Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Not my favorite.
not their best
The first real attempt at a concept album - the forerunner to Tommy and Quadraphenia - all albums worth having in your collection
Come on now, this list isn't being serious anymore.
Neat! They sound so pop, like the Beatles in 1965, just 2 years later. The adds were a cool concept and I’m sure a big hit. Not great but not terrible, 2
when i first searched it it took me to the super deluxe and it was like 5 hours long and i was like oh absolutely not. anyway found the right album now!! ok so this is actually the most uncomfortable headphone listening experience ive ever had why are the drums and guitars in my left ear and vocals and horns in the right i actually might kms this is fucking awful i cant ok switched to my speaker this is much more pleasant this is so 60s its almost like the album is from the 60s i dont rly like 60s music im a 70s and onward girl tbh #davidbowie #marauders what who said that ok i like this acoustic song
Oh its a collection of advertisements. The concept of making this an album and then selling the album of advertisements is extremely funny however the music in it is just ok every time they drop a brand it takes me out of it. Favourite: Tattoo incl. "Church Of Your Choice" Jingle
“Flying, soaring, shining morning. Never leaving. Lying, dying. Love, love, love…” Love it or hate it, it’s one of the most emulated and referenced concept albums ever created and for me it’s a high water mark for the London lads.
Melkoinen konseptialbumi, mainoksiakin välissä, tekaistuja sellaisia. Mutta hyvä tuollainen ajankuva tuokin. Mainoksiin kyllästynyt Who
a bunch of british boys being british and making guitar music and being silly, but make it 60s I can see why you his album is influential (the production and effects) but didn’t really get into it
Worst album I’ve listened to on this list so far. Lots of trash with a few decent songs in the middle, but even they feel unfinished.
They say don't judge an album by its cover. In this case you can. Both are fucking insane. There’s a run of songs I actually really like in the middle here (Our Love Was, I Can See For Miles, Can’t Reach You) interspersed with batshit psychedelic adverts for no good reason.
No private session used for one. I have listened to a complete The Who album before, but it wasn't this one. This was psychedelic, with flavors of Monty Python, and I had never associated a brass section with The Who before, but clearly this happened..seeing this album was released in 1967 it all ties together.
Interesting radioshow concept with all the ads between songs, especially in the first half Musically a bit whatever, but still pleasant to hear Standouts: Armenia city in the sky Tattoo I can see for miles Silas Stingy
This is produced really well and has some decent tracks including the quite stupendous I Can See For Miles. But overall I think this is a bit lacklustre as a collection. Now that a few The Who records have come up on this list I have the feeling they made a lot of great singles and didn't really create a really fantastic album.
Totes adorbs, imo. Also, never would have gotten the incandescently ridiculous glories of Tommy and Quadrophenia without this precursor.
Mid
I respect The Who but this album was mid as hell.
Huh, was expecting to hate this. Seems like a inspiration for the album Centipede HZ by Animal Collective. At least reminds me of it.
A mi się zaskakująco podobało. Lekkie, dowcipne, proste, ale w dobrym tego słowa znaczeniu. Czyści mózg niczym szczypta wasabi albo pasta do zębów. 6.5/10 równane w górę.
Eh
This psychedelic rock album is like a pirate radio station lost in its own brilliant cacophony—jangling guitars, soaring harmonies, and mock commercials collide in a mix of satire and sincerity that’s vibrant and clever but often too chaotic to stay interesting.
4/5
As an attempt at a concept album, for me this sadly falls flat. It's slightly unfair that it was released just a few months after arguably the greatest concept album of all time but even so, it just doesn't hang together very convincingly. As a simple collection of 60s rock songs, it's pretty solid. Maybe they should've dropped the weird fake advert stuff and just focused on rocking out. Outside of Who's Next, it just seems like The Who found a pretty consistent sound and didn't really ever venture too far from it. Once again, it's hard not to compare them unfavourably on this count to the likes of The Beatles and Floyd who took their sound on a wild evolution from the mid 60s onwards. I enjoyed it but after a few replays, I didn't really feel like much of it stood out to me.
Really only has one well known track on the album. Certainly not their best work, but still a good listen.
Litt gøy med gamle reklama, egentlig. Fint gjenlytt med I can see for miles
This started out in serious danger of a 1. Then we had a nice trio in our love was, I can see for miles (banger), and I can’t reach you… and then back to the gutter. I guess I’m learning that maybe I don’t like the Who that much. Their highs are really really high but man there are a lot of lows.
I'm starting to think that the Who are just one of those cultural blind spots.
It's the weird Who album I never knew I wanted. Bizarre but clear signs of things to come (Rael 1), I don't know how that any individual song stood out (except for "I Can See For Miles", that shit rocks), but the whole is a treat and the prank nature helps Keith Moon stand out. Fuckin' Brits
No lo había escuchado con atención. Parece un divertimento de los Who más que un album serio. Muy lejos del sgt. Pepper y mostrando un poco la patita de Tommy.
My favourite album by The Who! Didn't realize it's on the list, but stoked it is. Wonderfully quirky, tongue-in-cheek, wrapped up in 60s psychedelia, and it just has some great songs. Mary Anne, Odorono, Tattoo, I Can See For Miles, Real
Happy I got to familiarize myself with this one. A fairly early concept album with some great tracks. Make sure you read the wiki before listening to better understand what the group was doing.
For every song of the caliber of "I Can See For Miles" (a sure fire 5-star song), there's a stinker like "Silas Stingy". Overall there's some decent stuff on here, although I found the "ad jingle" interruptions an annoyance after a short while. Low three.
Cool concept album with funny ads spaced throughout.
Not a fan of The Who.
I don’t really have much to say on this except I thought I’d like it more to be honest. I thought it sounded very outdated and just couldn’t really get into the flow of the record. Potentially my fault for listening to it in the background rather than maybe giving it the attention it deserved, but I can’t say I have many positives unfortunately
I love The Who (still one of the best bands I've ever seen live), but this concept album of fake commercials doesn't work for me. An extra point for I Can See For Miles which is still a banger of a tune.
One great song and a lot of drugs being taken.
Un des albums des Who qui a le moins bien vieilli, mais ça reste les Who, on peut pas être trop critique
Weird without being too gimmicky. I like it
Very unique, almost unhinged, but I like the radio-esque vibes.
