The Velvet Underground & Nico

yes it was like velvet.

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

Sounded like a more rocky bob Dylan at times which was good but I cant seem to get this album to click for me.

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

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

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

1967? Sounds totally post-punk. Straightforward in a profound way. Listen to the end of Waiting For The Man--perfectly (I imagine) captures the driving desperation of a junkie's need. BTW just learned Lou graduated cum laude in English from Syracuse. These songs hit as many corners as they can and then some. I've heard this all before, but now I'm really listening and am entranced.

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

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

strong album

Lou reed. Its fine. Not really my thing. Nico voice is interesting Venus in furs is good. S&M Its more poetic than audibly interesting to me. Some songs are good. I appreciate it for what it was in the time it was made. Artistic and experimental. Last song was a slog. European son

some of the songs are phenomenal, but too many are a fucking slog

Craig: didn’t like it as much as I expected. Still some bangers though. Courtney: great until the last two tracks and they were both like a cheese grater on my brain.

Amazing

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

I was looking forward to this as I’ve never listened to this whole album but obviously know it’s iconic. Totally disappointed. Couple of great tracks (eg Sunday Morning), but the rest is that self indulgent swirly 70s dirge.

a collection of a few good tracks and a lot of STINKERS. crazy how such a well respected album like this is so hit or miss.

Mixed feelings about this album, on one hand, I'm not a fan of Nico one bit, and that sound is really off-putting for me. Meanwhile, the stuff with Lou Reed is fairly interesting, and those first tracks (especially the opener of Sunday Morning) were an enjoyable listen. Never been the biggest fan of this style of psychedelic rock, but it is certainly influential on music from this point. Also, that last track really drags on. I'll keep this as a three for now, but if I relisten it might feel like a drag instead of appreciating it more.

Not my taste but it's decent.

Tiene canciones buenas, al principio me sonaba como la música que suelo escuchar, pero luego me di cuenta de que se hacía muy repetitiva, y las canciones de más de 5 minutos sonaban estridentes, hasta el punto de que cuando terminaban sentía como cuando apagas el extractor de aire de la cocina

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

So here's the thing - it's always important to have context with historically important music. I've never listened to this album, but I know about it, and know of its influence. That being said, I think it's also important to review an album while stripping away that context. Take it on face value. So that being said, this album isn't very good. I'm not saying it wasn't completely original at the time. But being original doesn't make it great. The songs need to be good. And these aren't.

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

Tätä levyä oli kivempi kuunnella mitä edellistä arvioitavaa Samettista Maanalaista. Laulaja on parempi ja biisit eivät ole niin samaa höttöä. Kivaa kikkailua välillä. Tosin levyn ehtoopuolella alkaa kikkailu menemään oman maun yli, jopa tekotaiteellisen puolelle. Astetta parempi velvetti, mutta ei kuitenkaan herätä mitään himoja kuuntelemaan uudestaan.

Ei lähteny kyllä yhtään, rasittavia eksperimentaaleja möykkäbiisejä, vähän Bob Dylan vibejä ja 60-luvun perusrokkia. Kovinkin pitkältä tuntuva levy, ei hyvällä tavalla

I remember buying this when I was a teenager, listening to the opening track and thinking this will be up my street….. and some of it was, the more avant guard, art rock wig out stuff, whilst I am it sure was exciting in 1967, deducts points for me. I like it overall but feel it could have been a stone cold classic if it had less…. How do I put this…. art bollocks? 3.4

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

When is great, it's really great. There's some classic songs on here that have stood the test of time. The fuzzed out jams are a bit much to have on record and I don't love Nico's vocals. But I think this would have been amazing to see and hear back in the day.

Day 185 Such an influential record and ahead of its time. Really interesting listen. Highlights Sunday Morning I’m waiting for the Man All tomorrows parties

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

Similar to "Chelsea Girl" there is something to this album that pulls me in, even given it's not my typical style of music. Something mysteriously charming about a 60's minimalist record I guess.

Riktigt riktigt bra!

Their sound seems so unique. It is so innovative and smart. Every song has its own sound and is nailed perfectly.

venus in furs, that's all i have to say

Complete grower. Started to love it after a few listens.

Wassup Nico. I like her songs the best, her voice is one of a kind. I'll Be Your Mirror was probably my favorite. Overall I enjoyed listening to this and checking another white whale/cultural milestone off the list.

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

Det er noe hint av musikk innimellom.

jel treba da me bole usi od ovoga? kao, ozbiljno me zanima. ali ok pesma se zove heroin - ako je heroin ista kao ova pesma sad jos manje imam potrebe da to probam nego ranije, a vec mi je zelja bila nepostojeca, hvala velvet underground! ovo je zvanicno previse avangardno za moj ukus, ja se izvinjavam sto nisam vise kul, ali ovo stvarno nije napravljeno za uzitak obicnog gradjanina kao sto sam ja. mozda da je bolje izmiksano lakse bi se slusalo, jer ima puno skicanja instrumenata, ne znam koliko je to namerno, a uopste mi nije mnogo pojacan zvuk. ali dobrooo 1967., ill give it a pass... ova poslednja pesma je gitarska verzija of just hooting and hollering. gotovo je thank god. mozda sam ja samo lose raspolozena, ali ovaj album je bas smoriooo. najbolji delovi su tamo gde je zenski vokal. ovo ostalo... yawn

some highlights for sure

The first few songs are great especially Waiting for a man but the album tails off soon after and the last few tracks are just noise. I can hear how this is considered so influential for it’s time but musically it’s a bit hit and miss

not really feeling the first song ngl...this is definitely some white people music. it sounds groovy, hip turning type of music but its very much white. is this nigga gay? Descendant and pianos on the back of the second song. third song isnt bad. fourth song is very interesting, i like the violens there really making the song for me, this sounds very raw, old westesn, fok . firth is cool but the guitar has some weird screeching to it, its kinda throwing me off. bth the beginning of this album feels and sounds very different from halfway through the album. all tomorrows sound native, like first nations made the song. i dont like herion, i know what it was trying to do but no. is there she goes about a prosititute...? ngl this is trying be experimental but it's not really landing for me. im one the last song and bru... the fuck is going my nigga LOL , niggas just making noise. niche music final boss.... and why is this 7 min long???? overall i didnt really like the album.

