Which albums have you bought after hearing one track, thinking it's brilliant, only to find that the rest of the album is rubbish?
I'll start with the one that's just popped on random play on my phone, which prompted the thought.
Alicia Keys - Songs in A Minor
Fallin' is brilliant, the rest isn't
Blondie - No Exit.
Maria is brilliant, the rest of it is shite.
Mindy Smith - One Moment More. Her cover of Jolene is phenomenal, the rest, not so much.
Willy Mason - If The Ocean Gets Rough. 'We Can Be Strong'; great. Rest of album; meh.
Every foo fighters album after the 1st one
The La's. Not rubbish really, but disappointing.
I like all the tracks on The La's.
Coorrrr, this thread will be at least 20 pages once some of you lot post your weird music stuff 🤣
Me, I’ll go for this. So indicative of her career.. make one/two songs utterly awesome then fill the album with badly produced outtakes of childish quality.
Private Life & Love is the Drug are 4.3bn times betterer than the other rambling recorded in a can trash.
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the last two Queens of the stone age albums. crap compared to their older stuff
Maria is brilliant
Therein lies your problem because that too was bloody awful (and I loved their earlier stuff).
Doves - Kingdom of Rust
Title track = awesome, the rest very mediocre.
Mansun, Attack of the Grey Lantern – Wide Open Space was wonderful and the rest of it wa... Ohh wait, you know how this works don't you?
This will have to be something bloody old, because ever since the advent of electronic downloads, I listen to most stuff before I buy it...
How about (this could be controversial!) Marquee Moon by Television... I played it again recently, and though not rubbish, nothing on it comes close to the title track.
Same with The Only Ones - Another Girl Another Planet miles better than all the other songs. Not rubbish, but not fantastic.
Hot Chip.. The Warning
The album title should have been a clue
This will have to be something bloody old
Well of course it will, because all new music is rubbish 😉
Every foo fighters album after the 1st one
wot he said ^^
Also
Soul II Soul - Club Classics Volume I -- it didn't even have the single on it!
Every Garbage album after the 1st one
'Babes never die' by Honeyblood
Heard the single 'Ready For The Magic':
Which is still awesome but the rest of the album is seriously meh. Like a trusting fool I even bought the first album thinking I was missing something. Also meh.
On the back of this I signed the family up to Spotify and delete albums that don't make the grade. The latest being Reef's comeback. Really not great.
Kanye West - sorry, erm, I mean Ye.....whatever the album is called with All Falls Down on it.
Gorillaz debut album - bought for Clint Eastwood and the rest was garbage (not Garbage; they're quite good).
Cut The Crap.
Au contraire M. Strummer.
This is England is still a fine song, but the rest is a bit embarrassing.
The Pretty Reckless - Make me wanna die great single the album Light me up, not so much
Asian Dub Founfation - Buzzin was buzzing, the album Rafi's Revenge not so much
& agree with the OP about Alicia Keys...
Was going to say Tranquility Base by Arctic monkeys, but there are actually no good tracks on it. I just bought it because (some of) their previous stuff was good.
Crash Test Dummies
The New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
I liked "You Get What You Give" so I bought the album. There are other tracks on the album. I don't recall any of them now.
I know some Radio 2 listeners and Daily Mail readers who bought this on the back of Dry Your Eyes. Not sure they appreciated the rest of the album... Outrageous!

Any excuse to post this classic!
Two jump to mind for me (though "bought" might be stretching the truth):
Republica's eponymous debut album. On the back of Ready to Go I was expecting some sort of crunchy rock album and not a bunch of mediocre mid-90s dance choonz. I think they'd put a different version of R2G on there so I didn't even get the song I wanted.
Stiltskin's album from around the same time, I forget the name. The album had their big single Inside, another track that was very similar and the rest instantly forgettable.
The New Radicals – Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too
I liked “You Get What You Give” so I bought the album. There are other tracks on the album. I don’t recall any of them now.
This was going to be my other suggestion
Well of course it will, because all new music is rubbish
Oh, soz, forgot 😀
Gorillaz first album is all killer btw. Well, last time I listened to it, as was the Space Monkeys dub remix album.
Boston. Sorry, I was very young, loved more than a feelin' rest is garbage.
The Passions. German film star was epic, rest rubbish.
