Most Monumental Album Flops: No. 25

Failure, it has been argued, is more interesting than success. Try telling that to the superstars on our list of all-time album flops: We'd guess they were a tad more interested in the successes. You have to rise pretty high to have a stomach-turning letdown, which is why our list includes the creators of some of the biggest-selling albums of all time. From a Prince, several princesses and a King (of Pop) to the reigning jesters of punk and hip-hop, rock's royal court is clearly subject to the same laws of gravity as the rest of us.

'Pop'
U2, 1997

Rise: Ten years after U2 assumed the rock 'n' roll throne, they planned the glitzy Popmart tour as an ironic take on consumerism, and they rushed out the accompanying album to meet the deadline.

Fall: The half-baked 'Pop' was so forgettable that U2's next album, 'All That You Can't Leave Behind,' was widely hailed as the band's "comeback" record.

Stats: 'The Joshua Tree' (1987), 10 million; 'Pop,' 1.5 million

Next Flop

*All sales figures are U.S., from RIAA and Nielsen SoundScan, except where indicated.

Posted by Spinner Staff
Filed under: The Hit List

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Comments (49)

Reader Comments(1 of 3)

Neutral

mauriceat 5-26-2007

its cool

what up

taylorat 5-26-2007

Paris "porno" Hiltons album was the JOKE of the century. Scott must be so proud he even bought her a bentley cause she screwed him, what a silly ASS!

High Ranked

RSat 5-26-2007

U2 POP was not really a "flop" so much as an experiment, I think. Tough call, really.

Dougat 5-26-2007

You acknowledge Paul's Boutique was critically acclaimed and sold 2 million copies and in the same breath refer to it as a flop? Idiots.

Al Sharptonat 5-26-2007

You White Boys CRACK me up!

Jesse Jacksonat 5-26-2007

I have BAD gas today! Please send me MONEY to make me feel better.

suesat 5-26-2007

Nobody ever remembers that NSYNC had TWO FRONT MEN, JC Chasez and that other guy. Justin hopped into the solo ring at the perfect time, coming right off of two highly successful NSYNC albums.... JC waited for the group to reunite, as they had agreed.

When JC finally did make an album, "Boob gate" happened and the United States when ultra conservative for a while. It was the timing of "Schizophrenic" that killed it, along with haphazard assistance from the JIVE label.

Rollingstone called "Schizophrenic" the album Justin would've made if he had any balls. Now he's covering basically the same ground that JC already did.

Emily McElhaneyat 5-26-2007

I love Paris to death-she's glamorous, beautiful, stylish, and seems sweet & extremely fun. I wish I had friends like her...and people should stop judging her and being envious just because they wish there lives were like hers and they live the way she does. She isnt the one shaving her head and not wearing panties out!! She doesnt do anything like this and doesnt deserve it!! But her songs in my opinion are GREAT and i like her sexy approach to music. I dont have her album, but her song 'Jealousy' is my favorite because its SOOO true!! Even if her album so called, "flopped", who cares? She's PARIS HILTON. She will still be the same gorgeous LA doll. Much

We was buildin' da pyramids when you white boys was livin' in caves.

kv5350at 9-06-2008

Die painfully okay? Preferably by getting crushed to death in a garbage compactor, or by getting your face cut to ribbons with a pocketknife.

ronnieat 5-26-2007

is it only considered a "flop" because it didn't sell as much as the previous album?alot of those albums were still very successful.this is why corporate america sucks the life out of everything.just let the artist be artistic. p.s. paris and k-fed aren't artist

Claireat 5-26-2007

Porno star Paris Hilton is a disgrace to the Pop ledgends. I wanna give a shout out to Kellie, Tyler, Cameren, Jawan, Jared, Aaron. and Eugene holla at me Chris Brown!!!!! I LUV U BOO!!!!!

Billyat 5-26-2007

Paul's Boutique is justfifiably considered to be a monumental, influencial album and no one with any credibility can qualify it as a "flop". And from a commercial standpoint it continues to sell (ala Dark Side of the Moon). There are other flaws with this list but that one was the most blatant.

robertat 5-26-2007

Rosie is a BIG FAT PIG!

Andieat 5-26-2007

Has anyone ever heard Garth Brooks' Chris Gaines CD? I have and while the idea of a made-up musician was very odd, if the movie had come about it may have seemed less strange. Just the CD coming out looked funny (weird).
But I actually love the songs on it. They are really good songs,IMO and I think people would like them if they heard them. At least I think they should because I do.

If you have never heard it give it a listen and a chance.
IT IS REALLY GREAT MUSIC!

And no, I'm not Garth Brooks trying to get people to buy his CD. And I'm not a huge Garth Brooks who would love absolutely anything he sings no matter what. He was never a real favorite of mine, I liked some of his songs (his older stuff) and didn't care for other songs.

ralph sowersbyat 5-26-2007

HEY MODS!!! Why the hell aren't you doing your job and monitoring sites like these and dumping the inappropriate comments?

(gee, and you wonder why people are leaving AOL in mass) Get on the God Damn Ball!

Katelynat 5-26-2007

I didn't even go through the whole list. U2's Pop stopped me.

Pop is one of my favorite albums by U2. I fell in love with it the instant I heard it.
Whereas All That You Can't Leave Behind took a while to grow on me.

Is this a flop just from sales? If so, then yes you can consider U2's Pop a flop.
Otherwise, it's far from being a flop. That album is amazing.