Public Image: First Issue

I'm generally a fan of the band, and of post-punk. That said, this album isn't my favorite, at all. I think PiL got stronger over time. The early stuff is somewhat grating, and hasn't aged particularly well.

It’s just not for me. No hate!

This butter ain’t slick

i enjoyed it. more focused on message than sounding good which is great for them but not necessarily my tastes. only 39 minutes long but it somehow feels hours long. most songs got a playlist add so it's still good. 3.5

it was aight

I was feeling a solid 2 stars - it isn't really my thing but I can expect what it did for the time, even if some of the lyrics are edgy cringe - then I got to the last song. And it was so grating that I have no choice but to one star it.

the album did it's job at pissing people off. Truly Punk at heart, Anti-ART like how swans earlier days and Glenn Branca + british punk sounds. Not for the faint of heart. Truly Outstanding!!! my forth time repeating the whole album again.

Way too shouty

Honestly I usually kind of like what I hear if public image. This was a decent album.

*yawn*

This one didn't do it for me. I like some of Public Image Ltd.'s music, but I was not impressed with this album.

before redditors, we had this. ✝️

This has some chaotic songs but the tin-y guitar was very prominent. I didn't love it.

3.15/5 half the album is unlistenable while the other half is rather good. big jams with rotten lyrics

Not my favorite PIL

So this is where some of that post-rock I was into for a while came from 🤔

Post-punk experimental noise album, I liked the first 2/3rds quite a bit. The end of the record was not as good, even though I did find Fodderstompf to be interesting. The song reminded me of Krautrock with the sustained beat and monotonous vocals. Annalisa and Public Image were standouts.

It was allright. Musically was marginally better than the vocals, which were bad. 2/5

первый трек вайбовый, спору нет. и еще обложка диссонирует с содержимым, это тоже плюс. поэтому 3.

might come back to it ... maybe

This album is not easy to listen to. Track one is over 9 minutes of loud, static guitars with a voice that sounds like someone’s screaming in a cold basement; Religion 1 and Religion 2 have the same lyrics, one’s just acapella and two has music; the final track is nearly an hour long radio show. Just not very appealing at all. But you do get raw music with loud guitars, funky bass lines, and vocals that are very anti-establishment. Though, I thought the vocals were off putting and I couldn’t vibe with it…I couldn’t vibe with this album in general. I just don’t think I’m much of a punk fan.

yes yes yes

Killer. A game changer.

Decent listen.

I like their later albums more

What a waste of 39 minutes. Not one protruding edge, just a stream of uninteresting noise.

Jeg tror jeg sov på PiL i lang tid fordi Sex Pistols egentlig er ganske mid, men nå har jeg visst i nesten like lang tid at PiL skal være bra, så jeg har ikke noen unskyldning for å ikke ha dedikert ordentlig med tid til dem tidligere. Vi befinner oss i 1978, riktignok helt på tampen av året, og mens jeg hører åpningssporet, Theme, begynner jeg å lure på hvem som eventuelt har laget musikk som høres ut som dette tidligere. Nå har jeg gravd litt i ting jeg har hørt og ting jeg har hørt om, men mesteparten kommer ut i 1979 og utover -- i hvert fall med en LP av materiale. I UK hadde Wire allerede begynt å lage Art Punk og gitt ut to små mesterverk -- Pink Flag (1977) og Chairs Missing (1978) -- men PiL beveger seg lenger ut av punk-formen enn det Wire gjør. I USA har Pere Ubu i 1978 gitt ut både Modern Dance og Dub Housing (henoldsvis i januar og november) og Chrome har gitt ut Alien Sountracks (1977). Begge disse gruppene er hakket mer experimenterende med formen & soundet enn det Wire er, og kan ha vært forløpere til PiL, men aner ikke om de hadde hørt dette. Utover disse, finner jeg ikke så mye musikk som høres like avvikende ut som First Issue og som fortsatt befinner seg i populærmusikkens domene anno 1978. Det er naturlig å nevne de som var noise rock typ 15 år før det egentlig var en "greie" -- White Light/White Heat og Fun House -- men der VU og Stooges fortsatt var veldig rocka, ligger PiL på de beste sporene samtid nære experimentelle verker av minimalister som kom ut av La Monte Youngs Dream House, slik som Tony Conrad og John Cale. (Tony Conrad & Faust's Outside the Dream Syndicate fra 1973 er noe jeg tenker på som en slags forfader.) Theme er det beste exempelet på hva jeg snakker om. Hadde det ikke vært for Theme, hadde jeg nok ikke dykket ned i kaninhullet over denne skiva. Spor som Religion I & II, Annalisa, Attack, og Fodderstompf viser også en vilje til å redefinere hva populærmusikken er og kan være, selv om det kun er Theme og Annalisa som virkelig demonsterer potensialet til gruppa. Public Image, tydeligvis det mest populær sporet på skiva, er også skivas minst interessante der det utvilsomt kommer nærmest å høres ut som Sex Pistols 2 (fulgt av Low Life både i sekvens og nærliggende sound). I 1979 kom det ut en drøss med album som gjorde lignende ting. Post-punken var i gang for fullt og fikk sitt platonske exempel i Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures,-- men det var noe annet igjen; enda mer bass-tungt og atmosphærisk; selve grunnlaget til både synthpop og gothic rock. PiL var blant avant garden til det som ble no wave og noise rock; det vi i mangel på et mer konsist begrep løst kaster under paraplyen experimental rock. I anledningen av å ha skrevet så jævlig mye, måtte jeg også gi Metal Box -- som jeg visste skulle være deres magnum opus -- en lytt, og det gleder meg at PiL hadde de samme ideene om bandets sound. Det er en videreutvikling av de repetitive, suggerende, abrasive, og til tider dansevennlige elementene fra First Issue. Oppledningen til 80-tallet var en helt utrolig periode for gitar-basert musikk, og det er ikke før overgangen til 90-tallet at vi skal se en like fruktbar periode for "rocken" enn det vi så da post-punk/new wave ble til. Det lå selvfølgelig ikke dødt på 80-tallet heller, spesielt ikke hvis man liker metal, men det var mye mer scattershot enn disse voldsomme epochene der man fikk sjangeroverskridende album opptil flere ganger i måneden. Kudos til John(ny) Lydon/Rotten for å ha vært frontmann i to av de mest innflytelsesrike bandene fra 70-tallet, men det er Jah Wobble og Keith Levine som er de største bidragsyterne til hvorfor PiL er så rått som det er.

