The Velvet Underground & Nico

I mean, this is the album of all albums, right? Like, this is what kicked off most things that I truly enjoy about modern rock music. I can listen to this endlessly.

An influential classic. I haven't listened to this in many years and only really remembered Heroin, but as an album the whole thing is still pretty compelling.

Just great.

Highly influential to most alternative music. Way ahead of its time.

A unique and standout musical relic for so many incredible reasons. Every time I see this album art I’m cast back to the awe I experienced when I first listened to the album. It made me realise all that time ago that music didn’t have to be pristine and perfect in order to be worth all of your attention. And this albums means a hell of a lot to me now as a result.

Masterpiece

Easy 5 lol, but in all seriousness I don't even need to think hard about this, an album which kept growing on me over the years and acted as a catalyst to seek out more similar alternative and experimental music. A timeless classic and super influential one at that.

I love this album so much. Its really something special to me and I dont even know why. Its truly one of a kind.

yeah i guess this is a classic for a reason lol

I think I got this from Columbia House in the early 90s? Because I was cool, I had heard about this album and when I finally heard it, it did not disappoint.

What is there to say about this record that hasn't been said already. It's truly a masterpiece in both music and pop culture

Self titled and unloaded are a million times better

Ugly and pretty pop meets narcotic drone art. Well crafted hooks meet unhinged noise. So easy to forget just how weird this record is, given that it is canonized to high hell, and I have listened to it a million times. Astounding.

10/10 My favorite albums of all time. Every track is timeless. No notes

9/10 Favorites: Sunday Morning Femme Fatale I’ll Be Your Mirror

As good as heroin!

Oh, geez. What do I say that hasn’t been said? How many copies have I owned? How many bands did it launch? Probably a top 10 record.

Already listened to it, arguably one of the most important rock albums of its time, with a very prominent message within about drug addiction. Almost psychedelic in sound and nature, and very ahead of its time, a 10/10 in my eyes.

like i think i have to give this a 10/10?? because 1: i think all the songs sound good and some of these songs are genuinely like amazing and 2: how they fuck were they doing that in 1967!!!!! bro what the fuck!!!!!! some of these parts are insane, like if heroin or european son came out today it would still be experimental and the fact that they were doing this in 1967 is wild

One of the best albums of the 60s, perfectly encapsulates psychedelic rock.

So very seminal. Again, the Savage book is great context.

I find the back half more enjoyable to listen to, but the album overall still feels like a revelation almost 40 years after it's debut

First full listen. I was afraid of this album as a kid. Love it as a 60 year old adult. So smart, honest, daring. And good!

One of the finest examples of an album that changed music. This challenges the assumption that you need to be a musician to make music. Through their short existence they became musicians though, but this shows raw, unfiltered Songwriting experimentation at its best

Rating: 10/10 One of the greatest albums of all time. So experimental, creative, and groundbreaking, this sounds like nothing that came before or after it. A truly unique album that is perfect besides the last two songs. A timeless classic.

Okay, admittedly I'm not the biggest fan of Lou Reed prior to this, but I also don't know much about him and his music. I'm more than willing to dive deeper here on a band I don't know much about but seems to have had a massive influence on artists I love. First listen, I love the early melodies! The opening tune Sunny Morning very reminiscent and foreshadowy of the hit to come, Femme Fatale. Having previously heard the REM cover of this song, and the later song on the album, There She Goes Again, it feels important to circle the square and listen to the originals. Certainly makes me want to revisit Dead Letter Office and relisten after this. Later night listen, this truly is one of the top 10 albums of all time. Had a great talk with a friend about this. Listened again tonight. It's astounding. Indescribable. Listened to the album in entirety about 15 times this weekend. What a discovery for me, my first big one through this project. Very thankful.

It's that good

There are many people who claim they bought or listened to this album when it first came out, which of course is untrue. The Velvet Underground was nowhere to be found on the radio when these early records came out, but it was the release of Waiting for the Man and Heroin along with Walk on the Wild side on mainstream radio in the early 70’s that brought the band or Lou Reed to people’s attention. This is a landmark album of which so much has been said that I have nothing to offer. Classic.

5 stars.

amo

Nice

Veel killer, weinig filler! Echt veel topnummers, waardoor de soms iets te lange experimentele stukken wat luisterbaarder blijven. Wat goed is, is ook echt goed!

Classic

A really schizophrenic album - from the noise of European Son to the icy pop of Mirror, this veers everywhere, and I love it. I have heard Waiting so many times (& in so many versions) I'd be happy never to hear it again. But the equally sharp Run Run Run is a highlight here. So much to enjoy, and so many moods. The only slight hesitation is the wish that they had the technology to capture or reproduce more bass at that time. The sound is a little thin in places, especially compared to White Light, but most of these tracks warrant 5 stars on their own.

Just perfect. Fuzzy, beautiful, fucked up.

Great way to start thisnjourny

I have since discovered that I am not a huge Lou Reed fan, but his work on VU with John Cale is awesome, especially this album. I also learned that I am not a Nico fan, but on this album her vocal inclusion adds texture to this album. Her song, Femme Fatale, is a perfect Cure the Hangover, or just a quiet Sunday morning after listening to Heroin on repeat for hours. What I always liked about this album the contrasts of emotion, from the light start of Sunday Morning, to the curiously honest Waiting for My Man in which the character openly talks about his drug dealer, to Venus in Furs, and Run Run Run. Listening to “Heroin” is like taking heroine without the lingering effects, costs or addiction. Even the Black Angel’s Death Song feels like the tail end of a drug binge. This album is definitely not for everyone, but it is definitely for me!

Random thoughts: * This has been one of my favorites for at least 20 years now. Can't remember when exactly I "discovered" the Velvet Underground but it was based on a list like this. Probably one of those Rolling Stone magazines with the 500 greatest albums of all time. * There is no doubt this was an influential album as it's impacts are still reverberating today. You can hear this in many indie and alternative bands now. * I always found it weird that the very first album by the Velvet Underground was a collaborative effort that never happened again. That is just kinda strange. But Velvet Underground and Nico just work better together. * The Andy Warhol impact is cool and punctuates the impact of this band on the overall culture. * I'm Waiting for the Man is the best track hands down! I still bob my head every time I hear this song. Makes me want to go hangout at the corner of Lexington and 125. * The rest of the songs are pretty great too just not as great as Waiting for the Man. However, I can do without European Son. Always kind of a sour note to end the album. * This is a certified classic. Hands down for both listening and influence.

Brilliant album! We're back in my wheelhouse with the music of this era.

Den lægger hårdt ud med to klassikere. Hele albummet er en blanding af catchy melodier og eksperimenterende kompositioner.

I don't care how much of a hipster it makes me. This isn't an album it's a sacred text. 6 stars.

!!!!!

No. This is definitely not a t-shirt brand.

Oh this is such an amazing album. I've always thought that it was a bit dated, and I see it less relevant nowadays than other of the 60s/70s (e.g. Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Led Zep, etc.). I know that it was revolutionary in its moment and that is a cornerstone for those born in the 50s like my dad. But somehow, it feels like for younger generations it is a bit less impactful than for theirs. That said, when listening to it again, I can clearly see that this is a masterpiece. With its subtle, yet frightening approach, one can nothing but feel the chills when thinking about these pack of weirdos shooting heroin on stage and complaining about the city. Talking about influences, that minimalism in some songs (e.g. using just guitar, no bass) also reminds me of a preceding version of Jesus and Mary Chain's Supercandy. These kinds of examples prove (me) that this is not another rock album of its era like Rolling Stones', but something more dangerous and disturbing, and I can now understand what my dad's generation felt about this. Or maybe not, as they had no idea or english, etc. Who knows.

I don't remember listening to this album all the way through but for sure we would have turned off the final track before it had finished. I guess I know a lot of these songs pretty well and the majority of the album is great. I imagine that I'd enjoy the descent from waking up to being completely wasted on heroin, which seems to be how the album tracks, more if was a junkie - but I'm not. Despite that it is still a dangerously beautiful homage to drug addiction. 5/5

Este álbum é um clássico e só tem um pequeno defeito em 2 músicas que eu acho que torna ali uma parte do álbum mais monótono, mas é todo ele genial e super consistente. Abrir com o Sunday Morning e fechar com o European Son é incrível!

A bunch of hipster who couldn’t play their instruments properly

gut

Fucking incredible

i <3 lou reed and the velvet underground

Famous quote says: the album only sold 10,000 copies when released, and every person who bought one started a band.

One of the greatest albums of all time. It still sounds fresh and innovative 56 years after it was recorded.

Delicate in parts then full frenetic expressions, the vocals are mesmerizing and the instrumentation captures a wild feeling.

Fucking love. Absolutely must listen before you die

Kommentarer överflödiga. Herregud vilken jävla platta! 5 av 5 rakt igenom (utom sista två spåren). Den är så rå så att det nästan gör ont. Fullständigt brutal platta!

Need to listen to fully again, but undoubtedly great album

A shimmering work of incadescent genius. Listened to it three times straight. I'm like 99% sure I'd find every single one of them absolutely insufferable (and would want to fight Lou reed within about two minutes), but this is the best of the best and the top of the tops.

absolute musical masterpiece 💞

i’ll be your mirrorrrrrrr

Somehow sounds both old and modern

This is one of the greatest. I honestly feel that 100% of my friends all have this album in one way or another.

