches de guerre depuis le trottoir. Il ne juge pas, il ne moralise pas, il observe la déchéance avec un détachement qui glace le sang. Et puis, il y a le son. Ce mur de bruit, cette friture constante qui vient vous irriter les tympans. On doit ça à John Cale et à son alto électrique qui grince comme une porte de cimetière qu'on n'a pas huilée depuis un siècle. Le mec a ramené l'avant-garde et le minimalisme de La Monte Young dans le rock n' roll. C’est une agression sonore permanente, un drone qui vous hypnotise jusqu’à ce que vous oubliiez votre propre nom. C’est sale, c’est mal produit, c’est enregistré avec les pieds dans un studio qui tombait en ruine et c’est précisément pour ça que c’est parfait. La perfection technique, c’est pour les groupes de bal ou les virtuoses du dimanche qui s’ennuient. Ici, on est dans l’urgence, dans la crasse, dans le vrai. C'est le disque qui a appris à tout le monde que l'on pouvait faire du génie avec trois accords et une attitude de merde. Parlons de Nico. Elle n'est pas là parce qu'elle sait chanter au sens traditionnel du terme. Elle est là parce qu'elle est une présence. Une déesse teutonne, glaciale, monolithique. Quand elle chante « Femme Fatale » ou « All Tomorrow's Parties », on dirait une statue de marbre qui s'adresse à nous depuis le fond d'un puits. Elle apporte une mélancolie européenne, une distance aristocratique au milieu du chaos new-yorkais. Et que dire de Maureen Tucker ? La batteuse la plus sous-estimée de l'histoire du rock. Elle joue debout, elle ne touche pas aux cymbales. Elle martèle son kit avec un minimalisme tribal qui donne à l’album son rythme cardiaque. C’est lancinant, c’est primitif. C’est la base de tout ce qui deviendra plus tard le post-punk et le rock industriel. Sans elle, le Velvet n'aurait été qu'un groupe de folk un peu bizarre. Avec elle, c'est une machine de guerre. Cet album, c’est le manuel de survie de tous les inadaptés de la Terre. C’est le disque que les critiques ont piétiné à sa sortie avant de se rendre compte, vingt ans plus tard, qu’ils étaient passés à côté de l’essentiel. Vendre 30 000 exemplaires à l'époque, c'était un échec total. Mais comme on le dit souvent, chacun de ces 30 000 acheteurs a monté son propre groupe. C’est le gène originel, c’est l’ADN de tout ce que j'écoute. C'est la racine de tout ce qui gratte, de tout ce qui dérange, de tout ce qui est sincère. Quand j'écoute « Heroin », je ne peux pas m'empêcher d'être fasciné par cette montée en puissance insupportable. Le tempo qui accélère comme un cœur sur le point d'exploser. Le feedback qui devient un cri strident. Et puis, le calme. Le vide. C’est une expérience physique autant que musicale. On a souvent reproché à Andy Warhol d'avoir utilisé le groupe comme un simple accessoire pour sa Factory. Mais sans lui, ce disque n'aurait probablement jamais vu le jour sous cette forme. Il leur a donné la liberté totale d'être les monstres qu'ils voulaient être. Il a mis son nom dessus, il a dessiné cette banane provocante, et il a laissé Lou Reed explorer les tréfonds de l'âme humaine. C’est la rencontre miraculeuse entre l’art contemporain et la rue. Alors, « No comment ». Car qu’est-ce que vous voulez rajouter à ça ? Le Velvet Undergroud c’est un bloc, une pièce d’histoire qui refuse de vieillir. Même aujourd'hui, au milieu des productions lisses et autotunées qui inondent nos oreilles, il sonne toujours comme une menace. Il sonne comme le futur, alors qu'il a soixante ans. C’est le disque qui a tué les années 60 avant même qu'elles ne soient terminées. C’est l'album qui a inventé la notion de « cool ». Pas le cool de façade, pas le cool marketing. Le vrai cool : celui qui consiste à être soi-même, même si soi-même est un bordel noir, bruyant et désespéré. C’est la célébration de l’obscurité comme forme d’art suprême. C’est la preuve que la beauté peut surgir du chaos le plus total. Je ne vais pas vous faire l’affront de vous expliquer chaque piste. Si vous avez des oreilles, vous savez de quoi je parle. Si vous ne l’avez jamais écouté, je me demande bien ce que vous foutez là. Vous passez à côté de la fondation de votre propre discothèque. C’est comme essayer de comprendre la littérature sans avoir lu l’alphabet. Le Velvet Underground & Nico, c’est le moment où le rock a arrêté d’être un divertissement pour ados boutonneux et est devenu un art majeur. Un art sombre, dangereux, imprévisible. Lou Reed est le prophète, John Cale est le bourreau, et nous sommes les victimes consentantes. Evidemment et indiscutablement c'est un 5/5. C’est la note maximale parce qu’il n’existe pas d’échelle pour mesurer l’infini. C’est l’album que j'emporterais dans ma tombe, juste pour être sûr d'avoir quelque chose de décent à écouter de l'autre côté. Voilà, l'article est fini, la banane est pelée, le bruit s'est tu mais l'écho, lui, ne s'arrêtera jamais de résonner dans nos crânes de révoltés. Merci Andy, merci Lou, merci John, merci Moe, merci Sterling. Et merci Nico, là où tu es, pour nous avoir glacé le sang avec tant de grâce. C'est le disque qui m'a tout appris. C'est le disque qui m'a sauvé et perdu en même temps. Et c'est pour ça que je n'ai rien de plus à ajouter. Tout est dit dans le premier accord de « I'm Waiting For The Man », le reste, c’est du remplissage. Le Velvet, c'est la vie en plus moche, donc en plus beau.

i guess this is what taking heroin feels like. fucking amazing for a debut album. Favorite songs: Venus In Furs, Heroin, Black Angel's Death Song, European Son

O álbum da banana! Fomos alguns de nós uma vez a uma loja de música em Lisboa, algures o Intendente e os Anjos (?), e comprei um cd de John Coltrane e este álbum em cd também, para ter no carro em Braga, muitas memórias 😅 Independentemente deste desvio, 5/5 fácil!

Para mim este álbum é a cidade de Nova Iorque no final anos 60/no início do fim da Guerra do Vietname num screenshot. Ninguém representa melhor a counterculture desta atura

Álbum muito interessante. Depois de ler sobre o contexto, consigo ver o porquê de estar nesta lista e ser influente. É relativamente simples mas desconfortável e algo dissonante. 5 é um pouco alto, mas acho que merece o destaque

Great album by a great and influential band. My favorite tracks are Heroin and Venus in Furs.

