The Velvet Underground — The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico, released in 1967, sold only about 30,000 copies in its first five years, yet its influence is incalculable—Brian Eno famously noted that everyone who bought it started a band. Its avant-garde fusion of pop and noise features 50% more abrasive guitar feedback than the average 1960s rock record, and it outranks #4 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list by 20 positions. Decades later, its raw sound remains more influential than the typical punk-era debut.