The Beatles' most contentious album—plus more stories and controversies behind iconic records
Sometimes, the stories heard about the making of iconic albums seem as though that famous Las Vegas expression should be applied: What happens in the studio, stays in the studio. But for better or worse, word gets out about the fateful recording of albums like The Beatles' "Let it Be," for example, or Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City." These stories range from inspirational to entertaining to worrisome—but all have the behind-the-music essence fans thrive on.
Stacker compiled a list of 25 classic albums ranging from folk rock to hip hop, along with the stories from the studios that produced these albums. For that, sources like Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Genius were tapped. The resulting albums are instant classics representing the best, or sometimes the worst, of these iconic bands and artists.
Studio recording is a pressure cooker, with passionate people trying to combine their sometimes disparate ideas of what their band should do next. For artists like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Led Zeppelin, looming breakups have helped to animate some of their most iconic music, drawing artistic passion from real-life fights and splits. For others, like The Who or Bob Dylan, trying to shake things up led to true artistic brilliance.
Was it passion, good timing, or something else that makes these albums iconic? There's only one way to find out.
Source: Caroline Delbert/MSN