Een van mijn top 5 albums

Took me a while for actually getting into it. At first I thought it was boring, didn't rly get the hype, just sounded like Andy Warhol hired quirky beatniks making a mock off the music of the time with edgy lyrics and a noisy background. Well, they were kind of mocking the music of the time, and the lyrics are edgy and the experimentation with noise is actually a lot more complex compared to other fuzztones experimented in the 60s. Personally I don't care for the Nico parts. Apart from the fact that she was a crazy racist, the melodic ballads are the weakest point imo. Sunday Morning is kinda pretty and Femme Fatale has some genius lyrics and very bold for the time, but I'll Be Your Mirror is one of the most boring things I ever heard. That screwed off, let's talk about the positive aspects, and one that I particularly love to mention, which is the impact of that album in the history of music: many like to call it the "quintessential proto-punk" which I believe is not a very fair description since it's not exactly what we would expect from a "punk" album (at least that's the impression I had when I listened for the first time) and the term is often better used to describe rawer and faster forms of garage rock n' roll like the Sonics or the peruvian Saicos. If anything, TVU were proto-indie in the most appropriate way possible of using that term (even tho musically speaking punk and indie are often interchangeable on their meanings since the "DIY" and "f* the elites complexity and mainstream conventions" mindset is common for both movements) and it was on the name itself, they were literally the "underground" band (which would basically be a prototype concept of indie). Some would call it pretentious, but that's literally a band sponsored by Andy Warhol so pretentiousness seems to be the intentional commentary here. He wouldn't have put effort on a footprint like that without thinking about the "ahead of its time" impact in the long term. Also, the plantation of intellectual forces: Lou Reed has got to be one of the most important names in the history of rock music, and this is his debut. His passionate attempt on innovating rock n' roll and change its form on his own sarcastic and deadpan style would remain alive through future acts, namely few among Television, Sonic Youth, Strokes etc. (That is without mentioning his impact on the glam and new wave scenes of the 70s along with Bowie and Iggy Pop). Also the guitarist, John Cale, who understood the importance of minimalism in music and that rock n' roll didn't have to be just about catchy hooks and awesome solos, but reverting the formula and focusing on low modal patterns, priorizing ambiance and texture like jazz musicians but with the raw elements of rock and blues, this style, especially present on songs like Heroine (a controversial ballad venting Lou's troubles with drug abuse), Black Angel's Death and European Son would be the textbook of math/post-rock bands like Swans, Albini, Sigur Ros and GY!BE (not to mention the distorted noise parts, which would be the main focus in their 2nd album); even Nico herself would start to engage her career and develop herself through sombre and whimsical, almost gothic style, very influential for the works of future minds like Kate Bush and Björk This is definetely not an album for all to enjoy (and I can expect that some will vehemently express vocal hate for any made up reason to excuse their insecurities). Whatever you like, this is the kind of record that needs to be appreciated with an open mind. I myself did not care at first, but after reflecting on its impact and how it differed from records of the time (also adding the fact that I ignorantly underapreciated non-Beatles 60s music compared to today); not as a "proto-punk" or even a "proto-indie" record, but its original intent when released and how those innovative elements reflect through musical history That said, my favorite songs remain the most punk-inclined garage songs like "Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run" and "There She Goes Again", but I grew a personal love for "Venus in Furs" (whose trippy wall of sound is like a prediction of shoegaze in a way) and "All Tomorrow's Parties" (easily the best Nico song here; she's at her best when focusing on the ethereal aspects)

Great! This is my second listen and it still holds. Solid lyrics, guitars and melodies. Like: Sunday Morning, I'm waiting for my man, Femme Fatale, Venus in Fur,

I absolutely love the velvet underground and although I think there are albums of theirs deserving the hype more than this one it's undeniably a very good album

This is one of those really rare albums where something ground-breaking and innovative also happens to sound really good too. A friend of mine was a big fan of this album and played it relentlessly in the 1980s. I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of Nico's voice initially, but it has grown on me over the years, and it's used relatively sparingly. Heroin is on my top ten songs of all time. But there's not a single track I would skip on the entire album, not even European Son. One of the easiest five stars I'll award on this list.

A classic

This is so hard to rate. The quintessential album where not many people bought a copy when it came out, but everyone who did, started a band. This album is at the core of a lot of music that I love and is a five star on influence alone. Thing is I also just really dig the album. I like the bubbling chaos, the shifting from harmony to dissonance, from vocal harmonies to noisy jams. I love love love Lou Reed’s storytelling. This album is loose and chaotic and incredible.

LINDO ESSE

An absolute classic that is still influencing new bands today. This is one of those records that perhaps isn’t my personal “favorite” in that I’m not going to put it on often, but I still love it and its influence alone makes it worthy of 5 stars. Sunday Morning is infectious. Venus in Fur is mesmerizing. Heroin is probably the best song on the album, even if it kind of scares the shit out of me. In terms of my own personal tastes… the Nico songs are a bit forgettable and I do think it’d be an even better album if it was just The Velvet Underground (although they would of course make another incredible self titled album). Still, the Nico collaboration and Warhol influence made it what it became, and the world is better for it (I think… there are probably too many people that actually tried heroin because of this album).

Probably one of the most influential albums of all time. I heard it said that the album did not sell well when it first came out, but everyone who heard it went on to create a band of their own. There are so many absolute bangers on here. Noise and art and rock and power imagery and nonsense and beauty blended perfectly and splattered out onto the NYC Streets. I fucking love this album.

It’s pretty rare for a legendary album to live up to the hype; it’s already happened a few times here that I’ve been let down by a classic. Not here. I can hear the primordial sounds of everything I love here, and can only assume that all of my favorite artists grew up listening to this. So just in regards to the influence in my tastes this album had, it would already be a 5. Then on its own merits it also earns a five. Creative, varied, brilliant.

Strike dear mistress and cure my heart

Amazing. 10/10

Just loved everything.

Look here now, there's a reason this is a classic

!!!

Banaanalbum

Impeccable.

POV: I didn’t realize this was Lou Reed singing prior to fully diving into this record The most enjoyable Lou Reed project by far. I’ve known of this record forever because all the music snobs and alt girls swear by it, and although it’s not all for me, there’s some sick stuff on here. The run from track 1-4 is awesome, “Heroin” was also a stand out track for me. That track feels like a late night drive reminiscing on life. God the feels. “There she goes again” probably gonna have the most replay value too. I know I can’t stand Lou Reed the singer more times than not but dude is such a good poet.

Instant classic, Nico is one of the best female vocalists, and this record is one of the greatest of all time. This is an indie classic. TV Girl, Mac DeMarco, Wallows, and Paramore all live on the shoulders of this band. It is somber, and such a fun listen. It takes you on a journey, slowly it does not rush itself. Femme Fatale and the simple guitar riff that just drones and goes up and down while Nico's vocals slide on by. The background vocals call, and the response to this is also so, so unique. This was not made knowing it would be a hit, but that is exactly why it is so loved, even today, this feels like an underground album. I feel lucky to have found this, as it is so good.

such a lovely story, i remember i’ve listened it for the first time while studying on the first year of philology. . and maybe hight school.. the voice of nico matched perfectly. it was a peak of the sound discovery for me as a teen.

Hell yeah! I have this on vinyl. Honestly, I think this album is better than Sgt. Pepper. It’s very diverse and experimental, which we would see in the Velvet Underground’s next album, “White Light/White Heat.” My favorites on here are “Sunday Morning,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Venus In Furs,” “Heroin,” “There She Goes Again,” and “European Son.” I also love the dreamy pop songs as well, especially with Nico on vocals, including “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” “Sunday Morning,” and “Femme Fatale.” This is probably the best rock album from the 1960s. I wish was born in the 1940s and lived in New York so that I could see them at the Exploding Plastic Inevitable and grab 3 original copies of the album. Easy 5 out of 5.

ze graet one

fuckin loved this. really needed this vibe today

I don't love every song on this album, but there are many amazing songs that stand-up today, and as so many people already know, Velvet Underground and this album influenced countless numbers of bands and musicians from the moment it came out and continuing until now. It is truly one of the most influential albums ever.

