The 15 Worst Albums by Great Rock Bands

Every band here has a masterpiece somewhere else in the catalogue. These are the records their own fans skip.

1. 1
   Lulu

   The 2011 Lou Reed and Metallica collaboration, routinely voted the worst record either made.
   1000pts
2. 2
   St. Anger

   Metallica's 2003 album, remembered for a snare sound its own fans imitate as a joke.
   952pts
3. 3
   Van Halen III

   The 1998 album with Gary Cherone on vocals, the band's only one-off singer.
   800pts
4. 4
   Dirty Work

   The Rolling Stones' 1986 low point, recorded while Jagger and Richards barely spoke.
   714pts
5. 5
   Cut the Crap

   The Clash's 1985 album, made without Mick Jones and disowned soon after.
   714pts
6. 6
   Load

   Metallica's 1996 blues-rock turn, still the dividing line in the band's fanbase.
   647pts
7. 7
   Hot Space

   Queen's 1982 disco-funk experiment, which emptied arenas in the United States.
   571pts
8. 8
   Never Let Me Down

   David Bowie's 1987 album, which he later called his nadir.
   483pts
9. 9
   Music from The Elder

   Kiss's 1981 concept album with an orchestra, abandoned live almost immediately.
   381pts
10. 10
    Forbidden

    Black Sabbath's 1995 album, produced by Body Count's Ernie C and disowned by the band.
    381pts
11. 11
    Risk

    Megadeth's 1999 pivot to radio rock, which cost them Marty Friedman.
    381pts
12. 12
    It's Hard

    The Who's 1982 farewell, the record the band spent decades apologising for.
    260pts
13. 13
    Cold Lake

    Celtic Frost's 1988 glam detour, a genre change nobody asked for.
    260pts
14. 14
    Generations

    Journey's 2005 album, on which every member took a turn singing lead.
    260pts
15. 15
    Night in the Ruts

    Aerosmith's 1979 album, cut mid-collapse with Joe Perry already out of the band.
    0pts

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