The Velvet Underground & Nico

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

Never heard this album before, was expecting more

I’ll be throwing this album on some more. It’s super chill and every track is at least good with some stand outs as well. 8/10

Wish it didn’t have any Nico songs

7/10… art rock / proto punk / *1967

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

Een van mijn top 5 albums

Such an interesting band. Broke boundaries. Also, not always the easiest listen. I really like this album but I understand why it grates on some people. I think that’s partly the point. Anyway - like it or not, you have a lot to thank this album for.

Never listened to the whole album of theirs before yet finally!

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)

Reminds me a lot of the songs from this era. Very "Rocky Horror just started showing + Some lou reid "Wild side" and it seems pretty chill? Kinda inspired by the stones of the time. Don't think I'll add this one to the rotation, but I'm not disappointed in the suggestion. Run Run Run was a huge shift from the previous. Wondering if this one is much more popular or not. This is the foundation of british rock/pop and I guess that makes sense.

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,

sunday morning

I’ve never listened to this. I really enjoyed it. You can tell how influential it has been.

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 such an iconic album! Even just the cover art alone has to be one of the most recognizable in all of music. But the music itself also holds up so well. It's not perfect at every moment and definitely could have been cut down at times (European Son), but it has so many classic songs of this era that inspired so much of rock, pop, and alternative music. Amazing album! Top Songs: Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll Be Your Mirror

Some nice. But most of them are horrible

Di solito non mi dispiace, ma oggi proprio non potevo ascoltarlo

I have 5 Velvet Underground songs liked on Spotify with only 1 song from this album - "I'll Be Your Mirror". I don't remember why or how I found that 1 song. So I'm definitely curious to hear the rest of this. Funny, I'm listening to "Sunday Morning" on a Sunday morning - definitely fits the vibe. Was surprised how some of these songs sound like English folk style - similar to Fairport Convention - not exactly but seems to be operating in a similar space. Seems moreso on the songs Nico is singing. Lou Reed definitely likes singing about heroin - "I'm Waiting For The Man", "Heroin" "European Son" was fun for it's long extended jam, I can see how this inspired lots of other bands over time. Keep in mind this was 1967. After listening to this 3 times I ended up liking 9 songs (8 new to me) - only ones that did not grab me are "There She Goes Again" and "The Black Angel's Death Song". I'm glad I took the time to listen through this. I have feeling I'm going to spot lots of influences on other bands I like as I listen to my playlists over time. I can already tell they've influenced bands I've liked for a long time like The Strokes, Spoon, Wilco, Radiohead, REM, U2 and I'm sure many others. Liked songs on Spotify: 9/11 Rating: 4/5

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.

EXCELLENT 4+/5

This album has cult-classic status these days. I've never listened to the whole thing through before today, and I just don't get it. Well, ok, I get it a little more, but I'm still not all the way there. It's dissonant and cacophonous but still fuzzy and smooth and it works. The guitar often works against the droning rhythms of the songs but it's somehow fitting, and it's the sound that defines the band ("Heroin" being the most extreme example). I get kind of a feeling of dread and anticipation listening through the album. I can only imagine how it would sound if I was listening in the 60s and 70s and high as a kite. My dislikes are 1) Nico's vocal parts. She kind of kills any momentum the band had picked up between her appearances and 2) ending the album on "European Son" just sucked. Absolutely killed any vibes I got from the album. It was like bleaching your brain in a bad way to forget everything good you just heard and sending you off with a kick in the ass. Standout tracks on this listen were "Sunday Morning" "Venus In Furs" and "All Tomorrow's Parties" I'll have to sit with this one for a minute, but I think it's a 3/5 for me. It certainly doesn't deserve any less, but I don't know if I think it's that great. There were too many things that irked me.

A classic

Tampoco es para mi

You totally belonged if you had this banana album. Even then, it was clear that Lou Reed would become a global star.

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.

The shitty breathiness of the vocals is only surpassed by the general malaise it instills.

I liked the Nico songs.

Gosh this album is abrasively white. I only like "European Son", cool punk soundtrack movie vibe.

LINDO ESSE

Holy shit this is utter garbage. *This* is a cult classic?? There are some nice moments - Venus In Furs - but it overstays its welcome wayyy too much. No wonder it only sold 30,000 copies in the first 5 years. There's nothing but boring blues-y riffs and vocals drier than Bob Dylan. Plus a little bit of droning. I guess there's some sort of "you had to be there to understand it" energy but the young people who glaze this either haven't listened to it or are performative as all hell. I took a shower and instantly forgot everything I heard off this album. Only memorable aspect is the album cover and the gimmick of peeling the banana. 1/5

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).