One of the true sounds of the future. Whether they truly knew it or not, whether anybody wanted it to be or not. It just is. Gentle beauty and brazen cacophony dwell together on this album and within this group of musicians more effectively than almost anything.

First time listener it’s great

Few albums are more iconic than The Velvet Underground & Nico. The myth and lore that surround it certainly influence the listening experience but can also be a bit of a distraction from the music. I tried my hardest to listen to this as if it was the first time hearing it and what I found this time around still held up to the high expectations. There is a raw emotive intensity with the album that draws you in. I find it almost uncomfortable to listen to in bits (the drone of Heroin, Run Run Run) but then it balances itself out with the subtle and poetic songs (I'll be Your Mirror, Sunday Morning). In some ways this album is intimidating and you genuinely have to be ready for it and up for the journey to listen to it - but taking the time to do that I'm still blown away that something so simple can have such a strong effect. I don't know if I "like it" the same way I might enjoy a classic album from the Beatles or Zeppelin... But I do think this album is undeniably one of the best in terms of impact and pure artistic merit.

This is yet another incredibly influential and incredibly divisive albums that's full of droning, dissonant and atonal noise, and feedback. It won't be for everyone, but I absolutely love it! I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs, Heroine and the Black Angel's Death Song are huge highlights for me. Heroine is honestly a perfectly crafted song.

[PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED] - this album would be considered avante-garde today, let alone in the 60s. Unsettling juxtaposition of the musical elements with the lyrical albums that has a wide range of sonic influences from folk to soft rock. Unbelievably creative.

One of the Best

I expected to hate this because I found their second album unlistenable. But this is something else. Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale are pretty and understated, featuring Nico on vocals. Venus In Furs drones on with Eastern sounds and a martial drum beat, evoking post rock before anyone dreamed of calling it that. Except for the solo, Run Run Run could be the blues, distilled, taken apart and put back together a little askew. Nico's voice returns for All Tomorrow's Parties, giving it a sense of grandeur. Heroin then brings back the drone. It's a slow burn, Lou's sung-spoken vocals somehow working with the music. The dissonance increases in the second half, but its ugliness only emphasizes the beauty elsewhere. Nico again steals the show on I'll Be Your Mirror, a fleeting moment of lucidity before the last two tracks take the deconstruction to a new level. It's a gradual descent into distortion and noise. I struggle to describe it, but I finally GET this.

I played through this one twice. I had recently heard of the velvet underground, but hadn’t gotten around to listening to their stuff yet until now. At first, while I did like a few of the songs on this album and was intrigued by some of the very direct lyrics, but I didn’t quite get how this was such an influential album. On second listen through it clicked a little more. I was fascinated the distorted sounds and interesting droning yet simple repetitive hooks. Heroin made me feel like I was along for the ride with the chaotic escalating rhythms and poignant lyrics. But at the same time there are the beautiful smooth melodies of Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale. Further when considering the other music being made at the time I recognize how far ahead of their time they were and the lasting effect that they had on the future of alternative/indie/punk/grunge rock, which are definitely my go to genre(s).

Klassikernas klassiker. Med rätta. Inspelningsljudet kunde ha varit bättre, även med 1967 års mått, men det är verkligen en randanmärkning.

Ok so you need this to get to so many after. They wrote the playbook. Without them, no Clash, Television, Pavement, Sonic Youth, or any other descendants. I really liked this.

This is so ingrained in me, such a product of it's time but also a harbinger of things to come. So much variety between tracks. Didn't always care for the noise rock elements but they practically invented it so... Anyway it's a vibe and I wish I'd had some herbal refreshment beforehand

Favorites: I'm Waiting For The Man, Femme Fatale, Heroin It's a classic rock record for a reason. TVU (and Nico... and Andy Warhol to some extent) pushed the boundaries of music as a whole to create some of the most memorable songs you'll ever hear. It's one of my favorite records of all time for a good reason. Varied and innovative.

Classic

My favorite thing about this band is how they play their instruments like they are broken. Waiting for My Man is one of my all time favorite songs. I'm in love with that pounding piano. Run Run Run has a great tempo and live feeling similar to White Light White Heat (my other favorite VU album). Heroin does not glorify drugs. Lou is giving a very personal and matter of fact account about how heroin feels to him and that song has always scared the shit out of me and made me NOT want to do heroin. Black Angel Death song is pure poetry. Venus in Furs... yes! The only song on here that I don't especially like is European Son. They draw out the jam too long. My favorite Nico songs are I'll Be Your Mirror and Femme Fatale.

We all know it’s influential and that everyone who bought it in 1967 formed their own band, yada yada yada, so I'll just say that the thing that most surprised me about this album the first time I heard it is how pretty some of the tracks are. I'll Be Your Mirror is so genuinely lovely, even Nico softens her imperious honking.

I’m a teenager at the record store again whenever I hear this album.

Off the cuff remark: so many songs which seem simple and which manage to be captivating inspite of Nicos irritating pronounciations and are lodged firmly in brain. All the New York art stories aside (which I am aware of but don't really know) it is a great album Standout track: to pick just one? Sunday Morning, today, might be different tomorrow Revisit?: I do, and I will.

Great album

5 I will not mention the famous name attached to it. I will not because the album transcends that. It is a schizophrenic dark brooding album, especially with Nico's cold beauty. However, there is a warmth at the center that buzzes out in the melodies you feel in the moments In-between craving junk, attention, and a better coterie. In Velvet terms, it may not be love (just yet,) but the primitive strum and bang are earthly desires that bash out the four-letter word in some kinda Morse Code.

This album is incredible. The original alternative rock, zero fucks given.

Didn't need to listen to this again to know that it's a classic, but did anyway. Even if it weren't for the retrospective evaluation of its influence, the album is great; mixing the whimsical and melodic Nico-led songs with Reed's baritone vocals and lyrics that delve into subjects that even now feel unsettling and seedy at times. The guitar work from John Cale is great too, he really makes that instrument scream, sing and wail without being excessively flashy. Considering then the legacy it had in laying the foundations for lots of alt-rock and punk bands for decades to come, plus the iconic cover art, it's an easy 5*.

Listented to this maybe 4 times in the last two days and have a lot of thoughts. I'm spending too much time on this... Where I've landed is this is cool as hell. Many bands try to develop mystique and Velvet Undergound, no doubt with some intention, did it effortlessly. The world they bring you into with this album is unlike any other. Lou Reed and Nico carry the day here - coming off as cool and weird as ever. They deliver on being the seedy underbelly of all the flower power movement at the time and I'm sure was refreshing, and maybe distrurbing, to many. Reading up on this one I did not know the Warhol was the actual Band Manager. I also had not heard of the Plastic Exploding Inevitable (a multi-media experience with Warhol movies and the Velvet Underground etc.) which sounds awesome. I like all the tracks, or at least aspects of them, but this time I'll Be Your Mirror stood out. I've always loved Nico and I don't know why. I think its because she seems so out of place, but happy with that? Very nice sounding voice too. Listening through the first time I thought the premise was she was singing this to a dirtbag and showing them what a piece of shit they are. Second time through I realized thats not what it is, but i like that version better. Black Angel Death Song might be my only hang up. IMO its a Dylan rip off and doesn't make sense. Lou Reed is great. I want to know more about Warhol and this Plastic Exploding business. Gotta to back and compare to the first VU we got.

"I'm Waiting for the Man" might be the most audacious and brash American rock song ever written, given the context of the time. Were it simply about going to Harlem to buy heroin (as the lyrics imply), it would already be more transgressive than 90% of songs of the era. But Lou Reed has an almost genius level talent for being shocking, and so also makes sure the song's lyrics could also be interpreted as being about a white boy going to Harlem to get (presumably) buttfucked by a black male prostitute. You can argue the wisdom and taste of making a song like this, but you can't say its not interesting. This antagonistic, maverick spirit animates the whole album (a song about loving Heroin and another about BDSM, Venus in Furs, carry this theme forward for example) but other parts of the album temper the darkness with surprisingly lucid touches of tenderness, self-awareness (Sunday Morning, All Tomorrow's Parties) and even optimism (I'll be Your Mirror). These tones might sound like they contrast, but they don't really - they inform, enhance and even complete each other. The music itself also contains these same strange dualities, being at times melodic, almost childlike, and other times going off the rails into pure anarchic madness. Again, it's the unusual combo of these elements and makes the final result so compelling and clearly one of the most influential rock albums ever made. Clearly I've put too much thought into this, as I've probably listened to this album more than any other, especially between ages of 16-19, when I would have said this was my favorite album. The Velvet Underground's music creates a world of grit and grime and madness that is particularly compelling to a certain type of suburban white boy. Given how much I loved this album that is largely about heroin, It's a miracle I never got into heroin like so many other kids from Sean and I's town. I guess pretty early on I thought - if this drug is fucking up an unhinged, deranged maniac like Lou Reed, what would it do to me?

Another album where every unique opinion has been made and theres nothing else to do except make an effort to give it a complete play And somehow this one still sounds fresh😎 The rough production/recording on each song with the super mature themes are master works of art. I genuinely find them to get me dancing or suck me completely into a story European Son is the only track that pushed the avant guard a little too far and its an odd artifact of aged avant guard that didnt ever become the guard. The other 10 tracks are fantastic Loved Run Run Run and Ill Be Your Mirror this time through

I don't understand people who claim not to "get" this album but who give five star reviews to albums that would not exist without it.

Great album. Probably VU’s best, certainly their most consistent.

One of the bulwarks of modern music.