Hørt mest på "Album" og likt det godt. Dette er også jævlig kult. Det er egentlig en bedre plate enn Never Mind the Bollocks også. Alt sitter helt fra åpningssporet og jeg innser igjen at Lydon er en utrolig kul vokalist. Låtutvalget er variert og spennende og tittelsporet er top tier new wave/postpunk og mye tenderer mot kunstrock. Har litt den samme følelsen som jeg har rundt Harry Styles. Altså at One Direction er et band som høres ut som det er satt sammen av forretningsfolk, og når man hører Harry Styles solo så er det litt sånn "ah, så det var dette du egentlig ville holde på med?" og en generell overraskelse over talentet i både han og Lydon. Har også hørt en del på de rosa platene i Norske albumklassikere, som er K-Z-utgivelser, eller kassettbevegelsen om man kan kalle det, og jeg kan ikke skjønne annet enn at denne plata må ha slått ned som en bombe der og skapt sikkert 70 prosent av platene der.

Tøft! Dette er slik jeg alltid ønsket at punk skulle være, hadde bare all postpunk vært slik og!

Ме. Но не отвратительно

Nope. I've lost too much time in my life to John Lydon, and I should never have started the BBC interview at the end of this album. Repetitive, tiresome, and just mean.

Like nails on a chalkboard, hated this

I think it's a joke. I gave 1 star extra for the last song 'Fodderstompf' because this is a theme playing in my head when I think about this game called life on Earth I'm in.

2/10. I just don't like Public Image Ltd. This album was a drag for me to listen to.

This sounds exactly like something a couple of high schoolers would record for fun while practicing but then one of them would accidentally tape over it, get sort of pissed off, but ultimately it wouldn’t be a huge deal. The difference here is that a few twats said it was somehow one of the best albums ever made and now it’s preserved, mislabeled as meaningful art, for generations of curious people to get completely disappointed by. Yeesh!

Nah

While John created some great tracks as PiL I never felt he quite attained the same heights as the Pistols

Kind of crap but kinda interesting. I liked the song that was a poem and then the next song was just that poem w music. I accidentally listened to the wrong one and tbh that one was way more captivating it was Johnny rotten singing 80s pop

This came from the SEX PISTOLS?!?! Yikes. Not into this even a little bit, and I have enjoyed songs by this band before.

Hahahahha! Go Johnny go.

Kinda mid and unfoetunately british

Public Image is a great song, although the rest of album is decent but feels a little unfocused. Mr Lydon seems…unpredictable.

The Fall does this kind of thing better I think. They can stretch a song out like this and it rocks. This felt very unfocused. Fine I guess but not as good as those who were inspired by it.

I get why this is on the list. They’re some sort of weird, punk supergroup. And they suck.

pretty all right, a bit ramshackle in terms of playing, but I like the ideas for the most part. Certainly more intriguing than the Sex Pilots. Will return to this one and check out some more of their Material.

Before I started this list this band was the beginning and end of what I thought post-punk was. Some punk dude screaming over a band that was heavily influenced by dance music. And now that I've heard every post punk band England had to offer from the late 70's to the mid 80's.. nothing has changed. Put this album on the list and get rid of all the rest. Its the exact same shit. Wire can stay too.

"Theme", "Annalisa", "Religion II" are catchy and sounds like something new. The second part of the album is not impressive, and the last thing is too experimental, if it actually "experimental". 3/5 for the first part of the album.

7/10

Good album - enjoyed second half of the record much more than the first. Shame john lydons a twat these days. 3/5 ⭐️

The late 70s has been blowing my mind on this list, so when I saw this came out in November 1977, I immediately got excited. The band name and album cover were intriguing, so I rushed to listen to it Let me tell you that my excitement died about as quickly as it came. Good Lord there was nothing interesting about that first track. Noise rock, no chorus, no melody, whiny vocals, crappy lyrics (we get it, you wish you could die") for nine horrid minutes. GTFO Alright sometimes opening tracks set a vibe that just isn't for me but the rest of the album is good to great (Black Sabbath's self-titled debut comes to mind). Onto track 2. Some weird rant about Christianity in verse. Oh man, this is even worse than I thought. At least it's short... oh wait, they just keep going with it in track 3 but now it's set to "music" At least the next song "Annalisa" kicks off with some drum and bass that I'm digging, but at this point I hate this band, which is just reaffirmed when that turd starts singing. The album gets better after this and feels more like a post-punk album as it's described. Still, the first half is so bad --I mean literally one of the worst albums I've listened to on this site--that it made me not care that the latter half was decent.

Remones, pixies, og muppet show. Jeg ander ikke hvad det var, men kedeligt blev det ikke ihvertfald. 😅👌

Det er egentlig noget interessant post-punk rent musikalsk. Men John Lydons vokal fungerer ikke for mig på det. Hans stemme og levering er alt for skabet. Det virker fint i Sex Pistols, men her bliver det for afvigende ift. musikken.

Another one from Rotten & co. This time with more instruments but sometimes no instruments. I think I prefer it to the other one. Gets a bit tedious though.

What a mess. Johnny sounds more obnoxious than ever. I’d much rather listen to Sex Pistols than this dumpster fire of a record.

This is genuinely awful.

man is lowkey suicidal n i respect it

Someone tell them that it's possible to have their punk energy and also not write songs that are so annoying

Joy Division’s erratic little brother, Best thing John Lyndon’s ever been a part of

This is “interesting” enough I guess to not get a 1, but I really really thought about it

i like the instrumental and i like the concept i just do not like the singer that much or the rugged garage feel cowboy song fr ruined my whole rating that shit sucks hard i do like public image ranking of all songs theme: too long 7/10 religion I: this is an interlude essentially ?/10 religion II: this is good 7.5/10 annalisa: pretty alright 6/10 public image: probably best song on the album 8/10 low life: 5/10 attack: 3/10 fodderstompf: 8.5/10 cowboy song: 0/10

Crazy vocals, post-punk guitar with a little thrashy cymbals. Definitely a classic album, but probably not one I'll be coming back too any time soon.

I did not enjoy this one much. The singing is more like talking/yelling and the music is very noisy and grating. I struggled to even listen through the entire first song but I did persevere until the end of the album. The weirdness of Fodderstompf somehow ended up being the best part of this album for me. 2/10.

Honestly wasn’t super attentive when I listened to this one.

Pretty weird overall. There was a cool song near the end of the album that I didn't think fit the vibe at all, but was probably the best song. Not a big fan of this album much

This album was the equivalent of performance art in a musical format. From the poetry to crazy sounding chords and musical elements, to the fucking 52 minute interview tagged at the end. Like you're really gonna interview this guy about this? There was one song that kinda sounded like gorillaz and the poem about religion was actually kinda decent lmfao

I swear some of these songs were part of soundtracks to disturbing videos Brian made me watch.

(85/100)

Nie grzeje mnie to. Taki klasyczny brit pop z lat 90., który brzmi jak wszystko inne. 2/5

я понимаю сентимент, но за исключением песни public image это просто невозможно слушать..

