Bat Out Of Hell

Overwrought, bombastic and tragically kitsch - what is not to love?

Incredibly awesome

Second album on here that I own. Incredibly bombastic and utterly over the top but so expertly done you just have to love it. Favorite track "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" but all tracks are excellent. Would like to give it 6 stars but unfortunately not possible.

Very theatrical, insane voice, you can tell he's really feeling it

Ok

This album brings back great memories. Was a big part of my high school sound track. Every party, car and radio had one of these songs playing at some point. Great combo Meat & Jim.

One of my all-time faves. Epic, rock opera with lyrics you will never forget and wish you penned....

Great musician

A banger of the highest order.

Pretentious. Sooo pretentious it’s perfect

Forgot about this one! Love this album.

Awesome album!

I love this album. It's stupid, ridiculous, unhinged, overdramatic, and brilliant all at once. The theatric element is overdone to the point where the cheesiness and unnecessary horns and whistles end up being unironically fantastic. It's like operatic-soft-metal, with just the right level of kitschiness to convert the haters. The instrumentation is on point, and the melodies are fun and relistenable. Maybe the most shallowly important element that pushes this to five stars for me is its utter confidence to be loud and nonsensical.

Always a fantastic listen.

What's not to like? Meat, Ellen Foley, Runt....fun music....Rocky Horror....get over yourself

Classic: 5/5: Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, Heaven Can Wait, Bat Out of Hell, For Crying Out Loud. 4/5: All Revved Up with No Place to Go

Mr Loaf fucking kills. All cylinders, all the time.

Banger

Top 10

One of my favorites. Great songs highlighted by "Paradise .." which is an all-time classic.

p389. 1977. 5 stars. Bombastic, overproduced rock opera with a genuine sense of humour and cracking tunes. Love it.

Always loved this album, and have heard it many times. Meat Loaf was a great showman and I think this was his best-ever work.

An epic plate of bodaciousness. Drenched in awesomesauce. That's this album

The first album I ever bought. Musically, Steinman's work is timeless. Lyrically, some of it hasn't aged well, especially Paradise By The Dashboard Lights

Absolute favorite album ever!

Not at all the vibes I was expecting based off the album name and artwork. I was expecting metal and I got 70s Queenesque opera rock. Even though they aren't the vibes I expected, they were good ones. Very high paced. I mostly enjoyed the quick piano progressions paired with the electric guitar. I realized about halfway through the listen that there's actually a love story being told not just a collection of love songs. On the second listen I read the wiki first. Come to learn it's actually a retelling of Peter Pan (never would've came to that conclusion on my own). So on the second listen I payed much closer attention to the storytelling.

A lot of fun. The cheese factor is high with this one, but he's just so good at it. You just have to lean into it.

Heard it before, crazy album

Mr Loaf at his best, great album

Great album from a great singer

Already have listened to this a million times.

5 out of mf 5

The saying "If you're going to go, go all the way" was invented for this album. When you know every word of an 8 minute song (Paradise) that came out when you were 3, you know it's good! The magic of Meatloaf's dramatic vocals with Jim Steinman's over the top songs can't be recreated, only enjoyed. My brother had this in 8 track, i have it on CD, it's a classic.

Verbindung good

Easily five stars. A grandiose rock album impeccably performed by Meat Loaf and written by the legendary Jim Steinman. It's a joy from beginning to the end.

One of the all-time classics. I'll never tire of listening to Bat Out Of Hell. RIP Meat Loaf.

Great!

One of the greats! Always enjoy a big helping of Meatloaf!

More dramatic than I expected. I liked it more than I expected. I laughed out loud at the line “I bet you say that to all the wolves”

SO FUN! Meatloaf has a hell of a voice. I love this Broadway rock opera vibe. It was fantastic I can see why it’s a classic!

I can’t believe I’ve never listened to this album in its entirety before. Each song was so operatic and over-the-top lyrically - with amazing instrumentation - and I enjoyed nearly every song on the album. I added every song except the last one to my playlist and will definitely be listening to this again.

Hard to beat for the spectacle. Peaks at Paradise By the Dashboard Light but this is worth paying attention to for the duration.

One of the best rock albums of all time.

4.5/5

Love this rock opera !

John’s first album

The theatricality of this albums fuckin great, idk if its the best album ever but i loves every second of it

Rock and roll for/by theater nerds. It perfectly achieves what it sets out to do. Is it good? No? But also absolutely, yes?

Imagine the good/bad gradient as a circle. It's hard to say if this is great or so bad it wrapped around back to great. Either way 8 out of 5 stars.

A phenomenal Rock' n' Roll Opera, it's everything cranked up to eleven. The debut album for Meat Loaf and his best one at that.

Impeccable. Paradise by the dashboard is near perfection by my standards

CRAZY!!!

Nostalgic. Classic ballads.

I just love this album. So vivid and descriptive. Captivating all the way through.

didn't have to sleep on that one. robert fucking paulson

meatloaf put his meatussy into this !!

good, i feel like this guy is a anomaly. got a bravado and confidence exuding from his fat self.

Meat Loaf’s vocals and presentation are immaculate. This man was made for performing, hot damn.

Awesome album, with good vocals and beat. Every song is long but keeps you entertained through the whole thing.

Not what I expected at all, super over the top in the best way possible, really fun album with some great production

De mix van hardrock en musical is erg tof. Superleuk aibum

I have no idea how haven't I heard this before. Just amazing.

One of the best ever.

loved it, so weird

Joyous and full of life! It doesn't overstay its welcome and is powerfully performed and very catchy. The album could use a good modern remaster IMHO, but otherwise is sonically sound. I always wanted to listen to this album, so this was a great chance to do so!

It was an amazing album. How come I didn't know it's so good? I think I learned about Meat Loaf from Tenacious D "Kickapoo", so I felt like he is partially a meme, but apparently he has better songs than "I would do anything for Love". Great voice, I could honestly listen to him for hours at end. It is supposedly one of the best selling albums in history, so I guess it's time for me to add to that number. "Bat Out Of Hell" is this type of rock opera, that Todd Sanchez would create, if he had any talent and no bad influence from Bojack. That's my head cannon from now on. Very easy 5 stars.