Every song on this is incredible. Heroin is the clear standout for me. Right now, it's one of my all time favorites

Influential

Excellent LP

I'll always remember driving alone in the middle of the night in my 20's hearing 'Heroin' on the radio for the first time. I was blown away by it then, and this album still delivers chills. I've grown to love Nico's strange, kind of flat vocals over time, alongside the grimy rock and roll genius of Lou Reed and the band. No bad tracks for me.

Masterpiece

This is #day323 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… not even sure what else there is to say about this album that hasn't already been said. It's an essential piece of art rock history. What I particularly like about it is how it sits at the crossroads of art forms at the end of the '60s: photo, film, poetry, performance. "Found music" begs the description. It also feels detached from the psychedelic rock scene of the era, because there's goth, there's punk, there's a lot of everything in between. This album was probably too avant-garde for its time. But maybe it wasn't made for its time at all. Just listen to what John Cale does to that electric viola on, say, "Heroin"... it's like he's exorcising the instrument. My favorites have to be "Venus in Furs," the aforementioned "Heroin," "All Tomorrow's Parties," and, I guess, "European Son." This is a 5 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day324.

Absolutely groundbreaking album, it's a testament to the ideas of Lou Reed and co. that this album still feels exciting and different listening to it almost 60 years later. Sunday Morning is one of my favourite openers of all time, maybe the earliest example of a dream pop song there is. Despite the harsh feedback and the out there lyrics, the album is has a fair amount of love songs and introspective moments.

One of my favourite albums ever. Grasps your attention. Never lets you rest but changes from song to song rather than within songs. Don't understand why Sunday Morning has three times as many pays as all the other songs. Waiting For The Man is awesome. All Tomorrows Parties and Venus In Furs sound like no other songs before or since.

I love this, just cooler than cool. Venus in furs is still striking and how ahead of its time this album was can’t be understated

great!

Lifechanging!

Listened to before: Yes I've still got 991 Albums in front of me. But I would be very surprised if this were not in my top 5 at the end. Every praise you hear about this album is true.

This is the definite VU album. Loved every minute. Venus in Furs is incredible and it’s insane that these songs were made in 67 amongst the beatles and beach boys. I’ll always cherish the memory of hearing heroine randomly playing at a Warhol popup museum when i was in Croatia. Easily a 5 star

What an absolutely fantastic album. I've been pretty familiar with about half of the album for a long time now, but it had been ages since I listened to the whole thing start-to-finish. So glad to come back to this one, because the songs I had overlooked previously really stood out this time. What a treat! Fun lil side story: Back in 2005-2009 a few buddies & I had a campus radio show (called Happy Time, named after the Daniel Johnston song which was also the show's theme song). I also worked a full-time job, and one night during night shift when my buddies were manning the booth they played Heroin. My co-workers and I were listening to the show and one particularly grumpy co-worker decided to phone in to complain about Heroin's raucus, dissonant violin ending. He expressed with great contempt over the phone to my buddy in the booth that "it just sounds like a broken violin!". The response he received? "You're a broken violin!" And you know what? In a metaphorical sense, he kind of was.

I have always and will always love this album. It’s a perfect distillation of the Velvet Underground sound and experience, to me.

Great debut that didn't sell and was generally ignored by the critics. It was well ahead of it's time and was incredibly influential. I read today that it only sold 30k copies in it's first 5 years but all 30 thousand people that bought it started their own band😄. Also Sue asked me if the guy's guitar was broke so even though Loaded is my favorite VU album I'm giving it 5 stars based on that 🤣

An absolut classic. Nico’s voice takes me to beautiful places.

Really have already heard a lot of these songs, but haven't listened deeply to The Velvet Underground since I was a teen, so this was fun to go back to.

Has always been in my top 20!!

It doesn’t get much better than this. Nicolette listened with me and did NOT like heroin. Which is fair for a baby.

5 Stars (14/15)

Everything has been said that can be said. I have nothing new. Just listen to it. Its a classic for a reason

Fantastic, have had this album for years now and it's so good.

A classic album that encapsulates the emerging counterculture scene of New York in the mid 60's. Lou Reed's singing style might not be for everybody, but the weird off-kilter flavor of punk on this album holds up for me. That said, it's definitely not an album I'd recommend to everybody. If you enjoy smoking "on occasion", have ever participated in an orgy, or have 3 or more cats, this album is probably for you. On the other hand, if you decided to live in an HOA, drink light beer, or golf regularly, you may want to pass on this album and go fire up some Zac Brown Band or something.

All of the cool bands you like were inspired by this record.

🍌

Absolute top tier LES pre punk or whatever. In my top 5 most played albums probably.

The rosetta stone of albums that have spawned and influnced hundereds of bands

Brian Eno wasn't wrong about this...

10

Hard to understand how influential to the development on alternative rock (and other genres) Velvet underground has been. Would there even have been Bowie as we know him without Lou Reed and Velvet's? I can hear so many of my favourite 70's, 80's and 90's favourite bands influenced by this. The song structures are quite basic, but the song topics and the band sound are quite rough for it's time, and maybe even for this time. Timeless stuff!

This is as essential to my musical diet as the banana is to my daily diet lol.

What I forgot about this album is just how experimental it is. European Son is near 7 minutes of noise.Heroin starts structured and then falls apart. Even Run Run Run - a stable rock single - is punctured by the lyrics of drug related death “Seasick Sarah, had a golden nose … when she turned blue, all the angels screamed” Tracks - I’ll be your mirror , I’m Waiting For My Man and There She Goes Again all follow a more conventional pop rock style. The vocals of Nico also provide great contrast to Lou Reed. I can both see why this is a seminal release, and why it wasn’t huge in its own era. This is drug counter culture 101. Both a great album, and madly ahead of its time. Noise rock, pop rock and ambient experimentalism all on one record.

It's hard to rate since I used to own this album and it reminds me of other times. Trying to listen objectively... Reed intones, the sounds are chunky and off kilter, the lyrics darkly realistic. Yep, still good. 4.5 rounded up.

great

Super classic. The band that proved that anyone could make an amazing band and not in demeaning way but just showing you didn't need to be a classically trained player or have the best equipment to make groundbreaking music.

sluchalem już kiedyś, topka

Delightful. For me, nothing beats the combination of raw sounding music that is also whimsical and airy and this album is maybe the epitome of that.

10/10

Tracks like ‘Venus in Furs’, ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ and ‘European Son’ enable The Velvet Underground’s debut album to still sound surprising and edgy 51 years later. John Cale’s strings, tremolo on the guitar and weird percussion/ sample effects are just some of the elements that elevate this from being a standard fare 1960s rock album. Oh, and the fact that Lou Reed is an amazing front man with an unmistakable voice. ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ introduces a lovely psychedelic flavour to this record. Nico’s addition to the line up really helps break up the feel of the tracklisting. She sings in a low, haunting but relaxed way which sounds at odds with the frantic piano behind her vocals. ‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ are relaxed perfect pop songs that are real levellers. You’d be hard pushed to find someone who’d hate them. It’s strange that neat, cute little flavours like these could be sat on the same LP that delivers something as expansive, beefy and lyrically outrageous as ‘Heroin’. Invigorating straight up rock songs ‘I’m Waiting for my Man’, ‘There She Goes Again’ and ‘Run Run Run’ are completely different again but they sound cohesive with the rest of the album. They manage to keep on varyin the way they write and perform without it all sounding like a disjointed mess. The final track ‘European Son’ sounds like it is constantly on the edge of falling over, but they juggle that sound and just about keeping everything in place - its electrifying. It would be easy to underestimate this record and mistake it for a good but standard rock LP, but its not. It is certainly a 5* album.

Sunday Morning is a strong contender for best first track off a debut album. These guys love drugs. They could put this album on repeat on Little Steven's Underground Garage and it wouldn't be out of place. They are like the original breakout garage band. I don't love Nico's voice. I love Venus in Furs great song, one of my favorite Velvet Underground songs. One of the best album tracks ever...but from a time before that was such a big deal. I love blues rock, everyone in the 60s apparently did too. The Nico tracks are the worst on the album. I guess when Andy Warhol produces your album without interfering too much, you give him a win once in a while. On All Tomorrow's Parties, the music is still cool, her voice just gets me out of it. Heroin, another great song. I understand why people in the 50s and 60s thought rock n' roll was the real gateway drug. I feel like a lot of industrial "bands" got their idea from this album as well. The surf music of the early 60s and then psychedelic music is definitely an influence. The back 3/4 of European Son is a long, distorted guitar solo and the only real miss on the album.

Favourite!

Knall, knallere, knallers

Bananplata. Fantastisk.

Bra

A rare case of an album actually living up to the hype. 5/5 Highlights: I’m Waiting For The Man Venus In Furs Heroin

One of the most important albums of all time

This one upsets me. I want to be different so bad. I want to be that guy who says “this is massively overrated”, but I just can’t. It’s really great. Even the songs featuring Nico on lead vocals don’t detract from my enjoyment. You win banana album, you win.

own

A stone cold classic by the Underground. There isn't too much else to say about this historic and ground breaking album but it just hits perfectly to this day.