-at first i found this whole thing to be kinda cringe but it grew on me as the songs got more compelling in the middle -very silly goofy concept especially for the 1960s, maybe not my thing but it was decently entertaining -Favorites: Odorono, I Can See For Miles
456/1001
silly, sweet, and sounds lovely. when people say they like "classic rock", they better be talking about stuff like this.
Why is this an essential? Maybe the concept was cool at the time. Maybe it was influential at the time. I just didn't find it special.
This was so meh, and might have the absolute worst album cover I have ever seen. Never again…
One of the few Who albums I’m not fond of. The whole advertisement aspect didn’t really jive with me but there are a couple decent tracks. Standout Songs: Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand Tattoo I Can See For Miles
Weird stuff...
The Beatles influence here is way stronger than I remember!
I am a who fan but this album never really spoke to me. Not quite the bangers on other albums
Мне не особо понравилось. Очередной трынь-трынь из 60-х, хоть и встретилось пара интересных моментов. В остальном - для меня сейчас - проходная и скучная музыка. А еще очередной ХАРДПАН БАРАБАНОВ В ОДНО УХО!
Fun concept and a few good tracks but never hooked me in. Also can't say I enjoyed Daltrey's vocals on this album.
Mixed bag that hardly gave a good track.
Fine. Decent writing weird vibes tho
This is a good album. However, the jingle “concept” that you would think this album would be packed with is sort of shoe horned in between normal The Who songs. Neither the actual album or the concept tracks are bad ideas in themselves, but I really feel that the actual songs have absolutely nothing in common with the concept interludes. So I could take both, either the real album here sans the half-assed skits or a different album that more throughly executes on this “concept.” But not to say any of it is bad music either.
Not a big Who fan
1,4/5
Not a mood
It was ok, but I listened to better The Who albums
Hm
Pretty meh. Doesn't hold up to time.
bonus point for being early to the bean craze
Mid
wow trying really hard to be the beatles but about 3% as good. couple decent songs and some horrendous garbage
The music was good. The ads not so much. As a concept album it misses the mark for me.
Low 4
Very entertaining. Not their best batch of songs but the radio spoofs are gold.
Ok listen.
Never got catched
Funny album cover. 60’s psychedelic wackiness. I guess lots of bands were doing their version of Sgt Peppers/ magical mystery tour but It only really works for the Beatles to me. I didn’t like most of the songs. John Entwistle/ Keith moon have a thing. The ones I liked best: Armenia in the sky I can see for miles I can’t reach
I used to like the who growing up but not familiar with this album at all except for “i can see for miles” There is some nostalgia factor for me but this album is kind of annoying - not a fan of circus-y silly interludes in general and it has that 60’s sound i dont like. That said i do think the songs are marginally better than some of the other 60’s crap. 2.5?
This is so annoying. I guess I don’t like the who
Need to do full listen. Temp 3 for now
Annoying.
The Who's earlier stuff really showcases the late 60's British Invasion sound. Many aspects being reminiscent of their contemporaries while still showing the unique sound that they were beginning to create that would continue to evolve throughout their career and influence musicians to come.
I’m not a huge Who fan but I really liked this album. The quirky ad bits were fun and there are some good classic Who songs mixed in as well.
Long and experimental, I like the radio motif a lot. Lots of creativity and range on here. It’s a cool experience but not something I would go back to
Despite the critical acclaim and my affinity for The Who… not my favourite. I get the cynical view and attempt at humour around commercialism but just not the that great on the ears (except for I can see for Miles) One can make the case that deserves to be on this list album for its concept .
Miks jokasen biisin alussa oli jotain ihmeen pätkiä mistälie? Jotenkin ärsyttävä mut eo kuitenkaan pahimmasta päästä
Was expecting more Baba. Got more Beatles. knot brad.
A beige blur of blah.
better than the other one
The fact that they go and write tommy next is wild. I liked this one a little better this time around mostly realizing this is making fun of the radio of the 60s.
Brutal listen. Experimental sure. But not good...
Look, okay, Tommy? Obviously. Quadraphenia? Sure, makes sense. Who's Next? Okay. But, fuckin... The Who Sell Out!?? WE HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE
3,3
Awesome
Another album where you can actually hear the bass, unlike a lot of modern music. Am I crazy or does the part of Sunrise at 1:22 sound like pinball wizard?
Solid rock album and the parody satire commercials are fun too
Too weird and goofy. Probably rating lower because I expect more from the who
More annoying than amusing.
Weird. Maybe it was funny in the 60's but just falls a little thin these days. I can see for Miles a fairly strong song but the rest I'll never re-visit
Throughout listening to this I keep on wanting to turn it off. I like psychedelia, but not like this. Thank you. It's just all so cringy, I feel embarrassed for them to have made this. It's like a really bad monty Python sketch. One where they took out all the jokes.
This has been my least favorite The Who album that I’ve listened to so far. The songwriting and instrumentation as always were top notch, I just found it a bit dull in comparison to the standards that the band set.
Some good songs on here.
The Who have always been the “I guess you had to be there” band of the British Invasion for me. Keith Moon is a legend- but their songs are always kinda dopey to me. The substance of the songs doesn’t match the style. This album has a fun gimmick- pretending to replicate a fake pirate radio with commercials. And the songs are melodic with some very pleasant and rich harmonies. I was prepared to give this thing at least three stars but then…. The second side happened Argh. So damn boring. Just begs the question- who’s next? TWO STARS
the further i get into this album, the more i'm appreciating the concept of it.