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

peak baby peak

4.5

Art piece. I have this album. Collectable. To say it is experimental is generous.

Did not enjoy.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Venus In Furs, Heroin, There She Goes Again Subversive lyrics: ✅ Avant-garde: ✅ Banana (for scale): 🍌 This is now my second experience with The Velvet Underground, and third if you count Lou Reed's Transformer. The songs are interesting and diverse. The instrumentation is excellent. Lou Reed is awesome as usual. I am quite happy listening to this, even though I only got in two listens. This is going into the rotation.

Fine I guess.. Känns väldigt overrated. EDIT: Lyssnade igen, var väl lite väl taskig med 2, höjer till 3

I am certain that at the time this was released, it would have appealed to most people in the era it was thrust upon us, for me now, it feels dated and it unfortunately hasn’t aged well. I struggled with this and could only pick out 1 or 2 stand out pieces. More miss than hit.

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

Iconic for a reason, but still not a fan of the random bits of audio feedback that grate on the ears. Besides that, solid album! 3.75 stars.

6.5/10

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

Some tracks gave me Pixies vibes (specifically I'm Waiting For The Man) which kind of makes sense since I read that the Pixies were inspired by The Velvet Underground much like many other bands at the time. This speaks of how influential this album was back then, but I wasn't honestly that impressed. No track really stood out to me enough that I would like to listen to it again and the length of some is certainly one of the reasons why. Another reason is that some of the tracks honestly have unlistenable sections because of extreme strings or guitars, especially the last 2 tracks. At that point it just becomes noise rock which I'm not a big fan of.

Highlights: Sunday Morning, Venus in Furs, All Tomorrow's Parties The record didn't stand out too much to my ear. It was a bit too simple and the vocals sounded like they were recorded on a shitty microphone. Although All Tomorrow's Parties was a highlight I much prefer later cover versions of the song from Japan and Ferry. I liked the droney sound of Venus in Furs. I get that the record was influential at the time, but it didn't sound all that special to me.

Yet another seminal album I’m hearing for the first time (blasphemy, I know). It’s hard to believe it was made in 1967. Nearly 60 years later, it still feels fresh and completely its own thing (though it clearly spawned generations of artists). There are many great songs, but “Venus in Furs” is a 10/10. It’s not a perfect album by any means, but that is part of its brilliance.

1/1001 Psychedelic rock? Yeah it was like I was on LSD. Apparently an influential album. Forgive my uncultured self, but it was a less-than-decent listen, wouldn't recommend. Song recommendation: I'll Be Your Mirror

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

Probably would have been a 2 if it were not for Nico.

this is like a cult classic or something? it wasn't bad but certainly interesting. last song was a headache to listen to tho Would I listen again: nah, not my thing Deserves to be on this list: yeah for the cover art alone 3.2

Cool cover, lukewarm music

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

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

não gostei muito, apenas 2 musicas

I tried to like this, but I didn't get a lot out of it. The more conventional dimension of the music is kinda boring to me, and the more experimental dimension is painful rather than intriguing/engaging. I know the album is very influential and ahead of its time, but it doesn't really speak to me.

Too Andy Warhol for me

Not too bad. Some songs I really enjoyed, while others not as much. Some songs were not my cup of tea, but I could still find them interesting.

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

I can’t really find any faults on this one

Få fine sange, meget støj og spinkle instrumenter oven i hinanden, alt for kaotisk til tider, ikke min smag

Love this reed cable Nico some perfect songs

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

This is different from the records being made at the same time. Darker and portraying a gritty life. Nico's voice is a bit of a drone but the bsnd is good. I prefer Lou Reed on his own.

This was a solid album and I get why it was a big deal, but man do I hate what this band did to Rock and roll. The album itself was pretty good tho and very New York which is cool. Waiting for my man is fun.

Psych rock, alt rock. Late 60s debut with German singer. Nonchalant delivery. Incredibly influential for all kinds of genres, but flop at first. Know and like more things than I thought. Get why this was considered revolutonary in 60s.

Banco lo experimental y raro pero en European Son parece que invitaron a un afilacuchillos en su primer día de trabajo mientras abría un portón al que le faltaban 4 litros de aceite. En la foto de Spotify el cantante parece Esteban Lamothe. Ta bien, capaz que si lo escucho un par de veces más le doy 4 estrellas. Sape

Not bad, couple of familiar songs, some rambling songs. The guitar sound is a little on the irritating side for me

Classic

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

I’ve listened to a few art rock albums from this period and this one was by far the worst. Whoever put this on the list was right. Everyone needs to hear how Lou Reed ruined an otherwise alright album. The first few tracks were either pretty good or forgettable. Then, Run Run Run came on and Lou Reed showed his fraudulent hand. That guitar solo made me mad and physically cringe. Then I started listening to what Reed was saying. His lyrics are definitely creative but the content is so disgusting and aggravating. There She Goes Again made me want to yell. I can’t believe this is a top album for people. Maybe they ignore the bulk of the tracks.

It's very influential ofc, and it has some great ideas. Would be so much better if they practiced their instruments more though.

This isn’t my favorite Velvet Underground album, but The Velvet Underground is one of my faves. Love love love Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale.

i struggle with some of the tracks - enjoy some of the others. another cover art jem of course.

Masterpiece

I love this album every listen I give it. Never gets old. Always so good.