I couldn’t get into the Velvet Underground in high school when all my music nerd friends kept pitching it at me, and I still don’t get into it. I mean, it’s not that it’s altogether terrible (it does have its points that qualify though), it’s just never been all that interesting to me. Listening to it now, a couple of the songs are ok, but I really don’t feel like I’ve missed out having ignored this record for the past 30 years. Also, Nico is a sorry excuse of a singer, and I feel like I have a high tolerance for unorthodox approaches to vocals. 5.5/10

Some great melodies and easy listening at its best, but not as mind blowing as I expected. Abrasive at times. Favorite songs: Sunday Morning, I’ll Be Your Mirror

Interesting stuff. Another good work mix.

Ik kon geen 1ster geven, sorry Jonathan 😉

Buen álbum, rico en sonidos. Me gustó mucho I'll Be Your Mirror, European Son no me termina de cerrar musicalmente. Algunas canciones son difíciles de digerir, mientras otras fluyen con total facilidad. Tiene una vibra muy específica all in all.

2.5 - Meh

This is one of those albums I am supposed to love but just don't. Dark and moody and just not my jam.

It was a great album! Rock legends

A little too psychedelic for my taste

la verdad que sin mas

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

Pretty chill album, I liked most of the song but only a few made them on my playlist, not really my style of music, for my taste I give a 7 out of 10

Amazing. 10/10

All aboard the pretentiousness express. I'm loving my train metaphors lately. Reminds me of that time a guy stepped onto the train in Scotland midday with a Pediatrics textbook and a can of Budweiser. Hey, if I'm gonnae pass med school I at least have to drink weak bear AND study on my way to the Partick Thistle match. Weak beer. Listen to me. Obviously any beer would kill me like elephant tranqs hitting a gerbil. What are we doing here? Oh yeah, cool guy album. I was wrong about this record. I mean I never heard it, but my preconception was wrong. This thing has crazy strings, cool melodies and doesn't overstay it's welcome. It's pure inspiration despite the overblown pop art guy. Ahhh he's alright too. What the hell. Everybody gets praise today. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Bananagrams is fun

Just loved everything.

Weird, but not bad.

I can see how this was influential. For a 1967 album, it's got a bit of a punch, and a more interesting sound than what you would get in albums like The Beatles from the same era. That being said, being interesting doesn't make it good. Plus, it felt like they weren't yet willing to truly go all in in their interesting sounds. Overall, this sounds like an influential but unenjoyable album.

Never gotten into velvet underground so this was interesting. Some lovely songs and some strange ones.

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

!!!

Banaanalbum

Banaanalbum

What fun! Very different and unique but in a fun way - i like the velvet underground hope to listen to more of their albums

Algunos temas estan buenos y escuchables, otros no tanto, esta bueno como experimental, pero no me parece tan ameno

Me ha encantado!! Mis favoritas: Sunday morning There she goes again I’ll be your mirror ⭐️

ive already listened to this

Impeccable.

Good album if you're into that kind of thing! It's got a couple real stand-out tracks but in general, it was pretty good.

I've heard this album and a lot about it many times now. It's probably one of the most recognizable album covers in the world. I think this album is very good and important to music history and also not my favorite! It's just not my typical style and for that it will be a 4 and no more. I get it, I don't think it's BAD but it's just not for me. That's okay.

Sunday Morning Femme Fatale Heroin-Interesting Mirror-Sweet

Nicht mein Fall

es un buen album en general, pero no me termina de cerrar, tiene momentos q buscan experimentar y no sale muy bien y mucho ruido raro, encima el final del último tema es malo y deja mala impresión

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.

I didn’t know this was a collab with Nico. Iconic album

Venus in Furs and Heroin sure are something. (European Son sure is something too, in another way…) With this The Velvet Underground becomes the artist/band with the biggest discrepancy between my highest (four stars for this) and lowest (one star for White Light / White Heat) rating for their albums, with the latter being also my only one star given nearly 600 albums in. Maybe I need to revisit it.

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.

Album de rock /avant-gardiste vraiment bon, qui s'écoute bien, avec beaucoup de très bonnes musiques. Les paroles de Lou Reed sont étonnantes avec du bon.