The Who always did get the bronze medal in talks of the greatest British band from back in the day. As someone once told me, ¨Of course the Who have great songs, but who have you ever met who’s an actual hardcore Who fan?¨ I have to agree, if only because they weren’t as catchy as the Beatles or as badass as the Stones. That’s a difficult lane to have to stay in. ¨The Who Sell Out¨ is a weird album. Between the power pop there are the weird interludes, not unlike what Vince Staples did with with ¨FM!¨ 60 years later mimicking a radio. It was cool then and it’s cool now, especially as radio has become such a dying medium in the last 20 years. I understand why artists would do it today, but for The Who to do it back then shows an uncomfortable amount of creativity and foresight. Maybe that’s why they were always third- just too challenging to be consistently enjoyable. The music itself isn’t anything you haven’t heard from early Who, but the weird commercials are like traveling back in time inside the mind of a mad Englishman in the 60s. There’s the timeless banality of shilling products mixed with the anachronistic surrealism of hearing 60s English commercials now, as well as whatever studio tricks they were up to. People always talk about ¨Sgt. Pepper¨ being a gamechanger, but this album is much weirder. Of coure, then you get to ¨Silas Stingy¨ and you feel like you’re about to have high tea with Queen Victoria. One step forward, two steps back. Best songs: ¨Armenia…¨, ¨I Can See for Miles,¨ ¨I Can’t Reach You¨
An interesting idea but not a great listen
I get it. It’s a concept album of commercials and jingles. Novelty wears off quickly though. It’s a no from me and I’m a Who fan.
Creative album concept, nice variation is musical styles, funny, serious, well structured songs! What’s not to like!
Bizarre
OK, this list has way too much of The Who on it. I don't need to hear every single Who album ever put out before I die. This one just straight up sucks. 1.5 / 5 stars = 2.
My third who album only on day 90?! Funny album tho, did enjoy
****An ok album, easy listening
Kedvenc/Favourite: Sunrise Milyen fun konceptalbum! Oda kellett figyelnem, hogy tudjam élvezni, de nagyon tetszett. Néha kicsit hiányzott a kontextus nekem, de ha többet hallgatom, utána olvasók még jobban nagyon meg fogom szeretni szerintem. What a fun conceptalbum! I had to pay attention to enjoy it, but I really liked it. I missed the context sometimes, but if I listen to it more and read about it, I think it'll grow on me even more.
Really funny, haven't heard a lot of the tracks before, enjoyed it a lot
I really enjoyed the commercial bits and little things between tracks. It was very British humor, but that's not a bad thing! The songs themselves didn't do as much for me as some other Who songs I've heard do. But it was a pleasant listen!
It’s a great album, with some really fun songs both lyrically and instrumentally. But ultimately i thought it dragged on a bit and then fell apart a bit
I'm not a big The Who fan, but I'm also not unattentive of their work. This project whoever is a miss for me, I may understand the icon and importance of the album itself (more so given the time) but it doesn't stand out as anything marvelous or entertaining.
No more the who please...
Britain thought there was a Brainrot Victory
Whatever they're selling, I don't want it
I listened to this a couple times and then waited several days (just because I didn’t feel like I was ready to rate it yet). When I came back I found myself enjoying nearly all of it. This ends up being a really enjoyable album beyond ‘I Can See for Miles’.
There's something about the production that really makes these songs more abrasive. I truly enjoyed the silliness and skill across them all.
Solid rock with psychedelic undertones. Enjoyed it but not adding it to my playlists.
This was pretty good. I really liked Armenia In the Sky and Silas Stingy. Great album cover as well.
Meh
This is kind of a mess. Two stars might even be too much
Great concept of a pirate radio station - but I'm increasingly finding these older albums just boring.
The hits are hitting but the concept with the ads doesn’t work for me and it comes off as too silly with filler tracks. Maybe in just not 60s British enough.
++: Heinz Baked Beans, Odorono, I Can See for Miles, Relax +: Rael (1 and 2) +-: Armenia City in the Sky, Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand, Our Love Was, I Can't Reach You, Sunrise -: Tattoo, Medac, Silas Stingy 4,2/10
2 stars
i’ve listened to this for the first time, but it feels so nostalgic
Album No. 0018 on my list. While I’m certainly not their biggest fan, but I love a lot of their songs (especially from this album’s two successors). From this album, I only knew “I can see for miles”. I can appreciate the idea of this album (even though the aesthetics of its cover feel a little weird in 2025). It’s just that the execution is not that great. Beyond the aforementioned “I can see for miles” I only liked “Armenia City in the Sky”, the rest of the songs all felt rather boring and mediocre. The idea of disguising the album as something like a “radio listening session” is interesting, but in the end I found the radio jingles in between the songs rather annoying. That being said, The Who Sell Out is not a terrible album, but for me still one that fails to meet expectations. 2/5 stars.
Damn this is a Who album. This was crap.
I always am pretty meh on The Who and then I'll listen to them and find them so much more interesting than I was expecting. This was a great record, seems like them leaning more in to their quirkier side for this.
Pure drivel. Whatever they spent on making this album was a waste, should have given it to charity instead.
The format - with mock advertising jingles between tracks - is irritating, but the songs on this album are great. If I could get a "clean" cd of just the songs without the nonsense I'd buy a second copy. The Who's reputation rests to some degree on the magnificent Tommy/Who's Next/Quadrophenia sequence of albums. But in my view there's not a bad 'un anywhere in their first seven albums. (And we could add Who Live At Leeds, making eight.) This album absolutely stands up as a member of that sequence.
Another concept album. Or semi-concept; since there is no overarching narrative as far as I could tell. I feel like I always really want to like concept albums; I love artists exploring an idea or building a theme or instrumental interpolation or motifs in structures, etc etc. Anything that has some thought put into it. This one was an album that sounded interesting on paper (the idea of listening to music on a bootleg radio station), but unfortunately I did not like many of the songs, and the jingle/radio announcements were kind of distracting. But hey, at least it was interesting as opposed to boring (which, in my eyes, is a much more severe crime). 5/10 I bumped it up to 3 stars for the drums alone, which was the highlight in every song. Favs: Rael, I Can See For Miles
What an extremely random The Who album. I don’t even know where to begin with this one. First of all, I find the ads hilarious. I know that’s a point of contention in the reviews, but lyrically they are quite funny, especially “Odorono”, which got an audible chuckle out of me. “I Can See For Miles” is both my favorite song on the album, as well as being pretty much the only song I would consider to be a real The Who song in general. That’s where my biggest criticism of the album stems from. The ads are funny, but they take up virtually the entire length of the album. They’re weird, and are more so comical little jingles than actual real songs. I know they’re parodying Pirate Radio, but the fact that they made an entire album on that concept is kind of amazing, and not in a particularly good way. So, while I still enjoyed the album because I love The Who, this will likely be the only one of their albums I give a 3 or lower. At least they had some fun with it, it’s very goofy and shows.