Musically and culturally, this will always remain a top tier album. I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’m fully on board with a lot of the lyrics, but there’s no denying how far this record pushed cultural norms at the time.What’s crazy is that it was a commercial failure when it first came out and only sold a few thousand copies, but over time it resurfaced and became widely considered one of the greatest albums ever made. It also ended up being massively influential, helping shape punk, goth, and grunge. Even today, this album still has a fun, and raw edge to it.

альбом неплох, есть что послушать, достаточно своеобразно и именно это и цепляет. песня "femme faste" лучшая. альбом 7/10

Nice vibes. Just not exactly for me.

Venus in furr, sound like being a convicted felon on the bus to prison, driving in the desert. It gets better towards the end I especially like Heroin and European son. The begging of the album really isn’t my thought…

this album was released in the SIXTIES?? they were doing 80s alternative before 80s alternative existed. favorites: femme fatale; run run run; heroin

A classic for a reason. Great overall album but Venus in Furs is always a repeat track for me.

This is good, Loaded is better

Nah

Definitely overrated, if you judge it by itself. However, if you judge it by its influence, it's one of the greatest albums of all time. You can hear bands and albums 50 years into the future, influences by this. In the end, this is a review on the album, isolated as a listening experience in 2026. This isn't a great album, it's ok at best. The music is boring and uninspired, Lou Reed is a horrible singer (Nico is ok) and a horrible guitar player. But what keeps this album from a really low grade for me is the lyricism. Reed is a poet and every theme he touches, he does it masterfully. All in all, 3/5

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

I get the cultural impact and it has some great songs, but a lot of this album is just noise.

Great album.

erratic

First time listening, will definitely listen again

🥇all tomorrows parties 🥈i’m waiting for the man 🥉heroin HM: there she goes again

Some good some not so good, kinda rough around the edges. Some are fairly polished and pleasing. I at one time thought Apple Music decided to put on Bob Dylan in the middle of my listening session. Just feels like inconsistent from beginning to end. Shout out to Andy Warhol for the cover, love that guy.

The album is pleasant enough but I didn't love any of the songs, they were at most all ok to me

Experimental/psychedelic/low-fi pop/folk/rock? Sunday Morning has a 50s/60s ballad feel in the flow and instrumentation. I'm Waiting for the Man also has an old-fashioned feel for the time, but with almost spoken word lyrics brings it the 70s feel. But it is 60s! Ahead of its time then! Ah, moving through we keep seeing that 60s instrumental with subversive, punky vocal delivery/lyrics. Venus in Furs comes from left field as a psychedelic experimental folk song, which I'm a sucker for. Run Run Run is like a standard 60s song but with that psych/dissonant/low-fi edge. All Tomorrow's Parties is a nice balance of folk/psych. Instrumental Interlude is very nice. Heroin is also great, changes in tempo and dynamics with great effect. Oof end is hard to listen to though, with screeching/feedback sounds. There She Goes Again is another great subversion of the standard 60s pop rock song. Best track - Sunday Morning, Venus in Furs, All Tomorrow's Parties, Heroin, There She Goes Again 4 stars, actually much better than I expected

screeching... 3/10

Can see why it would’ve been impactful and important for the time but too chaotic at times. Favourites, heroin and Sunday morning

A well balanced and very enjoyable album. Some songs were good and some like Heroin were genuinely brilliant. I'll admit that the last track was kinda unnecessary 7.5-8/10

Interesting listen. Agree with the description of the album as a basis for art rock because it is a great starting point and very innovative, but as an actual listening experience didn’t blow me away. Favourite track- Heroin

Pretty good, but it got a bit weird here and there

This was so much more mellow than I expected

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

Fantasticccc album

Despite owning "The Velvet Underground & Nico" for years, my visits to it remain sporadic. Every playback leaves me struck by its quality, prompting a vow to return more often that I seldom fulfil. I often question this distance. It may be the record's inherent eclecticism. Even now, tracks like 'Venus in Furs' and 'All Tomorrow’s Parties' feel peerless and 'unpinnable,' resisting any specific mood or genre. There is also the matter of the production; the rawness of tracks such as 'Run Run Run' lends it an unpolished charm frequently dismissed as 'proto-punk'—a term that feels far too reductive for what is happening here. The album's gravitational centre is 'Heroin,' a track that captures the harrowing oscillations of addiction with haunting accuracy. Ultimately, a four-star rating may seem conservative for such a landmark, but it reflects my relationship with an album that, for all its quality, remains strangely out of reach. Side one 1 "Sunday Morning" (5/5) 2 "I'm Waiting for the Man" (5/5) 3 "Femme Fatale" (4/5) 4 "Venus in Furs" (5/5) 5 "Run Run Run" (4/5) 6 "All Tomorrow's Parties" (5/5) Side two 1 "Heroin" (5/5) 2 "There She Goes Again" (3/5) 3 "I'll Be Your Mirror" (5/5) 4 "The Black Angel's Death Song" (Reed, John Cale) (3/5) 5 "European Son"4/5) Total - 48 Average - 4.36 224/1001 125/224 albums reviewed were new to me

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

Venus in Furs

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

1967, wow, I always thought Velvet Underground were much later than that. I've never really listened before. Great singing voice. Had to see who that is, Lou Reed, wow, talk about a smack in the head. Great tracks, yeah, good going 1001.

Um álbum reconhecidamente influente e que trás belas melodias, como em "Sunday Morning" e "All Tommorrow's Parties", além de canções marcantes por seu tom climático, como "Venus in Furs" e "Heroin".

This was very close to a 2, but at least I wasn't bored by it. Standouts European Son 3/5

It’s probably higher, giving the cultural context and how many artists the influence, the lyrics are great. But sound is just really bad. If it was made with the sound of today I think it would be a great to excellent record. Lyrically is fantastic

liked it cool and flowy

cool, not catchy, but a fun one, feels like a vibe will come back to see how it grows on me

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

Was excited to revisit because I used to hate this record. My appreciation has definitely grown, but I still find this thing massively disjointed. Nico's tracks are all great and the instrumentation throughout is so ahead-of-its-time, but the mid tempo pop rock tracks are so lousy and Lou Reed is a bit of a charisma vacuum. And just because the sounds attempted here are progressive, does not mean that the production sounds good- most of it sounds really dated.