An absolute classic, banger after banger. One of my favourites, accessible yet out there. The drones man! 5 Heard before? Yes Owned: No 60/248 (24%) Will I get: Already have

This is kind of the big one for me. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest, most daring, most singular rock albums of the '60s. The formula here is so simple, but in this simplicity, it finds itself foretelling the arrival of punk in such a unique way. The garage brutality of Iggy Pop and the MC5 gave us one facet of punk. And The Velvet Underground gives us another facet of punk, they lay of the foundation for punk's artsiest tendencies. The Velvets made a fucking *racket* but you don't experience the freeing catharsis of other proto-punk while listening to it. The Velvets were much more interested in making your blood run cold. They know when to quiet down to a beautiful, gossamer sheen on songs like Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow's Parties, and I'll Be Your Mirror. But, even when the music is quiet, it's never comfortable. The minimalism undermines the lushness, the blunt flatness of Lou Reed and Nico is offputting, and their transgressive lyrics are occasionally frightening. The result is paranoid, alienating, and still effective in 2026. And when The Velvets really redline the throttle, it's something just as incredible. As the minutes wear by, hard rocking riffs turn to grinding, caveman pummeling on songs like Run Run Run, European Son, The Black Angel's Death Song, and (sort of) I'm Waiting For The Man. But what really sells these songs is The Velvet Underground's secret weapon: John Cale. John Cale's cello is used, basically, as a noise element. The screaming of that cello is one of the things that makes this album exciting, and truly difficult, even now. Lastly, I'd like to mention that the two absolute greatest songs here are where the two sides of The Velvet Underground connect; on Venus In Furs and Heroin. Both are the most transgressive and exciting moments on the album. Venus In Furs is an ominous, shimmering drone, the lyrics are about BDSM, it was released in 1967. It's an incredible song. Heroin has both a steady pulse, and a monumental build. It collapses into an insane tom part and the loudest cello ever recorded. The lyrics are a detailed, blunt description of shooting up heroin and feeling your heartrate triple. We still don't really write this type of song about drugs. And, I would like to again say, this was released in 1967. It is an incredible song. If this doesn't sound like a good time, it probably won't be to you. I do think this should be in rock canon, but I don't think there should be an expectation that it be universally adored. But regardless, there is something magnificent and utterly unique about this.

What's left to say? The importance is obvious, for every kind of alternative music. Not just the ones you can hear here (which is everything from lo-fi to noise rock) but just opening up the space for every other sort of experimentation. And it's also a joy to listen to, with Heroin still one of the best songs ever

iconic, sehr gut, liebs

Lo conocía pero no lo había escuchado nunca, muy bueno.

Brilliant album, brilliant concept, brilliant songs. Lou wrote such pretty songs as well as the street wise stuff. I missed the Velvets in Europe by two months in 1993. Oof.

beat poetry proto-punk... zo'n heerlijk album. lou reed ik hou van je i would have done tons of cocaine with you and kept you alive forever (kleine twin peaks meme referentie voor de liefhebber) (ik ben de liefhebber). ga allemaal velvet goldmine kijken !!! rippie nico

There is an old quote about this album that goes something along the lines of "it sold 1,000 copies and created 10,000 bands." Which, listening to this album again after several years of picking and choosing from Lou Reed's discography, makes sense. To this day it feels fresh, still as alive as it must have felt when it first released. There isn't another album like this, whose brazen descriptions of the American underculture of the time still resonates today, for better or worse. From the first note of Sunday Morning it transports you back, both because of the mastering of the album (this album demands imperfect and scratchy mastering), and because of the way that Reed and company serenely go from one note to the next. It is fantastic, and maybe flawless. Highlights are Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for My Man, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, and Heroin. But, in reality, its the whole album.

Still sounds revelatory.

One of the most iconic albums in music for a reason

Top banana

Um álbum tão clássico e icônico que chega até a ser chato falar dele. Droga de banana! Recentemente mergulhei mais a fundo no Velvet Underground e descobri que esse é na verdade um dos meus discos menos favoritos deles. Não que eu ache ruim, mas acredito que o grupo tenha produzido outros discos bem melhores que este. A voz de Lou Reed faz muito trabalho pesado na criação da atmosfera dessas canções. Possui aquele som puro, meio sujo, inconfundível da década de 60 que foi tão desesperadamente imitado em anos seguintes. Nico ajuda também, com seu estilo vocal de quem claramente não sabe cantar tão bem, mas que possui um enorme charme. E no final, este é um disco simplesmente ‘cool’, não há mais o que dizer. Ele é desleixado, relaxado, e completamente decomposto. Mas pelos membros da banda serem tão bons, eles conseguem fazer o som pouco requintado ter a sonoridade linda deste disco. E nem entrei ainda nos méritos revolucionários do disco. Em uma década composta de tantos álbuns super-produzidos (obrigado, Beatles!), o approach do Underground é interessante e foi fundação pro futuro do Punk. Uma semente que germinou brilhantemente nas décadas de 70 e 80. Por isso, tenho que agradecer a eles. Ainda prefiro o disco preto e branco ao oposto do disco da banana (Malditos álbuns homônimos), mas esse segue sendo um ótimo e brilhante disco. Essa banda não erra. 5/5

The greatest debut album of all time. The Velvet Underground & Nico (who brought a touch of European mystery to a group of street-smart New Yorkers) would prove impossible to top (they came close!) and influence nearly every band worth lending an ear to for decades to come. Songs about Sadomasochism & Edie Sedgwick (Venus in Furs & Femme Fatale) Nico (I'll Be Your Mirror) Drugs (Heroin) and the dark side of the happening all under a delightfully phallic album cover by the master of ceremonies himself, Andy Warhol. What a ride! Only The Beach Boys and The Beatles would release better albums in the 1960s and no one after that though a few bands came awfully close (The Cure, Joy Division, Television, David Bowie, Sonic Youth, The Dream Syndicate, etc.) released almost 60 years ago, The Velvet Underground & Nico still sounds out of time and timeless, dangerous and beautiful and truly the rare album you should absolutely hear before you die.

This is one of the albums I would have loved to have come across in chronological order because as a 80’s kid who leaned toward alternative music in my teens a lot of the sounds on this record seem like a familiar palette, so it would have been cool to hear how much it differed from the preceding sounds to get a more comprehensive understanding of how influential it was.

One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands.

Dug it! Also suddenly understood some references from other songs after listening to this. "Sunday Morning" "I'm Waiting For The Man" "Femme Fatale" "Venus in Furs" and "Heroin" were faves on here.

One of my favorites, Venus in Furs buys you 5 stars

Este álbum se absorbe por cada poro de tu piel hasta que llega al alma misma para adormecerla y curarla desde adentro

Nico dragged the party down for me. Otherwise a milder version of White Light/White Heat