Honestly not a fan of any track i did not get the concept of it

Mostly hard to listen to. Enjoyed some of the music and style of rock, however British shouting just does not do it for me.

This sucks. Noise of the annoying variety. If they were going for a brash, annoying endurance test, they succeeded: "How long can you listen before the annoying sounds just get too much?" It's almost worse that there is some accessible, and good moments on this record. The back half has some good things, but their choices to deliberately shuck conventions make so much of the music suck on this album. His voice is annoying--maybe that's the point. But that's like a chef making food that tastes bad, or a director making a film that looks bad. The bass is the most prominent instrument; they've made it the lead. Then why is it so repetitive and stagnant? I regret the time I spent listening to this. Sounds like a bad joke. 1.5/10

9/30/25. Didn't really feel this one on the initial listen. Sounded a bit repetitive to me and songs didn't pan out the way I thought they would. Don't think it's terrible, but perhaps not my cup of tea.

I think Religion I, Public Image and Low Life are worth hearing at least once. I'm removing a star for Fodderstomph since the lyrics admit that it's a zero effort waste of time and I'm trying to find music worth hearing before I die.

Opens with a 9 minute warbling track which doesn't evolve or change once throughout. This is followed up by 90 seconds of spoken word against organised religion, and then the same spoken word but set against music. It's abrasive and harsh, and clear from minute one that this is isn't an 'easy' album to listen to. This being said, I do feel the album adds value and is a clear first step into post punk, so it is well worth its listing from impact alone. Public Image is a great song, Fodderstompf is absolutely mad. Shame Lydon is a Trump-traitor. 5/10

Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.

It sounded exactly like what it was: someone w zero musical talent - who had the right attitude at the right time, and was therefore told he was a genius - actually believing he was a genius and trying to do something that was both advant guarde and as equally as edgy as his previous, attitude driven, work. My dog produces more palatable turds.

Eh. A little too artsy for me. It doesn't have a lot of soul or feeling in it to me.

𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦: 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦 isn’t without ideas, but it often teeters on the edge of being unlistenable. John Lydon’s sneering vocals and the jagged, repetitive instrumentation push the post-punk experiment into abrasive territory, making it more interesting historically than enjoyable to hear. As a starting point for post-punk it’s significant, but as an album to sit down and enjoy, it falls short.

A solid debut, while I don’t love it as much as what came after, I still do in fact love it.

Pretty Blech

lmao

This was like post rock music without actually doing any of the buildup and release that the genre is known for. The one track that didn't follow this formula was the big hit, Public Image, and it's a fairly decent punk or post/punk song. This got really repetitive for no good reason. If you’re gonna play the same riff for a long time it should be a good riff.

I needed to hear this before I died.

I don’t know what this is, but it’s just.. not good. It’s like uwuuuu religion sucks, edgey teen type aesthetic. No wonder I never heard of this or the Sex Pistols. This is the garbage they were putting out??? I don’t recommend anyone listen to this. Could’ve gone my whole life without ever hearing this album and I’d be fine…

What a heap of shit. The music is actually really good, but Johnny Rotten's vocals are just bad here...and I liked the Sex Pistols, but this is bad. I'd totally listen to this a bunch if I could strip his singing off it. The first song, the guitar, bass, drums...heavy. Slow, punishing and heavy. It's awesome. Religion I and Religion II are just stupid. Stupid spoken word bullshit. Fodderstompf is impossible not to nod your head to or tap your foot to but the lyrics and singing are awful. only wanted to be loved, only wanted to be loved, only wanted to be loved, only wanted to be loved, only wanted to be loved, only wanted to be loved, shut the fuck up...over an infectious groove and beat that doesn't sound like it's from 1978. This could have been so much better. I also hate the term post-punk. People use it trying to make themselves sound smarter than they are and it's a catch all for anything from this shit here to the Talking Heads to Joy Division to The Cure...all of which sound vastly different. It's a pretentious, lazy way to describe all the experimental music that was around in the late 70s and early 80s that wasn't arena rock and wasn't disco.

Really wished I enjoyed this more

Apparently I am not disenfranchised enough to fully appreciate this album though I found some of it interesting and the comments even more so

Заболя ме главата

I’m a bit of a sucker for post-punk apparently. Screaming punk but with catchy guitar licks and arty weirdness? Yes please.

A great "middle finger to the world" type of album, from start to finish. 5 stars!

This was an ok post punk album, didn't blow my mind but I can see where it is influential

*1978. English post-punk. *Not the worst thing ever, but this was a chore. *Excessive guitar wailing. *Combo of some good stuff with some annoying noises overlaid. RATING - 4/10

Awesome

I was torn on this. really dug the grungy-ness of it but hated the self absorbed singing and lyrics. great example of how someone's voice and content can ruin what is actually a really cool sounding record.

Not an overall fan, but great artistry and very original.

I am angered by this choice.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, thought the guitar work was excellent and Lydons vocals are perfect for this, second half of the album isn't as strong and it ends on a bit of a silly Monty Python-esq song that gets a bit annoying. Overall not bad and I can see it's influence in other bands.

Was the political aspect of this cool? A little bit. Is the album good? Well, no. There's not much in the way of vocals. More yelling out slam poetry for a quarter of the album and kind of singing (still mostly yelling) for the rest. If that's your thing, I suppose you will like this. I will say that the actual music (instruments backing the yelling) sound pretty good, but overall the album was repetitive and just not generally enjoyable.

as a former angsty teen, a nine minute track heavily featuring the lyrics 'i wish i could die' is unfortunately right up my alley.

Garbage! If I made a list “1001 albums I’d rather die than listen to again” this would be #1. Noise pollution! Johnny Rotten called the album noise and he was right! “Fodderstompf” on repeat could replace waterboarding as torture! Some music doesn’t age well but this def. Sucked right when it came out! I will give it 1 star only because I can’t give it ZERO!

About as bad as it gets

did not like, sorry. just noises

Annalisa stood out

Post Punk, 1978 -> 1

The album starts off strong, but as I kept listening it gradually lost me. I really like the overall concept, but some of the tracks just weren’t for me. Maybe with another listen on a different day my impression will change, but for now the opening stayed the highlight. Top tracks: theme, fodderstompf

Enjoyed it. Reminded me of the Clash but with not the same bite. Fun but will probably not return for another listen.

This is just the same antagonistic shit that the Sex Pistols threw up except longer and without the Shangri-Las-esque pop swing.

