From their ‘100 Best R&B Songs of the 21st Century‘ ranking to their ‘Top 200 Songs of the 80s,‘ ‘100 Greatest Soundtracks,’ and overall Greatest Singers Ever lists, the good folks at Rolling Stone are no strangers to being on the receiving end of cheers and jeers over the years for their polarizing “best-ever” tallies.
The ongoing discussion surrounding one of their latest, the ’50 Most Disappointing Albums of All Time,’ is showing no signs of ending that trend.
Assembling what they have crowned the definitive list of music history’s most disappointing albums, the music mag was sure to preface the countdown by asserting those included were not solely graded for the quality of their content but also historical context.
“An album can be seen as disappointing in the moment it came out, and be forever reappraised afterward. This largely has to do with timing and where the critical consensus is at a given moment. And an album that’s seen as a B+/A- is still disappointing if it follows a bunch of A/A+ albums,” they said.
Using the aforementioned logic, the ‘RS’ compilation featured a few surprising entries from the likes of big names like LL Cool J, Guns N Roses, Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and more.
None may have been more surprising, however, than the inclusion of King of Pop Michael Jackson‘s final studio album ‘Invincible.’
And while the effort was ranked by Billboard readers as the best album of the 2000s decade, ‘RS’ staunchly disagreed with that assessment.
“[The album] just sounded like an AI was tasked with churning out Michael Jackson songs. There wasn’t a moment on the album that sounded every remotely fresh or original. In that sense, it was the opposite of ‘Thriller,'” they wrote about the 2001-released LP.
Reportedly the most expensive album ever made (costing a reported $30 million), the project – despite having no supporting tour and failed promotion due to Jackson’s rift with his label – still managed to become one of 2001’s best-performing efforts with sales north of 8 million copies worldwide.
The feat is all-the-more impressive given how close the lead single, ‘You Rock My World,’ and the actual LP’s release were in proximity to 9/11.
Nevertheless, ‘RS’ still placed ‘Invincible’ at #10 on its ‘most disappointing albums’ ranking.
Click here to see the full list.
I sadly agree. I was 11 when it dropped and was so excited about it but none of the songs connected whatsoever. It was so Try-Hardish… Painful to hear
One of the greatest albums made and had critical acclaim all around the world except for here in this country where he was being demonized. Those songs hold up today the same way fanmails take on that futuristic y2k sounds does the same way brandys full moon does because the production was top tier. Michael started working on that album from like 97 98 to 00. Rolling stone is no longer reputable and hasn’t been in over a decade.
Not the greatest album but it does have “You Rock My World” which was a huge hit and “Butterflies” which was a nice R&B hit. I’m sure it was disappointing by Michael Jackson’s standards, but it’s stupid countdown in my opinion, since really only big artists who are mainly competing with themselves are considered.
You Rock My World is literally his BEST song
Nah. Most of the upbeat songs on Invincible were MEH but it’s his 2nd best album after History. Thriller was and is more disappointing & OVERRATED.
Your insulin levels are out of sync again, fatty tissue. Throw yourself in a pot of greens on simmer.
1. What a stupid list to make
2. How come Bionic is not in it 🤣