I chuckled when I got this album because, for some reason, it just seemed like one to never take seriously despite not having listened to it. Well, I was SORELY mistaken. This album is so good! And it's legitimately fun! I love the range of feels shown in only a handful of songs here, and the arrangements are all on point. This is seriously one of the more surprising revelations to me in this exercise so far, and I was so relieved to see the reviews showing me that I was not wide of the mark in terms of my enjoyment. Favorite track: All Revved Up with No Place to Go

Camp and theatrical. Feels very grand-scale and ambitious

Operatic BANGERS. Jim Steinman is a genius.

had this on 8Track i got at a garage sale and wore it out

Best album ever!!!

I had tickets to see the musical but it got cancelled :(

Incredible

Totally excellent.

Hab ich schon hoch und runter gehört. Könnte ich aber mal wieder machen.

Starts off fun! Singer seems like he's enjoying himself which I love. Almost feels like a musical or theatre song. I'm into it at the start. This was sick. I actually wanna listen to it again. Apparently it WAS based on a musical. Awesome album

I pity the people who give this album a 1 star review, saying: „this is the worst so far.” You have no idea what’s coming next. Anyway, amazing album. Listened to it hundreds of times before and probably will hundreds more. Jim Steinman is a musical genius and Meat Loaf has an absolute powerhouse of a voice.

I mean, it's a classic. Funny thing was, I disliked this album when it came out in 1977 for two reasons. One, it was incredibly overplayed, especially Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Two, I didn't appreciate the songcraft involved. When I went to college a few years later, I started to appreciate what a pop masterpiece Jim Steinman wrote and how incredible Meatloaf's singing was. Needless to say, every song on this album is great, with more than half being true classics of the Classic Rock era and style. Sweeping, grandiose, and theatrical, this album lends itself to a theater as much as an arena. Go and listen to this album and appreciate the writing, the vocals, and the theater.

Epic

Mega

Orchestrated, powerful, super musical vibes. I only knew Paradise by the dashboard light, but boy did I miss some gems. I'll explore the good ol'Meat Loaf more. After a week of meh albums, this one is truly a joy.

Classic

Pure unadulterated 70’s rock. Listening from start to finish, you feel the entire story that is being told. Definitely adding this to my must listen to again list. Great for working out too. The energy just seethes it’s way in out through the whole album.

Everything about this is mad, overblown and theatrical and everything about it works. There's a reason it's one of the best selling albums of all time, and who am I to argue. A sprawling colossus of sound.

Epic debut album. An all-time favorite. This was my childhood.

Awesome.

I really liked this one! Not something I'd spin every day, but it's a classic for a reason. Will definitely listen again.

An absolute classic. This IS rock opera.

Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” is an over-the-top masterpiece featuring epic tributes to 50’s rock ‘n’ roll and doo wop, and soaring power ballads. All of the emotions are blown up to blockbuster proportions. It would be parody if it weren’t performed with such straight-faced sincerity. It’s an audacious concept album about horny teenagers that captures the impossible magnitude of getting laid for the first time. The lyrics are packed with brilliant one-liners and bewildering head-scratchers, all of them passionately delivered by Meat Loaf as if they were wisdom handed down from heaven above. Jim Steinman‘s music is passionate one moment, tender and delicate the next. The whole production might have collapsed under the weight of its own ridiculousness if these songs weren't so beautifully composed and arranged. And cheers to producer Todd Rundgren for keeping everything in balance. I've listened to this album dozens of times but I still found myself laughing out loud listening to it today. It's such a joyful, entertaining album. "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a wedding reception staple and I have fond memories (and photos of us) dancing to it at my wedding.

This is an amazing classic rock / at times progressive / at times theatrical record. Meat Loaf was such a wild and fun entertainer and this is some of his best work. I'm glad it's on the list. Something that is unfortunate with him is that I don't think he's currently standing the test of time. His sound sometimes reminds me of Bruce Springsteen, and Bruce has stood that test. Bruce was our parent's rock singer and for a lot of people I know, we all really like Bruce and appreciate his music. But Meat Loaf (from a similar time period) just hasn't captured that for some reason. Or rather the onus shouldn't be on him and more so WE haven't captured that. Regardless, I am a fan and a listener. This is a 5/5. It's not a 5/5 like it's one of my favorite albums of all time, but I can absolutely respect the quality behind it and I like it enough to say that I love listening.

Fun fact, my friend's mom doesn't listen to any music WHATSOEVER with one exception - Meatloaf. Needless to say she was distraught when he passed. And honestly, I get it. Do we get Jack Black or Matt Berry without him? It's so theatrical and cartoonish in the best way, and I love how transparent they are that he didnt write the dang songs. Like the dish itself, Meatloaf is a sometimes food for me but boy does it hit the spot when the mood is right. Infectious energy. There was nothing quite like this before it (rocky horror was the same year, something was in the air in 1975 apparently), and so much like it after, and it feels like the fact that it even came together in the first place was a real "against all odds" situation. The dialogue at the beginning of YTTWROOMM makes me laugh every time. Easy 5.

Full of bombast and bluster but still an amazing record; one of my favorites of the later '70s. Jim Steinman takes full advantage of the orchestration and Todd Rundgren's production skill to get a gigantic, theatrical sound. Having great players like Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg and Edgar Winter makes this an all-star band recording. The album definitely captures a moment in time for me even if it hasn't necessarily aged as well as some of its contemporaries -- I still love it!

ROCK OPERA was all I could think of while listening to this. There is not one album-long narrative like most rock operas but this has to be the most theatrical rock album we've heard so far. Each of the 7 songs was carefully constructed and well executed. It sounds like he took Born to Run and added even more over the top ridiculousness but it worked (Having Max and Roy play on the album gives it the E Street band sound too). The title track is just so epic and was exciting each time I relistened to it for this project. Other standouts for me are "two out of three aint bad" and of course "paradise by the dashboard light" which is still funny today. Was not expecting to give a 5 but this deserves it.