Until this album popped up for me, I never realized that The Velvet Underground started out as The Velvet Underground and Nico. Evidently, Nico was forced out of the group shortly after this record was released, and I have to say that after listening to the album, the songs she sang lead on just didn't seem to fit. The rest of the album had a sound that was way ahead of its time and I would have never guessed it was recorded in the 60s, whereas the songs she sang lead on had a 60s psychedelic sound to them. I knew a few of the songs on the album, but not super familiar with it. Definitely different than what I expected. Clearly a groundbreaking album for the time and deserves to be on all of the "greatest album" lists, but definitely not for everyone.

ze graet one

This is not my cup of tea. I respect the artistry and ambient feel of the album, but I am not the biggest fan of Lou Reed in general. It's a well made album, with great production value and great songwriting, but I don't like the artist.

Pretty cool stuff. Last track made me dizzy. Feels so classic - but I also get why it wasnt well received at first. Glad I finally got to see what this one was about. Great record to do mall laps with.

I very much enjoyed this debut album from The Velvet Underground! I’ve heard many of these songs individually but never as a collective so that was fun. The themes and vibes of the album are very indicative of the time in which it was produced. Overall, I had a great time listening to this alt/experimental rock album and it’s one I would listen to again in the future!

fuckin loved this. really needed this vibe today

Damn fine album!

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.

3/10 - nah, overrated hippy rock

I enjoy velvet underground. I like Lou reeds voice. I could have lived without heroine, I did not enjoy that song.

Not an every day listen, but i appreciate it.

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.

The worst parts of the 70s

I can definitely see why this was so influential, but I much prefer their later work.

A very Mongolia typa beat and very calming

always seen this album being on many lists and recommended by many people and finally gave it a listen. it was good, not an everyday listen though. thought i would say this is definitely one of the most mainstream experimental-, art-, avant-garde rock album i've heard.

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

Haven't been propertly connecting with these albums for a few weeks while too busy to listen properly. Did sit and properly absorb this though. Outside 'Venus in Furs' that remains cool, despite it being everywhere , tonight I gravitated towards the more experimental tracks (Black Angel Death Songs, European Son). Not really keen on the tracks with Nico. Hard one to rate on the star rating. I will listen to this again. err, 3.5 stars.

very calm intro, very 60's, reminds me of beatles. this is supposed to be played on a car ride, like driving south to LA and its like in one of the hottest spring day. i only like nico's voice imho. 3/5

Finally listened to this want to spend more time with it but interesting that it was released in 67!

Honestly this is we have the white album at home.

nothing special after sunday morning … sorry

iconic, sehr gut, liebs

nett

I haven’t done this one yet? If you know any Velvet Underground albums, it’s probably this one. Its he quintessential VU record. It’s not as spicy as White Light / White Heat will be, but it’s a little more interesting than the third, self titled, record.

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

Favorite songs: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatale, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow's Parties, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror

I liked this. Obviously a significant album and my first time listening to the whole thing, as opposed to individual tracks.

So tempted to give it 5 stars but Herikn just didn’t do it for me and really I think I love the covers that others have done of these songs more but definitely worth 4 stars. Standouts were "I'm Waiting for the Man“, "Run Run Run" and "There She Goes Again”

Es un disco que no me enloqueció, pero me transmitió las vibes de la epoca.

Okay. I’m beginning to think this random album generator is playing tricks on me. Every album so far as been “meh”. But this one? Yeah, no. I could just hear the pretentious blaring in my ears. No thanks.

Somebody explain this one to me because I don’t get it. I also don’t do drugs…so.

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.

I've heard this album, at least piecemeal, before and I never liked it. Listening to it all the way through now I get it more... But it's still a 1 to me. The rough production, the monotone beat, none of that gets to me. What kills it for me is the lack of groove. It's so stiff.

2026.03.25.

kind of boring

no lo terminé de escuchar, me sentí obligada a escucharlo. La instrumental me copa, pero el chabon no me transmite mucho. igual siento q para la época fue un gran álbum, personalmente hoy en día no conecto

Good album, 4 stars

I am slowly realising that I am, in fact, a Nico fan.

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

It's one of many great albums released in the legendary year of 1967. Somehow, "The Velvet Underground & Nico" stood out even in a sea of innovative classics. In many cases, an album that was considered controversial at the time of its release later becomes a classic (e.g. most '80s metal). "The Velvet Underground & Nico" is one of those albums. Imagine hearing "Sunday Morning" on release day; it must've been bewildering. 4 stars for "The Velvet Underground & Nico".