Pretty good)

A mix of dreamy pop and rock probably made possible by Warhol's financing makes for an interesting VU album with vocal assistance from Nico. Interesting album for it's time.

A few tracks I liked but I wasn’t a particular fan of the style

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

Pretty good album. Nice lyrics and musical composition. Would listen to again :>.

I can see why this was considered influential for its time but it feels like a sloppy version compared to albums that take inspiration and make this sound better. I am always torn when I don’t enjoy an “influential” album. I understand the influence doesn’t equal being widely enjoyed but I do find that I still expect to enjoy it and unfortunately this time I really didn’t….

Sounds like if Timothee Chalamet made an album with the meters in red while doing his Bob Dylan voice. Prefer their Self Titled

I’ve always been intrigued by the banana sticker, but I’ve never actually heard any of these songs. Anywhere. Ever. One of the most influential albums of all time and I’ve never heard any of these songs anywhere? I think this is because this music isn’t very good, but the banana sticker fucking rules. Great idea, Andy!

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

Maybe I just don’t appreciate artsy music You can go on and on about how influential this album is but at the end of the day I listen to music because it sounds good, and I really don’t think Velvet Underground try. There’s parts in the second half that make me want to pick up my headphones and throw them far away There’s some interesting poetic lyrics but that alone isn’t enough to save the album for me. Once again no real standouts I might have to give this one another listen because I’ve gotta be missing something

It's way too rough of a sound combined with very repetitive songs.

Avant garde Proto punk Art school Rock Probably all fitting labels. Definitely NYC, interesting and somehow groundbreaking. VU formed in the mid 60s, carried on until 1973 or so, broke up, got back together. Same old story. This album apparently a little like Melville's Moby Dick, unremarkable upon it's release but now considered a masterpiece. Fun fact: A legal dispute over an image on the back of the album had it pulled from stores for a few months, during which time Sergeant Pepper's exploded on the music scene. I'm ambivalent toward it, and everyone knows I love this era. I think there are a couple good songs, but otherwise meh. If it weren't for the historical significance and the Andy Warhol design on the jacket, I'd probably have no interest whatsoever. 3 stars, probably closer to 2 1/2

I don’t know what I expected Velvet Underground to sound like, but this wasn’t it. This album just sounds weird, I can’t vibe with this at all because all the songs just have something weird in its instrumentation or sound and I can’t find myself to like it. I’m listening to the gosh darn 45th anniversary version of this album and it still sounds awful. I can’t enjoy a single song on this album so it deserves a 1.

I did it again… Man, I need to start saving my reviews. I write an essays worth of things to talk about only to come back and have it nothing. Anyways, this is one of those albums I’ve heard a lot about, but just never got the chance to actually give it a listen and I get that this was probably ahead of its time in the '60s (it's certainly strange compared to whatever the Beatles were cooking up at the time) But my personal ratings don't give any points for influence or historical significance. Purely based on my own taste, this was so-so, with some tracks veering towards actively bad while a few were strangely good, especially Sunday Morning and Heroin. The album is like an open mic night in a beatnik neighborhood. Most tracks are just Lou Reed talking at you with music playing in the background more than any real singing happening. Not my cup of tea for sure. It was worth a listen, but I probably won’t listen to it again 2/5.

Album was fine, expected to like it more based on the listens it has, but nothing really stuck out. I wouldn't listen to it again and no takeaways. Didn't dislike it, but also was pretty meh on it.

Simple, repetitive melodies. The production sounds very dated, with the vocal tracks and some instruments getting distorted at multiple points. Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale are both good though.

Obviously one of the most influential albums of all time, and you can really hear it. I don't really like it that much tho. Some songs are fine, I won't be coming back to this often, at least not for now

Quick, take the 3 stars while I'm still on "eh it's fine" about a Lou Reed-related project! This doesn't really happen. Probably won't listen again.

It was a 60s album.

Fantastic.

Un suono rock, country, medievale. Molti brani sono delle ballate psichedeliche. Si sentono i suoi quasi 60 anni, ma può essere un ottimo spunto: non servono troppi elementi per fare belle canzoni. Un buon ritmo, basso, chitarra e voce possono creare brani senza tempo. La caratteristica di alcuni brani è questa voce molto "rovinata", potrebbe funzionare anche in dei brani moderni, per dare quel tocco di passato. Bisognerebbe approfondire ad un secondo ascolto i testi, per coglierne i particolari e il significato. In generale è stato bello scoprire questo suono.

Can’t actually remember this

Favourite tracks: femme fatale and there she goes again

liked I’m Waiting For The Man

I’ll Be Your Mirror is on a playlist that my friend Rowan made when we were feeling very normal about the same fictional characters. Impossible for me to divorce this album from those feelings. The very beginning of The Black Angel’s Death song kept making me think the album had ended and it was playing an early mountain goats track (only for the very beginning). There are tracks I don’t like as much, but I do really like this album. Fav song: I’ll Be Your Mirror - there might be other songs I would prefer if I spent longer with the album but I’m very fond of this one. Least fav: European Son

Not a huge fan of this album. Does not live up to the fame of the cover at all. Specific rating - 2.5 Fav song -there she goes again Least fav- European son

Know the cover so well so was a little shocked to realise I didn't know any of the songs. There were quite a few annoying noises in the songs- started to convince myself it was recording fault and then the last song started and it because clear it was all purposeful. Got worse and worse as the album went on. Favourite song: Sunday Morning Least: European Son

A bona fide classic although Nico's voice grates a little too much for a 5

My first Velvets love although probably the one I return to least now out of the pure Lou albums. Not really into Nicos baroque style, prefer the dissonance as employed on WLWH and it doesnt have the almost religious purity of the 3rd album. That said, some undeniable Classic songs on here.