Brilliant album. Teenage memories.

It is hard to rate this album if only because of its iconic status. It probably only deserves a 4 but is hard not to give a 5. It is a fantastic representative of the era in all of its excess. Like Meatloaf himself, the album "Bat Out of Hell" is a work so singularly and spectacularly over-the-top, despite spawning its own sequels, it defies easy assessment. After nearly a decade of rock opera efforts and concept albums, beginning with The Who's "Tommy" (1969), and running through the 70s and beyond, this album reaches a whole different kind of height in camp and kistch.

When I was a kid, the art on this album always seemed so insanely cool. When I finally had the nerve to pop it in, I found the piano jarring, and immediately felt like this wasn't the album I was hoping it would be. In hindsight, I missed out on a truly epic experience that I'm only catching up on now. While it's not the album I expected based on the art (I think still a fair criticism - it looks like it should be an intense heavy metal album) what a set of epic songs and I'm sorry I missed out of this when I was younger. Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Bat Out of Hell, You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth (especially that opening!), are all such phenomenal, opera level tracks. RIP Michael Lee Aday

I loved this album. The song itself Bat out of hell gave me Springsteen vibes and I was a little skeptical, because it seemed like Meatloaf was ripping him off, but everything else is amazing. And Bat out of Hell is a great song, it just felt like the rest of the album is more representative of Meatloaf. I’m glad to be back to loving this new album from this list.

Such a great record

I’m going to rate every album that I’d listen to again a 5 and every album I wouldn’t listen to a 0 to keep it simple. That being said, campy rompy fun produced by Todd Rundgren. Winning combo amongst winning combo. Fun

Hell yes. A classic rock album. While Meatloaf lost it in his later years, this album is the pinnacle of his career!

'Ja, ik ben vandaag 25 jaar getrouwd, en daarom wou ik een plaatje aanvragen, speciaal voor mijn vrouw Monique...' Als er één nummer is dat stelselmatig verkeerd begrepen wordt (vooral door Nederlanders, en vooral door babyboomers) is het wel 'Paradise by the dashboard light'. Man begint aan bij voorbaat mislukt huwelijk omdat hij te graag in de auto aan haar wil frunniken. Ik had ook nooit veel aandacht aan de tekst geschonken, tot ik de Nederlandse vertaling hoorde (van Jan Rot natuurlijk, 'Volle maan aan de vrijerslaan'). Toen besefte ik pas dat het een soort cabaretnummer is, een parodie op de rock 'n roll van de jaren 50 en 60, in een wilde potpourri van pastiches op al die oude nummers. Wie verzint zoiets? Ene Jim Steinman kennelijk. Ik hou er niet zo van om me in de achtergronden van een album te verdiepen, de plaat moet voor zichzelf spreken. In ieder geval is het een wonder dat zo'n onwaarschijnlijk en uniek nummer zo'n hit is geworden. De andere nummers op de plaat doen er qua pathos nog een stapje bovenop, en het is dan ook lastig om alles als achtergrond- of werkmuziek te draaien, want het blijft maar aandacht vragen. Bovendien kom ik er bij de andere nummers niet aan toe om naar de tekst te luisteren, dus geen idee of daar ook nog iets geniaals in verborgen zit. Kortom, het album waar het woord 'pathos' voor lijkt uitgevonden. Later zou niemand dit meer durven, behalve Meat Loaf zelf natuurlijk, die ('I would do anything for love') in dezelfde groef zou blijven hangen. Extra ster vanwege Paradise, een krankzinnige compositie die nog wel wat eeuwigheidswaarde zal blijken te hebben.

Dit komt natuurlijk van een musical en dat hoor je! Eén en al spektakel. Er wordt gespeeld met de luisteraar. Schijnbare muzikale tegenstellingen wisselen elkaar af, zonder elkaar te bijten. Eén van de weinige artiesten die echt iets unieks hebben neergezet.

I'm familiar with the follow-up to this album, in fact, Bat Out of Hell II was one of the few albums I bought as a kid. But I've never gone back and listened to this album. Just a solid rock album. There's not a bad song on this album. Just good solid music. I wish every album this list has given me were this good instead of the incessant drivel it's been sending my way.

Jag ville inte att det skulle ta slut! härlig skiva som känns totalt unik... överraskande 5 stjärna upplevelse

A joy to listen to this album again. One of my favourite songs ever Paradise by the dashboard light. Listened to it many times and will continue to do so. Full marks will only do

Best bombast you can imagine. Thank you, (late) Jim Steinman & Ellen Foley & (late) Meat Love for this masterpiece. 7 songs to never forget.

un classique ! super cheezy mais vraiment classique t tr`s bon aussi. 5

Brilliant for what it is

An exhilarating, energising album. It's campy fun, but there's also a raw, primal power.

What can you say about Bat out of Hell? It's loud, cheesy and it is fantastic. There isn't a bad track on this album and I know that having listened to this over the weekend I'll be singing it for weeks. Put it on and put it on loud - rock out and love it for it's corniness!

HL: everything but the “wolf with the red roses” spoken word interlude. Actually even that’s good for a chuckle Top 3: “You Took The Words”…, “Paradise”, title track There’s still a special place in my heart for this kind of bombastic, theatrical rock & roll. I would be surprised that this isn’t ranked higher on the website, but I have met at least one person who haaates this album Some serious mixed messages in side 2, going from “ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you” to “Praying for the end of time so I can end my time with you”, to “You know I love you” July 12, 2023

Never a dull moment in this gloriously daft but thoroughly enjoyable album. Every time I hear it, I love it all over again.

I remember hearing this all the time as I suckled on my mother's teet. I think that may have factored into this rating, but either way you can't say that not every song is a corker in some way. Even the ballads have got it going on, and Meatloaf can belt them out. Maybe it's because it was developed from a musical; maybe it's because it's often compared to Bruce Springsteen's albums. Either way, it deserves a respectable score. 4.5

Efectivamente, es una suerte que haya escuchado este disco antes de morir.