10/10 I read Legs McNeill's 'Please kill me' and this album made perfect, chaotic sense. It's raw, weird, and endlessly influential - it's punk before safety pins. Lou Reeds poetic nihilism <3 the lyrics were controversial at the time (still are, considering our political climate) dealing with everything from addiction to identity. Musically, it's a minimalist masterpiece, the guitars are primal and unpolished in the best way - if you think it sounds like it was recorded in a shitty basement, it's because it basically was. I just think this album encapsulates the late 60s NYC underground scene with such precision you can smell the stale cigs. Even if it's not what you usually listen to you've gotta respect it's place in history. It's a perfect album because it's not trying to be. love u lou xxx Songs added to playlist: - I'm waiting for the man - Femme Fatal - Heroin - There she goes again - I'll be your mirror

Perfect, very important and amazing album in many ways.

Ja, ik denk dat dit wel duidelijk nen 5 sterren is. Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Heroin, ... allemaal kleppers. En dan heb je nog eens die iconische hoes. 5.0

Uneven, but I think Venus in Furs is so good it drags everything else up. Also points for being the first ones to ever do it - sounds ahead of its time.

Perfect length. Started listening at 22.45 on headphones. It worked really well. I knew maybe 2/3rd of it and the songs I didn't know, I enjoyed. Great start to this project. 5/5.

Howd we go from the evidently mainstream sound of big band Sam Cooke to this in just a few years? And then on the other side, its crazy that punk hadn't really gotten going at this point yet VU&Nico sounds like something that stuff would have refined into as opposed to taken inspiration from. This fucks. It fucks big time.

I absolutely adore this album. Is it overrated? Oh yes, most definitely. But you can’t deny its impact on the punk, indie, metal, and art-rock scenes that came after. Even putting to one side this record’s place in rock history, you’re still left with some phenomenal music. I truly love how the songs capture the imagery of the 60’s, from the naive adolescence of All Tomorrow’s Parties, to the mass proliferation of recreational drug use in tracks like Heroin and Waiting for my Man. At it’s best this record is straight up transporting to listen to. On the negative side, I never had much time for the album’s closing tracks, but I’ve actually found it hits differently years later. The VU were experimenters, and there’s something sweet about listening to a band just let loose and jam out for a bit like they do on European Son. Of course, it borders on being overindulgent (figures like Lou Reed are after all synonymous with pretension), but on this album you can’t deny the authenticity of the music. Perhaps that is what keeps records like this relevant today. 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Fav - all tomorrows parties

Very influential for good reason.

Revolutionary

10/10. This is a revolutionary and experimental album. It's one of the finest albums of the 1960's.

Would like to listen to more often!

I'll never forget the moment the 'sunday morning' came on. The first song made me focus on the album. 'I'll be your mirror' is the second favorite song in this album

Groundbreaking for the time. I love the entire album the way it flows. Standout tracks will always be Venus in Furs and Heroin.

Sounds partly a bit like the Doors.

It remains as audacious a statement today as it was in 1967—a heady blend of art, subversion, and raw emotion wrapped in a banana sticker of irreverence.

cada vez que lo escucho me parece mejor.

I've never listened to this album before, somehow! Though I feel I know it by osmosis from the songs appearing throughout culture. It gets five stars for "Venus in Furs" alone which I remember hearing on a TV commercial when I was a kid and it blew my mind. It sits alongside "Tomorrow Never Knows" for far-out-ness. But also, "Sunday Morning," "I'm Waiting For The Man," "All Tomorrow's Parties," "Heroin," even the album cover with the big banana: VERY CLASSIC. I do think there's a bit of filler, but still... five stars!

Perfection!

Nie umiem tego wytłumaczyć, ale jest w tej płycie coś takiego... urzekającego? Prawdziwego? Rozpaczliwego? Nie wiem, naprawdę. Ale wypuszcza ona macki, które włażą pod skórę i ruszają coś w środku. Za każdym razem, gdy jej słucham. Thursday Child, huh?

When I first heard this album, a long time ago, but when it was already something from the distant past, it was the most amazing thing ever. Like they said on another record, my life was saved by rock and roll. 40 or so years later, it's kind of hard to listen to, probably because it's so intertwined with memories of 19 year old me. I don't regret that version of me (mostly), but I wouldn't want to do it again.

Very interesting and enjoyable album. Cool sounds

Absolute classic. Remember being repulsed and kind of scared by Venus in Furs as a 14-15 year old, the dissonance was really offputting. But now it's my fave on here, but I love all of it. Lots is said about this record but the variety isn't commended enough.

Great record. Velvet Underground is ground-breaking, counter-cultural, underground ear candy to all that listen to them. They are odd as hell. However, John Cale was the real driver behind the madness. This album and White Heat/White Light are the best of the band and both are top 100 all-time albums in my book. Not sure which I like better. This one is unique as Nico adds more texture to the album flow - Femme Fatale is Fantastic- although, I understand why her vocals get such negative comments. Probably your favorite band’s favorite band. Easy 5 ⭐️.

Hell yeah already loved this from before

Ótrúleg plata. Listaverk held ég að lýsi henni best, bæði að innan og utan.

What a moment of sublime serendipity to receive this album, this monument of influence, taste, and iridescence, on a rainy Sunday morning.

Sameen would love this Nico lady

its really good and i dont mind saying it... just beautiful

A very influential album that hasn’t aged the worst, either. Ok you get it this is a very popular album

what a dope!! love it since i first heard it.

База

I really like this album. I love the weird variety of sounds, Nico's morose bellowing, and the strange punkish drama of it. It sounds like the music the theatre teens that I know would make if they stayed up all night. It glamorizes misery, but if you're miserable I guess being glamorous helps.

🍌

Epochal !

Love it.

Absolutely love this album. Such creativity, so interesting, so many great songs. A joy to listen to.

Brilliant album - stands the test of time.

It's taken a long time to crystalize, but the Velvet Underground has a strong case for my favorite band. It took me a long time to fully appreciate this album. I liked an increasing number of individual songs over the years, but never the full album. I liked Sunday Morning as a kid. Venus in Furs was a big song for me as a teenager (and is my favorite on the album). It took my until a couple years ago to come round to the Nico songs. It took over 15 years, but I finally got there. Its a strange album, and one that takes time. But it's as important as it is for a reason. Every era of Kit has liked pieces of this album, and now 30 year old Kit finally loves it in its entirety. No more do I offer my love in bits and pieces like a bitter parent. I accept you for who you are. Also going back to my Hail to the Thief review, Venus in Furs is one of the other songs to always feature in my 10/10 playlists. Album cover: (A+++) Come on. Its the banana. This is probably the only other album cover that sits in the same level of importance as Dark Side of the Moon.

My older brother's friend made a mixtape that started off with Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" and transitioned in "Heroin" of this album. I wish I had a copy of that tape, changed my musical world.

Lätt femma, den skivan som gjorde amerikansk musk utomordentligt, utan att ens nämna hur bra den är egenstående.

i really love this album. it's really rough around the edges and i'm sure not everyone likes it. nico's voice is not for everyone, the musicianship is kinda sloppy. it kinda sounds like shit. there's droning stuff. it's not for everyone. but it's for me. i don't think it's a perfect album, some of these songs aren't my absolute favorite in the world, but some of them are. either way, the album is a vibe, and it's my vibe. just a really cool album.

We are so used to albums being the same picture in 10-12 slightly different posses, true greatness is to produce an album where none of the posses are related. From Beach Boys sitting on a beach with a cool beer to the Doors stoned in a dead end drug den via Kurt sat in his bedroom writing about the pain of teenage life Polymath Polymath

Love it!

A classic quality recording. Not totally my taste though

One of the best albums ever of course.

An all time classic, enhanced with the presence of Nico... she's a little bit like sorbet or cheese between courses. I think the record might have been a little heavy without the melodic accent of her singing.

Fuck this is such a good album. I listen to it pretty often as I have for years, but it never gets old. There's a really perfect balance here to the chaos of VU's style and the restraint of the production that negatively impacted some of their later albums. Nico was someone that I had to learn to like, but I couldn't see this album without her now. 5/5 One of the most important albums of last century, and it fucking still kicks ass

sunday morning - beautiful im waiting for my man- YUPPPP this whole album is so good fav track venus in furs

Favourite tracks: I'm waiting for the man; Sunday morning; femme fatale; Venus in furs; heroin; run run run

Groundbreaking album with moments that still sound fresh and unsettling decades later. Hard to fathom how novel this album would have been in its' time.

Always fun to revisit the Velvets. And the more I listen to Nico the more I like her voice. Like a cello waking up in the morning.

It just feels good

Loved it when I first heard it 35+ years ago. Still love it now. Solid 5.

i'd give this five stars for "all tomorrow's parties" alone. that song is a black monolith and i'm just a buncha stupid apes

This experimental/proto-punk/psychedelic rock album from early 1967 is one of the most influential albums ever. Imagine how this underground album must have sounded at that time with Reed's lyrics - completely new and different compared to anything else. It's no surprise most people didn't understand it at that time, but those who did were so inspired by it that it had major influence on many genres that came after. I love the atmosphere of the record, the varied sounds - Sunday Morning is among my favourite album openings ever, I also love Venus in Furs, and the three songs sung by Nico - Femme Fatale, inspired by Edie Sedgwick, I'll Be Your Mirror and my personal favourite All Tomorrow's Parties. Heroin and the more experimental last songs are as superb as well, just like the rest of the songs. 5 stars, without a question.

One of my favorites

Wishing was 22 when this came out.