A frustrating album, moments of pure brilliance such as Heroin and Sunday Morning, laced with the psychedelia of Venus in furs etc scream give me 5 stars, but then you also have to suffer through the vocals of Nico which feel totally out of place on a few tracks (I like her on femme fatale but the production leaves me angsty). Nice banana.

sunday morning - immediately not optimistic that this album will be for me. found this one a bit boring i’m waiting for the man - intro music sounds better than the last one. i could see myself liking this one. background music sounds a bit like when a broken stereo is too loud. maybe not going to add to the playlist but a lot more promising than the last one. would give it another chance in the future femme fatale - already not hopeful from beginning. can they sing? i don’t like this one. at least it’s short. would maybe be better if it was more upbeat? venus in furs - beginning sounds cool. i don’t think i’m gonna like it. i definitely don’t like it. they just never switch up the beat or anything, same background noise the whole way through, different lyrics sung to the same tune, and neither of these things are good enough to stay the same the whole way run run run - okay i’m hopeful i’ll like it. i think i do. that bit hurts my ears there was no need. hmm maybe i dont, or at least not enough to add it to the playlist. still hurting my ears. definitely not the worst one so far all tomorrow’s parties - it’s a longer one. oh god. i definitely am not gonna like this. drums in the background are kinda giving soldiers marching and beating their drums. glad it’s over heroin - another longer one, hoping it’s better than the last one. i don’t get what makes a song a rock song. ooh it’s speeding up i like it. definitely my favourite so far i really like it when it starts building up and speeding up. careful i can almost hear the lyrics. promising but sometimes a bit too screechy there she goes again - i quite like this one. also a good one. i could listen to this again. not much to say i liked it i’ll be your mirror - a short one. who is this one singing i haven’t liked any of them “singing”. a bit boring. wouldn’t listen to it again by choice the black angel’s death song - title makes me scared for it. i quite like it so far though. why are they making a strange noise. it’s not as bad as i thought it would be. they keep making strange noises with their mouth european son - last one and it’s long. i like the intro. oh it’s just sound what’s happening there were like ten lyrics. the sound is overwhelming what is happening i don’t like it this is what i imagine it sounds like in someone’s head when they do cocaine. i can’t wait for it to be over but i’ve made it this far i’m not skipping. final thoughts: i think some of them were okay but i can’t tell if i’m just trying to convince myself they were okay, but i’ll listen to them more. the music was sometimes too loud and screechy and crackly so i couldn’t really hear the lyrics. favourite: heroin

Niet zo mijn ding

Absolutely phenomenal record

Its not that good. I was hoping for interesting songs but they didn't even exactly sound like music? Some were boring, some felt like a chore to listen to honestly. Who likes to listen to this on a daily basis and why? I don't get why its so overrated

I had to listen to this before, and the second time didn't change my opinion. I have no idea why this is so much praised. Lou Reed and his heroin trips' outpour are as bad as Nico's awful German accent.

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

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

One of the greatest records I've ever heard. Having Andy Warhol as a patron backing the band allowed the members to experiment without boundaries, which had a significant impact on the trajectory of modern music. I didn't give it a 5-star rating only because some tracks don't resonate for me as strongly as they once did.

Leí por ahí que este álbum estaba en el puesto 13 de los mejores de todos los tiempos.. No sé, desde mi punto de vista esta sobrevalorado. Me gusta alguna que otra canción pero no podría estar entre mis favoritos ni por asomo.

Turejau didelius lukescius, bet overall kazkaip ne man, kelios dainos visai nieko. Heroin galejo but zrr gera daina, bet irgi kazkaip nlb. Favorites: "ill be your mirror", "there she goes again" ir "im waiting for the man"

A few good songs, but not their finest hour. Not a fan of the more transgressive elements. “Loaded” is better.

Sunday Morning - 4.5/5 I'm Waiting For The Man - 4/5 Femme Fatale - 4/5 Venus In Furs - 3/5 Run Run Run - 3/5 All Tomorrow's Parties - 3.5/5 Heroin - 3/5 There She Goes Again - 3/5 I'll Be Your Mirror - 4/5 The Black Angel's Death Song - 2.5/5 European Son - 3/5

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

I really liked The Velvet Underground vocals/instrumentals and thought that they perfectly captured the sound of the era. However this album made me realize I really don’t like Nico’s vocals. None of the songs really stood out to me and I probably won’t go out of my way to listen again.

It was my first album in this style and as so it wasnt to my usual liking. But I did like some aspekts of it for example the variety of sounds and the attempt to try out diffrent ideas without making it as exrsvagant as possible. So although some of the songs like the instrumentl one werent my stil it was a good album and Sunday mornings, there she goes again and all tomorrows patry grew on me.

Slight "The Ma & Pa's" Vibes Black Angels Death Song sounds like Timothee Chalet as Bob Dylan. This album is kind of giving me soundtrack vibes, Red Dead kind of?

excelente una maravilla

Music for people that prefer Canada Dry over Vernors.

While I get the influence this album has had on countless artists that followed, this isn't for me.

Fave track: Femme Fatale Least fave track: European Son i like femme fatale hehe. what a unique voice Nico has! the male voices singing "she's a femme fatale" in the background is perfect. Venus in Furs is freaky deaky, i like the strings in it! this whole thang got a funky sound i like it. there are many random grating sounds in these songs haaahahah. Overall i think its interesting and freaky in a fun way. 7.2/10

Great album great vocals and sound.

359/1089 - Redundant music, abysmal production quality, horrible voices: one nasal talk singer (without the charisma or dynamics of Bob Dylan), and one German with no timbral variation making it dull and monotonous. I guess it has variation going for it in all of it's songs but when your songs are this crappy and repetitive, what's the point? Especially that last song is bullshit to listen to. It isn't enough to be "interesting" you also have to be competent, which escapes the sound engineers and performers. This rivals Joy Division and Ministry for being the worst album I've heard on the list. Non-list rec: Smiley Smile - The Beach Boys (1967) A somewhat eerie sounding Beach Boys album mostly made of re-recorded Smile tracks at Brian Wilson's house with unconventional (but competent) recording methods. Good Vibrations and Woody Woodpecker Symphony stand out to me.