Second PiL album from the generator. Better than Metal Box but still, it just shows that John Lydon isn't that interesting as a person and 50% of Sex Pistols success was just good marketing and shock value. Still, this album has the song Public Image by the band Public Image Ltd. from their album Public Image: First Issue and I quite like this one 2/5

The band says that they are 'Widely considered to be one of the most innovative bands of all time.' in their Spotify profile. I mean I know it's PR and maybe being over the top is their thing? I don't know. The music is not interesting. I'm far removed from the context in which it was released but I'm fairly certain I would not like this at any age at any time.

why is this young putin face so angry

# Album Name: Public Image First Issue # Artist: Public Image # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Wow, this was a shocker. Most of it was rather unlistenable. Annalisa was the first "song" on the album. If the album has more of this and public image then it would have been much better imo. Theres a couple of tidbits of sounds which are interesting, like on Fodderstompf, but over this wasnt my thing. The two stand out songs save this dross from a 1. # Top Tunes: Public Image / Annalisa # Would I listen to it again? No

Again, musically excellent but held back from 5 stars by the presence of talentless hack John Lydon.

No thank you.

Just couldn’t get into this. Not my style I guess

A mostly unpleasant listen.

Kind of weird, but had some cool moments. The vocals were tough at points.

Pretty repetitive at times, and I did not really enjoy this.

Unfortunately this is exactly the kind of pretentious navel gazing bullshit that scratches an itch in my brain

Terminal boredom indeed

Didnt even listen

This was just not doing it for me. It was just loud and angry, it made it hard to focus.

The difference between this and the Stooges (and definitely the sex pistols) is that this album actually rocked. You have the prominence of the kick drum and cymbols, an awesome droning guitar, and an aggressive vocalist. That being said, I don't think that gives them the freedom to play Religion twice and get away with it

So this was a lot. The bass is kinda dope. For some reason, this is kinda working for me. Religion is kinda dope and I also suspect that 9 times out of 10 I'd hate an artist who tried this shit. It also kinda sucks and is insufferable. No I will not explain. 2.5 Stars, Rounding down.

Look if you're just going to be noise, at least have the audacity to change the noise so it all just doesn't sound the same.

I hated all of this except for Annalisa. I am beginning to believe that maybe post-punk is just... not a genre for me.

No redeeming features with these repetitive, simple songs.

no.

A couple real stinkers on here (Religion I and Foddertompf), but the rest of this surprised me. It's solid post-punk. The upbeat bangers are obviously more fun than the slower dirges, but all in all, I liked it.

Starts out super strong, but really fizzles out by the end. I think I like it a little more than Metal Box though. 3.5/5

That brash British sound that I don't really love. Guy kinda just shouts a lot, often not on the right note. The fodderstompf song killed it for me

Not the biggest fan of this flavor of punk/post-punk, but I can appreciate how likely “offensive” and bold it was for its time. Some aspects of it that feel ahead of its time, especially the sound of “Fodderstompf” (sounds very influential towards modern post-punk/disco like LCD Soundsystem.) feeling this one is a 3/5, I get what makes it important but it’s not for me.

Overall this isn't my thing really. That's not to say its bad or unlistenable or anything else negative. John Lydon is just not a great singer, never has been. He was only tolerable on Nevermind the Bollocks because he had that kick ass band backing him in Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook. Not to disparage the musicians on this either because they were solid, its just not my jam. I did however like Annalisa, Public Image and Low Life so there's that atleast.

There are some half-decent bursts of a sort of post/punk rock but it gets long forgotten after a lot of John Lydon screaming and wailing and just a load of random half-realised noise. 'Public Image' could just about be deemed a song. 'Annalisa' might have been if someone had kindly faded it out three minutes sooner. This has been a terrible week so far.

Didn’t hate it as much as metal box

Been a fan since I was young. Annalisa is such a powerful track. The album demands attention. Plus humorous lyrics. Love it.

I didn't enjoy this one. I guess that makes it good punk because it's pretty inaccessible to me and I think that's the point. So I guess that from a certain point of view that makes it a great album that achieves what it sets out to do. But from a point of view of whether I think it's enjoyable or not it's a poor album Standouts - 1/5

solid post punk album

Yo que se

interesting, too loud to work with

not a big fan

I quickly lost interest in this album. Despite its historical importance as a groundbreaking post-punk release, it just doesn’t connect with me at all. The songs feel dull and unengaging, and instead of drawing me in, the record left me bored. Not for me. 2/5

Amazing album, with strange visceral textures, unique sounds, and thoughtful societal critiques. Paving the way for post-punk, legendary.

music is obviously very subjective so saying something is terrible is only correct for me, but my ears have been in pain for the first 9 minutes of the album. i even turned the 2.5k channel down. public image the song itself was really nice tbh. first song i even remotely liked. i can def hear the post punk sounds in that song. reminds me of joy division and the likes. low life has a good sound to it. also post punkey. last song is very “what on earth” 😆 very fun haha difficult one to rate for me. it’s more a 1.5/5 😅

About as bad as Brexit butter boy thinks he is. He’s just not bright.

I like edginess, don’t love everything about their style or lyrics, but it was real. Points for that.

I totally understand why this would try people’s patience, but I didn’t hate it. The first three tracks feel like they’re designed to chase off the tourists so only the punks (and otherwise like-minded) can enjoy the rest of the album. All the 1 star ratings suggest it totally worked! The lion’s share of this album doesn’t feel very avantgarde or controversial. If the first tracks were intended to turn off mainstream audiences, the creeping new wave influence on later tracks seems like it would be just as off-putting for the punk audience. Then we end with “Fodderstompf” which probably alienates anyone who’s left over. I am surprised that this track isn’t sampled or remade more often, it is cloyingly repetitive but has good bones.

punkste plaat aller tijden... Rotten laat succesvolle Sex Pistols achter zich en brengt een plaat uit die iedereen shockeert... wall of sound, noise, "zang", 2x zelfde nummer... een uitgestoken middelvinger naar fans en criticasters...

I like it in the same way I like Tom Waits. That is, I don't

If I could give it no stars, i would. Seriously awful.

Rather horrible.

Interesting

While the later contributions of PIL can't be argued with, I have always found this first outing to be juvenile, blame, and ultimately unsatisfying. Teen angst poetry coupled with unsatisfying music equals "I'd rather listen to one of their other albums."

In my day, I probably identified to Punk music more than any other. Perhaps I still do. Anti-establishment fuck all! Right about the end of high school for me. Not that I was a petty criminal or drug abuser. I was just pissed off. I needed the energy and anarchic vitality that punk brings, the relentless beat and lyrical snarls, and the fuck you message. The Sex Pistols brought that home big time, and some of my earliest exposure to Punk was Never Mind the Bullocks. Fucking legendary! PiL doesn’t cut it for me. Yeah, I listened to them… we all did. But I never really liked the sound. The growl was there, but the post punk genre is simply depressing. It’s like the punks forgot it wasn’t about them. Rotten’s ego became the music, and that was that.