There would be no alternative rock without this record. Period. The Velvet Underground started life humbly in New York City and weren't really gaining much traction until an eccentric artist by the name of Andy Warhol decided to take a chance on this strange, uncompromising band and have them as the house band for his art exhibitions, and would soon come to manage the band on one condition: they hire this beautiful German model named Christa Päffgen (better known as Nico) to sing with them. The resulting album, 'The Velvet Underground & Nico', is easily one of the most important albums ever released, not only because it dared to experiment and challenge the listener (courtesy of Lou Reed's dark, evocative songwriting), not only because Andy Warhol's striking banana artwork became one of the most famous album sleeves of all time, but because it captured a moment in time where life was tense and rebellious, and the cultural fabric of the United States was beginning to shun the squeaky-clean nuclear family image of the 1950s. The songs on this record go in all sorts of directions, from dreamy, calming numbers ('Sunday Morning', 'Venus In Furs') and raucous rockers ('I'm Waiting For the Man', 'Run Run Run') to cautionary tales ('Heroin') and female empowerment ('Femme Fatale'). Reed and Nico share lead vocals on this record and there's quite the stark contrast between the two. Reed plays the role of the classic uncompromising rocker who doesn't give a f*** what you think of him, he'll just do whatever he feels like, and his gruff, no-nonsense attitude would come to define his entire career, for better or worse. Nico, on the other hand, clearly doesn't have a lot of vocal talent, but Warhol clearly saw something artistic and unique in her, and her haunting, European croon somehow works on this record, especially on 'All Tomorrow's Parties'. The best song on this album is easily 'Heroin', where it's quite hard to tell whether Reed's endorsing or speaking against the drug. Reed was a known heroin addict for many years, but there's no denying it enhanced his creativity, and 'Heroin' rises to such a level that it almost makes you feel like you're on the drug yourself, complete with the uncomfortable come-down courtesy of the dissonant strings (courtesy of electric viola player John Cale) leading the song out. It's both scary and mesmerising. Reed combined with Nico, Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker to make a record that was initially shunned as inconsistent and unlistenable in places, but if it wasn't for 'The Velvet Underground & Nico', so many genres: punk, garage rock, krautrock, post-punk, post-rock, noise rock, shoegaze, gothic rock, art punk, and indie rock: likely wouldn't exist. Best songs: The entire record

Rating: 9/10 Rightfully considered the proto-everything album, because it really does sound like the future of all rock music as we know it through its run of bold experimental tracks. Still hard to beat the strange feelings and reactions this album evokes. Lou Reed is a great songwriter and has excellent pop sensibilities through all the weirdness. He and Nico both make great leading and backing vocals. The droning guitars and piano with the drums all come together with arrangements that somehow work. Like the weirdest garage band ever assembled. My favorites are Sunday Morning, just classic and timeless, Venus In Furs, in which that guitar tone and the viola strings really are haunting, and Heroin, for making such a great poetic tune about the experience of doing hard drugs. It might just verge on a 10 for me because the more I think about it the more I think there’s only one lesser track in my eyes as I listened to it a couple more times again. At the very least I’ll round up to 5

🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

Blown away by the seductive melodic cuts. Album is the perfect representation of the burgeoning community of artists and icons Andy Warhol created with The Factory in New York. Wildly Inspiring.

Brian Eno once pointed out that this album only sold something like 30,000 copies upon its release but that every one of those 30,000 copies started a band. It's really impossible to overstate how influential this album is, especially for a guy like me. We could probably do a list of 1001 albums inspired by the Velvet Underground and Nico and it'd be packed with 5-star bangers from some of the greatest acts in music. I first heard Venus in Furs when I was like 19 and it blew my mind, I had no idea a song could sound like that. It's not exactly the kind of jam you blast in your car, but it's the kinda music that hits the nervous system. John Cale is a musical genius, in case you were wondering. Lou Reed ain't half bad either. His lyrics are equally repulsive and enthralling. I go back and forth between liking and being indifferent about the Nico songs; guess it just depends on my mood. Sterling Morrison and Moe Tucker deserve credit, too. Everyone had something to contribute on this album and I'm glad they all did.

On the dot revolutionary, all the lights flashing on the slot machine, coins pouring out the slot, each one marked with Lou Reed's head. JACKPOT JACKPOT JACKPOT. The pit manager is coming over to you with a big sack to help you out and you can't tell if he's mad at you but you get the sense that whatever you just did was a big deal. New sounds on every listen, Run Run Run really struck me on this one. Not even one of the canonical songs, just a good heron song. But not even the best one on the album! (my pick for that is I'm Waiting for the Man) Venus in Furs is totally legendary, might be top 5 songs of the 1960s. The Dylan influence is all over this album but Reed & company synthesize it and make it their own, something totally distinct and belonging to a separate scene. Favorite Tracks: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting For the Man, Venus in Furs, Heroin, There She Goes Again, European Son

my beatles

🍌

(100/100)

favourites: Sunday Morning, Venus In Furs, Femme Fatale On the fisrst listen I liked it, but I thought I hadn't liked it that much. But then I couldn't get it out of my head. Turns out I do like it. And I do like it that much.

9/10

Masterpiece

I’m in the camp of people who never spent any time with this because of the way others gushed. I thought there was no way it could live up to the hype. I was wrong. I’m glad to finally listen to it and see what I’ve been missing out on. I love it!

An absolutely perfect album. No weak tracks, and some of the greatest songs ever written. Helped to lay the foundations for a lot of music to come

1967 is one of those years that changed rock n roll. Even though this album did not make an immediate splash, the ripples of time have proven that this truly is a classic and influential work of art.

Possibly the most fun 60’s album to listen to (besides some Beatles albums)

The album with the banana on the cover has a reputation for being difficult — even unlistenable to some listeners — but I’ve never really felt that way. Its rough edges, stark arrangements, and unsettling themes are exactly what make it so fascinating. Instead of polishing rock music, the band strips it down and pushes it into darker, stranger territory. In hindsight, it’s easy to hear how influential this record became. The raw directness of 𝗜’𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻, the hypnotic intensity of 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗻, and the eerie atmosphere of 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘀 would later echo through punk and experimental rock alike. What might have sounded alien in 1967 now feels like the blueprint for an entirely different kind of rock music.

There is always money in the banana stand!

awesome. such a cool, weird album

Absolute classico

I loved it. I’m a sucker for art pop. Man, the gritty realness, the darkness, the heroin addiction, the kinky sex, the underground vibe. Such a contrast to the conservativeness of mainstream culture and the spiritual and utopian visions of the hippies. Lou Reed is hypnotic. Nico is weak here as is some of the band but none of that matters - what matters is surrendering to this enthralling crawl through the dark streets and alleys and dungeons with the night people.

Canon

Classico. A banana é muito boa pqp

Clássico

Fantastic. Love this album I

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Masterpiece - Perfect throughout.

Disco surreal, incrível como tudo funciona, e incrível como decada de 60/70 tivemos o auge da criatividade em termos de utilização de novos instrumentos, novas tecnicas, uma busca experimental pelo novo. E nisso tanta coisa extremamente criativa surgia. Maravilhoso disco 4.5/5

Une combinaison parfaite de déchets et de cœur. Et la banane est le symbole ultime de la virilité Donne-moi plus! Plus! PLUS!!!

Firstly, this still sounds amazing. Secondly, I have about five life anecdotes revolving around Venus in Furs & I want to write them down so I won’t forget. J using it as teaching material in Chinese kindergarten, crazy French guy singing it constantly at the office, meeting an actual guy call Severin and just having to say his name twice, Arto’s part. That was about five.

Nice to listen to. Nothing for daily rotation, but would be a nice album to own.