What about this band is worth listening to?

The cover is iconic, but the audio is mostly a tough listen

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.

Definitely not my choice of music but it wasn’t what I was expecting of “The Velvet Underground”; I was expecting rock or something more grunge-y. Favorite song of the album is The Black Angel’s Death Song and Venus in Furs but I didn’t genuinely like any of them. Maybe I’m just too young to appreciate the cultural significance of this album.

I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. This is really good. Sunday Morning is beautiful, it has a gorgeous melody. I'm not the biggest fan of spoken word, but it kind of works on this record. The abrasive, screeching parts weren't pleasant to listen to, though.

Speciaal, heel tof

Still sounds revelatory.

I'm a Velvet Underground fan, but theres no need for the final track on this album, NO NEED.

I wasn't that aware of the full album but I really enjoyed most of the tracks, apart from a couple of experimental ones. Pleasantly surprised.

Venus in furs aside this didn’t really do loads for me. I appreciate it was very ahead of its time but If this is proto-punk it’s also proto-great songs. Lou reed has his…magic moments… but IMO isn’t this one of them

I dig. It's giving me Dylan vibes.

Boring.

Not sure why this is so influential, kinda boring

Chill oldy classic. Jaime mieux la voix de nico.

Первый альбом, который мне выпал Пока не знаю как работает сайт, боюсь не успеть оценить потом. Поэтому делаю выводы в момент прослушивания, перевод, конечно же, ещё не почитала. Однако очень приглянулся инструментал, который создал атмосферу сочетающуюся с сегодняшним настроением. Точно послушаю до конца, даже скорее всего переслушал снова. Исполнитель был не знаком до сегодняшнего дня. 20.03.2026

okay

One of the most iconic albums in music for a reason

The kind of album that is only good way after the fact, after everyone's chewed on the musical concepts for a decade or so and started to do the same thing and cover the good songs on the album, just better. Def could have done with the noise outro

while i find this album a bit uneven there are some real highlights on here that i would come back fot again and again. Its is also an abaolute signpost album for punk even though theor minumalist ‘i’m just here to make sure the band stays in time aand that’s it’ went full maga (but that’s beside the music).

Top banana

Love this

boundary pushing to say the least very brave for its time, filled with all kinds of theme that were considered taboo back in 1967 can be a tough listen with its harsh sound and abstract song structures but there's a song or two that can be enjoyed casually

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

idk man. Letras profundas y una queja social notable pero la instrumental me ha enganchado -0

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.

So as one of the apparently influential albums ever, and such a recognisable cover, fair to say this album had a reputation before I listened to it. Having done this series though I have learned to temper my expectations, and I’m glad I have learned that as if I hadn’t I think I would have been very disappointed in this. This was fine. I’m beginning to think I’m not as impressed by this type of music as the general music listener, but I respect it for what it is. There is nothing absolutely awful about this, but I wouldn’t say there was anything that really really pulled me in. It to me was just super okay. I will relisten to see if anything changes, but as of now it’s cool.

Cool

Damn, I think they out-kinked the Kinks with that Venus in Furs song. I forgot to include The Velvet Underground when I was listing off proto-punk bands before, but they might be even more influential since I think they came before a lot of the others and had more of the taboo anti-society subject matter in their songs.

Not entirely sure how to feel about this one. I've never had an album fluctuate so wildly between grating and interesting. Maybe there was a sound quality issue with the version I listened to, I'm unsure.

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

don’t know why but I never used to think as highly of this record as many others. On first listen something didn’t ‘click’ with me and I was just left feeling unsatisfied due to the hype of the record. I relistened again today and found much more enjoyment out a lot of it. Still some tracks I’m not too keen on (the closer is just not my thing), but overall a great record

gave us weezer

This album sums up what the Velvet Underground is. Being the absolute opposite to the mainstream rock acts at the time. The sound of this album, has trickled through the alternative rock to Sonic Youth to Arctic Monkeys. It's influence on the musical world can't be denied.

ahh that's much better

Heh

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.

Looks cool

The Velvet Underground two days in a row... This might make me biased. But music is biased already, I guess. I'm sorry, this was boring at times and noisy at different times. I will not be coming back to this.