Classic album which although not perfect as Nico's vocal wastes a couple of songs, it still has some great moments. REM do a good cover of Pale Blue Eyes and Femme Fatale which is better than the original thanks to Stipes vocals.

A lot better than I remember it. My tastes may have matured over the years.

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

It was good

A classic.

Great music, I have always not liked Nico's voice

Not bad but not noteworthy.

I honestly don’t get it. It’s just kind of neutral and pleasant, with no point of view. What’s the appeal?

I just don't get the velvet underground. People love them but I just don't have fun listening. They do some interesting things, but it's more expiremental and less practical to me. Tempted to give a 2 but it ekes out a 3

I'd love to listen to this one again.

musicboard

ну не знаю. это мой первый альбом из этого списка, оверолл могу поставить 6/10, вообще не мое на парочку треков можно отметить. эниуэй я понял смысл альбома и почему же его ценят его культурное наследие

The Velvet Underground & Nico I can honestly see this album as something that would be used when discussing and teaching the history of music. It has a very defined, and cemented sound while encapsulating the time period. That being said, it’s not really my cup of tea I’m most situations, with ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’, and ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties‘. 3/5 for easily being able to respect and interpret the quality with context of the time frame, but as these are personal ratings, it really isn’t a 5* for me.

So good, I was sad when it ended

4 stars. ATP lets it down

An all-time classic

not really for me.

preferred this project over self titled overall: 4/5 favourite tracks: sunday morning, i’ll be your mirror least favourite track: there she goes again

Ya can't be a good Samaritan if ya don't sing the praises to the Ripe Banana on a White Cover™. It influenced an entire culture for Christ's sake! You can't put that attribute to any other single album. Everything that this album is has already been discussed to the bone gristle. Simple in its nature, highly memorable, and any song in it can be used as a starting point for a plethora of different genres. And the songs still slap to this day, sometimes even being quite fresh, which is something not characteristic for '60s albums (other than jazz, but that's a whole different galaxy). As you can see from my Best songs portion, I'm more of a fan of the poppy side of the record, but truly, the entire album is worth your attention.

Temp

Velvet Underground is one of those bands that boomers lose their minds over. This record was -okay-, but doesn’t really resonate with my GenX mind.

Couple of 4 star songs does not make a 4 star album.

Why are the outros so bad

Okay so this influenced a LOT, loved it, didn't care for some of the tracks but overall super fun to listen to

Idk honestly I spaced out

It's obvious these people barely know how to play their instruments or compose anything close to being called music. Just dull and boring. Being stoned can't even help me listen to this.

This album inspires you to go out, do something, move. I like the quality of it, it’s nostalgic.

There were a few interesting songs on here, but mostly I was bored of it.

não é pra mim

This one was definitely not new to me. My girlfriend in college loved this record so I've heard it a bunch. And, look, I get the attraction. There is some great stuff here, but I've always landed on the side that said The Velvet Underground was overrated.

This album sounded like a bunch of grown men playing with instruments. This resulted in horrible screeching sounds of guitar and flute, and the only times we were spared of that was during either the boring, repetitive solos or horrible singing, with its lyrics also fitting this experimental vibe. I honestly don’t know if I can make worse sounds come out of an electric guitar than some of the sounds in this album.

I know that this album is beloved and aclaimed, but I just can't hear it. It ranges from boring to bad, and rarely ever sounds good. I've heard that it was highly influential and spawned many different genres (punk, grunge, shoegaze, etc) but I honestly don't really like those genres either. Idk. It's cool that Andy Warhol sponsored this album, and the first track was kind of nice (reminded me a bit of KEITH - 98.6) but that's about all that I can say. Favorite Track: Sunday Morning

I notice that in this listening, I have a tougher time getting past my lack of patience for a certain style--small rock bands that aren't immediately precise or poetic (in a way that isn't too grandiose). Listening is such a personal preference, even while it has many levels. I've never gone straight through this famous album and, though there were no unpleasant songs, there were no standouts I wanted to listen to again either (maybe except 'Sunday Morning'?). If we're being moralistic, 'Heroin' is a perfect personification, but do I care to have that personified?

I was between 4 and 5 stars until halfway through Heroin. I liked the album as a whole, but it does get a bit grating. Maybe that’s the point, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

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

This album has so much of a loaded legacy as a product of this vibrant avant-garde movement out of NYC, a lot of it funded by Andy Warhol. It's cool to see that movement as one packed with visuals and sounds. As for the music itself, it was clear that Velvet Underground was doing its own thing. I love that one of the key members (John Cale) was a violist and had a hand in a lot of the experimental sounds, like the strings in "Venus in Furs". I also adore Nico's vocals. After the first listen, I had "Sunday Morning" stuck in my head, and I love the ethereal feel from the celeste and viola.

This album does not come out swinging like yesterday's. There are two paths to go down re: Velvet Underground. Either you accept that their down-tempo, often monotone sound is cool, or you accept that it is boring. I, being an avid fence rider, think it is a little of both. There are about 50 albums from the 60s I would choose to spin over this one, but it's a pleasant listen when I return to it. 4.

This album feels like the Nico show with Nico's contributions being the only things that make this album standout like it does.

wtf first half was listenable and kinda good but the second half is the opposite

A delightful mess.

The good songs slightly outweigh the bad. The bad songs are all either too long or too Nico-ed or too much of both. I've met amateur musicians who can play at least five thousand times as well. There's no accounting for what's classic, I guess.