Unashamedly cheesy and over the top and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Love the big guy and this was the pinnacle of his time with us. Needs to be played loud. Everything about this is theatrical, overblown and beautiful thanks mainly to Mr Steinman with a small part played by Marvin Lee Aday. Song after song is a mini-opera in itself and it finishes off with one of the greatest songs ever: For cryin out loud is 8.45 of pure pleasure. I mean, "Can't you see my faded Levis burstin apart"........it's sheer poetry. I pity the fool who doesn't get this.

(5-) Отличный рок-н-ролл альбом, который не зря занял почётную нишу в своём жанре. Я бы его рассматривал не с точки зрения набора песен, а с точки зрения творческой работы. Хочу ли я вернуться к этому альбому? Да, будто к просмотру кино.

Una experiencia impresionante que explota los mejores aspectos del rock para contar una fantástica historia. Una Opera Rock liderada por la impresionante y carismática voz de Meat Loaf. Uno de los álbumes más imprescindibles de la historia.

legendaarista statusta tälle...jokainen biisi on bängeriä bängerin päälle.. terävää laulua ja orkesterikomposiittiä niimsoutanan mukavilla sonicseilla (sonicsit kunnossa...).ei voi muuta kun kumartaa, noh paitsi ehkä kätellä kuin normaali ihminen mitää kumartua saatana kädestä kiinni ja puristus hyvää työtä tarvi toisille saatana MITÄÄN astuu päälle vaan!! sellaista... dirty bulk type album... stay massive. bat out of hell

This is the rare album that’s so over indulgent and so cheesy and so campy that it wraps around to being absolutely brilliant. Other glam acts reach this to some effect, but nobody has cranked it up to the level of extremity that Meat Loaf did with this album, not even the eccentricities of Sparks and Queen. I loved every second of it. Just fully operatic, fully maximalist, all killer. Highly recommend to see this type of music pushed to its absolute extreme. Not for everyday listening, but a feat nonetheless. Title track is the obvious standout, but every track is a journey in and of itself.

Absolute classic! Not a bad song on the album.

Not one misstep on this entire album, when Meatloaf and Jim Steinman wrote this, they were at the top of their game.

Still fab

All in all, i really enjoyed it.

Really enjoyed this album, it has a good mix of toe-tappers and feels. Lyrics are worth listening to and tell stories, are humorous at times and enjoyable always. Album was cohesive and flowed from song to song.

Masterpiece

Great album.

Todays album is a glorious rock opera by Meat Loaf! This album is stacked with hits, including: Bat Out of Hell, Paradise By The Dashboard Light, and Two Out of Three Ain't Bad. This album is ahead of its time, and sounds like it should have been released in the 80's. These huge epic rock ballads really took off in that era. Meat Loaf puts everything he has into the delivery of Jim Steinman's beautifully intricate songs. The keyboards, the motorcycle gang-esque tough leather and chain feel of the album cover as well as the music, the phenomenal soaring guitar solos, the themes of adolescent love, and lust, the sexual innuendo, everything about this album is just perfect!! Yes it may come across as cheesy, but in the most glorious of ways!! Overall, a phenomenal album. One I've listened to many times before, and will absolutely listen to many more times to come!! An easy 5 stars!! RIP Meat Loaf, thanks for the music!!! Favorite songs: Paradise By the Dashboard Light, Bat Out of Hell, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night), All Revved Up With No Place to Go, For Crying Out Loud, Heaven Can Wait Least favorite songs: none, this album is a gem! 5/5

I was watching a TV show (Maid) where this album is referenced, and it immediately got me excited for when I get this album - lo and behold, the very next day I get it! This is such an easy 5/5 - one of my favorite albums. Pure rock, great vocals and instruments that enhance the drama of the subject matter. "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" and "Bat Out Of Hell" are my standout favorites, but the whole album is great.

It was kinda imperdictable. What do you want more from an album? It has all of them together. Admirable storyline, poetic and relatable lyrics and an awesome production. Without any doubt it's a five.

Totally musical theatre. It's outrageous! Love it.

This is one of the greatest albums of all time. the lyrics, the performance, Jim Steinman is a god.

13th March 2023 Listened while working from home, busy work and life time. Moved things out of our room now living room is finished. Weirdly listened to meatloaf on the drive back from the airport on Sunday. I just love him, reminds me of uni.

Ja hier worden we wel blij van. Meat Loaf weet de guilty pleasure / voorliefde voor rock operas toch weer lekker aan te wakkeren. Her en der is het super corny ("I want you, I need you"), maar Twilight by the Dashboard Light, Bat out of Hell en You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (wat een lange titels allemaal) zijn echt super en tillen dit album echt naar een 9, dus hier gewoon 5 sterren.

Incredible, epic, one-of-a-kind operatic rock album.

This was super interesting and really great

Who knew the chick who plays Ellie on The Last Of Us was a big Meat Loaf fan? This is worth noting because the actress who plays Ellie, Bella Ramsey, was born in Nottingham, England in 2003, 26 years after Bat Out Of Hell (or as we die-hards cleverly call it, BOOH) was released. And we know this because Ramsey excitedly shared her Top 5 Spotify Artists from 2022 (!) on Twitter. Meat Loaf was number 4, behind Cigarettes After Sex, Paolo Nutini, and girl in red (Phoebe Bridgers was number 5 because of course she was). It's not even surprising that a 19-year old English Actress was listening to a shitload of a 45-year old album. Meat Loaf will probably be in another 19-year old's Top 5 ten and 15 years from now. There was no one quite like Meat Loaf, just like there isn't another album quite like BOOH, an album that takes a lot from Springsteen (it even features E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg), Phil Spector and the Ronettes (on "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth), the Eagles ("Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad") and many others. Apparently, radio stations in Omaha, Nebraska were among the first to play songs from BOOH, which means 7-year old me listened to a lot of "Paradise By The Dashboard Light". So this one is ingrained in me. Some would grow up to fight that to the point of embarrassment. Not me. I'm not ashamed to ride hard for this album. I understand I'm not going to find a Coupe de Ville hiding somewhere at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.