First song is discordant, rambling, screamy Then a rant about religion Then a discordant song with the same rant The only song that is any different from the rest of the album had horrendously annoying Cockney voices speaking and screeching over the top

Sure

# 540 : Public Image: First Issue by Public Image Ltd. Noisy, thrashy, and trashy—and that’s just the first 30 seconds. I knew I was in trouble when my ears started negotiating a ceasefire with my brain. Is post-punk even a thing, or just a dare someone took too far? This album didn’t age—it fossilized. It’s like someone recorded a tantrum in a tin shed and called it art. If this is what survival sounds like after punk, maybe extinction wasn’t such a bad idea. Another entry in the ever-growing list of Albums You Don’t Really Need to Hear Before You Die. Or ever. Seriously. If you have to listen to this, look out for: Annalisa Listened : 06/08/2025

Don’t get why this is so lauded. Obnoxious sloppy punk.

pretty bad

Good

This is the most discordant, obnoxious music this list has inflicted on me. I really dislike it. From doing a little bit of reading about it, it seems like this was what Johnny Rotten created when he decided the Sex Pistols were too commercial. It is very bad.

Great.

Although I can appreciate that this album was probably mega influental. Its not for me. I can enjoy the instrumentals. But the vocals grind me down over the 39 min runtime

Mr Lydon is quite a divisive figure. I have always liked him, not necessarily his views. I do love his music. This is the first real post punk album and as such it is jarring in places. The playing of the band is excellent. Love it.

'It's not a cliche / And I wish I could die (ha, ha, ha).' Tho punk was always meant to be taken seriously, there was also a needed element of bluffing, or at the very least, an image. But nothing on this record spells out fake, or overdone, which is a part of the aesthetic problem, tho I guess the chief part of the solution as well: be willing to tell the truth, no matter the cost. But there is a cost, notably a musical one. The record possesses but one track that exemplifies songwriting, the classic 'Public Image.' The rest are yelps and outbursts, believable, crucial perhaps, but not for my ears. And, a steadfast atheist for my entire life, I found myself nodding in agreement to 'Religion I' and 'II,' but not to the beat. I'd take the latter, to be honest.

Punk, but with elements of pop and silliness. Really interesting album that has some cool sounds within it and is sequenced very well. Definitely a unique record, and one that I'd listen to again to get a better feel for.

This is the 179th album I’m rating. Cool album cover but he looks kinda creepy. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Theme, Religion I, Religion II, Annalisa, Public Image, Low Life, Attack, and Fodderstompf. All in all I liked 0/8 songs. Virgin record.

More like a 7.5/10 or so. I think that the second half was really strong, really unique, very ahead-of-their-time tracks, but the first half struck me as a bit messier and experimental in a way that wasn’t very interesting to listen to. The drone songwriting was cool, but it got a bit tired after a while. Still, can respect how influential this was.

One would think that leaving the corporate stuffiness of Sex Pistols and moving into experimentation would brighten John Lydon’s perspective and give him some freshness. No, Johnny Rotten is as snarky and cynical as ever, and it makes this album exhausting after continued repetition and hammering over the head. What salvages some horrid screeching is the band, which is great and powerful in its post-punk efforts, pushing a funk bass sound with tin guitars. But god is it annoying as hell to deal with Johnny Rotten.

first song was kinda cool then it got completely insufferable

Thought it was okay, never cared too deeply about the Sex Pistols beyond surface level so no surprise i didn't think this was the greatest record of all time or anything. 3/5 stars easy, favorite song was "Low Life", but the bonus track "Cowboy Song" on the 2013 Spotify release of the album was a close second in that regard.

I kind of am a fan of PIL and Johnny. This is an important new wave album in my eyes.

Alsof Sex Pistols en the Cure een baby hebben gemaakt. Klinkt oké, maar ik ga dit nu niet per se opleggen in de auto ofzo. 2.4

Punky

snore...

Not my style but you can't deny the passion and influence.

I didn’t listen but fuck johnny rotton

Should've named the band John Lydon and the Dumb Idiots

This was okay, not great. I did enjoy more on subsequent plays, but was overlong and overly dramatic - ‘Religion 1’ should have been removed altogether, as it’s just the standalone lyrics of #2, and falls rather flat in its tryhard angst. Favorite track was either ‘Annalisa’ or ‘Public Image’. Overall 2.75/5

Nah nothing special...

Not my speed

It just felt a little bit on the side of very average to poor punk, that.

It's more interesting than it is pleasant to listen to, but I guess there's some merit to that. And of course it's completely unsurprising coming from Johnny Rotten. Somehow he sounds better he than he did for the Sex Pistols. Favorites: Fodderstompf

I think this album’s worst sin is that for all its aggressive posturing it’s just really dull.

It started horrendous and got a bit better. But overall I would probably leave the room if this came on.

176/1089 - Damn, this has nearly everything I hate in music but it's done really well. It's amazing what you can get away with as long as you have a good rhythm section.

I liked the more traditional punk tracks. But on certain songs Lydon's lyrics are just plain wordy and, at times, inarticulate.

You won't believe who Johnny Lydon really doesn't like: religious people, psychiatrists, Malcolm McLaren, his former bandmates, the generic "you" of a million bad nu-metal lyrics a generation later, his record label (how dare they expect him to turn in a full album when he specifically contracted and was paid to do so!). I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say the average church would be better off without the sort of person who finds "Religion I" or "Religion II" (same stuff, just chanted in rhythm and a different cadence, with zero recognition of the irony) convincing. Shame about John - he's not terrible when he can get out of his own way ("Public Image"). But he's in his own way an awful lot.

Great

OK. I am a way huge fan of * actual * punk. This is it. This is the real deal, even I was blown away as my exposure, which is hugely positive, towards PIL has always been "later" material. This album is kind of insane in a way considering simply how "hard" it is and how even then, political and social it is. I don't know enough to fully say, but I would suggest at least that PIL is very likely a band that is "highly" or "sorely" underrated. When people are asked about what they know of the punk era, PIL is probably an afterthought and it ought not be that way at all! If you want punk served unapologetically on a plate, here it is.

Interesting record. Its punky but kinda posty. I like the punk stuff. The other is neat but not my vibe. Too simple and too long. Kinda the same gripes I have with post genres in general. Cool to see the origins but im not all the enamored with it

Bem fraquinho mesmo. Ainda trás muito da agonia e confusão do Punk. Os de 1986 (Álbum) e de 1989 (9) eu gosto, especialmente este último. Pro de hoje dou 2 *… pela sequência razoavel de Annalisa, Public Image e Low Life.