Good old school tunes

much like the album I got yesterday, Fives Leaves Left, this is a tremendous debut album that wasn't appreciated in its own time. although, to be fair to the Velvet Underground, they were much further ahead of the curve than Nick Drake! Lou Reed's songwriting is in a direct lineage with some truly archetypal rock and folk artists (Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Lennon/McCartney), but his focus on the seedy underbelly of New York City's arts culture steers the material into a much darker, often shocking direction. in between seemingly innocent songs like "Sunday Morning" and "I'll Be Your Mirror" and all the rest, there are odes to drug use, drug dealers, sadomasochism and sex workers. 1967! and, of course, the presence of multi-instrumentalist John Cale on these first two VU albums throws things even further into left field. a lot of these songs incorporate some chilling drone elements, others devolve into puddles of cacophony; I am consistently shocked by how low the recording fidelity is! The Velvet Underground & Nico* shaped so many future movements in rock and experimental music, it would probably be easier to count the ones they didn't have an impact on. at their best, they had such a wide variety of ways to create new paths forward for rock songs, compositionally and sonically, across a huge spectrum of dynamics, tempos, moods and subjects. I find myself returning to White Light / White Heat a little more often than this—they go all-in on their experimental side there— but there's no denying that this is one of rock music's finest debut albums, and certainly one of its most influential. *I do find it a bit weird that this is credited as a collaborative album given that Nico only shows up on lead vocals for three songs. but I guess it's as good a title as any other; it's pretty unassuming, and it lets you just sort of take in each song on its own merits. light 9/10.

How could this get anything but a 5! Such a hugely influential album to all that came after and you can hear it in the songs! Especially Heroin

Spotify has made this album's release year and duration yellow.

It was a very good album. Especially Venus in Furs and The Black Angel's Death Song were really good.

Dreamlike; By turns breathtaking in its beauty and angst-inducing in its chaos; unpredictable; but somehow always genuine. Over the decades I've tried and failed repeatedly to describe how or why this album works. As the man said, "writing about music is like dancing about architecture." Ultimately, there's just a truthfulness that feels disgusting and exhilarating, intense and soothing, ordered and chaotic: human.

8.5/10 Ribeye, but a really fucking good one

I've been familiar with this album for at least 15 years, and I was ready to file it as "3 out of 5, inconsistent but there are some good tracks" or some shit like that. And then I listened to it again and remembered (and enjoyed) every song. My favorite tracks are everyone's favorites ("Venus in Furs", "Heroin") but every song has something fun or interesting going on. Kinda between 4 or 5 since there are a couple of weaker tracks but whatever

The Velvet Underground & Nico is nothing short of groundbreaking. It’s an album that feels raw, unfiltered, and ahead of its time. From the haunting vocals to the unique instrumentation and brilliant production, it’s an experience that leaves an impression long after the final note fades. While not perfect, its near-flawless execution makes it an essential listen for anyone who loves music with depth, grit, and artistic daring. The instrumentation on this album is absolutely phenomenal. From the hypnotic drones of John Cale’s viola to Lou Reed’s jagged, expressive guitar work, every instrument feels intentional, adding layers of emotion and texture. Tracks like “Venus in Furs” are brilliant examples of how unconventional instruments can completely transform a song’s mood—the screeching viola and eerie rhythm make it sound almost otherworldly. The production, overseen by Andy Warhol, has a raw yet intentional quality. It feels stripped down in all the right ways, allowing each instrument to stand out without overshadowing the others. There’s a lo-fi charm to the mix that gives the album an intimate, almost voyeuristic feel, as though you’re sitting in on a band rehearsal. It’s brilliant in its simplicity and adds to the album’s authenticity. Vocally, the album is a perfect mix of Lou Reed’s detached, deadpan delivery and Nico’s haunting, almost ghostly voice. Nico’s performance on “Femme Fatale” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties” is stunning—her voice feels cold yet deeply emotional, like it’s echoing through time. Lou Reed, on the other hand, has this unpolished, conversational tone that makes songs like “I’m Waiting for the Man” feel brutally honest. And then there’s Heroin. This song is nothing short of a masterpiece. The way it ebbs and flows, with its quiet, haunting verses exploding into chaotic, distorted crescendos, perfectly captures the highs and lows of addiction. The droning guitars, relentless drumming, and Lou Reed’s raw, almost confessional vocals make it one of the most powerful and emotionally impactful songs I’ve ever heard. I genuinely love this track—it’s the kind of song that stays with you long after the music stops. For all its brilliance, the album does have its flaws. Some tracks feel more like art experiments than cohesive songs. “The Black Angel’s Death Song” is a chaotic mess, and while “European Son” has moments of intrigue, it drags on unnecessarily, veering into self-indulgence. The production, while effective overall, has moments where the mix feels unbalanced. Some instruments overpower others, and while this adds to the raw aesthetic, it can make certain tracks feel messy. Despite these flaws, a nearly perfect album that balances art, experimentation, and raw emotion. The instrumentation is incredible, the production is brilliantly raw, and the vocals—both Reed’s and Nico’s—bring the songs to life. While a couple of moments might feel too abrasive or challenging a small price to pay for an album that’s as brilliant as this At 4.9/5 stars, this album is as close to perfect as it gets. It’s not just an album—it’s a statement, a work of art that continues to influence generations of musicians and listeners alike.

Personally it's more like a strong 8 on first listen, but I immediately gathered how fucking influential it is and I went in thinking it wouldn't be. Shows what I know I guess! Thoroughly enjoyable, much more than I could have imagined it would be for an album with a banana on it. Can't wait to revisit.

I think it's clear my upbringing was primarily one of being online. I didn't know how to talk to people in a normal way and accidentally entered a "i am interesting because I am overly critical of everything" phase in highschool. I don't really know why I thought that in specific would make me a person that would be cool to talk to instead of just kinda rude. I was unaware of this for a while then I learned. The online circles I was in was filled with this type of person so I just picked up being a type of person. It's pretty easy to become a different person from who you really are if you're surrounded by people who'll make you feel weird about being yourself. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- I think of this album in that time where I was desperately looking for some connection. A lot of my online friendships blew up and I was in a circle of just two friends. Don't get me wrong, I love those friends, and they were awesome to talk to but it was clear we were all feeling something we did not understand. That unsure feeling teenagers get when they don't know what is going on with their brains and bodies and in the world. I think I was just so comfy within my circle that going outside of it was scary. It scared me reaching out and finding new friends because of what had happened prior. Eventually I moved forward. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Moving forward hurt. It hurt in a way I didn't think anything could hurt. I left my bubble and was instantly set in a position that felt like it removed years of my life. Everything was a blur, everything was nothing. I missed the time I was with my small circle, in the little world. This album reminded me of the time before moving forward. It was a relic from a life I had left. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- I feared moving on. Leaving my circle put me in the worst spot of my life. If moving on hurt this much, the hurt I felt then would be worth bearing forever. If moving forward hurt this much last time, the next time it will hurt ten times more. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- It took me a long time, but I left. I had to move forward. I thought whatever pain was after that would be better then slowly letting the misery rot me. It still hurt for a bit, but it got better. I returned to a world where things happened and memories exist. I learned that there was something new, that I could be myself and it wouldn't be a problem. I even learned that people liked the person I am when I don't suppress all of me. I didn't know that moving forward meant there was a better future at the end of it. I couldn't process that as a concept at all. Re-listening to this album made me realize my life wasn't made of tiny isolated moments, but a timeline where everything moves forward. This wasn't a relic for a time I wanted to return to anymore. It was something that impacted me so strong that I saw it as a beacon of a time in my life. Progress is scary, but it's necessary. Even when things get bad, it's not forever. Do not forget, at the end of it, all will be better.

11/10 Paz-core Degeneracy, hedonism, and nihilism, The Velvet Underground & Nico defined the underbelly for the 20th century on this once in a lifetime album. The entire ethos of this record can be summed up by its cover, a provocative allure, tempting you to look beyond the surface and unveil its depravity in all its glory. Lou Reed and Nico’s forced collaboration by Andy Wahrol magically concocts one of if not the most innovative and forward thinking Rock album of all time. An album that set the benchmark for Experimental/Art Rock, making The Velvet Underground your favorite band’s favorite band. We get “proto” everything on here, Punk, Drone, Noise Rock, Goth Rock, Post-Rock, Glam Rock, so much shit on here is scarily predictive for alternative music on this nearly 50 minute run time. In the midst of this chaos we also get some of the sweetest and most delightful Pop songs of the 1960s, Sunday Morning possibly being the most beautiful opening to an LP ever recorded. These rich and stunning tunes about love and beauty neatly resting next to some of the most nihilistic, ugly, and avant-garde music you’ll ever hear feels painfully ironic, but it somehow works. Nico’s contributions to the album, while brief and not planned, are especially impressive for someone who had just started out. Femme Fatale, a wonderful and tragic tribute to Edie Sedgwick (a Warhol actress who struggled with addiction and metal illness, very fitting), I’ll Be Your Mirror, a heartbreaking and touching song about wanting to be seen (allegedly written from Lou Reed’s experiences post-shock therapy due to his homosexuality as a teen), and All Tomorrow’s Parties, a weird pre-cursor to Goth music, especially with the subject matter reflecting the feelings of being an outsider. Nico’s vocals are perfect, just as heavenly as they are eerie. The absolute highlight here is Lou Reed’s songwriting, he presents to the world the ugliness of the world, specifically underground of New York. His words aren’t abstract, they’re not cerebral, they’re actually quite easy to understand, but they remain intensely evocative, stark, brutish, and loaded with subtext. Dope dealings, prostitution, sexual masochism, queerness, and the nihilistic beauty of drug addiction. That last part is especially compelling to me as it’s been a pretty cathartic subject matter in a lot of my favorite pieces of art, especially on the track ”Heroin”, an overwhelmingly beautiful and horrific depiction of an overdose, this song explores meaninglessness and bliss in death in a way I’ve rarely seen in a piece of art, in a strange way it feels Lovecraftian in an indescribable way, it remains as one of the greatest pieces of music I’ve ever experienced. The Velvet Underground gave a voice for the unorthodox, the rejected, and the counter-culture, many of our favorite artists are permanently indebted to this record, and it’s only fair that we keep appreciating its legacy as we do our best to maintain progress today. “The Velvet Underground’s first album only sold a few thousand copies, but everyone who bought one formed a band.” -Brian Eno

very good. love it.