Maybe I just don't get it. Also, not a fan of Lou Reed's voice. My favorite part of this album is the Warhol cover.

It was good, I wanted it to be great.

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

Discordant at times, never very listenable. Not a fan.

Really good and i don’t even like the VU

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

Sobrevalorado

4.5

I wanted to like it, but didn’t

Sorry, but the only influence this can be attributed to is that it allows artists to pass instrumental noise off as art, other than just noise. Just reads as unpolished/trashy, not because it’s an artistic choice, but because it was born out of a lack of talent, motivation, or even just understanding of any level of the recording process. I’ll give it credit for its tackling of “dark” subject matter sonically for the late 60s, but its sound doesn’t do anything to elevate it. People conveniently forget when discussing the importance of this album that there were far more interesting counter-cultural artists across all different mediums at the same time, who actually use formalist talent to portray said touchy subject matter…

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

Это хотя бы можно слышать

Hmm, very unique. Kinda weird.

:,(

Always like VU.

Not my cup of tea… 😐

5/10

I’m learning I really don’t like experimental rock

pas mauvais mais ya des bruits latents à la longue c'est désagréable à écouter

- As explained in a previous review, I'm boycotting them because (racist) Lou Reed assaulted women, and Nico is a total racist, too. - I did listen to this album a lot before I learned what terrible people so many famous musicians are. - There are a lot of great songs with unforgettable melodies and moody lyrics, which I appreciate. - I also really like that there are two distinct singers - and to have a woman's voice that is so low is pretty rare and interesting. - I like the jangliness of the guitar, but I don't love its tone, which is so thin. - I enjoy the random instrumentation (like the glock, etc.) and the bass throughout. - But like all Velvet Underground albums, there are songs that I tend to skip, e.g., Run Run Run and the final two songs, so I find it goes on too long.

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

Crazy how big and attention drawing this album is, while arguably not the best Velvet Underground album. To me, the noise elements are hard to mix with songs that are so sweetly soft like a Sunday Morning or a I’ll Be Your Mirror. Even so, they represent a type of purity in the exploration of the musical landscape by visionaries like John Cale and Lou Reed. Nico is used wonderfully across the album, adding a softer hardness to the album. Singers with unique voices magnified in a way that doesn’t feel like it creates a division between them and the music is a real joy. Not just a moment in time, this album remains the moment till this day. Faves: Heroin, Sunday Morning, I’ll Be Your Mirror, There She Goes Again, Femme Fatale

I'm probably uncultured for this but man I didn't like this at all.

love the banana album. im surprised that i got so annoyed at haunting violins. highs and lows that average out to pretty good. favorite song is I'm Waiting For The Man, but i do love Heroin

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

Feels like I've acquired ADHD halfway through this last song. Kind of a decent jam sesh and is almost charming in how strummy and scattered it is, but ultimately it's decent at best and not something I'm itching to go back and listen to again 4.7/10

This album sucks

🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

Couple of decent tracks. Not really my bag

I mean it's a classic for a reason. My dad tried to put me onto this a couple times, and like I got what he was saying about it but it didn't really click with me. And to tell the truth I'm still not sure it clicked with me, but I really liked it. I don't think it's perfect, but there's a ton to love here. Favorites: I'm Waiting for the Man, Run Run Run, European Son

Some excellent songs, but some parts too avant garde for me

Loses points for Nico's tone deaf drawling, which ruined some otherwise good music

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.

Not bad not great, Heroin was good

this was my first time listening to this album all the way through; i appreciate it's value and the huge impact on the music scene as a whole, but it left little to no impact on me. i appreciated the lyrics the most, but i do feel the album is a touch overrated. i can't give it more than a 2, because the majority of songs i just did not enjoy at all. also fuck that racist cunt nico. ft: heroin lft: i'll be your mirror, european son

I previously enjoyed one of Lou Reed's solo albums, Berlin, so I was excited to listen to my first Velvet Underground album. This album contains a mixture of noisy, experimental songs with songs that I can only describe as basic pop-rock. I was underwhelmed by most of the songs, which made me wonder what was considered so revolutionary about this album. I'm guessing it was the subject matters, ranging from BDSM to drug use. The darkest, dirtiest songs were the ones that I enjoyed the most, namely Venus In Furs and Heroin. 3.5/5

I think I'm more fascinated by the lore of Velvet Underground / Lou Reed than I am with their music. Sometimes it just sounds out of tune and offbeat to me which turns off my ears a little bit. However, this album is very reflective of its time in that it's distinctly 1960's and sounds like it could not have possibly come from any other decade.