What do you do after you save the queen? You die for 9 minutes. Then have some spoken word attacking religion. Not that any late night dorm rant couldn't do it better, but the platform here is wider. Annalisa is one lane where post-punk hits the ground running. Now we're really done with expectations: you get to define them for good or ill. Television for beauty and grace, PiL for abrasion.

I understand the importance of this in the evolution of postpunk. I was always a fan of the public image single. Not an album I feel I’d listen to again for pleasure .

Well, I’m not always on board with what John Lydon is on about, I appreciate that he is laser-focused and undeterred in his quest to speak his truth. Did I love the noisy music? Not exactly, but it’s worth a listen.

They figured it out with their next album, though many of the pieces are in place on this one. Johnny's pretty insufferable here, though.

I didn't hate this.

I really don't like punk

sucks balls

Johnny Rotten is a dick, but this PIL debut is better than any of the Sex Pistols.

Not that great lol

I got a few songs into this album before I thought to myself "Man, this singer really sounds like Johnny Rotten...I wonder if he did anything before the Sex Pistols...nah this is just an imitation, a band that heard the Sex Pistols and wanted to pick up the mantle after their breakup. That's gotta be it." Nah it's Johnny alright. And it's not great. While I don't disagree with a lot of what he has to say here, it's delivered in a package that feels performative and not completely sincere. He clearly has something he wants to say, so why didn't I care? This isn't what the Sex Pistols were like. Gone is the sneer, the middle-finger-laced vocals, the raging guitar, the feeling that the whole thing could implode at any moment (much like the band themselves...). It's all replaced with this self-importance and the sense that he's just taking himself far too seriously. The only tracks that don't feel that way are the best two in "Annalisa" and "Public Image," though even those aren't enough to save the album as a whole. This feels like a deliberate attempt to do two completely contradictory things. It feels like it was meant to be a statement, an attempt to one-up his work with the Sex Pistols and make us all forget about them, while also still delivering something akin to that. The result is this album, one that at times takes itself too seriously and then also brings back some of that Pistols energy were all know and love. I don't really know what he was going for here, and I wish it was better. Two sad stars. Standout Tracks: Annalisa, Public Image

2/10

2 not great and the songs were way too long

The main thing I’ve always hated about the Sex Pistols is John Lydon’s horrible, nasally squealing. Despite the instruments being better than the Sex Pistols (who couldn’t play their damn instruments), I can’t like this record with his vocal style all over it. On top of the horrendous vocal performance, the instrumentals are all meandering or just uninteresting to me. Theres barely any riff changes in the 5-7 minute long songs, and the shorter songs on the record just fall flat in songwriting. There’s final nail in the coffin is the production. It’s all hard panned left or right, similar to the Beatle’s 2009 stereo remixes, but this is worse because it’ll randomly go to a normal stereo sound for 4 bars and then go back to hard panning. I just can’t like this album. I hate punk, bad mixing, and monotonous songs. This contains all 3 in a major way.

Yawn

Nope

With this image, I would rather be blind

Brilliant

**Public Image Ltd. – First Issue: An In-Depth Review** **Introduction** *First Issue*, the 1978 debut album by Public Image Ltd. (PiL), marked a seismic shift in the post-punk landscape. Fronted by John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols), PiL’s inaugural statement was a radical departure from punk’s raw simplicity, embracing experimentalism, dub, and abrasive art-rock. The album’s legacy is that of a pioneering work, laying the foundation for post-punk’s evolution and influencing generations of musicians[1][2]. ## Lyrics **Themes and Approach** Lydon’s lyrics on *First Issue* are confrontational, introspective, and often scathing. He turns his pen against organized religion (“Religion I” and “Religion II”), the music industry, the media, and even his own past with the Sex Pistols. The words are less about storytelling and more about provocation and self-examination. - **“Public Image”** serves as both a manifesto and a rebuke. Lydon rails against the commodification of his persona, both by the press and his former bandmates. The line, “You only saw me for the clothes I wore,” is a direct shot at superficiality in punk and media[3][1]. - **“Religion I” and “Religion II”** attack religious hypocrisy with venomous clarity. The former is a spoken-word tirade, the latter a full-band assault. The lyrics were so controversial that the album was banned in Malta for offending public morals[2]. - **“Low Life”** and **“Attack”** continue the theme of personal and professional betrayal, targeting figures from Lydon’s past, especially Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren[1]. - **“Annalisa”** is inspired by a real-life exorcism, using the story as a metaphor for the dangers of blind faith and authority. Lydon’s delivery is as important as the words themselves—sneering, sarcastic, and often unsettling. He uses repetition and abrupt phrasing to hammer home his points, making the lyrics feel like both a personal purge and a public indictment. ## Music **Instrumentation and Sound** *First Issue* is defined by its abrasive, experimental sound, which fuses punk’s aggression with dub’s spaciousness and art-rock’s dissonance. - **Keith Levene’s guitar** is the album’s most distinctive feature. He employs a trebly, metallic tone, often using effects and unconventional techniques to create a sense of unease. His playing is angular and unpredictable, eschewing traditional solos for textural noise[4][1]. - **Jah Wobble’s bass** is deep, melodic, and heavily influenced by dub reggae. His lines anchor the songs, providing a hypnotic groove beneath the chaos. The bass is often the melodic center, especially on tracks like “Theme” and “Public Image”[5]. - **Jim Walker’s drumming** is taut and minimalist, favoring rhythm over flash. The percussion is often mixed dry and upfront, contributing to the album’s stark atmosphere. **Song Highlights** - **“Theme”** opens the album with over nine minutes of relentless, grinding repetition. Levene’s guitar screeches and wails, while Wobble’s bass pulses ominously. The track is intentionally abrasive, setting the tone for the album’s confrontational stance[6]. - **“Public Image”** is the most accessible song, with a catchy bassline and anthemic chorus. It’s the closest the album comes to punk, but even here, the sound is more cerebral and less direct than the Sex Pistols[5]. - **“Fodderstompf”** closes the album with a bizarre, almost parodic disco-dub jam. The track is repetitive and intentionally silly, with Lydon chanting “We only wanted to be loved” over a looping groove. It’s divisive—some find it a brilliant anti-climax, others see it as self-indulgent filler[5]. ## Production **Aesthetic and Limitations** The album’s production is raw and unpolished, in part due to budget constraints and the band’s desire for autonomy. PiL self-produced the record, recording much of it in a reggae studio ill-suited for their abrasive sound[4]. The result is a lo-fi, sometimes muddy mix that emphasizes atmosphere over clarity. - The **bass and drums** are prominent, often overpowering the guitar and vocals. This gives the album a heavy, bottom-end focus, aligning it with dub and dance music as much as rock. - The **guitar** is often drenched in effects, creating a sense of distance and alienation. - The **vocals** are mixed dry and upfront, making Lydon’s sneer impossible to ignore. Some tracks, especially on the album’s second half, suffer from a lack of polish. The sound can be shallow and the arrangements feel ramshackle, a byproduct of the rushed and underfunded recording process[4]. ## Themes **Identity, Alienation, and Rebellion** *First Issue* is obsessed with questions of identity, authenticity, and the rejection of imposed roles. - **Media and Image:** The album’s title and the song “Public Image” directly address the creation and manipulation of public personas. Lydon rejects the image forced upon him by the press and the punk scene, demanding to be seen as an individual[3][1]. - **Religion and Authority:** “Religion I” and “Religion II” are scathing critiques of organized religion, exposing its hypocrisy and control over individuals. The tracks are less about faith and more about the dangers of unquestioned authority. - **Personal Betrayal:** Several songs address Lydon’s disillusionment with his former band and the music industry. There’s a sense of bitterness and liberation, as he uses the album to distance himself from his past. - **Experimentation and Freedom:** Musically and lyrically, the album is about breaking free from constraints—whether artistic, social, or personal. The band’s willingness to embrace noise, repetition, and unconventional song structures is itself a thematic statement. ## Influence *First Issue* is widely recognized as a foundational post-punk album, influencing countless artists and genres. - **Post-punk Evolution:** The album’s fusion of punk, dub, and experimental rock set the stage for bands like Joy Division, Gang of Four, and Wire. Its emphasis on rhythm, texture, and atmosphere became hallmarks of the genre[1][2]. - **Alternative and Indie Rock:** The abrasive guitar work and confrontational lyrics can be heard in later bands such as Sonic Youth, The Jesus Lizard, and Slint. Pitchfork noted that Levene’s guitar on “Public Image” is “the stuff Daydream Nations are made of,” referencing Sonic Youth’s seminal album[2]. - **Industrial and Dance Music:** The album’s use of repetition, noise, and dub techniques influenced early industrial acts and the development of dance-punk. Initially met with mixed reviews—*Sounds* gave it 2 out of 5 stars, and *NME* was similarly dismissive—the album’s reputation has grown over time. It is now considered a classic, included in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die*[2]. ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | **Groundbreaking innovation:** Redefined what post-punk could be, fusing genres fearlessly[1][2]. | **Inconsistent production:** Some tracks sound muddy or unfinished due to budget and studio limitations[4]. | | **Powerful lyrics:** Lydon’s writing is incisive, personal, and politically charged[3][1]. | **Self-indulgence:** Tracks like “Fodderstompf” can feel repetitive or intentionally obnoxious to some listeners[5]. | | **Iconic performances:** Levene’s guitar and Wobble’s bass are both inventive and influential[4][5]. | **Accessibility:** The abrasive sound and experimental structures may alienate mainstream or punk purists[2][5]. | | **Cultural impact:** Helped define post-punk and inspired generations of musicians[1][2]. | **Mixed critical reception at release:** Initially misunderstood and undervalued by critics[2]. | | **Uncompromising vision:** The album is a bold statement of artistic independence[3][1]. | **Lack of polish:** Some tracks feel ramshackle or underdeveloped, especially on the second half[4]. | ## Conclusion *First Issue* is a challenging, uncompromising album that marked the true beginning of post-punk. Its abrasive sound, confrontational lyrics, and experimental spirit set it apart from both the punk it followed and the mainstream rock it rejected. While the album’s raw production and self-indulgent moments may not appeal to everyone, its influence and artistic bravery are undeniable. For listeners willing to engage with its chaos and confront its discomforts, *First Issue* remains a vital, essential work in the history of modern music.