5/5 Classic

Imagine driving a car that runs on leaded gas. The exhaust smells good, but you know it's just because it makes you nostalgic for drives with your dad and it's literally rotting holes in your brain. When you pay attention, everything rattles, and you know this old thing is long past its expiration date. That's basically anything by Foreigner or Journey. Meat Loaf, on the other hand, is like eating Popeyes. I like eating Popeyes. My friends enjoy Popeyes. I literally couldn't care less about the long-term implications of eating Popeyes. It is comforting, fun, and a welcome addition to any long drive. Bat Out Of Hell is an S-Tier Arena Rock classic. Every song is romantic, operatic, and a hard-hitting banger that would definitely be so fun to see live. The only reason someone wouldn't like it is because 1) they have no heart, or 2) they can't get past the name Meat Loaf. Both of these groups are stupid. Listen to this album.

YES

Perfect album

No words, hours and hours of listening never ever get tired of this.

it's not the best but it is fun! i only knew meat loaf from my father and because he got hacked to pieces by tim curry (meat loaf not my father). But maaan this man is fun. good album with fun tracks, loved that stupid intro for you take the words right out my mouth. so kitsch but love it.

i had a hell of a lot of fun listening to this album! it's maybe over the top, potentially cheesy, but who cares when you're having this amount of fun?? these choruses are extremely catchy--i dare you not to sing along. this album is one that's meant to be enjoyed as a whole. jim steinman, the composer, made sure of that. each song by itself is a soaring, epic masterpiece. together, all songs could almost be overwhelming--but there's also this whimsical feel, like meat loaf and steinman didn't take themselves too seriously. the piano and saxophone are beautiful intermittent touches. not to mention, meat loaf is actually a good singer! this album couldn't work without that talent. when he holds the notes at the end of "for crying out loud" or "bat out of hell," oof!

Very feeling it rock. Love it. Lots of repeating of the same phrases. But music is amazing

Five Stars Obviously

Bombastic, over-the-top, downright dumb in places, but still great.

Fantastic theatrical rock.

I have a real soft spot for meatloaf for reasons I am unsure of and I loved this

An absolute banger of an album, even the weakest song on here is better than some albums strongest songs. Yeah genuinely isn’t a bad track on this album and must be close to 40 years after its release. It is still able to hold its own against modern albums. Absolute 5/5

Fabulous! Histrionics galore, production values through the roof. I still sing along with every emotional nuance. On a hot summer night, will you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses? Absolutely!!!!

i fw this heavily

Amazing album from start to finish. I love this album so so much.

Classic

Of course I've heard this album before. Each song on this thing has been played at different points in my life. It's not my favorite album, but I think it's difficult to deny just how fucking awesome this thing is. Favorite tracks: "Bat Out of Hell", "Paradise By the Dashboard Light", "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad"

MEATLOAF IS AN ICON!

This is my third time listening to this album, and as I started going through it again, I thought that three would be too much. Though the album is an experience, I wondered if it would hold up to having experienced it over and over again. As the music started and grew louder and more bombastic, I realized I was going to be sitting and listening through the whole thing again. It's good. It's great. It's strangely operatic and an amazing performance by Meat Loaf. Even if it feels kind of juvenile sometimes, it manages to raise itself up to be something more. I honestly don't know how Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman managed to make this whole thing work, but man did they make it work.

Unbelivable

I love this absolutely theatrical and ridiculous piece of work.

5/5

Album was released on my birthday in 1977. All Revved Up With Nowhere to Go is the worst track on this album, but not horrible. Whole thing is like a musical. I love this album. It’s super good.

An experience to listen to, the opening two tracks are masterpieces and the rest is very entertaining.

Wow. This one is weird, completely over the top and not in the tiniest bit serious-takeable - and I absolutely love it. It sounds like an old school heavy metal singer pretending to be Bruce Springsteen who just heard (and loved and got inspired by) Jesus Christ Superstar. Definitely going to re-listen this one!

Really enjoyed listening. Meatloaf had such a great voice.

Enjoyable from start to finish.

70s camp fest in the best way possible. I'm a fan 👍 His name was Robert Paulson rip 😔

Ridiculous and overly dramatic - I love it

OMFG GOAT In all seriousness, I cant imagine any top 10 albums of all time list that doesnt include Bat Out Of Hell. Its an absolute triumph of an album, with perfect theming and timing, and every single track is perfect on its own and as a whole. The album art is fantastic, its so overwrought and over the top in every way. 5/5

This is my dad’s favourite album of all time so I gotta give it a 5/5… The album opens with the title track an overblown and theatrical masterpiece nothing bad here! The spoken bit at the start of you took the words right out of my mouth are cringey yet creepy yet also hilarious the song itself is also a banger just not one of my favourites. Heaven can wait is an amazing slow powerful piano ballad good tune. All revved up and no place to go I immediately recognised it’s my favourite track that’s under 5 minutes, banger! I really like two out of 3 ain’t bad but because it’s slower I didn’t recognise this it’s a banger though. The penultimate track paradise by the dashboard light is a banger all parts of it it’s a very American song but it works. For crying out loud closes the album it’s a super theatre kid album closer but still amazing. Great!

A Classic

The loaf!

It's a short, yet long album. Some great hits. Very memorable album.

This album is FANTASTIC! Every song was a standout to me and the album flowed/told a great story! I highly recommend listening to this Classic Rock Masterpiece

I don't know how to give this thing any then less than 5 stars...it's been there forever, still sounds great, is tied into countless teen memories... I can totally understand why some would say overwrought, cheesy etc...but part of that is what makes this great...it's operatic, over the top and memorable.

Great album. Theatrical, big sound. I forgot how good it is.

i really didnt expect to enjoy a meat loaf album, but this was excellent. it was apparently adapted from a musical, and you can tell — it feels like a movie. some songs (paradise…) were extremely long, but none of them felt like they dragged. surprisingly excellent all round.

This is camp. This is rock and effing roll.

