Sexual deviancy and drug abuse have been the hallmarks of rock and roll since its inception, and The Velvet Underground were one of the first bands to really lean into those motifs as a core tenet of what they stood for. Upon its release The Velvet Underground & Nico was controversial and critically panned, both for its subject matter as well as its lo-fi production quality which stood out compared to the cleanliness that was embodied by mainstream acts of the time.
But as time wore on and teenagers who listened to this album in their bedrooms went on to form their own bands (as Brian Eno once famously said, “Out of the 30,000 people who bought this record they all went on to start their own bands”), the impact of their avant-garde sound became crystal clear– this was a pivotal album of the 60’s and ultimately stood the test of time as one of the most influential albums to ever be released. Few artists have embodied the essence of New York cool in the way The Velvet Underground did.
Between Lou Reed’s deadpan delivery, Nico’s feminine touch, and the performances of Sterling Morrison (guitar), Maureen Tucker (drums), and John Cale (bass/piano) whose threadbare minimalism and sheeny pop sensibilities brilliantly clashed with the lurid lyrics, this album challenged society’s conventions at every turn and in the process changed the trajectory of rock and roll forever.
Standout Songs: “Sunday Morning”, “Femme Fatale”, “All Tomorrow’s Parties”, “I’ll Be Your Mirror”