Yup, the Only Ones fits the bill.
Black box recorder. Liked one track, didn't get the rest.
Handcream for a generation - cornershop. There's a fantastic psychedelic freak out near the end, the rest is, err...
All gone to the charity shop bin.
My cd racks are littered with rash impulse buys!
The first Battles album. Atlas is a killer tune, the rest is self-indulgent, directionless monotony.
'Come on Feel the Lemonheads'
On reflection, 'Into Your Arms' was pretty tedious as well.
Foo Fighters, pretty sure they've released the same album over and over since the second one.
So many albums in the 90's, usually some post good grunge clone, seemed to have one good song on an album then the rest was just filler
Live - "Throwing Copper" was a definite
The Good the Bad & the Queen was bobbins. But the single was pretty good, can't remember it's name tho!
B.M.R.C., I liked Whatever Happened To My Rock And Roll, one other song seemed pretty good and the rest didn't grab me much at all.
How about (this could be controversial!) Marquee Moon by Television… I played it again recently, and though not rubbish, nothing on it comes close to the title track.
Just hold on on right there sunshine. MM is the standout track but the rest is still good (Friction for example, love it).
if you said the second (red covered one) I’d be in agreement. What else is there on it a part from Foxhole?
and there’s only two decent tracks on Fever... 🤣
Cornershop - I bought it for "brim full of Asha" only to find the album track is not the single even - the single was a norman cook remix and totally different to the album track and the rest of the album
<p>Probably going to get pelters but every single Jamiroquai album. One, maybe two decent tunes and the rest are just meh.</p><p>Second the 90's grunge clones, I remember when everyone was going daft for Live, Everclear and the like. Again, a lot of filler.</p>
Going back a bit ...Gerry Rafferty " City to City " ..Baker Street was good ..the rest total tosh .
God knows why but I was talked into seeing him live ..probably the dullest live performance I've ever seen ..
Soul II Soul – Club Classics Volume I — it didn’t even have the single on it!
Quite amusing that, cos Jazzy B does some Djing - went to this thing in London he was playing and he played 3 different extended versions of Back 2 Life and a bunch of mash-ups (you, know, like was quite entertaining 15 years ago). My friends wondered why I was annoyed! 😁
Spin Doctors whatever it was thing
Asian Dub Founfation – Buzzin was buzzing, the album Rafi’s Revenge not so much
I completely disagree. That is one of my favourite 90's albums
So many...
Green Day, Nimrod (for Time of Your Life)
The Streets, A Grand Don't Come for Free (for Fit But You Know It)
Violent Femmes, Add It Up (for Blister in the Sun)
Little Man Tate, About What You Know (can't even remember which song now)
Underworld, Beaucoup Fish (Bruce Lee)
about 3 Weezer albums (Maladroit, the Red and another) for whatever single they released first
A bunch of film soundtrack albums
Republica’s eponymous debut album. On the back of Ready to Go I was expecting some sort of crunchy rock album and not a bunch of mediocre mid-90s dance choonz.
may i refer you to.....
Underworld, Beaucoup Fish
Don’t be silly.
Beck! Some great albums under his belt.. but apart from ‘Loser’ ... Mellow Gold, couldnt name another track.
I’ve been buying singles for years, especially 12” singles in the 80’s, because 7” vinyl is crap, then CD singles, which often had extra non-album tracks on them. Struggling to remember any particular album which had one standout track with the rest filler, I’ve tended to take them back and swap them if I don’t like the album. The last one was The Breeders latest album, I’d heard one particular track on 6Music I rather liked, bought the album, but it just didn’t gel, for some reason.
QOTSA ‘Songs For The Deaf’, has several decent tracks on it, but ‘No One Knows’ is the stand out, I don’t play the album often.
Going back a bit …Gerry Rafferty ” City to City ” ..Baker Street was good ..the rest total tosh .
That is total tosh. “Whatever’s Written In Your Heart” is easily as good as “Baker Street”, “Right Down The Line” and “Mattie’s Rag” close behind.
REM - Monster
Liked "What's the frequency Kenneth", but the rest...good god! :0(
At least the CD was cheap.