Put on your red pajamas and find out…

I will keep this short since I am writing this on Monday morning and am tired. This is a great debut from a great band. There is a lot to love here, and a lot of influence just from this record alone, that impacted how a lot of artists modeled their own sound. Biggest Hit - Waiting For The Man Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - The Black Angel's Death Song Bonus Hit - Venus In Furs

i think i’ve heard most of these songs before in a different order, because of the VU “Best of” album, or wes anderson, or whatever. and i’ve pretty much always loved them, but somehow, being told to watch them “because a bunch of [British] critics have said you should,” kind of grates on me. i doubt i will really stick with this project, i was kind of curious just to look at the entire list, but not enough to buy the book, and certainly not enough to listen to them all blind, one by one. let me pick, cowards

If you don’t find this album utterly perfect then you shouldn’t be on here

I recall, in the mid-80s, discovering that there was good music beyond what was on the radio. Instead of Whitesnake and Poison, I could listen to R.E.M., The Cure, The Smiths, The Violent Femmes, and many more. There was an alternative to "radio rock". And it was better. Turns out my discovery was almost 20 years late. Alt rock has been around since at least '67, the year this album was released. Listening now, I find this album more compelling than most of what was on the radio back then (not that I was alive then). For reference, here's the top 10 singles from 1967 according to Billboard: “To Sir With Love” — Lulu “The Letter” — The Box Tops “Ode to Billie Joe” — Bobbie Gentry “Windy” — The Association “I’m a Believer” — The Monkees “Light My Fire” — The Doors “Somethin’ Stupid” — Frank & Nancy Sinatra “Happy Together” — The Turtles “Groovin’” — The Young Rascals “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” — Frankie Valli Set against that context, the album’s drone and rawness don’t register as experiments so much as statements. This sounds like artists playing exactly what they mean, unconcerned with polish or hit potential. What draws me in isn’t the strangeness but the sincerity, the feeling that every rough edge belongs, and that sanding any of it down would weaken the music. Even if the music doesn’t connect with you, if you’re inclined to give it two stars on pure enjoyment, it earns two more for its innovation and influence alone. That still puts it at four, at minimum, and honestly that feels conservative. For me, the music does connect, which makes the case simple. 5 stars.

Beautiful debut album from the Velvets. It's abrasive and angry, its subject matter of drug culture and overt sexuality are deliberately provocative, it's an anti-culture classic. My favourite tracks are Venus In Furs and I'm Waiting For The Man. Fantastic album, with more classics yet to come from this band.

I would probably give it five just for Venus in Furs. The mix of 60s pop with avant-garde and experiments manages to work. I particularly enjoyed the guitar this time; so overdriven that it becomes percussive.

Even now, at times this pushes the limit of tolerable discordance. I can’t fathom how mind blowing it must have been on release as it is so varied, experimental, and different from so much likely being released at the time. I still find that my favourite song changes it practically every listen, which to me is indicative of a stellar quality album.

True classic. The first side and a fair bit of the second are unimpeachable classics. European son goes on a bit but I think we can forgive that

ouvi esse pela primeira vez aos 14 anos e só na primeira track eu já sabia que ia mudar a minha vida

9.5/10 - Big fan. I like having Nico on some songs and having Lou on some songs. Interesting topics, sounds, and arrangements. Heroin and I’ll Be Your Mirror are probably my two favorite on the album.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Blends noise, rock, and a softer pop side expertly. I wish Nico was an actual member of the band as she adds something so unique and charming to a harsh album. 10/10

I grew up listening to this album. FFS my parents loved it so much they named me after the chanteuse. It’s been so much part of my musical DNA that it seemed fitting punctuation to be the album of the day when I picked up my other’s ashes. There is nothing I don’t love but it’s an emotional rollercoaster having been the soundtrack to so many life events. The Velvets reunion concert was probably the last concert we went to as a family. Life and emotions ebb and flow but I’ll always have this in my heart

If I were to create a Gregorian calendar for my relationship with the arts, both in appreciating them and creating them, the dividing line would be BH and AH with H being the moment I first heard "Heroin." It was 1987, and a friend showed up having just purchased the 20th anniversary release of this album. I had never heard of The Velvet Underground or Nico. I knew of Andy Warhol and knew of Lou Reed, but only barely. Walk on the Wild Side was probably the only song of his that I could name. I didn't know anything about this album, and I certainly didn't know that it was famous for being a gateway drug to alternative music or that it was a catalyst for so many musicians. I had a pure, black tar experience, completely unadulterated by any preconceived notions. Side one was fantastic. I liked every song I heard, but All Tomorrow's Parties and Venus in Furs sounded like they came from another planet. I just couldn't grasp that this album came out the same year as Sgt. Pepper. And then came Heroin. I must have said "I didn't know you could do that" five or six times while listening to this song. It just seemed to take every songwriting rule that I knew and toss it on top of a heated spoon. After that, I became obsessed with the band. (In the pre-Internet days, this meant putting in some work trying to track down their albums and bootlegs and searching for books and articles.) This was the first music I loved that my parents genuinely couldn't fathom that I liked. I remember my mom hearing "Heroin" and sincerely asking, "You LIKE this?" And yes, for me this was the gateway drug to so many other artists, not just in music, but also in movies and art and everything. I don't ever listen to this one much anymore. I still love it, but it's lost a little of its power over me, and it's even now a little hard to see what wowed me so much. But it's still great, it still sounds like it came from another planet, and I'm still hearing new things. (I never realized how weird the chords are in Venus and Furs!) And I can still picture myself, sitting on the couch, pouring over the album cover, and having my mind blown. I've been searching for that high ever since.

Amazing

Can't say much that hasn't been said about it before. Besides being a trailblazer for every alternative band from later, it is also just a really solid album on it's own. There's a lot of variety and the Velvet Underground show their proficiency in each of these types of songs. Ragging jams switched with soft songs and it all works well together. It sounds dirty and less professional than contemporaries and that's what makes it so unique.

A sound I've really liked over the past year or two. I had a phase some years back where I got really into reading about Andy Warhol and that whole scene. Loved this listen, just a great time.

Overall: 10/10 I'm so glad I waited to listen to this one. I genuinely can't believe this was made in 1967, it feels so experimental, ahead of it's time, almost otherworldly at parts. Music wasn't supposed to be like this at the time, yet here are The Velvet Underground. You could drop this album today and I still think people would go absolutely bonkers over it's sound. I also really love Nico's voice so her songs were an added bonus for me. This is pretty much perfection. Fav Song: Venus in Furs

Now we're talking. Love the spare yet hooky, late 60s/early 70s New York asthetic of this record. Interspersed with dark street poetry, it was ahead of its time when it was made and still sounds great. Sometimes history requires people who don't give a fuck, and Lou Reed had the minerals. It's impact on the culture is still felt today. There are minor criticisms I could make, but overall this is a triumph.

Muy buen disco! Me ha gustado bastante Me quedo con Heroína

Absolutely one the best and certainly most essential of any recordings on this list.

really loved it. listened to it while walking around Lexington in a 62 degree, sunny February day while snow hastily melted. the last song, European Son was a bit tough to get through but still 5 stars

4.5

It is an iconic record. One of the most important and influential pieces of music of all time. Lou Reed at his best. 10/10 [KEEP]

Its classic status and impact on music culture is undeniable, but in my mind I always preferred self-titled or Loaded to this one; or at least thought it was _slightly_ overrated. Mostly because I never really warmed to the Nico tracks. And yet, as I pressed play and one iconic track gave way to another, and then another, and then another...yeah I was wrong. The true greatness of this album to me is that the minor flaws just don't fuckin' matter. It's still perfect.

The Velvet Underground are one of those bands that is simultaneously hyper influential, and somehow not influential enough. All standard histories of rock music point to them as the progenitors of punk rock: instead of singing about peace and love like the hippie bands of the era, they were writing songs about scoring hard drugs, shooting said hard drugs, and sado-masochism. Of course influence and lineage in music is never that straight forward, and it's never a single band as an inception point for an entire style of music, but there is a cultural shift represented with this band. Where I think they were not influential enough is that there's a lot happening musically on this album beyond the social and cultural aspects of it, and for me, I find that by far the most interesting part of it. Lou Reed's guitar tunings, particularly the so-called ostrich tuning where each string on his guitar is tuned to the same note, give a strange and unsettling quality to the guitar work on Venus in Furs and All Tomorrow's Parties. John Cale's violin playing is superb here, the drones produced by them being unlike anything I've heard in any music that has anywhere close to a similar reach as the VU. The punk rock that supposedly descended from this was for the most part much more musically conservative than the Velvet Underground were. They brought the avant-garde properly into rock music, and it would take years and bands like Sonic Youth (via composers like Glenn Branca) who were likewise steeped in the New York art scene to really pick up on the avant-garde aspect of the Velvets. Five stars for me.