Wouw… a fantastic and iconic album.

Great album! Lou Reed’s lyrics about drug addiction and BDSM were pure poetry.

wow, this is sixties music and the album is still a style-defining album. when I heard it for the first time in the 70s, I thought what is that? I listened to it over and over again and thought that was really strange. but the more often I listened to it, the more I liked it. I like this minimalism and the "drones" I've always liked John Cage's and Steve Reich's music. the album is great and certainly not for everyone, but I give it 5 stars!

The epitome of cool. Every band who wants credibility wants to be them since the day this album was released until forever. Iconic Warhol front cover, iconic band. It is a 10 no doubt for it's legacy.

60s music doesn’t really get much better than this, unless your name is nina simone or the next velvet underground album. 10/10

all timer…..I bought this cd from the electric fetus when I was 14 bc it had been recommended and sited by so many of my favorite musicians. I would play it over and over while I worked on homework or stared at the ceiling or any of the stuff I did when I was 14. perfect!

I came to the Velvets late in life, and that’s probably a good thing. In my younger years, I don’t think I would have been mature enough to handle the visceral experience of listening to a song like “Heroin.” Although I’ve never used drugs, this track hits on many other levels of mental health. Nico’s singing is hard to take at times, but in spite of that I still believe this to be a work of genius.

The jitters of “Waiting for My Man” and the rollercoaster experience of “Heroine” transcend most songs into shared moments of true empathy. There is something about these songs that, even with the distortion of the music or the off-key notes, allows the peak performance to be heard. Brilliant and challenging compositions.

I love this album.

I listened to this twice. First time I was going to give it 4 stars because Nico. Listening again I'm appreciating her out of placeness and it would be a shame to dock the album a star due to her awkward and annoying voice since she only sang lead in a few. Rough, unpolished, beautiful album.

The disc that launched a thousand bands! Still find new stuff here every time. Great storytelling, endless piles of cool, and Nico gives it just the perfect amount of funky weirdness.

Love !

Solid

One of my all time faves

How could it not be really... taking aside it being one of the most culturally important albums and that Brian eno said that everyone who brought a copy in its first issue started a band... or that it's in the top 20 greatest albums of all time.... I just love the sound of the velvet underground, i love the lyrics.. the guitar tuning every string to the same note... experimentational style and just how its completely different from everything else out there...

I've listened to this one a few times before and I thought it would probably be a 4, but after a thorough listen I have to give it a 5.

Sorry if you don’t understand. This is a STONE COLD CLASSIC. When you listen to the trash SF sound hippy nonsense you realize New York was doing it better.

Like walking into a majestic ancient palace, but with drugs.

A seminal album which sets the foundation for all the good rock and roll in the 70s. I had actually convinced myself that this was a post 1969 album and was surprised to see so much cynicism and sleaziness in a rock album from 1967. I was also surprised to see how much bands like Sonic Youth had taken from the solos and production styles of the album. Sunday Morning is a lullaby for clubbers with blissed out strings and slightly paranoid lyrics. Waiting For The Man set the tone for the late sixties and seventies and shows Bowie the way forward. Nico presages Kim Gordon on Femme Fatale with a production style that wouldn't have been out of place on a Sonic Youth album in the early 90s. Venus in Furs is the sleaziest piece of psych ever created and Lou Reed's. Run Run Run is a blues standard mutated by screeching guitar solos. All Tomorrow's Parties could only have been sung by a Berliner (and a seamstress no less), stoically meditating on the inevitability of partying. Heroin is fairly boring as far as melody but structurally foreshadows the quiet /loud style of grunge even if the link to the lyrical heroin rush is a bit trite. There She Goes Again subverts expectations by using a 60s pop vehicle to talk about hustling and violence against women. I'll Be Your Mirror is the low point of the album, the lyrics' optimism clashes with the rest of the album and the song itself does nothing. The Black Angel's Death Song gets the album back on track by force-feeding Woodie Guthrie LSD and manipulating him into joining a violent sex cult. John Cale's viola performance is truly unhinged. European Son closes out the album in a cacophony of guitars phasing between styles (is there some surf rock in there?) The themes and lyrics are refreshingly upfront and don't hide behind the need to sanitise allusions for commercial appeal (which this album never had). This album deserves a 5 just for how futuristic it is (even if that future is a tired and filthy and poorly recorded one).

Sunday morning

10/10, very inspirational for me

no notes. so good

Absolute classic

++*: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs, Heroin ++: Femme Fatale, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow Parties, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror, The Black Angel's Death Song, European Son 10/10

One of my favorite albums ever. I could try a million times to write a song as cutting as heroin and never do it as simply

Yeah this is one of those seminal albums that I absolutely love - dark, decadent, seedy, intense, humourous, poetic and streetwise yet at the same time there are moments of sheer beauty and euphoria. It's interesting to note that in 1966-67 (when the sixties decade was at its peak) practically everyone else was singing, in some shape or form, about a colourful utopia/new horizon or a counter culture revolution. Meanwhile, the Velvets were singing Lou Reed's songs that had an urban gritty realism. The lyrics are superb: they tell a story but sound wonderfully poetic. I've always loved the line "watch out, the world's behind you" in the opening 'Sunday Morning', which perfectly encapsulates the bleary-eyed feeling of the day after the night before. For an underground band the songs are surprisingly catchy, while the murky production and raw sound enhance the experimentation drones, distortion and fuzzy edges. Like most truly great works, it hasn't been overcooked, has a live + semi improvised sound and the band sound like they are thrilled to be making a record. And of course the cover artwork is instantly recognisable and iconic, although I can't quite remember who designed it (ho-ho). Brilliant from start to finish, it's still one of my favourites.

Dirges, street visions of operatic drug induced hell holes. Captured in sound and lyrics. What's not to love?

So good that not even Nico can ruin iit

It was relaxing to get this album on the list. No challenging aggression, no mumbling banality, not some country album from the mid fifties, just an old friend popped in. Which is weird when the album was trying to be an album of weirdos and druggies living on the fringe.

I use to 'dislike' "The Velvet Underground & Nico" because of Nico's controversy and the general drowsiness of the album. However, over the years, I have acquired a taste for Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, and I adore the nonchalant, peaceful essence of the album. "Sunday Morning" is fantastic. This is one of the few albums in the generator that I own on vinyl. (By the way, I still think Nico is crap.)

uno de mis discos fav de la historia es demasiado bueno

This album is polarizing, few people think "it's okay" most either love it or hate it. I love it From the cacophonous music mixed with the calm, cold Eurotrash vocals to the minimalism. John Cale and Lou Reed were incredible compliments in song writing

Iconic. Loved it very much. First time listening to it in its entirety.

It helps that I got violently high to listen to this. But even sober, I really like this. I remember getting this album when I was 12 or 13, and I absolutely hated it. I didn’t get the hype– how was THIS the album that launched a thousand ships? Well, for one, it makes sense why this deconstructionist art pop record went over my head at that age, so there’s that. But also, I think this album’s impact and legacy has really been overhyped. There are so few bands that sound like this– few singers singing like Nico, few drummers pounding like Tucker, few guitar solos like Reed’s, and no one is certainly using avant-garde classical viola like Cale. Even the most artistically explorative pop groups to exist following this record never come as close to breaking pop music apart like this. The Velvet Underground & Nico is almost a one-of-one, singular experience: it may have inspired a million bands, but no one could ever replicate this album. And I think that has been glossed over a lot, and also takes away a lot of the power of this album. Because not only is it very good, but it’s also still extremely experimental to this day. Everything here is still pop songs, though, it’s just accomplished from a different approach. “Femme Fatale” may be a doo-wop cut, but Nico’s vocals transform it; “Run Run Run” and “Waiting for My Main” may be mid-‘60s rock songs, but the lyrical content and deconstructed guitar work transform it. Even a song like “Sunday Morning,” a song that feels proto-hippy in the best/worst way, is elevated thanks to use of the celesta. Of course, that’s ignoring the truly experimental, sparse, and haunting cuts of “Venus in Furs,” “Heroin,” and “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” which veer closer to musique concrète than anything that could be played on radio, and yet they still contain earworms and appeal on their own terms. I do think my enjoyment of The Velvet Underground & Nico is ironically restrained because of the Nico tracks, which feel mostly out of place here. I enjoy her vocals, just…not on these types of tracks. These are also the songs that feel the most dated, the most 1967, the most “flower child”-esque, whether it’s the psychedelia of “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” or the basic $1 bin sound of “I’ll Be Your Mirror.” I do also have a smidge of an issue with the psychedelic aspects of a couple other tracks, mainly the longwinded closer of “European Son,” but for the most part, those elements feel sincere and boundary-pushing when it’s just the band being the band. With Nico, it feels manufactured, focus grouped, even. But these are tiny faults. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I like this, and won’t be surprised if it grows on me the more I sit with it. *EDIT*: I'm still not a fan of "All Tomorrow's Parties," but like, I'm lukewarm on it, not an active hater. Everything else really works. I think the Nico tracks need to just be taken on face-value and on their own terms. They also vibe better in warm weather, which may have been my issue. I still think there's flaws here, and I wouldn't think someone who critiques this record or even hates it is an idiot, because yeah, the experimental shit is experimental, and it is very much ✨of its time✨ for sure, but giving it a little space, I think those flaws pale in comparison to the overall impact this record leaves on me, and I do find myself wanting to revisit it pretty frequently. I think that speaks to its own party, and why it's been such an impactful record. I also think the teenage emo/anti-hipster in me walked into my initial listen wanting to still be a little bit contrarian. Like, I was being restrained by my younger self's ego, and I can admit that. While I never denied that this record is excellent, I think it sits even better if you give it some time to settle in your soul. Believe the hype. (Re-rated from 4/5 to 5/5 on June 2nd, 2025)

