The Velvet Underground's Place in 1960s Music History

The Velvet Underground was not a popular band during its lifetime. Its popularity grew immensely after its demise. While they were still performing as a band, they hand a dedicated cult following. Although they were not high on the charts during their time, they have received a high place in the charts of musical history. According to besteveralbums.com, a website where people are able to rank albums on thousands of different charts, The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground’s debut album, has a high place on the charts. It is ranked the second best album of 1967, the fifth best album of the 1960s, and the eleventh best album of all time. According to PopVertex, a website which lists the one hundred greatest albums of all time, “from the early days of rock when records from Elvis Presley and Little Richard caught the attention of the public, right up to today's most important artists,” The Velvet Underground & Nico is ranked as the nineteenth greatest album of all time. It also holds a place on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, albeit lower down, at 171st. One particular song on their debut album, Heroin, received the 455th place on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, as well as being included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The Velvet Underground was never a mainstream band, however, they never yearned to be, but they have accumulated a strong following over the past forty-six years since their formation.