I just cannot get into The Who, at all. Something about them leaves me cold outside a handful of hits.
One of my favorite albums. Pop psychedelia informed by Townsend's wit (pre-pomposity). Tattoo is a great song, many others are close.
What a weird old cool thing this album is.
I really like the Who although this one's a bit early for me, and a bit silly. You can hear the foundations of their later style though and the influence on concept albums and rock operas. I can imagine how new and fresh it was at the time. For influence I'll have to give it a 4.
I can see how you'd hate it if you were expecting a rock album. I found it appealingly goofy, but I can't say that I love it.
I feel like I'd be betraying my younger self if I didn't give this a 5. It was a really foundational album for me (and for my dad, apparently). It's pop art!
The Who Sell Out – The Who (1967) | Psychedelic Rock / Mod Rock | Avg: 5.19 | Favorite Song: “I Can See for Miles”* The Who Sell Out is a concept album full of quirky charm and satirical ambition, but your ratings suggest the execution didn’t quite match the concept’s potential. “I Can See for Miles” is the obvious highlight here—it’s the one track that delivers on both sonic punch and melodic memorability. Beyond that, the record struggles to maintain momentum. With most tracks falling into the 4 to 6 range, it seems the fake radio commercial interludes and stylistic experimentation didn’t fully resonate. There’s certainly a playfulness in this album’s DNA, and for some listeners, that might be enough. But from your perspective, the novelty wears thin quickly, and many of the songs fail to leave a lasting impression. The whole thing feels more like a collage of clever ideas than a cohesive musical statement. While it earns points for creativity, The Who Sell Out ultimately lands in the middle of the road, occasionally entertaining but largely forgettable in the long run.
Silly. Still a few major hits.
A fine album. I love the Who’s later stuff, Quadrophenoa and Who’s next and all, but their earlier work doesn’t stick as much. Maybe It hit better if you were there. 3 of 5
Eh, Kind of sucks.
Ive been a fan of the Who my whole life but never liked this album on the past. This time around, I enjoyed it! The concept is still not my favorite and I find the ads pretty annoying. Still, there are a number of strong songs and overall I enjoyed it through several listens
it alright
Don't get the hype
This is old style English psychedelic (sort of) music. I don't like it. It's schmaltzy and childish.
To me it sounded quite dated. And I keep listening to 70's mumsic like it is a novelty, but this, in my opinion, did not stand the test of time.
Listening to this album, its really not a surprise in hindsight as to why they thought I Can See For Miles would be their first #1. Most of the album is turgid stuff, but I Can See For Miles stands out like the diamond it is in comparison. Way, way too much filler on here.
I love The Who. I don’t love this album in particular. Still not bad by any stretch.
Nice time. I'd rate it higher if I could get my hands on them beans.
This is a pretty solid album, and I enjoyed it better than Live at Leeds and even My Generation, even though I really only was familiar with one track, I Can See for Miles. The song writing is solid, and the theme brings the whole thing together. You can see how they are working up to their later thematic rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia. 4/5
I think I’ve spent a long time underestimating The Who. I really enjoyed Tommy, and then this album is pretty great too. It’s not really what I’d expect from a rock band, and it frequently blends genres to make up a story rather than simply a collection of songs. I thoroughly enjoyed this, though it would be difficult to pick out one song as the best. It’s definitely an album to listen to in full rather than in parts.
decent i guess
This is not nearly my favorite Who album but it's a unique one.
Isnt music fascinating, 1 peoples great is another persons turd. Have tried to listen to The Who,, and back when you had to buy records to listen to them owned this, but they just aren’t who I thought they were, which is on me. Townshend seems more interested in making art-pop school concept albums, which is fine if that’s what you like. Whereas I for whatever reason thought them to be more a hard driving high energy rnb band, which is in there somewhere. Don’t think it’s a coincidence though that perhaps their best/most revered album Whos next, the concept album got scrapped and its all the better for it. Like this here album, there is the odd great song such as I can see for miles surrounded by a great deal of, well in my opinion shit, yes it's listening to radio, but the crappy jingles just detract. I found this a very hard listen with the concept getting tiresome breaking everything up. Of the 60s bands, after listening to all the Who albums of the period I find them one of the most overrated, somehow less than the sum of their parts. The odd really good song overcompensating for an awful lot of mediocrity and poor lyrics to fit the story (more so on Tommy than here to be fair). Townshend seems to get obsessed about the concept that the song seems to becomes secondary to the act, which is fine if you are doing musical theatre/art instalation but for a 50 plus year old album not so catchy. This is known as a great album, which seems to have been critic lead as it didn’t seem to grab the record buying publics attention so much, if others think it is great well that’s fine, I personally don’t think it deserves it’s reputation, if maybe I could just hear the songs, 3 Stars
Nice little experimental concept album. Had no idea that they made this (like I even listen to Who albums). Easiest showcase of corporatism in music.
God, that went on a bit
Another instance where the album is far from the best of the artist
Definitely the best The Who album. A concept album where you are not beaten over the head with the concept. Focused, clean classic rock
not particularly my style, kinda annoying. Appreciate the concept though and am fully willing to concede that my lack of love for it is completely due to my taste and era rather than this album’s shortcomings Tattoo was kinda alright actually The radio concept is kinda saving it for me ngl, i love when albums have a thought out flow/story. i’d prefer the interludes/skits were separated from the regular songs though i can see for miles is nice but REPETITIVE “there goes mingy stingy” is a lyric 💀 that song went on for WAYYY too long sunrise is nice and a massive tonal shift after silas stingy not the Is**** song 💀 it feels like so many songs are extremely repetitive like just chants of the song title 25/100 i think my faves were Glow Girl, Melancholia and Tattoo least faves were Silas Stingy and the Raels
I thought this was gimmicky and lightweight. I can see for miles was standout but the rest was forgettable and I hated the “adverts”
Das Album The Who Sell Out wurde 1967 von der britischen Rockband The Who veröffentlicht. Die Aufnahmen fanden in mehreren Londoner Studios statt, darunter IBC Studios, De Lane Lea und Pye Studios. Die Band kombinierte auf diesem Konzeptalbum Elemente aus Rock, Pop und Psychedelia. Bekannt ist die Platte unter anderem durch Songs wie „I Can See for Miles“, der als Single ausgekoppelt wurde, sowie „Armenia City in the Sky“ und „Tattoo“. Besonders auffällig ist die Gestaltung des Albums mit fiktiven Werbejingles und Radiomoderationen, die zwischen den Liedern eingebettet sind. Damit knüpft die Band an die damalige britische Radiokultur an und spiegelt zugleich ihre kritische Auseinandersetzung mit Kommerzialisierung und Popkultur wider. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen konventionellen Rockstrukturen und experimentelleren Klangbildern. Die Produktion wirkt durchdacht, wobei der Einsatz von Gitarrenriffs, Bassläufen und Gesangsharmonien klar aufeinander abgestimmt ist. The Who Sell Out zeigt eine stilistische Entwicklung innerhalb der Diskografie der Band und dokumentiert einen spezifischen Moment im britischen Rock der späten 1960er Jahre. Das Album ist in seiner Konzeption eigenständig und verweist auf spätere Ansätze im Bereich thematisch gebundener Rockalben.