Album Name: The Velvet Underground & Nico # Artist: The Velvet Underground # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Theres some great use of drums, strings and vocals on this album. Nico also brings a different dimension to the vocals which is a nice twist. The album's cover is recognisable from anywhere. Its iconic. The album starts off with some cracking tunes - Sunday Morning, waiting for the man, femme fatale and Venus. The first 8 songs are good! The last 3 fall off a cliff a bit. I have never actually listened to this album in its entirety. Im not sure why. I think its because everyone told me i SHOULD. People telling me that i SHOULD love it. I hate that. But at the same time, i was wrong. Really enjoyed this album though. I'd probably give it a 4.5 so its a low 5 for me. # Top Tunes: Sunday Morning, waiting for the man, femme fatale , Venus, run run run, tomorrows parties and heroin. # Would I listen to it again? Certainly.

Que voulez-vous que je dise ici, franchement ? Cet album est super, et transportant. La musique transmet les histoires au delà des paroles (je pense à Heroin par exemple). Je crois que je l'ai écouté bien 4 ou 5 fois dans la journée. J'ai pas grand chose à ajouter après, vu que je le connaissais déjà. À part : Banane !

This album brings back such good memories. I can totally understand just hearing it for the first time in 2024 and not liking it. But I've been listening t this for 35 years and it's just great. I completely hate heroin (the drug) but love heroin (the song). While Nico's voice is grating, I love most of her songs on this album.

Already heard it and loved it

Séminal masterpiece.

Nice

I used to have vinyl parties. This was pretty much a nightly thing. My friends and I would go to Cincinnati’s magnificent Shake It Records, pick up something interesting, and then go spin it. As the night wore on, The Velvet Underground and Nico would inevitably be played. All of us were obsessed with this album. It’s the wildest, most entrancing collection of songs I think I’ve ever heard. An absolute classic.

A "desert island" album for me and at times in my life, my favorite album bar none. There are at least a half dozen movements in music that were directly influenced by these songs and probably way more than that. There's also that Peter Buck quote about only a few hundred people buying Velvet Underground records but that all of them started incredible bands. You can just mainline this one straight into my vein. Also, I'm just now realizing that I have much more to say about the records I don't like. Probably because if I think it's good then the music will sell itself.

Awesome awesome album

Possibly the best album of the 60s. Hits hard everytime.

Almost everything that sounds obviously influenced by this doesn't live up to its inventiveness and variety. Sure plenty have copped the proto indie sounds of I'll Be Your Mirror or There She Goes Again but not many can match the other worldliness of Venus In Furs or All Tomorrow's Parties. I can still hear new things despite a gazillion previous listens. E.g. I hadn't noticed before how much of a Dylan pastiche Black Angel Death Song is if you remove John Cale's viola.

Unbelievable that this is their debut. Such range and so many amazing tracks.

A favorite of mine. Even though I hardly consider their music by the album, their discography is more like a collection of favorite songs. I guess I came across a few of these songs because of the movie about The Doors.

i enjoyed it! its very soft and mellow, i enjoyed the first song, "sunday morning" the most. the rest were great as well!

It’s crazy how there are moments that sound so modern, even 50+ years later. Hooked from “Sunday Morning.”

So many amazing songs, and so many people are influenced by this band

Near perfect Rock album. Great Instrumentals matched with Incredible vocals by Lou Reed And Nico executing a phenomenal concept which even after all these years live up to its name.

Κλασικ

bevallom hogy Nico nélkül jobban adtam volna, de azért így is micsoda avantgárd masterpiece ez! imádom

**The Velvet Underground & Nico** by The Velvet Underground is a seminal album in rock history, blending raw and poetic lyrics with experimental music that would define an entire generation of alternative and avant-garde music. Produced by Andy Warhol and released in 1967, it was initially a commercial failure, but its influence on punk, alternative, and indie rock is immeasurable. Here’s an in-depth analysis of the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, as well as its pros and cons. --- ### Lyrics The lyrics of *The Velvet Underground & Nico* explore dark and unfiltered themes rarely touched upon in the music of its time. Lou Reed’s songwriting delves into taboo topics—drug addiction, sexuality, urban despair, and existentialism—without any moralizing or judgment. Songs like "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for the Man" discuss addiction with raw honesty, capturing the dangerous allure and crushing depths of drug use. "Heroin," for example, details a descent into addiction with visceral imagery ("When I put a spike into my vein / And I tell you things aren't quite the same"), creating an intimate and terrifying portrait. Another lyrical highlight, "Venus in Furs," inspired by the novel of the same name, explores themes of BDSM and sexual fetishism. Reed’s use of descriptive language ("Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather") paints a vivid picture, and the lyrics navigate taboo territory with a frankness that was almost unheard of at the time. Despite the bleak themes, Reed’s lyrics offer moments of vulnerability and tenderness. "I'll Be Your Mirror," sung by Nico, contrasts sharply with the darker material, offering a gentle, empathetic portrayal of love and devotion. This song’s lyrics ("When you think the night has seen your mind / That inside you're twisted and unkind") show a rare sensitivity, reflecting a willingness to explore emotional complexities beyond gritty realism. **Pros of the Lyrics**: - Uncompromising, groundbreaking exploration of taboo subjects. - Honest, poetic approach that avoids clichés. - Balances darkness with moments of tenderness. **Cons of the Lyrics**: - Some lyrics may come across as overly graphic or shocking to certain listeners. - The pervasive darkness may be overwhelming or alienating. --- ### Music Musically, the album is as daring as its lyrical content. John Cale’s use of electric viola, Lou Reed’s gritty guitar, and Moe Tucker’s minimalist drumming create a raw, chaotic sound that reflects the grit and tension of New York City’s underground culture. The album combines avant-garde experimentation with rock, folk, and pop sensibilities. "Heroin" is one of the best examples of the band’s musical innovation. It begins softly, with a calm, melodic guitar line, then gradually builds to a crescendo, mimicking the effects of a drug high and crash. The shifting tempo, going from a lull to a frenetic climax, exemplifies the band’s ability to use structure and dynamics to evoke an emotional response. "European Son" is another experimental track, starting off as a straightforward rock song and then devolving into a chaotic instrumental, a fitting sonic metaphor for rebellion. Meanwhile, "Sunday Morning" showcases a different side, with Reed’s mellow vocals and Cale’s celesta, creating a more approachable pop sound that contrasts with the more challenging compositions. Each track embodies a different musical style or influence, from the dissonant, droning quality of "Venus in Furs" to the proto-punk of "I'm Waiting for the Man." The album’s fusion of rock and avant-garde elements laid the groundwork for genres like punk, new wave, and noise rock. **Pros of the Music**: - Diverse range of sounds, from rock to avant-garde. - Innovative use of electric viola and minimalist drumming. - Powerful dynamic shifts and emotional depth in arrangements. **Cons of the Music**: - Some experimental aspects may feel abrasive or inaccessible. - Lack of polish compared to contemporaneous releases. --- ### Production The production, managed by Andy Warhol, was minimalist and hands-off. Warhol reportedly let the band have free rein in the studio, resulting in a raw and unfiltered sound. While this allowed the band to maintain their unique artistic vision, it also meant that the album had a lo-fi, rough-around-the-edges quality that contrasts sharply with the polished sound of other 1967 releases, such as *Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band*. Warhol’s influence on the production is subtle but crucial. His emphasis on authenticity over technical precision allowed The Velvet Underground to retain their gritty edge. While the album’s production has been criticized for its lack of clarity and professional sheen, the lo-fi aesthetic became an essential part of its character and appeal. This rawness enhances the intimacy and immediacy of the music, making listeners feel as if they’re right there with the band in a dingy New York City loft. However, this lo-fi production also means the sound quality varies between tracks. Nico’s vocals are sometimes buried in the mix, while other songs sound overly muddy. For some, these production flaws add to the album's authenticity; for others, they’re a distraction. **Pros of the Production**: - Unique, authentic sound that fits the album’s themes. - Minimalist, lo-fi aesthetic that enhances emotional impact. **Cons of the Production**: - Lack of polish and clarity in some tracks. - Inconsistent mixing can detract from the listening experience. --- ### Themes The album’s themes of alienation, addiction, and sexual exploration resonate with the countercultural movement of the 1960s, but it goes further by delving into the darker aspects that many other artists avoided. Rather than idealizing or romanticizing counterculture, *The Velvet Underground & Nico* offers an unfiltered look at the complexities of the human experience, often through the lens of urban life in New York City. The central theme of addiction is explored with a blunt realism, especially in "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for the Man," which reflect both the euphoria and despair associated with drug use. The songs don't glorify addiction but rather present it as a complex, multifaceted struggle. Another recurring theme is sexual liberation, presented in both "Venus in Furs" and "There She Goes Again." These songs explore sexuality in an open and sometimes uncomfortable way, challenging conventional attitudes of the era. Themes of isolation and introspection also feature prominently, with songs like "Sunday Morning" and "All Tomorrow's Parties" reflecting the fragile, introspective side of human nature. **Pros of the Themes**: - Groundbreaking exploration of complex, often taboo subjects. - Themes resonate deeply with the realities of urban life and counterculture. **Cons of the Themes**: - Dark themes may alienate some listeners. - Certain thematic elements may feel dated or controversial. --- ### Influence The influence of *The Velvet Underground & Nico* on future generations of musicians is perhaps the album’s most remarkable legacy. Though it was initially ignored, the album later gained cult status and inspired countless artists, from punk bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash to alternative rock icons like R.E.M. and Sonic Youth. Brian Eno famously said, "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band." The album’s rejection of mainstream appeal and polished aesthetics paved the way for the DIY ethic of punk. Its exploration of taboo themes and unfiltered storytelling influenced the lyrical approach of many subsequent bands. Moreover, the experimentation with sound and structure anticipated the avant-garde approach that would characterize much of alternative and indie music in the decades to come. The album’s cultural influence also extended beyond music. Andy Warhol’s involvement connected it to the art world, symbolizing a fusion of visual art and music that would inspire future movements, from post-punk to the New York art-punk scene. Warhol’s cover artwork—a banana with a peelable sticker—has become an iconic symbol of counterculture. **Pros of the Influence**: - Revolutionary impact on punk, alternative, and indie music. - Inspired a fusion of music and visual art. - Pioneered a DIY ethos and experimental approach in popular music. **Cons of the Influence**: - The album’s stark realism may have led to the romanticizing of self-destructive themes. - Some aspects of the album’s legacy overshadow its musical contributions. --- ### Pros and Cons Summary **Pros**: - Raw, poetic lyrics that explore taboo themes with brutal honesty. - A diverse, innovative musical approach that blends rock with avant-garde elements. - Authentic, lo-fi production that enhances the album’s rawness. - Themes that resonate with the complexities of urban life and counterculture. - Tremendous influence on future generations of musicians and artists. **Cons**: - Some lyrics and themes may be too graphic or unsettling for certain listeners. - The album’s abrasive sound may alienate listeners accustomed to polished production. - Inconsistent sound quality and mixing issues. - Themes and aesthetic choices may feel dated or controversial today. --- **Conclusion** *The Velvet Underground & Nico* is a bold, genre-defying album that remains one of the most influential records in rock history. Its lyrical honesty, musical innovation, and gritty production captured the spirit of New York's underground scene and laid the foundation for punk and alternative rock. While not for everyone, the album’s unapologetic embrace of dark themes and avant-garde sounds has cemented its status as a cultural touchstone, resonating across decades and inspiring countless artists to explore music as a raw, unfiltered expression of the human experience.

