We’ve had a best so naturally we have to have a worst. There were plenty of brilliant albums released this year, unfortunately these weren’t them. Happy slating!
5 Jessie J - Who You Are
Despite winning the Critic’s Choice Brit Award at the beginning of the year, this album didn’t do as well as it could have.
The album debuted in the UK at number two and never climbed any higher, it also didn’t get a higher chart position in any other country. Even so, it did manage to go 2x platinum in the UK.
It received mixed reviews from critics. No one could deny that the singer has a fantastic voice, but it was the lack of order to the album that let it down. Gary McGinley of
No Ripcord called it, "an album of two halves as the stronger brat-pop moments soon give way to by insipid, dated ballads” and concluded by saying that it promised so much more than it delivered.
Come on Jessie, we know you can do better than this!
4 Chris Brown - F.A.M.E
Despite this being Brown’s first album to debut at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart, it certainly wasn’t his best. Although it did carry a few catchy tracks, the album didn’t manage to get above a Gold certification.
The album was bound to suffer, it was his first since he was convicted of felony assault against then girlfriend Rihanna.
The album received mixed reviews, with Joe Caramanica of the New York Times writing, “Mostly, he has a really charmless way with a lyric.” and that’s it, that’s where he’s gone wrong. The charming With You singer has completely disappeared from this album and has been replaced with this horribly cocky, overconfident idiot.
It’s all well and good rapping about how much the police are on your case, but when it actually happens, like in Brown’s case, it really lessens the appeal.
3 Owl City - All Things Bright And Beautiful
It was a promising start for Owl City. Their first album Ocean Eyes topped three US charts with their single Fireflies went 4x platinum in the US and Australia.
The second time round hasn’t been so peachy for Owl City. All Things Bright And Beautiful (possibly the worst name ever for an album?) managed to reach number two on the US Dance/Electronic Albums chart but never topped any chart around the globe.
It fell off most charts after it’s first week and hasn’t gained any certifications. All in all, a bad year for Owl City, sorry guys!
2 Nickelback - Here And Now
After their last album Dark Horse, this was Nickelback’s sink or swim album. Considering it was impossible to sink any lower, they’re now floating around in the abyss somewhere.
Commercially this album was reasonably successful, it debuted at number two on US Billboard 200 and topped another seven charts around the globe but critics slated it.
Consequence of Sound awarded the album two out of five stars, saying, "Here and Now might prove to be a step above the last effort, but likewise a step high enough to hang its creators on a barn rafter.” Kerrang rated the album one out of five stars and CultureTease gave it a miserable 4/10.
So it seems that Nickelback haven’t won any hearts with this album, but maybe didn’t lose as many as it did with the last. You know what they say boys, every cloud…
1 Lou Reed And Metallica - Lulu
So we arrive at the number one spot, and unfortunately, it really does deserve to be here, it was a commercial failure and was panned by critics.
The saying ‘when it rains, it pours’ is truthful to this album. Firstly, the debut single off the album, The View, was released and failed to chart anywhere. That’s right, it didn’t chart, anywhere. To make matters worse the album didn’t make the number one spot anywhere in the world and only reached number 36 in both the US and UK Album charts.
Pitchfork Media gave the album 1/10, Consequence of Sound gave it one-and-a-half stars out of five as did Sputnik Music. Pop culture writer Chuck Klosterman, reviewed the album on Grantland and wrote, "If the Red Hot Chili Peppers acoustically covered the 12 worst Primus songs for Starbucks, it would still be (slightly) better than this."
Many sites have listed the album as the worst of this year, including review site Metacritic. The website also rated the album as the 32nd worst of all time. Ouch.
Cara Mason
FemaleFirst