Really didn’t like this. I think that I’m discovering beyond Who’s Next I’m not so into the Who.
So far this is my least favorite who album of all time. Not enough substance.
I enjoyed the album overall and liked the clever commercial idea. I think they have better songs, so going middle of road with 3.
Could it have been shorter? Yes however it was somewhat enjoyable
I don’t much care for the Who and this album did not change my mind. It’s a good concept I just don’t think they executed it very well. It’s all just fine nothing really extraordinary imo.
this was weird. not sure what exactly they were on when they put this together......
No lo entendí
1967. Summer of love. Its got the vibe. Not sure I vibe with Daltry's voice or fake radio stuff. Odorono slaps!
Previously I noted that I don't dislike Pink Floyd, I dislike Late Pink Floyd. This made me hate The Who, despite enjoying 'Who's Next'
Was pretty interesting. I liked it.
Not only an amusing album spoofing on the materialistic world, but also a musically awesome album with a diverse bundle of songs that really show The Who's range of styles and abilities.
Armenia City in the Sky - 5/5 Heinz Baked Beans - 3/5 Mary Ann With the Shaky Hand - 4/5 Odorono - 5/5 Tattoo - 5/5 Our Love Was - 5/5 I Can See for Miles - 5/5 I Can't Reach You - 4/5 Medac - no rating Relax - 4/5 Silas Stingy - 3/5 Sunrise - 4/5 Rael (1 and 2) - 3/5 Average score: 4.2/5 (rounding down)
So after listening to it and reading it's supposed to be a great album....I have questions. Is the Who terrible? Has everyone gone deaf? They have some killer songs out there. If this is supposed to be one of their best I fear for other albums.
Well that was weird. Maybe you just had to be there?
Not my favorite Who album. But not terrible
The production feels quite dated, which is to be expected given the release year, but the idea of using jingles and fake radio station ads is a really interesting concept for the era. I get the impression that Queens of the Stone Age borrowed that idea for Songs for the Deaf, as that's the only other place I've heard something like it. Some of the lyrics are genuinely funny and clever, and overall, the more I listened to the album, the more I appreciated it, even though it felt too weird on first listen, it’s definitely a grower. And that cover art actually complements the music perfectly, as absurd as it is. I really appreciate them trying something interesting and unique especially considering when this was released There’s some filler here and there, but the highlights are definitely on Side A (Armenia..., Mary Ann..., Our Love Was, I Can See for Miles, etc.) I Can See For for Miles in particular I really liked and it kind of reminded me of the Piper at the Gates of Dawn era Pink Floyd (along with some other songs from this album, the Hall of the Mountain King also kind of reminded me of that early Syd Floyd) 3.5/5
What a weird album. Not a lot of memorable songs in there. Clever concept, but seems like a comedy sketch
Who's that? Good Who, that's Who.
Слушается легко и интересно. 7,5 из 10.
Tough going, some great songs, bit of a slog
I much prefer The Who without all the bloody whimsy. 2/5 #119
this is the musical equivalent of the 'Scratch' chapter at the end of The State of the Art, not really any fully fleshed out songs just a bunch of thoughts mixed with capitalist psychobabble
I feel a bit of pressure to rate this higher than I instinctually would because it's by The Who. I did enjoy most of it, but they're still overrated.
Lots of schtick before and after "I Can See For Miles". Not even a good comedy album.
I Can See For Miles obviously is a standout track here; the rest is experimental but not captivating or very enjoyable in general
The Who is great when they’re rockin but outside of that, they can be pretty iffy. This isn’t the worst English Band Being Cheeky record, just by virtue of being by a band who knows what they’re doing. But it’s still an English Band Being Cheeky record.
6/30/25. Really not sure what to make of this one. Great production and understand it may have been satire on "selling out" based on the pop sound. However, I didn't connect with it on my first listen. Songs were a bit all over.
Well, I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did. What a fucking delightfully weird and silly album.
Creative album. Very unique
There are bright spots, but the silly parts are kind of wasted on me.
Couldn’t get through this one. Mono sound quality too bad.
It's a fun concept for the time, but I don't find most songs hold up very well compared to other tracks.
Yes: "I Can See for Miles" No: a thousand other annoying tracks
Honestly, the Who has such an atypical discography, especially during their prime years. Lots of experimentation and conceptual albums that were a bit different then some of their peers like the Beatles and the Stones. This is one of those such concept albums where its supposed to be a pirate radio station, complete with ads and such in between some tracks. The songs are a bit psychedelic, a bit chimey and pop. I must admit I didn't love it, I don't get the sense I want to listen to it again, though I probably will to see if my opinion changes a bit.
A nice collection but ultimately lacked the oomph that other Who albums have had. A few hits but also a few mediocre songs. Overall- decent
concept albums are just an excuse for making bad music
Truly never heard this album. So far it's alright. Nothing standing out. This is alright.
unnötig
A la 1a escolta m'està pareixent un disc molt random, es lo 1r que escolt de t'he Who. Diria que un poc experimental, però està com intercalat amb es so dels 60 que no sé per què me recorda als Beatles. M'està agradant molt la cançó Pur Love Was, es la preferida de l'àlbum.