5/5 bat,you took the words,revvedup. Gotta check the musical

This album has everything. It might be a bit pretentious, but I see it as part of its charm.

This was totally unexpected for me. Based on the cover and album name, I expected something absolutely different. And I loved it!! It was a great piece of music! The lyrics are exactly fit for the chords, the songs are great and everything works like a charm on almost all songs. I'm reaching 350 albums at this challenge and I was missing this kind of completely unknown album that deserves 5 stars.

Remek djelo. Najbolji pretenciozni album svih vremena

Amazing album. I don't know if there is anything that could have been done to make it better.

To me, this album is a masterpiece. All of the elements of rock you’d want in a rock album- soft, tender moments in Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, zany ridiculousness that is Paradise by the Dashboard Light, a display of the powerhouse Meatloaf was in every note. Brilliant album

One of my favorites of all time

Wonderful album. Had listened to it recently due to his death.

Loaf! Meat Loaf! This is its own genre, I think. Gorgeously theatrical and over the top.

I don't know when or how I would have acquired it, but I recall having this on cassette tape at some point in my life. I am sure that I didn't listen to it ofter, but listening to it today was so nostalgic. Listening as I took my walk today, I know I had a little smirk on my face whenever I could resist not lip-syncing along. The compositions are grand and some over the top, which I may not tolerate from others, but this album is a work of art with the Meat Loaf style vocals the perfect fit!

Pure rock'n'roll theatrics. Love it.

Bangers on bangers

What a ride, this album has it all. Catchy choruses, great guitar work, especially love the piano work. All in all this always feels massive, like a grand opera. Every song is a great one, definitely one of the albums I personally enjoyed the most so far

I’ve been waiting for this album ever since Meatloaf died a little while back. Such a fun album and absolutely great lyrics and strong opera like vocals. You have no soul if you dislike this one! 5

Amazing

Simply one of the most perfect albums ever produced. What more can be said about the amazing (but troubled) partnership between Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman? I’ve seen Meat Loaf live a couple of times and his performance was the best show I’ve ever seen! There are very few performers like Meat Loaf who always leave it all on the stage every time. He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed. RIP!

Classic, one of those albums where pretty much every song has popped up in my life a few times before. Title track, Took the words ..., and two out of three ... are my favourites, but they're all awesome!

Over the top and so cheesy but I love it. Probably a bias as my parents used to sing along to this in the car.

One of the greatest of all time

So much fun. Nothing bad to say.

IMO the peak of Meatloaf, starts out strong then coasts a little then picks back up towards the end

Sixty-three days in, I finally have a favorite album of mine to listen to yet again. I've loved this album since I was 13 for its bombastic, lighthearted, energetic vibes. Paradise by the Dashboard Light makes it easy to imagine what being a dumb teenager in the 1970s would be like and the title track is a great driving song. Also, Jim Steinman is a genius songwriter. Fav songs: all of them but especially PBTDL

Family favourite no need to listen

Excellent Album. Powerful voice and sick piano. Was not expecting this

Frickin rulz

I was surprised. I was introduced to Meatloaf by Rocky Horror picture and nothing else. His sincere music was. Ice. It moved from wanting to leave as soon as he was done having fun to being vulnerable enough to want to stay longer.

I needed something this bombastic, cheesy, fun, and "epic" today. It truly pulled the best of hard rock and musical theater together into one ridiculous ride that I will gladly hop on again.

There is such strength in the performance. Being kind, that fat kid could sing. As a fellow fat guy, I think the dude was so passionate that every note was important to him. RIP Meats

Amazing

One of the greatest rock epics of all time. 10/10 Best Tracks: "Bat Out of Hell" "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" "Heaven Can Wait" "All Revved Up with No Place to Go" "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" "For Crying Out Loud"

Classic

Pleasant surprise!

Super cheesy and theatrical pop rock/prog rock. Couldn't dislike it if I tried, 9/10.

My dad favorite album

Surprisingly excellent - rock opera all the way

So I really like Meat Loaf. I knew that I liked that one song that came out in the 90s and got all popular, but I pretty much like all of this album as well. It’s got that sort of ballad-y sound that Queen has that I totally missed out on since I didn’t really listen to 70s music.

really great

I love this classic rock. loud theatrical style with passionate ballads. this shit meaty as hell. sick album cover too 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩

so cool i thought it was very cool

Amazing as always!

It’s obviously a masterpiece.

Aikasemminkin tullut levy kuunneltua ”taustalla”, mutta nyt ajatuksella kuunneltua - Aivan timanttinen, täydellisyyttä hipova kokonaisuus

antes de ouvir achei que seria algum rock pesado e me surpreendi muito quando vi que não era. enquanto ouvia, comecei a achar as músicas parecidas com algo que eu já tinha ouvido antes, até que tocou paradise by the dashboard light, que eu amo a versão de glee!!!!!! já valeu 4 estrelas só por isso, mas gostei do resto também!

muy bueno, me esperaba algo re heavy metal pero al final nada que ver y me encantó

Love this album!

Not for me

Очень удивился в свое время, когда узнал, что это один из самых продаваемых альбомов в истории музыки. В Америке эта тема залетела, и его считают культовым, а у нас вне квизов вообще мало кто знает кто такой Meat Loaf. И не сказать, что он какой-то дико недооцененный. Он не писал своих песен и не обладал каким-то потрясающим голосом. Брал скорее подачей и театральностью, которая прекрасно подходила для подобного бродвейского типа песен. И поэтому его союз с композитором Джимом Стайнманом, который писал мюзиклы, получился таким удачным. Сами песни меня не особо зацепили. По паре приятных можно забрать и с этого, и с других его альбомов, но глобально ничего вау на мой вкус. Но мне нравится эта атмосфера американских фильмов 70-80х, и эти песни моментально тебя туда переносят. А еще это редкий пример исполнителя, у которого мне тексты песен нравятся больше, чем музыка, хотя обычно для меня этот компонент вообще не важен. Но тут есть действительно интересные строчки и запоминающиеся образы. Поэтому, пусть и с небольшим завышением, но все же хочу поставить 4.