I do very much like this album, and I think this is one my favorite album covers ever. I realized on this listen through that Nico begins on the album with Femme Fatale which is pretty cool like oooo watch out she’s coming!! I had to pause it a few times at the end because the noises were sooo loud I don’t really like that and I don’t really get it. But all in all, iconic album obviously

Some obvious classics but overall not for me

Had already heard this one. Classic, love it.

Honestly the only songs I enjoyed on this album were the ones Nico was the main vocalist for…

It’s not my favorite, I prefer hearing Nico sing over that man. Overall I think they released this album at the right time because it sounds a little rooough. It makes me want to listen to more of them tho, I want the better understanding of why people like them so much

Might be my favorite so far, I really liked the 3rd song in the playlist it started with an “L” but I just really like that one. Overall one of the best

coolest ever

Favorite Track: Sunday Morning

my fav was sunday morning

gets better with every listen 3/5

3,5

• Before listening, I don't think I know any Velvet Underground songs, but this album art is iconic, and Lou Reed obviously has a long legacy of his own. • I'm Waiting for the Man feels reminiscent of Bob Dylan. I like the bass line, especially in the chorus and the end of the song • So far, I'm enjoying the more straightforward rock songs like Run Run Run a lot more than songs like Venus in Furs • I really dislike some of the songs on this album, I'll Be Your Mirror is probably my least favourite so far • European Son quickly took the crown for my least favourite song • Overall, I was not a big fan of the album. A lot of it just felt like noise, and the few songs I didn't mind still weren't good enough to salvage the rest of the album. Favourite song: Run Run Run

This is an album whose cultural impact and significance, style and aura are unmatched. In many ways it was trailblazing and represents a bright line between the musical sensibilities that came before and after it. And, if I’m being honest, is a VERY challenging listen. It’s not “good” in the sense of a pop album of its day and that was purposeful. It’s still not “good” by today’s standards, but much more acceptable given how many carbon copy iterations have existed over the years (each one just a little bit less with each new version). So instead of giving this 5 based on its cultural context, or 1 based on how easily enjoyable the experience is, I am splitting the difference and rounding up: 3.5⭐️ (giving it a 4 rating)

The sound itself is nice, however it wasn't really my speed.

i remember listening to this in LA at buck mason when i worked retail. sometimes i miss being their operations coordinator but i don’t know if that’s what i want for my life. very much a weekend afternoon album.

Didn't know about it at all but I liked it and just discovered Nico with help of this album. Thank you!

:)

i know it’s a classic but i couldn’t stop thinking it sounded like if the beatles ate bob dylan

I appreciate this sound for 1967, the cover is iconic, the songs are uneven

this is more what i expect from the velvet underground. the opener was amazing, the rest were fine. but once again the penultimate song was unpleasant. i very much do see how it's influential but it simply is not for me.

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

Okay so many thoughts. First I was disappointed when I saw this was my album of the day because I tried listening 10 years ago and hated it. So naturally I went to the reviews which seemed to echo that feeling. I lold at some of the reviews. But as taste buds change with age so does music appreciation. It was honestly pretty good. Better than last time for sure. Not better than tribe so giving a 2

For Lou: ★★★★

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

So I typically love 60s music and even other TVG songs, but this album wasn’t for me. I respect the grunge, rock, alt type vibe but idk I wasn’t really into from beginning to end. I like Run Run Run tho. 3/10

The dudes voice in “Sunday Morning” is annoying, it’s literally grinding my gears. “I’m Waiting For The Man” sounds like it would be in an early 2000’s coming of age movie, like Whip It. “Femme Fatale” sounds like most of the inspo came from Nico. The dudes voice in “Venus In Furs” is a little bit more bearable. “Run Run Run” is a song I never need to hear again and I would live happy. This is such a bad album.

Nana

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

Et album jeg har lyttet til flere ganger. Musikk som i 1967 var noe helt spesielt, og sannsynligvis la grunnlaget for mye av det som skulle komme i de påfølgende tiårene. Albumcoveret og produksjonen er tilskrevet kunstneren Andy Warhol, så kanskje ikke så rart at dette albumet faller under sjangrene art rock og experimental rock. Lou Reed og Nico har distinkte stemmer som samarbeider utmerket med instrumentene. Veldig bra. Top 3: Femme Fatale, Heroin, Venus In Furs

If Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones had a vocal love child. Proof that people on drugs and not just boring to talk to but also to listen to… “Let’s hold the one note for 5 mins straight” I know I am supposed to think this is one of the greatest most important pieces of work ever. I just don’t get it. 🤷‍♂️

6/10

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

Damn beatniks - No standouts

Meh3

1. Sunday Morning 2. Heroin 3. There She Goes Again I appreciate this is an important album for music in general seeing as it’s so experimental, however i’m rating this based on objectively how does it sound. It’s not something I would just put on and listen to. Note that all the noise in Heroin made me anxious and was not nice to listen to but i did like that it was so different to everything else on the album and in fact songs in general. I think one of the reasons I don’t like it is because the lead singer has the same type of drawn out American voice that annoys me - Bob Dylan/ Dire Straits type thing.

Should I go form a band now? Surprising me, I liked this. Definite influence on a lot of genres. Twee, Shoegaze, punk, and more.

Black Angel’s Death is unlistenable. Other than that it’s ok. Odd pairing having Nico on a couple of tracks. Some Dylanish rhymes. Some Kinksish riffs. Some Beatlesesque drones. Wild that this inspired some of the best music.

Meh. Too old

Shouty nails on chalk board

I get why this album is important but it’s not something I would revisit.