That certainly was an album not what i was expecting from The Who (I admittedly only know the hits.) but i didn't hate it, Didn't love it either.
Interesting concept, terrible execution. I like The Who, but I wasn't prepared for how terrible this album was until I hit play. If I had picked up this album as a fan of The Who in 1967 I would have been so disappointed. This is a joke. What a steaming pile of garbage. The only saving grace is "I Can See For Miles," which elevates this album from a 1 to a 2.
Wow. This continues to prove that the only good Who albums are live Who albums. This is strange, experimental, and overall just doesn't have great songs. Not sure where they were mentally, but they weren't thinking about making good music.
Some good songs, but lost among the dross and the 'adverts'. It's also overlong; got to love 'alternative versions'
Enjoyed this and quite quirky 7/10
After reaching their nadir with Who’s Next, the finest rock album ever, even their own stuff sounds inferior.
Very weird album. And coming from me that means something. Odorono is cool tho. Tattoo has funny lyrics. Medac is... idek. Silas stingy is absolutely genious. Overall not bad, definitely interesting.
This is the best Who album and everyone who hates the jingles has never had joy in their lives
A very strong 3. A cool blend of psych, pop, experimental, and to me what sounded like a strong influence taken from “Magical Mystery Tour” and early stuff from The Byrds, but I should check timelines. Also, didn’t realize it was the ending of “Rael 1&2” that I’ve heard in so many movies. There’s also a charm in this album because it doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously and I really like that. At times I could hear elements that inspired bands like Of Montreal, which was a fun surprise.
If I were around in 1967 I’d have really appreciated the originality and fun of this album. But in 2025 so much of it feels dated and corny.
A fun idea for a concept album but I think it was probably more fun to make this than listen to it. Especially in 2025. Tattoo, and I Can See For Miles are great Who songs and the rest are fine, but it's not an album I would put on.
The Who are a shade too mild-mannered to hold me here
Only listened to the beginning before I had to go but I wasn't too cheesed
came to the realization today that maybe the who was its generation’s blink-182. half their songs are all timer ear worms while the other half are annoying and dated. their collective persona leans towards goofiness and their drummer is arguably the best musician in the band. really learning that I could go either way with this band.
Inte deras bästa
I’m sold.
beany dribble
Do NOT listen to the expanded edition. There is no reason to listen to this for more than your required 32 minutes.
SUCH a cool idea for an album. Tattoo is cool - part of the tune reminiscent of Must to Avoid. Our Love Was - great chord changes. Heinz Baked Beans - wins for sheer hilarity. I Can See For Miles - always incredible. Didn't know it was on this album. Amazing chord changes. I Can't Reach You - gorgeous chorus.
Like it 3/5
Huh? The Who? The What? The Where? The Why? 3/10
I like the concept of this but none of the songs really stand out I think. I think in general I enjoyed the sound more than most of my generation, though
Better than My Generation, but you can tell The Who still haven't found their sound. "Our Love Was" is an incredible standout track, and the concept is pretty cool.
Wasn't really feeling this one as much as My Generation, despite having heard this one before. I think the songwriting got a bit lost in the skits, even though everything helped to serve the concept.
Terrible execution on an already dumb concept album idea. This came out after their debut album but somehow sounds even older than it. The commercials were stupid. The only song off of it that I’ve heard before was I Can See For Miles, but even that one wears out its welcome. Actively hated listening to nearly every part of this.
The concept behind this album is pretty interesting for its time, I'll give it that. I liked some of the humour and lyricism here and there. Musically, I don't think I enjoyed a single song. The commercial jingles were the high points on here, ironically enough. I suppose it's an era of Rock that continues to elude me. 1.5/5
Man, this album really let me down on second listen. I remembered enjoying it a lot and I could barely get through it. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood but it left no impression on me whatsoever. Could not see any of what I enjoyed before.
7/10
Big fan of this album. There’s something quite funny about it. I own it on vinyl, bought it a few years ago when I was going through my 60s psych phase.
Not a Who fan and this just wasn’t good.
Nichts, das ich mir jeden Tag anhören würde, fand es am Anfang furchtbar aber man gewöhnt sich daran. Die Idee ist genial und einen Extrastern wert.
I'm starting to get a feel for Who albums...Tommy was garbage and so is this.
Considering I never expected to have such a detailed and nuanced view of albums by The Who in my life before this list, I can safely say this one is not the worst. There's some standout songs, and there's some definite filler, but I actually liked the tongue-in-cheek advert and radio thing they were doing. A solid three stars.
I'm a fan of people trying things in concept albums but this one feels uphill. I Can See for Miles puts a floor on how low you ran rate this one. The fact that they got sued a bunch by brands and advertisers is probably the best part. Knowing they were messing around gives it something. Far from their best but The Who are pretty great at anything they're doing. Fighting around a three or four.
I've never listened to this one. I know, I Can See for Miles and it is undeniable. The album cover doesn't hold up. I'm a fan of The Who and their song writing, I enjoyed the originality of each song. It's too bad that the concept didn't get fully fleshed out. I'm having a hard time on this one. 4.7
Beginning of the Who’s concept albums. I enjoy how light this one is compared to their future ones, it provides its own unique feel. Really like the first half but did find the back half to run out of steam. Also really like their Hall of the Mountain King cover in the bonus tracks. Rating: 3.8
A few good songs but mostly meh.
It is a somewhat interesting album, with a clear ironic undertone in all tracks. The Who, still on the rise to fame, still were oriented to the rock-pop music of the '60s, though some mod pop shines through.
Undeniably talented. Not my jam
3.4
The version that I grabbed must have been some sort of extended box set because it had all sorts of variations inversions on the songs. It was an awesome sit on the patio for a couple hours while playing a video game listen. Because the musicality of it was really good
lovely sound, i like the jingles inbetween. besides them there isn’t too much that sets this album apart.
1 stern
Still not a massive fan of the Who
The Who Sell Out is a curious, half-satirical, half-sincere concept album that finds The Who spoofing British pirate radio with tongue-in-cheek commercial jingles wedged between some of their most infectious pop tunes. The skits are oddball and charmingly goofy, but the real meat is in the music—bright, jangly, and irresistibly melodic. “Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand” bounces with quirky grace, “I Can See for Miles” delivers a thunderous dose of paranoia and power-pop precision, and “I Can’t Reach You” adds a tender piano touch that hints at broader horizons. It’s a strange, endearing slice of late-Sixties experimentation, not quite essential, but undeniably fun.