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

Loved the track Heroin but not not much else

There is a good biography on spotify. Didn’t know the band. Did know the sound of Lou Reed on guitar.

my beatles

Liked it. It had a vibe.

VELVET UNDEGROUNDS IS AMAZINNGGGGGGGGGGGGG so was this album :D

Reconozco que es muy bueno pero creo que envejecio un poquito mal, a mi al menos no me suelen fascinar ritmos asi porque me aburren un poco. Me gusta mas lo que hace Nico en solitario.

Buen disco, lo sentí como un disco sumamente artístico, sincero, sin pretensiones y sin expectativas. Simplemente músicos haciendo música y disfrutando de eso. Grandes canciones como Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Heroin (graaan canción). En general creo que es un disco icónico, con un sonido sincero y auténtico, con grandes letras, gran performance y que inspiró a muchos artistas a crear música. Gran disco.

🍌

(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.

This record thrives most when it leans into its more atmospheric side. Listening to this from front to back truly showed its rare and timeless quality, and while the mid-album stretch can feel a bit repetitive at times, the high points are nothing short of legendary. An essential listen. Favorite/s: Sunday Morning, Heroin Least favorite/s: Run Run Run

Never actively listened to this record until now. It's good enough to listen to again.

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

banana jako dobar ali pomalo neujednačen album. trebalo mi je vremena da ga docijenim - u stvari sam shvatio da sam ga tek danas, u lijepe lagane šetnje, odslušao skroz u komadu bez prekida. uzme li se u obzir vrijeme kada izlazi, sirovo genijalan. zadnja stvar najslabija, jednostavno nažalost bezvezna u usporedbi s ostatkom. vrh valjda venus in furs, premda ima i ostalih jakih kandidata. na rubu između četvorke i petice, dat ću mu ipak četvorku jer mislim da imaju boljih albuma (svakako loaded)

I've heard this one before - I liked it back in college but I really just love Sunday Morning. Definitely influential!

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.

This is an album that is more important than it is good. I did like it, but mostly, I appreciated it. It sounds radical for 1967, musically, lyrically, and stylistically. Early psychedelia, transgressive, lo-fi. And with an iconic album cover. I’m also not generally crazy about Nico, though I think she works fairly well here.

An interesting piece of rock history.

A number of song I like, nothing I absolute love

Very 60's music, I'm surprised this was considered an experimental album. The only songs I find all that experimental are "Sunday Morning", which sounds VERY contemporary, "Heroin" for it's dissonance at the end, "The Black Angel's Death Song", and "European Son". None of these are experimental by today's standards I think, but I could see it being experimental back in the 60's. I don't hate this album by any means, but I don't love it.

Didn’t really enjoy this overall even though i liked a few songs on their own, the production sounded bad to me and their weren’t many melodies that caught my ear

I listened to like half of it and it was good I’ve been meaning to

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

Overall impression 3.5. Some great songs such as "There she goes again" but some harsh edges hold it back from being a n easy favorite.

Feeling generous, so rounding up!

I find a lot of this to be fairly straightforward pop, with Lou’s songwriting aspirations to be a Brill Building staff writer like Carole King and Neil Sedaka (R.I.P. Neil…) all over it. Sunday Morning is one of Elizabeth’s all-time fave tracks. I believe White Light/White Heat, their second album to be much more discordant. The album we played a lot in George Pohanka’s basement was their 4th, Loaded, which didn’t have Nico or John Cale and was very much a pop album with “hits” Sweet Jane and Rock and Roll. Try those tracks on Loaded and then try them on Lou’s live album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal (it also has Heroin). 4.5 rounded down — I quite like it but it’s not 5-worthy.

Would have been a 3 if European son lasted much longer.

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.

this is how i find out lou reed was in the velvet underground. i was like wow this sounds like lou reed and what do you know

Muy muy chuli, tiene canciones q me encantan como Sunday morning o femme fatal y es un álbum en general bastante relajante, pero bueno tiene sus cosillas q le sobran

There is always money in the banana stand!

awesome. such a cool, weird album

Hat mich nicht geholt, vll falscher Moment falsche Zeit falscher Ort

Absolute classico

It's tricky to rate albums like this. On one hand, it's an undeniably influential work; on the other, I don't really feel like listening to it a second time. I'll give it a 4 anyway, for its merits—I don't want to just average it out.