One of the absolute albums that defines countless genres. A stonecrops classic for eternity

I'm just a normal guy living a normal life man

não gostei muito, apenas 2 musicas

I always forget how great Venus in Furs is, song of all time tbh

I can’t really find any faults on this one

Love this reed cable Nico some perfect songs

What an album. It’s soft, noisy, catchy, grating. Sunday Morning, I’m Waiting For My Man, All Tomorrow’s Parties, Black Angel Death Song, I mean come on. But Heroin is what puts this on another level. Such a journey. Easy 5.

Classic

Album Review 059 The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground (1967) Rating 5/5 1967 was the “Summer of Love” and the soundtrack was one of peace, love, social change and experimentation. The Velvet Underground’s debut came out in this year and didn’t reflect any of that - this is an album that can be summed up in one word: depravity. The Velvet Underground and Nico lives in a world of addiction, sexual deviancy and paranoia and the music suits the themes perfectly with droning off-key tunings, dissonance and feedback that is occasionally contrasted by a gentler, softer but no-less dark side. Oh, and 1:21 to 1:24 on Run Run Run is possibly the greatest sound ever committed to tape. I first heard this album around 25 years ago and it has been in my top 5 albums of all time ever since that first listen; it’s as perfect and authentic as a rock record can be.

Masterpiece

There is nothing more irritating to a bold iconoclast skewering sacred calves of the outdated conventional wisdom of tired rock criticism than someone who thinks they’re a bold iconoclast skewering sacred calves of the outdated conventional wisdom of tired rock criticism but who is really just an idiot too lazy to engage with a great work of art. I’m that first guy. You are the other guy. Keep “The Velvet Underground & Nico”’s name out of your mouth.

Great album.

First time listening, will definitely listen again

Virkelig fantastisk album! Havde glemt mange af sangene - waiting for the man 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Fantasticccc album

speakin recently of great self-descriptive objects...yk i feel like for just about every important or canon album theres a pretty easy pitch that everyone who cares ab such things could succinctly describe even if they havent heard the album for themselves. but man like what even Is vu&n? what kind of album starts with sunday morning and closes with european son? what kind of album's middle splits the difference between barely-functional garage rock, sweetly beige pop, and some of the highest concept songs of the decade? what kind of album features not one but Two monotone vocalists who capture two completely different Kinds of monotone with their own quirks? i feel like any description of this album almost inevitably devolves into a list of these types of idiosyncrasies, yet somehow the album has always felt like its own cohesive world, taking in all the smoky air it was recorded in and capturing it on wax in a way that feels like it extends far beyond the actual notes. bohemian, urban, whatever, u cant actually understand it through any method other than hearing it yourself. it feels alien from conventions, but not from The World, and very few albums have ever come close to that ratio since. i could listen to all tommorows parties for hours, and maybe i even have in a dissociative haze when i was a teen.

Stone-cold classic, the starting point for so much. Gold standard stuff.

#14/1001 🇺🇸🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🍌 My second 5* rating coming hot off the heels of Surfer Rosa which was of course heavily influenced by the Velvets. I picked this up as one of those albums you had to own in my teenage years and didn't get it instantly but after a few listens it soon became a big favourite. I've had a deeper dive into into the VU and Lou Reed back catalogue in recent years but this album will always stand out. The inclusion of Nico on the record and her ice cold delivery is masterful whilst Lou Reed's lyrics wonderfuly describe the NYC's underbelly. Best tracks: Waiting For The Man, Heroin, Femme Fatale

Pretty good)

4.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-velvet-underground-nico/the-velvet-underground-and-nico/ Bunch of absolute bangers with a few minor misses (can’t enjoy the freaking in European Son and Run Run Run is an earworm, but not a very good one). Bonafide classic and inspiration for probably 90% of artist I listen to.

I can’t believe I hadn’t really listened to this album before, even though I knew about VU, already owned Lou Reed’s albums, and loved the Stooges (I even saw Iggy Pop live), as well as Jack White. It feels like discovering the source after knowing the echoes for years. I absolutely love this album and VU.

Absolutely phenomenal record

Another classic album that I love- listening to it as part off this did make me wonder whether some of the violin is totally necessary… but I can’t deny how good this album is.

Save for the last two songs, everything is still golden. Anyway some works are beyond personal taste.

Legitimately incredible album, deserving of a listen if just for its incredible influence on the development of modern rock and like... every other genre imaginable. Even in isolation, it's a beautiful album with incredible vocals and killer production. Fave: Sunday Morning

excelente una maravilla

Great album great vocals and sound.

The VU & Nico is a stone cold classic. This is probably my 1001st time listening to this album and It has yet to bore me. 10/10.

musicboard

So good, I was sad when it ended

I will forever stand by the idea that clubs should play Heroin, appropriately named as it's delicious screeching drone sounds elicit visions of heaven. Sunday Morning's ethereal reverb, Nico's haunting vocals on Femme Fatale and All Tomorrow's Parties, John Cale's experimentation balancing out Lou Reed's penchant for pop rock on songs like I'm Waiting for The Man, There She Goes Again, and well really throughout the entire album. Ending the album with even more visceral screeching drone sounds and glass breaking with European Son. The album is perfect.

coolest ever

my fav was sunday morning

Loving the textures on this. Nice blend of dreamy, rocking, and oddities. Sunday Morning is my favorite track simply gorgeous

I'm a huge Velvet Underground fan, but I'm not sure I've fully appreciated this album until this very objective listen. An awesome album!

Nana

Very awesome sound of the time. Classic album that sticker with you for a long time. Haunting, playful, and beautiful. I love the dirty guitar, perfectly matched singing, and perfectly complementary bass line. Nico adds just enough to the Velvet Underground here to make a significant difference.

Whoa. Such a good album. I really love Nico’s voice. And it’s cool to know how influential it was. Listening to it now I see why.

נההההדדרדדד מממש ממש יפה

Not gonna lie... this was better than I thought. A lot of the older critical acclaimed stuff doesn't hit with me. This was good, though.

Banger

The best.

Álbum lindo, experiência encantadora, isso aqui foi ouro! Provavelmente vai virar uma das minhas bandas favoritas. Lindo, lindo, lindo.

Very formative album in my youth and probably the most expensive record in my collection.

Classic album.

I loved this album in my teens and I love it now!!

it’s wonderful in every way

Timeless classic. Arty farty in some way but still legendary.

Can their be another album that sounds so good and yet is so experimental. I really like this album. A classic, may it never be forgotten.

I listened to this album a couple of times a few years ago and definitely felt like it was ahead of its time, but didn't enjoy it a ton for what it was. Relistening to it now, it is obviously incredible and pretty much a perfect album.

Album mythique.

J'aime bien l'atmosphère enveloppante et entêtante de cet album, il y a quelque chose de musique répétitive à la Reich qui rentre dedans, comme l'industriel aussi d'ailleurs. Mais ça l'air qu'on peut pas qualifier ça de lo-fi, j'ai consulté notre expert en la matière. Je cherche toujours à savoir c'est quoi du lo-fi, c'est ma quête. Par contre la dernière toune comme sur white light white heat, j'aime moins le bruit distorsionné qui s'éternise inutilement.