The corporate parody aspect is interesting, but none of the tracks apart from "I Can See For Miles" stood out to me.
Was this record composed of ads and jingles? 100% yes, but each track has a poke and a prod about culture at that time, which even has relevance today. I had to listen to this album a couple of times to get the meaning from each song, and while I didn't really like the sound they produced, I did understand what they were trying to achieve here. Overall, I didn't care much for the production here, but the songwriting was thought-provoking. Favourite Track(s): Odorno, Can't Reach You, Tattoo Least Favourite Track(s): Our Love Was, Medac, Sunrise
Really good
when it wasn’t being absolutely wacko it was good
One of those albums that probably makes way more sense in its time and place. Enjoyed the music though! 3.5
Big Who fan but I like mid career Who better than early Who. Some great songs on here but all the other mumbo jumbo I could do without
This really didn't chime with me. I Can See For Miles is a good song and rocks like some of The Who's biggest hits but.. the rest varies between boring and forgettable (Mary Anne With the Shaky Hands) and stupid (Silas Stingy). Plus the ad jingles are not appealing - those are the bits we put up with to get to the music, so why is it a good thing to have them on an album? Sorry I'm not a fan of this
Aldri likt Stones
A fun ride. I really enjoyed the interspersed clips that made it feel like you were listening to an old-school radio station.
The Who had administered the cracks with My Generation, the cracks grew larger with A Quick One While He's Away and now the barrier had broke through completely with The Who Sell Out. Their first concept album, this album is a farewell to the pirate radio stations that paved the way for the British Invasion and Swinging London from the sea to the shops. And The Who hardly let up throughout, with songs becoming interspersed with jingles and advertisements either real or made-up, along the way showcasing the creativity that was accustomed to being given short bursts and thus wasn't given a wider canvas. But those wider canvases were soon to become plentiful and The Who would soon carve out entire landscapes that would explore paths farther out from the still waters that blare out life changing sounds. But it started here. It's okay to sell out sometimes.
More artsy/poppy than what I'm used to from the Who, but still fun
This is my third The Who album and I am not even 100 albums in. How is that possible? Surely they don’t have that many albums on this list. The other two albums did not do much for me anyways. This is definitely the most interesting album of them yet, but that doesn’t make it fun to listen to immediately. Definitely very psychedelic but some songs are quite dull. I Can See For Miles was fun though. There are also so many interludes. But I must say that I enjoyed this more than the other albums from The Who I listened to. This is a 3.5, but I’ll round down because of that godawful cover. PS. Do they know that the emphasis in Armenia is on the e and not on the i?
I mean I guess it was alright but at the same time, wtf did I just listen to. 3 stars
A level of satire I did not expect or know about, good album to listen to
The WHO’s first concept album (doesn’t really work any better than any of them). Wide Rangel of styles here. Peak psychedalia. I Can See for Miles is a great song.
what an experience! quite a performance of an album, I love the bit of it all. the cover is wild. hope I never have to bathe in baked beans. the rock version of hall of the mountain king was what it must sound like to go insane.
An experience. I can see for miles is a classic. With songs like Mary ann with the shady hand and heinz baked beans it’s refreshing to hear a band as mainstream as the who not take themselves too seriously.
You should listen to actual pirate radio broadcasts to understand what they are and do and represent, not this fucking garbage. Tone-deaf, reductionist, and borderline offensive to the underground radio scene. Being forced to see Pete Townshend's disgusting shit-eating rictus and naked torso is punishment enough, but the more I listen to this, the more it sucks. One of the worst of this list so far.
a singles band who tried too hard to be an albums band. this is a cool cultural artifact with a few great songs but the same rule applies for all who albums: just listen to the fantastic comp Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy instead and have a great time.
There’s a couple of good tracks here but all the adverts and intermissions make it not much better than all the rap additions to the 1001 with all their skits etc. Still, gets bonus points for trying something different. 2.5 stars.
I am familiar with The Who , but I’ve never listened to this album. It’s got hints of 1967 summer of love, and I love that, but it’s also very goofy. It’s sort of reminds me of what would happen if the Beastie Boys tried to be the Beatles.
Cool concept album
I'm a Who fan, but this one isn't my favorite. Skits and bands shouldn't mix.
This album is a bold anti-commercial statement, cleverly disguised as a concept-like radio broadcast. But let’s be honest—The Who is probably the last band I’d expect to deliver a concept album. From the creators of “My Generation,” “The Kids Are Alright,” and “I Can’t Explain”? It feels out of character. And there are bigger issues: the album is packed with filler. Sure, there are some standout tracks—like “Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand” and “I Can See for Miles”—but overall, it presents a sound that feels un-Who-like (take “Sunrise,” for example) and leans heavily into the typical ’60s aesthetic. If an unknown band had released this album, I might have rated it a 4. But coming from The Who, it’s a 2.
Life-long Who fan but this is my least favorite record
Honestly the first half of the album really the shit put of me and I was ready to give it a one. But then I started really enjoying the later like towards the last ten songs. I thought those songs were really great. It would’ve been a five for me if the album was just those songs but unfortunately I had to sit through the rest of it as well. I get the idea and it’s pretty unique and creative. But the execution was just lacklustre. I almost stopped listening but I stuck it out.
Amazing this is the Who's 4th or 5th best album as Tommy, Quad, Who's Next and maybe ever The Who's by Numbers are all better. This one's still great though and pretty original for the era. I doubt Face Dances will be on the list but one can hope
I love the concept for this album! It has a great Beatles like sound to it. Solid album.
Are the who the diet Beatles? This was not a fun listen and kind of felt like a Beatles album if it lost all of its charm and goodness. Favorite track - I can see for miles 3/10
What a bizzare and crazy record. Like, there were moments I was absolutely repulsed by the jingles and the overt endorsements, and just overall bizarreness (derogatory), but then there were tracks like I Can See For Miles and Rael that made me feel like I was on a different album. I may have made a mistake listening to the extended edition I found online, which realllly made the album drag, but, on the other hand, my favorite tracks wound up being on the extended portion - Sodding About has some rad riffs, and Summertime Blues...the latter of which, well...unfortunately, wound up being a cover. Not really a great sign, if you ask me. I still wanna try other Who records, but this one probably won't getting much of a revisit (or at least, if I do, it'll be a version with all the ad/jingle tracks cut out). PS: Where the heck did that rad rendition of In The Hall of the Mountain King come from?!