2nd song was the best in this album. My first time as well joining 1001 albums

sunday morning - ive heard this song before i love it a lot a classic!! ironically tho this song is one i would listen to on sunday night not morning 8/10 im waiting for the man - something id play while getting ready in the morning absolutely loved this song 7/10 femme fatale - i know this one and its one of my favs i wish it wasnt too short tho 8.5/10 venus in furs - something id hear play while im in a bar on a thursday night on a date with someone i like it but not my vibe tbh 6.5/10 run run run - my name is in the song so i obv like it :D i like the guitar riffs between the verses a lot the song genuinely feels like you're on the run 8/10 all tomorrow's parties - my new national anthem 8/10 heroin - works as a metaphor how your partner could be the thing you're addicted to like heroin in this case but also how one cant literally live without their addictions. melody imo is symbolising how it feels like slowly getting that heroin in your body and how that dopamine hits you once and for all. 9/10 there she goes again - loved the fadeout it feels very authentic. 7/10 i'll be your mirror - i also know this song 6.5/10 the black angel's death song - liked this song but i wasnt feeling it as much as i was feeling the others ngl 5/10 european son - fun instrumental !! => overall i liked the album its not something id willingly go to listen to but if its on shuffle id play it

נההההדדרדדד מממש ממש יפה

очень даже прикольно интересно

So many of these songs have been covered by R.E.M. alone - never mind the Sisters of Mercy, Big Star, Duran Duran and countless others - that they have effectively become folk songs. Urban folk songs, admittedly: grounded in Reed’s corny fixations on drug dealing and BDSM, his stubbornly sub-literary provocations, which have never especially interested me. But, then, I would enjoy Hubert Selby more if sung by Nico with her beguiling, carynx of a voice. Still, the fact that Japan even covered European Son tells you something about the record’s reach. To recognise the first Velvets album as a template for the 1980s - for goth, for jangle pop, for New Romanticism - is unavoidable now. Whatever its lyrical limitations, it functioned less as a finished statement than as a set of permissions. And it still sounds pretty good. And this is only one of infinite fascinating things I can think of the Velvets’ debut before breakfast. 4 Here's an album much cooler than it is good and that is impressive because it is excellent. If the absorbing swirl of shifting timbres was entirely deliberate it is still hard to believe but, first, a fair chunk of pop music is happy accidents, and second John Cale. The guitars, not exactly well played, sound absolutely terrific, which is bound to mean they are well played. Nico, not exactly a good singer, is fascinating to listen to, which is bound to mean she's a good singer. Lou Reed announced himself with a couple of the absolute best lyrics he would ever write - Waiting for the Man and Heroin. The songs are simultaneously transgressive and inviting, harsh and perfectly pleasant; facetious and entirely serious. The banana is a superb fit. European Son is still a bit shit. 4/5

Just felt kind of mid. I understand why it was artistic for its time but it didn’t feel like it had any kind of feeling or emotion

3.5 not big fan of the rock music genre but loved

I like this but not as much as White Light / White Heat. Nico's voice is great, and I think she kinda peaked here.

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

Banger

The best.

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

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

Leider anstrengend 2/6

Not the worst album - but not the best for me - I like a few songs the rest didn’t do anything for me

cause everybodyyy knowwwwsss

My reviews keep getting deleted. Some songs I enjoyed and were very pleasant and calming. Other songs devolved into noises, which sometimes I like but it didn’t always work for me here. I can understand how influential and ahead of its time this album was, but I didn’t love it on first full listen through

Heard it before. I'm afraid I'm not as into this album as some other people are. It is quite cool for its time and has good songs obviously. But Nico pisses me off ever since I read her Wikipedia page and her vocals are shit. Thank god Lou sings on most songs 3/5

I wanted to like it more

First impression is the Sunday Morning vocals sound like a bad Dylan impression. Does Venus in Furs reference a little BDSM action? Gotta give it to the song writer, the lyrics are imaginative. Listened before? N Saved some tracks? N Favorite tracks? N/A ⭐⭐ I can neither hate nor like this entry Favorite tracks?

Skipped through it. I'm reclaiming my time from bad vocals. There seems to be a lot of that on this list.

Classic album.

still trying to decide if i like the velvet underground or not

Very monotonous and anticlimactic Hate the deadpan voice and speaking tone. Production is very tinny and hollow

Not my favorite at all, 1 or 2 good songs

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

not my style. would be nice for background music you’re not paying attention to.

Sounded like an Album on acid having a stroke didn't gel with the harshness of the sound

I’m so sorry, they’re clearly very influential for future artist but something about this album just pisses me off so much. I’ve got no clue why but I can’t stand them. Not then, not now Ok I tried listening from he top and I literally wanted to pull the plug on myself the song heroine sounds like trains, I had to take off my headphones on European son

If I could give it a 0 I would. Shit album, shit concept, shit music.

Very good vibes. Apocalypse now type atmosphere.

Not for me at all…

not bad at all

There she goes again é a top 1 do álbum, instrumentais absurdos e estranhamente me lembrou músicas indianas. Passa uma vibe bem Beatles 6/10.

the songs are not what I would normally listen to, but it was a great listen

There is not a single bad song on this album. I had to go back and check the release date on this album because the lyrics and melody were so modern! I loved the lyrics, the storytelling, and the discordant nature of everything. Reminded me of David Bowie's music in a way.

My head hurts I can’t with this album

it’s wonderful in every way

Don’t think I’ve seen an album with so many alternating 5 and 1 star reviews. Obviously seen as a classic and the instantly recognisable cover and band. Never listened before so curious to see where I land on this polarisation! And only just discovered Lou Reed through this list so I’m hopeful.. I’m surprised by the 1*’s as I start to listen. It feels inoffensive, at worst and classic at best. Solid songs, groove and lyrics. Very enjoyable and in the feels. It’s a great mix of styles and songwriting throughout too. Think I prefer Reed on vocals, than Nico. Got quite excited by the first half and then felt it kind of descended into a bad trip as it came to a close through the second half :-/ just gets 4* because the end just killed it but enough classics and genius to keep the 4

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

Gegen Ende mochte ich das Album mehr. Vorallem „He’s Misstra Know-It-All”. War glaub mein favourite Track aber ich finde andere Alben besser.

the influence of this album > the album itself - kelsey

Bueno, normal, tranquilo