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.

Really held up over the years

It's just noise. Constant incoherent noise.

Canon

It's not quite five stars for me, because there are plenty of tracks that I *like*, but none that I *love*. I hadn't listened to this in years and it was fun rediscovering some of the lesser known tracks.

Excellent album - felt the second half was a little weaker than the first 5 or 6 but really good

Not really my style at the moment, couple of nice songs (Sunday Morning, There she goes again) but some songs seeemed way too messy. Liked i'll be your mirror too

pretty good some songs were mid tho

Classico. A banana é muito boa pqp

Clássico

It's good, it's important, but I fluctuate on how enjoyable it is to listen to.

Pretty groovy -- great sound for the late 60s. Pretty influential.

I will never be as high as it presumably required to start digging this kind of music. “This album inspired this and that”? Ok, but everything inspired by them greatly surpassed the inspirer. Cultural significance (if any) alone doesn’t make something a must have to listen.

Fantastic. Love this album I

No. 372/1001 Sunday Morning 4/5 I'm Watiting For The Man 4/5 Femme Fatale 5/5 Venus In Furs 4/5 (2x) Run Run Run 3/5 All Tomorrow's Parties 4/5 (2x) Heroin 4/5 (2x) There She Goes Again 4/5 I'll Be Your Mirror 4/5 The Black Angel's Death Song 3/5 European Son 2/5 (2x) Average: 3,67 Enjoyed the start way better than I expected. Femme Fatale is my personal favorite. European Son was too experimental for me.

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

É curioso como este álbum não me conquistou na primeira audição, e hoje está entre as coisas mais legais que já ouvi. Não é o meu favorito da banda, mas entendo perfeitamente quem o eleja como o primeiro. Soa revolucionário e muito à frente do seu tempo; décadas depois, ainda poderia facilmente ser confundido com um disco indie atual. Para quem não conhece o grupo, as letras podem parecer puro sensacionalismo para época, afinal, estamos em 1967 e eles escrevem sobre sexo sadomasoquista, injeções de heroína e compras de drogas em becos escuros. Mas, depois de tantas audições, acho que não. Lou Reed está apenas documentando o mundo que conhece. Ele é um gênio.

The Velvet Underground & Nico é um daqueles álbuns que as pessoas ficam por anos recomendando e se deixa sempre em uma lista para "escutar posteriormente quando tiver tempo". E a verdade é que eu por anos ignorei esse álbum (mesmo conhecendo 1 ou 2 músicas dele) até ele felizmente aparecer como recomendação/desafio aqui. Eu gostei bastante dele - é um disco que escutarei mais vezes ao longo do ano tranquilamente. A sequência inicial com Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the man, Femme Fatale e Venus in Furs é fantástica! 4,25/5.

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.

It was good, groundbreaking. First half especially was really high quality. Really not sure about the second half but I guess it wasn't boring.

Really did not like this, and couldn’t even finish it. Maybe for a different mood, but not for general listening. The guitar tones really don’t do it for me and the scratchiness of the whole album is off-putting. If it was influential, so sorry lol

I do like Femme Fatale.

Glad this album exists and for its time it made great shockwaves. At this point though I've heard these songs so much that I don't really get much out of them anymore and at worst start yawning before they're over.

Iconic record, and I love the music. I just can't handle Nico's vocals. They're like nails on a chalkboard. Favorite track: Waiting for the Man

Very good. Kinda creepy.

Не оценил. Хорошего для себя ничего не нашёл. Есть пара затяжных раздражающих песен.

Cool album. Liked it. Standout songs: Sunday Morning Venus in Furs Ill be your mirror

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

4-5

I struggle with this one, mid 3? A couple classic tracks but doesn't really go anywhere or do much for me

Is it just me or did Nico kill the vibe Like I'm not sexist I just don't like the sound of Nazis

i feel like this album as a whole is not my thing rn. Sunday Morning tho, or honestly any song abt Sunday is high on the list for me, even more if it sounds so dreamy.

Very nice. I do prefer the two albums that came after this one but this is still a really awesome album. Rides the perfect balance between comforting accessibility and weird experimentation. Must-listen #301.