Ah ben là le gros classique. Tellement influent. Étrangement mes 2 favorites sur l’album parlent de drogue (Waiting for the man et Heroin). Qu’est-ce que ça dit sur moi?

Having never listened, why was I expecting Metal? This is a sound I like

Kocham VU

AHHHH ÄLSKAR DETTA ALBUMET!!!!! alltså min absoluta favorit nånsinnånsinnånsin🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🍌🍌🍌🍌 alla låtar är inte helttttt perfekta (european son host host) men om man ser albumets helhet märker man hur fantastiskt det är och woww jag älskar det verkligen. ill be your mirror är min personliga favorit för tillfället men det ändras dagligen ska sägas:ppp

A legendary album! Gets 5 stars because I've been getting a lot of butt rock early on here, and by comparison this is one of the first true "essential listening" albums I've had show up in the RNG.

One of the greatest and influential albums ever made. How about that for an opening sentence? What can I say about this which hasn't already been said? It must have pushed at so many boundaries at the time and sounded like nothing else on the planet. It was so far ahead of its time and I am glad this has been in my life for many decades. From the beautiful opener 'Sunday Morning' to the noisy 'Heroin', just perfect.

I love this album. Nico's voice is so unique. The distortion and sounds they utilize are like nothing else. I think this is my favorite of Lou Reed's vocal work.

Classic simple as

Loved this, I knew 1/3 or so of the songs from various compilations I think, always been a Lou Reed fan. Never really liked Nico's vocals though but overall a great 5 star album from me.

Work of art

Gooooodexcellent

This is an immediate 5 stars for me. Venus in Furs, Heroin, Sunday Morning, all of it. Perfect. Imagine getting the bait and switch of the come down of the first few tracks and then descending into the drug hell of side two in 1967.

The very first of its kind, and its kind is something angry, on a myriad of hard-to-pronounce substances, numbed-up in the chaos of urban life A fresh and unique experience in its time, yet still today

Ahead of time

absolute classic. Dark, dirty, grungy underbelly of New York laid bare. Not people I would want to hang out with but great tunes

One of my early Alt Rock faves !

Legendary

A great one. New York alt music scene came into existence through the genius of Lou Reed, Nico and his band. Starts out with a pretty little song Sunday Morning and moves quickly into celebration of alternative lifestyles of the NYC Village scene. Solid from start to finish.

Qué decir. Clásico indiscutible. De los mejores discos de la historia. De mis discos favoritos. Tiene de todo. Inventó 8 géneros. Sunday Morning es un besito en la frente. Heroin me triggereó porque hacía tiempo que no hacía caso a los lyrics. Te quiero Lou Reed y te quiero Nico.

Best Song: Heroin I really enjoy this album. What I don't enjoy are the music gatekeepers who think this is the greatest album of all time and anyone who doesn't consider this album to be the greatest thing to ever happen to music to be unappreciative pleebs. Put your finger to the frame of your glasses and push them up as you say, "well, actually..." and realize I stopped listening. Anyway, I like this better than White Light/White Heat and, even when it's weird, it's good. 5/5.

Wow. The algorithm has not been disappointing lately.

From a certain perspective, I am not the sort of person who should be enamored with this album. I'm drug-free and have never tried heroin. I'm not into S&M. I don't pay for...any of the things being bought or sold on this album. I'm not preoccupied with clowns like Reed apparently is (seriously - check the lyric sheet). So why do I love this album so much? Because it encapsulates *freedom* in the purest artistic sense, because every note of it - the reclaimed Sixties girl-group ones, the folky ones, even the off-tune ones from Nico and the dissonant ones from Cage - testifies to the fundamental truth that *you can do whatever you want*, as long as you do it with your whole chest. And that truth has saved my life, over and over again.

Must have been a very influential album and some great material. Some of it I found a bit ‘ dirgey’ and less melodic than later albums on first listen. On second listen though I’m sold!

Every other 60s rock band (except the Stooges) sound like total squares after you hear this album.

Stone cold classic.

Classic and beyond critical appraisal.

Not sure what more needs to be said about this album. It's not the best album ever, and there are several points that don't sound exactly....good? But that's kind of the whole point. It's dirty, gritty, and maybe the most influential album of all time.

Weird, but good weird. More Revolver or early Dr John than stupid Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa at their most annoying. It's crazy that this albums holds up well 60 years later.

9/10 Iconic album. Becomes a bit of a chore as the cello screeching kicks in, but this album feels like it defined something that still shapes great music to this day.

No notes, I love this one and always have.

Obviously.

I think this one will grow on me more. It is kind of like if Bob Dylan played over Beatles songs. I don’t like the female singer (I think Nico) but besides that I love the first 2 songs and heroin a lot

Love this record.

A bleak, wonderful, new dawn

Lovee nico. Great album from growing up

Reminds me of college. Lovely album only brought down by Nico, but a solid 9/10.

The album that launched a thousand bands. Mostly classic tracks with a couple of skippable ones

An absolute classic. No words needed, just listen.

What can I add that hasn't already been said. This inspired so many great bands, obviously a classic.

Loved this album since I was a teenager. Venus in Furs in particular is very pleasing to my ear.

My 3rd listen this week. Each was different, depending how much attention I give it. There is space in this album to insert yourself - like a Demo tape. So listenably lugubrious, blasé rebellion. Oh the Languorous Indolence of mildly anaesthetised artists, questioning and striving against society so damn hard, which is why the late 60s is so interesting for new and influential music. Listening now it holds up well as alternative, arthouse, atmospheric, and at times propulsive (ironically on Heroin, which rises and falls like something quite different, it might instead be a story arc, or an erotic arc). Lou Reeds voice works for me. And yes, with the distortion and low fi , the whole album has the freshness of a first draft, a demo tape. Its not over-polished. I like sketches & drafts in visual art - the imperfect and yet fully formed lets you project yourself into the artworks and finish it ... Maybe that's why its still sounds approachable 50 years later. And its rating very highly on this list I see, It makes me think of a bunch of films. The 2013 film “Venus in furs” and “Velvet Buzzsaw” (the art world and its inhabitants), the Big Lebowski, and probably there are better examples. A great album of its era. I don't care if its influential or not (some very influential albums are hard to hear ) but it works for me. And if a recognisable cover matters, they hit gold with the banana (which i had no idea actually peeled off. And the quote about everyone who heard the album (in its early days) going out and starting a band - well this unpolished but good album sure makes it sound achievable for nay garage band to put something together and call it on album, so they did something but showing us authentic imperfect and raw is ‘good enough’ and you don't need to be on Elvis and Beach Boys polished act to do really good stuff people enjoy and that stands alone . Bravery in art and allowing imperfection. Maybe that's the lasting influence here. And definitely go see the film Venus in Furs.