Always 5 stars for any Who. This sounds like The Who. It is. 5 stars.
The two stars is solely for "I Can See for Miles".
On vähän erikoista, koko levy tuntuu olevan vähän kieli poskella tehty. Ja ilmeisesti se on se juttu. Kappaleiden loppuun on laitettu keksittyjä mainoksia. Mutta on levyllä ihan tosissaankin otettavia kappaleita. Kappaleet tuntuu vaan vähän sieluttomilta. Parhaat: Sunrise, Relax, I Can See For Miles
eh little too much of a concept album for me. "I can see for miles" is the clear and only banger.
The songs on this album are okay, I don't love them. But the presentation if this whole thing is spectacular!
60/100.
I like a handful of The Who songs, but unfortunately not the ones on this album. It was unique with the jingles and pop art take. Hard for me to get through.
One great song doesn’t make it for me.
Not my cup of tea. I can't imagine someone actually wanting to listen to this.
Only one hit on the album. Ads were a new concept/skits. Doesn't save album though.
I really like The Who and the best known songs from this album are classics. And some of the deep tracks are gems. But the concept feels dated and high school humor silly now.
The concept doesn't really work for me, but I apprecate the effort. A few good songs but mostly quite boring. They are good musicians. I'll round up.
I did not enjoy this one. A bit too experimental for my taste
Not bad. ⭐⭐⭐
Nettes aber unspektakuläres Konzeptalbum mit großer Ironie über sich und den Kommerz der 60er.
Okay, I’m gonna be vulnerable and admit I’ve never listened to this album before. I am really sad that this is my first listen of it. It is shockingly good. I can tell this is gonna be one I come back to a couple times this summer.
This was fine, I didn't love it, I prefer when the who are rocking than this goofy psychedelia.
Strap in. This is going to be a long one. I've always had mixed feelings about The Who. Generally, I think they're overrated. The first time I heard the song "Bargain" from "Who's Next" was during a pick-up truck commercial. Their band name is a pun. They're not the only band to do that, (the BEATles...) but they kept trying to make it funny like that idiot who doesn't know when the joke is over. The album "Who's Next", the song and album "Who Are You". For fuck's sake. But I digress. There are plenty of things I like about The Who. They sing "Cello Cello Cello" instead of hiring someone to play cello in "A Quick One". I revel in the exquisite irony of stadiums packed with Boomers in $200/person seats singing along with "I hope I die before I get old" while the band plays "My Generation". I love Keith Moon (his batshit drumming and he DID die before he got old). And I LOVE this album. Pete Townshend tried to elevate Rock and Roll to "High Art" throughout The Who's lifespan. Before this album, there was "A Quick One, While He's Away", a multi-suite story song. After this album, there's "Tommy", the double-album "Rock Opera". Later there's Quadrophenia, another Rock Opera. Both Tommy and Quadrophenia were made into movies. Zooey Deschanel says to the young Cameron Crowe character in the movie Almost Famous to stare at a candle while listening to "Tommy" and see your future. Whoa...deeeep. "A Quick One" kicks ass. The aforementioned "cello cello" part is endearing. The story is about a girl who is sad because her boy is away, and then he comes back, and she forgives him for kissing other girls and sitting on Iver the Engine Driver's lap and napping with him (weird wacky nonsense I know). The Who are reaching for something grand, but they are young scrappy lads, and they can't quite reach, and that's why it's great. Then, we get The Who Sell Out. This is a concept album. As a general rule, these don't really work. Usually, the "concept" is placed on the album after the fact (Songs for the Deaf comes to mind. This album has to be one of the 1001, I'll have way too much to say about this later) because setting out to make a concept record can be an exercise in futility, or it can drive you insane (see Brian Wilson). More often than not, concept records fail because they are trying way to hard to be smart and end up lacking with a cohesive record of great songs. Sell Out avoid all of these pitfalls, and it has all of the things I love about The Who. The Who really wanted to write radio jingles, and in-between song snippet bits for the BBC. Somehow, it didn't work out, so we got this record instead. This record plays like you're listening to the radio. There are ads for baked beans, deodorant, guitar strings, and acne cream. In between, there are Who songs that range from raucous, sweet, goofy, beautiful, strange, and epic, and you're never really sure what's coming next. The whole thing sounds effortless, and you don't have to think to hard about what the "concept" is. It's just there. It drifts by, you enjoy it. Look at that! Roger Daltry is in a bathtub full of Baked Beans! So two years after this comes "Tommy". And you know what? Fuck "Tommy"! I've tried with this record. I own a copy, I've listened to it many times. Is this The Miracle Worker but the Rock version? With Pinball? And a creepy uncle? The songs aren't great, it's too long, and it ends, and I couldn't tell you what the FUCK the story was about or why everyone loves this record or why they made a movie out of this and why Pete Townshend went back to the studio and made another "Rock Opera" and whew I need to breathe. The Who hit oil, and they kept digging. TL;DR: This is the best Who album, Tommy can fuck off. Fight me.
No, Apple Music, I'm not doing 5 hours of this. Not everything a good band puts out needs to be good or put on a list. 2*, +1 because of the creative idea but poor execution. I like that pinball wizard came on after this album so I can remember how good these guys sound.
8/10. I swear, these guys would thrive in the TikTok-era. Bathing in beans? They were ahead of their time.
Overall, it's just bad. The only song worth a listen is, "I can see for miles" ~ 1.3 stars
It’s an outside the box thinking of what a concept album is. I think it’s a creative way to do it. Over its great, a few songs don’t really stack up to what they’re capable of but nonetheless great album
as a certified The Who hater, you know i love hearing them at their most grating and self indulgent
Stundtals skräpigt mixad 60-talsrock, stundtals härligt banbrytande vilket man kunnat se mer av i deras senare hits. Finns ändå några intressant låtar här även om albumet är lite ojämnt!