Cheesy rock through and through. It's so overdone that it almost crosses into musical terriory. But I'm here for it. A classic rock opera album. 4.0/5.0

Pretty rad actually

One of the most self indulgent theatre rock albums you’ll ever hear. But honestly he’s committed to the bit and the performing is fantastic. One of the best things about this album is the flow. The songs weave in and out of each other like a cohesive thought.

This is actually pretty amazing. Really solid record, and paradise by the dashboard light may be one of the truly great songs. Check out the film clip for extra awesome!

Good album, I'm just not in the right frame if mind to truly enjoy it

Nowwww I can see where Creeper got alot of their theatrical/over the top inspiration from in their songs, and while with other albums on this list where I didn't like the original but loved they inspiration they gave, this is the rare exception where I love the original music too. Yes from a production standpoint this could certainly use a remaster, but besides that I love how dramatic this is. Every song feels so engaging and memorable (besides one) and if you just embrace the cheesiness, you'll have a fantastic time. 4.5/5

Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell Bat Out Of Hell er kjempevanskelig å vurdere. Den prøver jo ikke å forholde seg til vanlige rammer og begrensninger. Den jobber aktivt for å alltid lesse på mer der alle andre ville tenkt at det var litt mye. Og det synes jeg på merkelig vis at den får til. Det er alt for mye hele tida, og så funker det på et vis likevel! Det blir jo så klart for mye innimellom også, men det virker å være poenget. Jeg er underholdt nesten hele veie gjennom, for det er noen låter her også, og godeste Mr. Loaf synger jo dritbra! Han synger som en fyr som alltid har tenkt at om han bare fikk sjansen så skulle han vise dem! Og nå som han endelig har fått sjansen skjønner han at det blir neppe noe mer enn dette, så her gjelder det å gi absolutt alt hele tida! Men karakter? Nei, jeg vet ikke jeg. 4/10 er ikke feil. 6/10 er ikke feil. 8/10 er heller ikke feil. Såååå… 7/10

Almost musical theater at some points. Corny but so fun. 3.8/5

It’s over-the-top, it’s grandiose and it’s hilarious. Someone should make a musical out of this… oh wait they already did.

Dynamite album. I love how dramatic and theatrical the album feels.

I have to be in the right mood for this sort of bombastic rock opera, but it is very fun and rousing.

It's an awesome album that really stands out. It's a rock opera that doesn't fall short on any aspect.

Amazing surprise. The percussion is addictive. I stood up to move many many times.

There is something quite endearing about this record. It rocks, yes, but it is also heartfelt in moments. It’s theatrical, but easily sung. This album is just fun even in the corny parts. Overcomposed and produced. Truly enjoyed this one. 4/5

“Springsteen for theater kids” is perfect. Fantastically overblown and the highs are excellent. 4

Ziemlich gut und nicht zu lang

Seven songs in 46 minutes! 'Bat out of Hell' and 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' are the highlights. And they constitute like 40% of the album right there lol. And I liked 'All Revved Up' from the songs I hadn't heard before. Not really a fan of the slower songs. 'Two out of Three' is underwhelming and I think 'Heaven Can Wait' is downright lame. But hey, two out of seven ain't bad!

Honest, this album was pretty fun! Parts of it just sound like incidental music in an 80s sitcom (complimentary). I didn't realize how much I liked Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad - definitely the standout track for me. Meat Loaf was doin' something weird, and I respect it.

1970s forays into prog are always so interesting. You can hear every bit of 80s balladry in the way this guy sings, plays, and arranges, but he’s just so damn insistent on these incredible, progressive arrangements. Well, actually, the guy singing isn’t the guy writing the songs. But it does feel like they’re the same person, I guess. Though it’s firmly grounded in pop sensibility (the anthemic choruses, the drum patterns, AOR and pop influences), it truly ascends in a way I haven’t heard many other works of art do. This isn’t to say it necessarily ascends higher than your average great album, but it does ascend to a status of greatness. I would’ve really appreciated some drums in “Heaven Can Wait,” and there’s not as much of an overarching concept as I’d hoped for with the whole “rock opera” thing, but I can absolutely make do. Overall this album does the whole “prog-pop-ballad” thing really well, and its influence and impact on culture is measurably large. I also enjoyed it plenty, and would recommend it freely and easily. 8.2/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: YES REASON: impact, quality, and relevance

Overblown, histrionic, pompous, ridiculous and glorious. For some reason, around the time we were 17, me and my mates discovered this, probably around the same time that Wayne’s World had resurrected Bohemian Rhapsody, and this used to be a regular in everyone’s cars as we gradually passed our driving tests. Pure rock cheese, we knew every single word and we sung them loud. Nostalgia could make this a 5/5 but ignoring the rosy glow, I don’t think it’s quite a perfect album.

Good

Why is this so fun?

Well over a decade ago I edited Pee Wee Herman with the bike onto this album cover, at the request of a friend. Over-the-top Wall of Sound extravagance, a beautiful thing. I like the intense songs more than the ballads but enjoy the whole ride

Surprised to see it on this list, but fun to listen to 49 years later

Really a pretty amazing albums - nothing else really like it. The lyrics are juvenile, and the music is like a cross between Springsteen and show tunes, but somehow with those soaring vocals it all just works.

15/08/2026 I haven't listened to this album since I was a child and it still stands strong. Shame some of the songs are stupidly long. Spotify listeners: 3.8 million

Fun album, the definition of a rock opera

Let me sleep on it…

This is the most ridiculous over the top album I've ever heard. It's really good, and I don't know why. Just the right amount of piano rock, bombast, and camp all mixed together.

Good album

It's so dumb and pretentious, wonderful!

Ok wait meatloaf is good lol?

RIP Loaf

I've never really listened to Meat Loaf beyond the big hits, but I am impressed at his talent. Yes, the music is theatrical and overly dramatic, but the guy has skills. Very impressed. Now I know who Jack Black modeled his rock star persona on.