When I was in first year uni, a girl I had a crush on (unrequited, sadly) introduced me to the banana album. What a revelation that was! As a result, I played this first VU album constantly -- the noise, the power, the abrasiveness, the lyrics that explored the edges of society. It was properly dangerous rock and roll. I am nearly at the end of this project; this is review 1061, and this is one of the albums I have most been looking forward to reviewing. A quick search shows that I have mentioned the Velvet Underground more than 50 times in my reviews so far. As noted in Lou Reed's obituary in the NY Times, the Velvet Underground "wrought gradual but profound impact on the high-I.Q., low-virtuosity stratum of punk, alternative and underground rock around the world." As Eno said "everyone who bought one [banana album]... started a band". This album is the blueprint for multiple branches of alternative rock. Almost every song here could be seen as the starting point for different sub-genres of rock. They really were patient zero for much of alternative rock. The Velvet Underground, especially this first record, were the ur-text for so much of the music that I loved. I hear something surprising and compelling every time I listen to this record. This record is on my All Time Top Five Albums Ever! list and has been there for 35 years. I still can't quite understand why this album isn't universally acclaimed (I know critics love it, but realistically, most real listeners don't. I'll bet that, even as part of this project, there are plenty of "what is this shit" reviews ) Fifty bazillion stars

The best album ever by a band who can barely play, fronted by a singer who can barely sing. European Son I can leave. Tracks 1-8 sets out the template for every subsequent band who has worn black and sunglasses. Like Bob, other people may actually play these songs better, but these are the originals.

Groundbreaking LP. Took a while but I have appreciation for this music and the influence it had on many artists.

Not first time listening. 5 One of my favorite albums that I can come back to pretty much any time to listen. This album merges the lo-fi and avant garde with pop elements in the songs. This is what separates from the other garage rock in the 60s. The songwriting is also very evocative - you can almost feel the griminess of the scenes depicted in tracks like "I'm Waiting For The Man," and the frenetic whiplash of "Heroin" is affecting. I can see how this album is said to have spawned and influenced countless other bands. It's limited technical musical demonstration and recording quality gives the impression anyone can do this. At the same time, it's clear that the songwriting and attitude are what helps to set the album apart.

interesting <3 Lou

Probably the best debut of all time. Proto-everything, it covers a lot of ground. It has songs that are very calm and comforting and other songs that are scary and horrendous in atmosphere. I don’t think it’s absolutely perfect, but especially for the time it’s still pretty dang groundbreaking. It would’ve been 4.5 Stars if I could, but 5 will be okay :)

Loved!!!

A classic

I have a feeling that the Velvets will join Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac under my "controversial artists" because this album is a 5 star classic and I've never really ever connected with the rest of their stuff. We'll see.

Great songwriting combined with uncompromising experimentalism make one of the greatest albums of all time

Feels like its recorded in like a junkie apartment, yet many iconic songs in there. I mean some of the drums are totally off beat but like hippie jam circle. I guess thats good everything is a bit human and real. Seems like he kind of speaks his mind a lot, which is great, more brain flow. The totally over the top distortion noise is great as well with the guitar on heroin. It sounds like they are doing nos in the background of one song.

Wow What a classic. This album is ridiculously good. And once you get it, you can't go back. It's just another world. From the stunning beauty of Sunday Morning, to the addictive blues of My Man. Nico's enchanted voice on femme fatal and the black magic of Venus in Furs. Love Lou's singing on it, with John's viola. Wow. Run run run features some of the nastiest guitars on tape. A massive garage sound. All Tomorrow's Parties with Nico singing again, is majestic and otherworldly with the piano vamp and eastern guitar. One of the best songs ever. Another one quit incredible comes next- Heroin. Man, just listen to it. I think this is the birth of the Lou Reed we know and love. The lyrics, the attitude, the band dinemics, and the viola that kills my soul. In the best way possible. There she goes lightens the mood in a breezy super cool tune the backing vocals and guitar tone sounds like a crappy version of the beach boys, you gotta love it. Like all Nico's songs here, I'll be your mirror is incredible and dreamy. This album is unbelievable. The Black Angel's Death Song is heartwarming. Kind of Dylanesque but unique. The closing European Son captures the jammy and free essence of The Velvet Underground. It's a 7 minute long trans and it's beautiful. I think you get it It's a 5 A 10/10 And I'm so happy I had the experience of listening to it as a teenager

Exceptional album.

The perfect balance of light and dark. Just a beautifully curated album in the strangest of times.

SEX

Classic

Amazing

This album is so charming that even when it descends into noise or clumsiness it’s great. Beautiful, weird, profane. Influential? Sure but it’s not great because it started an art rock movement, it’s just great. I could spend a lot of time complaining about its flaws like the unnecessary distortion and pointless jams but I get more delight from listening to this album than just about any other I’ve ever heard.

This is an album with diverse flavors and textures. And although you can guess the decade when it was recorded just by how it sounds, it also sounds pretty timeless. I listened to it many times, back-to-back, and it feels like a shame to listen to only a song at a time.

no need to hear this masterpiece again

It doesn’t mind when it is that the thought occurred. It doesn’t care how many times you’ve sneered at it. It doesn’t preoccupy itself with worrying how much making up for lost time you can do. This album waits for you; it’s the tracks, not the train. Put briefly: nothing that’s worth waking up for today would have come into being without this record existing first.

Not totally my favorite, but very happy for an excuse to listen to it.

Easy 5 star!!

A lovely 4. Because of Lou Reed. Perhaps a 5. Because of There She Goes Again.

A groundbreaking blend of art rock, proto-punk, and experimental noise that paved the way for countless alternative and politically charged artists. The Velvet Underground & Nico reshaped what rock music could be raw, confrontational, and unapologetically weird. The iconic Andy Warhol banana cover is as legendary as the music itself. I can’t give it a perfect score because of tracks like “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” which just grates on me. Still, it’s an undeniable classic. 9/10.

In every sense of the word, this album is a complete masterpiece. It's what made people take underground avant garde music seriously, and its influence can still be felt in what's being released today.

One of the greatest albums ever made

While not my favorite VU album, it is still one of the best of a generation. So many songs on this recording that inspired so many artists that followed. A dark but lively album.

I love this album so much. Lou reed and Nico’s voices compliment each other so well. There is not a single song on this album that I don’t thoroughly enjoy or find interesting. I love the bass on a ton of these, especially I’m waiting for the man and European son. I also loveee the general atmosphere on Venus in furs and heroin. Fav songs: Sunday morning, femme fatale, heroin, I’ll be your mirror (couldn’t really choose lol).

This album is the reason for this list! Almost 60 years old, and one can see how it influenced many other bands. Best album I've heard so far!

Classic and brings up memories of high school Sunday Morning - one of my all time VU songs Waiting for my man - classic Femme fatale - Nico’s voice is just beautiful Venus in Furs - shiny boots of leather!!! Run run run - never one of my favorites All Tomorrows parties - another VU fave Heroin - such a ride, every time There she goes - mostly forgettable IMO Trails off after this…

Listening to The Velvet Underground & Nico for the first time in college made me feel cool. Sadly, that feeling has worn off. However, this is neck and neck with Loaded as my favorite album by The Velvet Underground.

I used to work with a guy whose mom was Mo Tucker's childhood friend. I once went to the coworker's mom's house and had a fan girl-by-association moment, so and she showed me her collection of all the things she saved from her years hanging out with Mo. Meanwhile, my coworker just kept complaining about how much he hated the Velvet Underground while the mom and I rocked out to this album.

10/10

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I don't even know why I like this. This album feels like it should be so not up my alley, but it somehow works incredibly well. The production is extremely overblown and sounds dated, but I think it also works somehow? It’s primarily a vocal-focused record, and although I don’t usually care about lyrics and vocals, it’s one of the biggest things that make this album great. I don’t know how they made the writing so satisfying—and consistently too. I can’t remember a single example of another album outside rap achieving something like this. I believe I’d only listened to this record once before, but I still remembered every song well. Every song is a banger, uniquely and memorable. This goes completely against everything that makes me enjoy an album, yet it is so incredibly engaging. 9/10