<p>Spin Doctors whatever it was thing</p>
<p>Jimmy Olsens Blues. Actually they had a decent amount of stuff on that album and the next one, I really should dig them out agin now you've reminded me. Kinda Dave Matthews Band-esque.</p>
<p>Green Day, Nimrod (for Time of Your Life)</p>
<p>To be fair if you bought that album for that song you were always going to be disappointed.</p>
@Countzero..it's all about opinion and you are welcome to yours ..I'm glad to say that I didn't actually buy that album it was sent out as a freebie from the record company ( A&M records ..I think ? )
Guns n Roses - Chinese Democracy (Chinese Democracy)
Crazy Town - Gift of game ( Butterfly)
Oasis - Standing on the shoulder of giants (go let it out)
REM – Monster
Liked “What’s the frequency Kenneth”, but the rest…good god! :0(
That was a hugely underrated album. I took your name, and Bang and Blame were two of my favourites.
Men at work - album with down under on it.
Sly fox - album with Let's go all the way on it. Absolute junk.
Quite liked good, bad and the Queen album.
Northside - chicken rhythms. Awful. Shall we take a trip was fun. (I was a teenager)
Queen - Sheer heart attack
Stevie wonder - music in the key of life. Superstition is his best ever track, but I hate the album.
The empyrium - john frusciante.
I agree with tjagain on Cornershop- I also bought it for Brimful of Asha.
I do like Green Day’s nimrod though.
I have to disagree with above re corner shop. Good to be on the road and their cover of Norwegian wood are decent....imo
Stevie wonder – music in the key of life. Superstition is his best ever track, but I hate the album.
And to add insult to injury, Superstition isn't even on the album!
Someone's awake! Well spotted.
Stevie wonder - talking book. See above.
Edit: it's been a long day.
The Magic Numbers
The Twang
I was a big fan in the 90s but a lot of britpop albums make me wonder what I and they were thinking!
I’m sure there are plenty of others but I can’t be arsed to go and look.
I like all of A Grand Don’t Come for Free. Makes me chuckle and I like the story.
Just had another look at the tracklisting of Beaucoup Fish. Amazing album. Bruce Lee not even the best thing on it. hmph. Opinions eh 😀
Someone's gonna tell me "Loser" isn't the best track on Mellow Gold aren't they... 😆
BMRC eponymous album was/is brilliant, still play it regularly.
Hope of the states ‘the lost riots’ is one - bought for the red the white the black the blue...rest was poor.
Agree about Foo Fighters, downhill massively after their first album, one great song on each album and you think they’ve cracked it until you have to endure 10 bang average (at best) tracks of boredom.
I bought Led Zep IV on the basis of Misty Mountain Hop.
How disappointed was I with the rest of the album. Must try harder B-.
Green Day, Nimrod (for Time of Your Life)
And yet another person hears a bands single ballad they do and think all their songs are the same. To me it’s the only crap song on the album. Take Back is brilliant.
Same goes for people who like No Doubt’s Don’t speak (nothing like the rest of the album, can’t srand that track), Extreme “More than Words” ditto, probably a lot more too.
Gentlemen on T'Afghan Whigs album of the same name turned out to be the one shining star on album of turds.
Totally agree about The Las, IHN.
The Kasabian debut album. Complete shite and it turns out LSF was only worth about two listens.
I have to disagree with above re corner shop. Good to be on the road and their cover of Norwegian wood are decent….imo
One of my favourite albums, tbh.
This is wonderful, brilliant party tune......
Soul II Soul – Club Classics Volume I
That album includes the a cappella version of Back to Life, not only a great track but at 2:42 features the greatest drop of any song ever recorded.
Root n fifth...not only is "Superstition" not on the Stevie Wonder album mentioned above ( its on Talking Book)..he never made an album called " Music In The Key Of Life "
Try " Songs In The Key Of Life" ..which apart from the played to death " Isn't She Lovely " ( which I grew to hate ) ..is an excellent album .
I personally think that Sheer Heart Attack is one of Queen's better albums ..they were still performing as a credible rock band before ( in my eyes ) turning into a comedy drag act ..
Okay, okay I know. Talking book. I'd just got in from work, saw the thread and put some ideas down. I knew the album I was thinking of, just didn't double check before hitting submit. You know when you wish you hadn't bothered?
However, Talking book - still don't like it.
Might give Sheer Heart attack another go though. Always reminds me of your climbing out of a Surrey village.