Used to think Meatloaf was so uncool and not impressed with the hype when Bat out of Hell II came out. With age and maturity and broader appreciation of music, it's true Meatloaf is not cool. But he's so uncool, he's actual beyond being cool which makes him in a class of his own. This album is so over the top, it's genius. Forget your pride, embrace the theatrics and grab that karaoke mic, you beast. Impossible to listen to You Took The Words without joining in the clapping rhythm. Also hearing Paradise By the Dashboard Light as the last song of the night at a wedding, still makes me giggle.

Over the top, theatrical nonsense. Using nearly a quarter of the run time for the first song is a baller move. Cracking stuff

For me this was long forgotten and a welcome revisit. The title track seems to go on for far longer than necessary, because it can. But self indulgence is part of why we listen to Meat Loaf in the first place, along with much of the other material of this era. The intro to "You Took the Words ..." still gives me a chuckle every time. Overall a solid album.

The track "Bat Out of Hell" was giving Bruce Springsteen, but then the chorus was giving elton john...... From the album cover to the first few seconds of Bat Out of Hell, I really thought this was going to be some hard rock/heavy metal, and that I would absolutely hate this and wouldn't be able to get through. After the first song ended, I was pleasantly surprised that I genuinely liked it. You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth was an amazing song. I believe I have heard it before briefly. I thought the beginning was so clever, and the rest of the song was so fun and catchy! Two Out of Three Ain't Bad also sounded very familiar to me; this was my first time listening to it fully. I loved it!

Cool.

If you were an American teenager during the late 1970s you almost definitely owned this album. It’s hard to be objective about something that is so ingrained into m’y adolescence. There are some absolute classics on here. But a few tracks that aren’t, so not quite five starts.

Very misleading album, did not expect that. But I really enjoyed it, I could hear Queen all over it

All in all, a good album has very good songs inside

Great rock and roll!

Jim Steinman!

85

TIL Meat Loaf is one guy and ZZ Top isn’t.

God bless America

Nice work SUGARTITS!!!

- Makes sense that what was originally conceived as musical theater would be able to quintessentially capture the essence of pure "rock 'n roll." - Title track is phenomenal. So is the belt of the song title in "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" and the most bombastic percussion ever on "For Crying Out Loud." - Other tracks are more forgettable. Though the lyrics are always clever (not smart, but clever) and Meat Loaf constantly giving it 110% makes any of this more than listenable.

Pure rock theatre from Meatloaf and Jim Steinman here in an album full of memorable songs. There's an enjoyable narrative to the longer songs, Bat Out Of Hell and Paradise By The Dashboard Light, but the real best tracks for me are the ballads - the Motownesque Wall of sound on You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth and the Heart-breaking Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad. Listening now, it seems more like a rite of passage album, of youngsters falling in and out of love, unrequited feelings and the responsibility that comes with getting older. Some of the songs (All Revved Up..., For Crying Out Loud) dont make too much of an impact with me, and it's as cheesy as, but it reminds me of university friends at karaoke parties, and my late cousin who was a big fan. 4 stars.

Nice

I've said in other reviews that a lot of 70s/80s rock feels like musical theatre. This is one of the early acknowledgements of the overlap, being specifically written as a musical. It's bombastic, quite good fun and gay as a window.

Jos Queen ja Elton John sais lapsen niin se olis tää.

love meat loaf maannnn

Amazing lyrics. The music rocks, even if it’s a little basic.

I know nothing about meatloaf, but by god that man loves to put his whole pussy into his music

It’s pure energy and effort that propels this album about teenage romance and love spurts. My mom likes Meatloaf so I listened to this growing up. The duets are great. And the music hits in a rock opera kinda way

Classics that I did realise were Meatloaf. Probably a bit of a misleading cover but "don't judge a book" and all that.

Over the top fun. It helps that voices are great, Meatloaf and Ellen Foley went all in. I wondered if there was a musical in the works as is Broadway’s thing as of late, and it appears there was a musical already done in 2017. Thank you, internet.

surprisingly nice, title track is my favorite. Corny, distracting lyrics though, wish it were more inspired.

really fun album. i can see how this really laid the foundation for rhythmic rock that came later

Excellent album 4.4

This is such a great album, in my opinion. The songs are good, and I do like Meat Loaf's execution, but I would be remiss to think that I don't have some attachment to it due to fond memories from when I was much younger.

It's big, bold, ridiculous, irresistible, spectacular, bombastic, gloriously excessive, extravagant, cinematic and absurdly theatrical. It's great

The album cover had me prepared for some old-school heavy metal, but I basically got a rock musical. I really liked it tho, much more than the Iron Maiden and Judas Priest albums I got a few weeks ago.

Pretty close to 4.5 for me. Probably should snag it on vinyl and listen that way. Digital listening might not do this justice.

Day #002 Album number two is also another well-known classic. Recently purchased on vinyl. With major contributions from Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan from the E Street Band. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

sooo good, fr, mixed something bout sex appeal, like a cry, the battery is my fav thing ofc. fav track: paradise by dashboard light

Good

Unexpected album cover, expected harder metal variety like Judas Priest, but still had a nice album experience with this one. Pleasant rock album, very 70s in feeling.

Heard it so many times it feels like it’s become cliché but it’s still a great rock and roll album. Proves the theory that if something is worth doing, it’s worth overdoing! Worthy of its stature in the rock pantheon. 4

some points funky, some points funny, some points ballady... i've definitely come to enjoy Meat Loaf better after this album and would listen to any one of these songs again in the future!

Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Completely ridiculous. Completely sincere. Completely committed. This album has absolutely no interest in subtlety. Every emotion is turned up to maximum volume and somehow it works. Favorite Track: “Bat Out of Hell.” Motorcycles, apocalypse, teenage desperation, romance. It’s basically rock opera by way of a runaway freight train.

Ridiculous. I had a great time. Felt nice to be able to tick it off the list! Standouts: Bat out of Hell (he makes dying in a motorbike crash sound totally cool and radical), paradise by the dashboard light and two out of three ain't bad

Always weird, but also quirky in a good way

This was a big start to a Tuesday morning.