Velvet underground are highly praised and regarded for a good fucking reason!! Amazing album

What a band

Experimental and cool, contains parts of many cool genres/sub-genres that got developed after with big influence from this record. Very hipster pretentious but for good reason.

Classic, first song instantly went on the playlist.

This is another one I regret avoiding because of my distaste for the sneering fan base that shaped my impression of what it was all about. I love how simple and quietly confident the whole thing is. I mean, I know the hardest thing is to make great things look easy, but it really seems like they’re just kind of fucking around at some points, and it’s great!

I love the distortion over them songs and the unique lyrics and darker themes for its time. And the Cover from warhol makes it even more iconic. Not all edges are sharp but i really like this album.

Es un disco tremendo, roto, crudo, raro. Todos los temas tienen algo atrapante y característico.

I read somewhere that TVU&N could be interpreted as the story of a wild drug-fueled weekend, starting with the bleary-eyed awakening of Sunday Morning and then looking back to Friday afternoon onward on I’m Waiting For The Man. I don’t know if that’s what the band intended, but I like that reading. One thing I do know is this is among the most important, interesting, and influential albums in the history of rock music.

Sunday Morning I'm Waiting for the Man Femme Fatale Venus in Furs Run Run Run All Tomorrow's Parties Heroin There She Goes Again I'll Be Your Mirror The Black Angel's Death Song European Son

I was wondering when this would show up. I was expecting to rate it 4, but having not listened to it for about 25 years due to bad memories of the ex who introduced me to it, to my surprise I have ended up giving it full marks.

the quality of the music added with it's legacy makes this an easy five stars

Incredible! Masterpiece! The precursor of pretty much all indie music, before that was even became a thing in the 80's. Perfect balance of immediately catchy tunes and off-the-wall experimentation. Lou Reed doesn't need to sing in tune to ooze coolness. A classic for a reason. Key tracks: Sunday Morning I'm Waiting for the Man Femme Fatale Venus in Furs Run, Run, Run All Tomorrow's Parties Heroin

Quality album, up there for me. Ok so Nico’s voice get grate a bit but when the rest of the songs are as good as they are that can be overlooked.

What an album! Every song is fantastically creative and this is 1967 - a very influential album that sounds very "period" but still fresh at the same time. A very easy 5*.

It is nearly impossible to review this album without giving in to all sorts of cliches. After all, without this album, there would be no Sex Pistols, no Joy Division, and no David Bowie. There would likely also be none of Lou Reed's best material (the less said about his non-best material, the better). Yet, all of the accolades for this album pave over how thoroughly avant garde it is...how terrible the harmonies are on Run Run Run, the screeching drones of Venus in Furs, Nico's persistently flat vocals. It is designed to offend traditional sensibilities and beat rules considered unbreakable. And yet, there it is....seismic in its influence and perfectly wrong. It is the permission structure for punk rock, for metal, for college rock, for grunge, for everything that a record company executive has ever needed to be convinced that he or she should sign. A perfectly imperfect album. 5/5

This isn’t an easy listen, but it’s a worthy inclusion on the list. It opens with the mellow ‘Sunday Morning’ but rapidly moves onto stranger ground with songs about sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, layered on top of growling feedback and odd instrumentation. Vocals are split between Lou Reed’s proto punk drawl and Nico’s harmonies. Brian Eno once famously said that not many people bought this album when it was released but everyone that did started a band.

Absolutely rules. Some of my very favourite guitar sounds, love the rhythm section, love the feedback, love Lou Reed's vocals. I overplayed it on the same mp3 player I overplayed Television, and now listen to it a lot less than the later albums. You might think the screechier ones get tiring quickest, but it's the ones with Nico on them that I skip these days. I will concede to the perverse albums-in-sequence-all-the-time listeners that the Nico songs are much better in sequence. You could make many musical careers by picking one song from this album as your inspiration, and people did. Could try to say what a lightning bolt this was historically but it's all been said better. It's the four line poem you stumble across that just wrecks your world & you drop everything you were doing. My heart beats to this. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

Don't mind a bit of avante garde arty farty music when it's this good.

Stone-cold classic for a reason! No notes.

A revolutionary masterpiece that set a new baseline for what was possible in music.

In my top ten best records of all time list. One of those few albums I own multiple copies of in different formats.

Classic album

Classic

Honestly it's like a 4.5 for me, but definitely worth of the round up here imo. I'm Waiting For the Man by itself would be enough to make it a classic for me, there are a ton of good songs here though and enough absolutely weird shit to keep it interesting. Gotta love a band talking about heroin in 1967 lol

pretty much the foundation to 2/3 of my favorite things.

Stone cold art rock classic.

Can’t say more than has already been said. Hail Lou!

This album will always have a special place for me. Not to brag I actually bought the first pressing of the record the day it came out in 1967 and saw them at a show in Greenwich Village that night and I was the only person in the audience so I did a bunch of drugs with Lou Reed and I gave Andy Warhol his first ever can of Campbell's soup and then John Cale gave me a high five and said "wow you really knew about us before we are cool way to go man way to go."

the record that created music

Again, me being very late, but this album changed my life, it speaks to me on a really big level, i think this is a top 5 album ever made, and the greatest album of the 60s.

shiny shiny leather

I can't say anything about this album that hasn't been said better before. Absolutely life changing for me and one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

silly and sexual

This is a great album The last track European Son is a tough listen though

9/10

The Velvet Underground & Nico is a groundbreaking album that redefined the boundaries of rock music. Released in 1967, its mix of avant-garde art, raw rock energy, and experimental sounds was unlike anything at the time. Tracks like Heroin and Venus in Furs dive deep into taboo themes, with dark, haunting lyrics and unconventional instrumentation that challenged societal norms. Though not a commercial success upon release, the album’s influence has since become legendary, inspiring generations of alternative and punk musicians. The album’s rough production only adds to its raw, edgy feel, making it all the more timeless. While some may find it polarising, The Velvet Underground & Nico remains a daring and visionary work that still resonates today. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 6 STAND OUT TRACK - Heroin

I mean come on, it's Velvet Underground - Classic/10. I'm Waiting For My Man, Femme Fatale, Venus In Furs, Run Run Run, Heroin.