I bought a Tanita Tikaram album when i was younger and dafter, on the strength of her first couple of singles. Not a fan.
Several contributors have named some of my fave records - Dez , Coyote & rootnfifth - looking at you.
🙂
& Dez How can you not love this?
Loved the Beck album!
& Dez How can you not love this?
S'alright I spose. Wouldn't pull the album out of the rack to listen to it though.
What was I thinking when I bought EMF's Schubert Dip, on the basis of Unbelievable, many years ago? 😮
On a similar note - Babylon Zoo – The Boy With The X-Ray Eyes 😆
(No, but I did buy the 12" !)
Just, you know, for the record, Talking Book is an unadulterated work of genius.
</span><span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Kanye West – sorry, erm, I mean Ye…..whatever the album is called with All Falls Down on it.
Meh, it's a hip pop record, and don't get me wrong Kanye is a chunt of epic proportions but I really it.
All Falls Down, Spaceship, Jesus Walks, Never Let Me Down, Get 'em High, Slow Jamz, Breathe In Breathe Out & Through The Wire were all fairly big songs in their own right.
Production is really good on that album as well. Much better than any of the dross he released later.
Well of course it will, because all new music is rubbish
Not just music. Modern Life is Rubbish. Though it wasn't, as it happened.
I'm surprised at a couple of mentions for "Grand Don't Come for Free" - I think it's a cracking album. Shame the Peruvian marching powder got hold of him shortly after and it all went to shit, but it was great while it lasted..
On the other hand, I'm another Beck fan who doesn't often listen to Mellow Gold in its entirety, although I do like Loser (and Motherf*****).
I think the Spin Doctors album mentioned was probably Pocket Full of Kryptonite, that's the one with "Two Princes" on it, which was their big hit. It's not great imho.
Just had another look at the tracklisting of Beaucoup Fish. Amazing album. Bruce Lee not even the best thing on it. hmph. Opinions eh
When that album was mentioned I thought the same, whaaaat!!
Off the top of my head there's, jumbo, push upstairs, and king of snake which are all brilliant. I can't imagine somebody that likes underworld buying that album and only liking one song from it. Same with Greenday Nimrod, I don't think it's their best album but there are at least 5 good ones on it.
Funnily enough I dug out the Republica album while looking through my cd's recently and apart from Ready to go and Drop dead gorgeous there's nothing else on there that makes me want to listen to it.
Cornershop – I bought it for “brim full of Asha” only to find the album track is not the single even – the single was a norman cook remix and totally different to the album track and the rest of the album
Theres normally a very good reason that the 'remix' of a track is the one that gets released as a single
I’m surprised at a couple of mentions for “Grand Don’t Come for Free” – I think it’s a cracking album.
Indeed. The whole point of that (excellent) album is that it is 'an album' in that it has a narrative/story than runs through it.
Most albums in the Britpop era consisted of one decent single then it was all filler, no killer

Just had another look at the tracklisting of Beaucoup Fish. Amazing album. Bruce Lee not even the best thing on it. hmph. Opinions eh
lol. Fair enough, it's not a rubbish album, I just don't love it as much as I thought I would. 🙂
Another couple from me:
Hot Chip, Made in the Dark, for Over and Over.
Nearly bought The View's album off the back of one of the best indie singles I've ever heard, Superstar Tradesman
, but the subsequent singles were utter tosh.
And I would have bought Courtney Barnett's album for History Eraser, but everything else I've heard of hers on the radio has been a bit tedious.
Oasis – Standing on the shoulder of giants (go let it out)
I properly laughed at this 😀
Most albums in the Britpop era consisted of one decent single then it was all filler, no killer
True Binners, very true.
One that's really stood the test of time is Catatonia's International Velvet.
Not a duff track on it.
I’m surprised at a couple of mentions for “Grand Don’t Come for Free” – I think it’s a cracking album.
Indeed. The whole point of that (excellent) album is that it is ‘an album’ in that it has a narrative/story than runs through it.
I think the point that a few have made is that there will have been many that bought it on the back of Dry Your Eyes, and the rest of it isn't exactly in the same vein. And will have been disappointed. But not us because we are way above being those sorts.
The chord structure / change to the orchestral chords after the break in the final track is simply beautiful. Once you get past the relentless swearing.