Ok

3.5

Not a fan of the intro to this album. AnnaLisa was also a chaotic song with no direction. The guitar is fantastic of course but so is all the rock/prog instrumental in this late 70s era. And after listening to the outro this is a 4/10 album. Just don’t like the vocals and the themes. There’s no direction but the instrumental is pretty good

Respect the idea just too cliche with the religion stuff and not enough tracks to make this album a listen through

This is some ass

This really sucked. I had 1 minute left on Religion II and skipped onto the next song because at that point I thought the point had been truly hammered home. I can normally tolerate albums I don’t like but for the first time on this project I had to fast forward on some tracks after a couple minutes of listening to them.

dont let the other ones fool you. this is pretty awesome

Bunch of nonsense noise

It's good if you like punk or post punk

listened to first 3 tracks before giving up basslines were the only redeeming feature bit shit really

“Sssssborin’ Sidney.”

Very crazy album.

Dear lord this sucked. Ive never understood the hype around Sex Pistols, and this was just even worse.

Lots of sounds. Sounds with little purpose.

I get the historical significance… and is wild to listen to. Johnny Rotten was still a punk rocker and angry. Fun listen probably won’t pick it out again though.

Jedinica iz principa. // Bila bi jedinica jer mrzim ovog cmizdravog krembila i svu njegovu muziku osim one pjesme Rise koju više nikad ne želim da čujem u životu a nije na ovom albumu.

Remember buying this when it came out. Great album. Love Religion and Annalisa.

Am Anfang war ich bisschen bored, "Annalisa" hat mich richtig reingezogen und "Fodderstomp" ist sehr nice. Generell mega groovy basslines, sollte ich mir anschauen.

Too noise punk for me.

Obviously I didn't know enough about PiL. I was initially delighted to find one (of two) albums by them in the project. The disappointment is great. I only liked Public Image. I quickly skipped the rest. 1/5

Boring

It has the echoes of being something I really enjoy but I think I ultimately hate it

Maybe this is high art. It’s barely organized enough to call music. Mostly just sounds

I’m sure important, but not my thing.

Inge mer PiL nu tack.

Vafan, det här igen! Men gillade detta album lite mer än det förra.

Just … nothing … noise. That’s all

I kinda get the intention here but it's not surprising this couldn't find an audience in the US. The last track in particular could be a parody of something by Frank Zappa, and having heard a lot of the other noise post punk stuff here I'm not really surprised or impressed by any of this. Snobbery aside, I recognise this is not what anyone in the 70s would have said.

bass goes crazy! very political album but i’m not mad at it

Utter slop garbage. I would rather listen to a third grader playing the recorder.

Migrainous

pretty cool that this album exists, but i doubt ill ever come back to it. except maybe that first track

Damn good premier album.

okay, fine

"I want to die..." (10x) Get in line buddy.

Genius.

I liked the overall message this this album had, but so of the song felt to long and just kept repeating the same lyrics.

Punk...

Track 1. Long winded, experimental Track 2. John attempt at poetry Track 3. “Musical” version of track 2 Track 4. Awful, giving up at this point!

Decent music but Lydon is a bastard

Just a guy screaming repetitive lyrics over a repetitive instrumental. Just do it for each song and you have this album.