I get why this album was such a big deal, and so far ahead of it's time. It covers topics that were just simply not talked about (at least publicly) in 1967. From drug use, to prostitution, to even S&M... the pearl clutchers must have been screaming "but what about the children!!!". However, it's musically meh for me. There are a few tracks that stand out a bit but I think it could have been so much better. Call it blasphemy, but other than the lyrical content I really don't see what the big deal is about. But maybe that is the big deal, simply that these topics were starting to make it out of the seedy bars and hushed undertones of people's living rooms.

Great start. Need to look into the genre but yeah i think this might lead me to follow the path. T'was good. Some not my style some really good. I think i liked the slow paced ones more than the others. Anyway a good start. Rating: 2/5 Best Song: Heroin, I'll be your mirror

Off the bat impression: it fucking sucks. It’s a dissonant mess. I can get the impression of better albums that came after. I can see the influence, but this thing is a total dud. Great way to start this journey.

muy buenas letras pero musicalmente no me gusta mucho. Heroin fue mi favorita, me gusta que cuando habla sobre inyectarse la velocidad del tema aumente

ouais pas mal rien de fou c'est country quoi

okay last track is terrible to listen to. It almost burst my eardrums

if it were a bunny it would be bad actually it would be bad whatever animal

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

Good but not for me, i knew a few songs of the band that i think are really good, although this wasn't my tasting but i do think it’s very interesting and i really liked two songs from it

Good one

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

First the bad stuff: Most of the songs were so monotonous that you could skip the entire centre section for instance and not have missed anything. The songs and especially the lyrics were nicely written but the vocals kind of ruined everything. Nico???? Wtf was that? The actual singer sounds like an angel compared to her Jesus Christ. The vocals are seriously such a shame because the melodies are so nice and in combination with the lyrics some of the songs could be genuinely beautiful. Now the good stuff: I liked the sound of the instruments and how most of the songs told somewhat of a story. My fav songs are Heroin and Sunday Morning. I think I’ll Be Your Mirror would be such a good song if it weren’t for the terrible vocals. Overall, it’s a nice album and I think it’ll grow on me.

Sitting in 2026, this feels... fine? I can definitely see how important it is in the history of rock and roll; that being said, it is a middle-of-the-road record to me. Funnily enough, the only song that really gave an impact was European Son, mostly because of the way it feels like the album is actively falling apart as it's being played.

I have friends who love this album. However, nope. Not for me.

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

I LOVE HEROIN

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.

2 liked

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.

Možda sam malo preterao sa hejtom, oprosti mi Ema..... Ne znam zašto baš je loše zvučalo kad sam slušao. Možda sam čuo samo loše delove jer se nisam nešto posvetio slušanju albuma. Poslušaću ponovo... Za sad svakako 2,75/5 Edit: vrv neću poslušati.....

Znam za ovo jako dugo skroz mi je okej ne znam čemu toliki hejt Milijane HAHAHA

Album- The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967) Favorite song from album- All Tomorrow's Parties Album Rating 6.5/10 Not my type of music tho. No songs added to playlist Listened to while playing Terraria and yapping till 5am Made me question what it means to be human Similar Niche to The Beatles (but better) Heroin gave me anxiety European son brings the album down a whole point

Not the greatest album of all time as some say, however there are some great tracks on it and it has clearly a massive influence. Andy Warhol may be a hack artist but his band is pretty good.

There were a fee songs I really enjoyed but I think on the whole it’s a little to prog in the wrong direction for me. Some of the songs like Heroin and European Son were really grating in my opinion, while others like Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale were great. 6/10.

Not terrible by any means but not my favorite? I think Femme Fatale is the best prolly

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.

The Velvet Underground remains a band that I think is interesting (and obviously important) more than one I'd often like to actually listen to. The best part of the album is Nico's voice. Some good tracks for feeling relaxed and cool, like maybe if I wanted to walk around the East Village wearing sunglasses and smoking. Some of the more chaotic/experimental noise stuff feels a little like a precursor to Life Without Buildings, but then again, everything on this album is a precursor to like all of popular rock for the next several decades. Favorite tracks: Heroin, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror.

A lot of this was great to listen to. There were some sounds that popped up throughout that were difficult to listen to.

Overall, I hated it There's something in this album that just grinds my gears and it's present in every song. I really liked Venus in Furs, but even that song just has something that feels off to me.

There's some all time classics on this album, but also some rather "mid" ones.

Don’t like Lou Reed’s voice. Reminds me a bit of Dylan. Jackie would be mad. Again.