I remember reading that many people bought this album off the back of the single (Public Image), expecting the whole album to sound the same, then got a nasty shock. To be fair, when listening to the album in one sitting, there's definitely continuity here, no jarring effect when the single rolls along. I love Religion, the way Lydon manages to make something that almost sounds like a hymn, with just the right words to truly encapsulate the evil of organised religion. I also appreciate that the band (except Jah Wobble) felt this was an important enough message to give a spoken-word summary before they launch into an actual song. The glimpses of genius come thick and fast, setting out the rules for post punk. There's no way I could give this less than five stars.

One decent song. Don't bother listen to fond out which.

Honestly, I hated this record. The vocals are like nails on a chalkboard, there’s nothing interesting about the beats or melodies, and it is filled with noise. This was a tough listen.

Meh...

As much as this set the groundwork for a lot of the more current music that I enjoy, I didn’t really love this in the way I way expecting when I first heard it years ago, and I still don’t. I’ve tried with PiL over the years, even caught them live and it was good. Not great, just good. The instrumentation is strong, Jah Wobble and Keith Levene sculpt sounds beautifully only for Lyndon to nasally wail or read his godawful poetry over. It’s not bad, I just don’t think it’s all that good

There was nothing here for me and I didn't make it completely through a single song. I'll give it 1.25/5 stars because it barely escaped inspiring anger at being included on this list.

зачем дрочить 4 грязных аккорда по 6 минут?

The other one was more my favourite, this however is also good.

what are we doing

Fuck Johnny Rotten. Having a lot of trouble separating this from how hypocritical/terrible he is but I’ll try. Elements of this first track are really cool and beckon to a lot of the music I love now, although 9 minutes is a bit much. The spoken word poetry was lame but I liked it better in song on the third track, but still not a great song. Annalisa is the first song on here that I could see myself relistening to but even then we're pushing it. More mediocrity until Fodderstompf, an unbearable, terrible album ender. Bonus track cowboy song is bad too I really don't get it. I think this album is a cool little experiment for 1978 but it didn't land for me at all and I'm tired of albums relying solely on historical context for their inclusion on this list.

This guy is definitely NOT going to heaven. Does he seriously expect that he cannot disrespect Jesus Christ and still be saved? uh I HOPE Not! This album was a little too weird for me. I think the production was interesting and there were some compositional elements that I liked, but overall wasn't a huge fan. Something was telling me that this guy might want to die. 2/5

Fuck this piece of shit album. I thought I liked some PiL songs but after this I will never listen to them or even the Sex Pistols again. Absolute garbage. 1/5

Nobody in my inner circle (besides me) likes punk music. 😂 And I get it. It's not the most appealing compared to other genres. They would've immediately hated this album, but I like to keep an open mind. The only song I did not like was the first track, "Theme". Everything else was fine. I don't know why they have two repetitive songs next to each other. I preferred track 3 with the music notes in it. My two overall favorites are "Annalisa" and "Public Image". I will give it a four. PS. Ironically, I got this album the same month the new Pope Leo XIV was announced. 🤣

Wtf am I listening to?

Started off ok, then kept getting better and better, loved low life and fodderstompf

I get that this is ahead of its time and one of the first post-punk music being made but I would rather just listen to Big Black's Songs About Fucking. Had to call it during Fodderstompf. Annoying track

wtf is that last track

iconic classic

Punk is supposed to be abrasive and off-putting. So…mission accomplished?

This is performance art meant to annoy. Except for the bass line, it succeeded.

Yeah, this kinda sucks. Not a Sex Pistols fan and, if this is any indication, I'm not a fan of the whole post-punk genre.

There's a couple of decent songs on here, but those first few tracks really do not help the album as a whole.

Awful punk (post punk)

Never been a fan of

no

Esse álbum é raivoso, do começo ao fim. Ele exala ódio por todos os cantos. O baixo é putaria demais. Post-punk na sua infância, interessante. Me lembra um pouco o movimento no-wave em partes também. Poderia ser mais curto. Algumas partes desse álbum parecem filler pra chegar na duração dos 40 minutos. Poderia ser um disco gostoso de 30 minutos, mais coeso. 3/5

love reading the reviews from people who took on this challenge but expected to find nothing challenging on the list. if you can't appreciate insane post punk i don't know what to tell you

Angry and strange

Love the title track. Rest is a bit overindulgent and immature. Much prefer Metal Box.

Totally my thing, also poignant that this album was picked on the day the pope was elected. Contrary to what everyone seems to think, I like the anti religion. It's angry, raw, dark. He was also right about Jimmy Savile all the way back in 1978.

Not for me, but I can see the appeal, especially considering the backstory of the album. 4/10

I have heard a few songs before by Public Image Ltd. and I liked them to my surprise, so when I started to listen to their debut album today I was disappointed after the the first two or three songs which were really difficult to get through. It was just ugly noise or some anti-religious talking (I don't like anti-religious things, be it any religion, not just Catholicism). From the fourth song it started to sound like a proper album then, and I liked most of the songs. It's influential because it is one of the first post-punk albums ever, and the sound of many songs (for instance the closing track) sounds fresh for late 70s. For its influence and 70% of the songs I liked, I'm giving it a 3 overall.

najs

never going to listen again , except for the final track fodderstompf which comes out of nowhere 1

Just noise

I don’t find punk too interesting when it’s a group of angry white Cis men.

0/really can not get into punk, it's got no rhythm or rhyme or reason to me

Largely unimpressed. Just kinda meh

Love the anger and cynicism. Takes on religion are still fair if simplistic. Dates but understand its value

I'm not a noise guy but I do think this pushes music to places other people don't do as much. There's expression here and that's important but it's not something I want to listen to.

This feels like a test to see what they could get away with by just selling Johnny Rotten. The title track is alright melodically. There are a 2 or 3 very tiny seeds of good ideas buried in it.

According to Wikipedia this was influential in the post punk space which I can understand, but as a listening experience it falls short. The best songs were just ok. High 2.

Not very good. Too self indulgent

Unsurprisingly I really hated this. I could not get through the final track. My God.

fire i liked the spoken word between the songs

Great Album

I can't really argue with the critics that initially hated this album. It feels designed to irritate at every turn, which I can respect, but it's tough to enjoy much of it. And yes, I hear it's influence on post-punk, which I can also respect. Thankfully there are plenty of those artists I'm happy to listen to instead of PIL. I might like it more if it were just instrumentals, though I did enjoy the lyrics on "Religion". Weird that John Lydon wound up like he is given the way he started out, but the upside is it makes it even easier to not support his work. Especially when I'm not into it as is the case here.

Can't stand it. Turned off after three songs. 1 star.

Post-punk sounds the same as punk with deeper lyrics and longer songs.