Beatles Albums – Overrated / Underrated

I thought I’d try a new format on my blog – looking through every entry of a certain topic, deciding whether it’s overrated or underrated (or properly rated) by the general public and the fandom.

Who better to start with than the mighty Beatles – I’ve listened to their entire discography countless times, so I’m bound to have picked up a spicy opinion or two!

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Please Please Me

Verdict: UNDERRATED

• Overrated Track – Love Me Do
• Underrated Track – There’s A Place

Everyone knows that the Beatles burst onto the scene with their debut album, but I think people have forgotten just how good “Please Please Me” is.

It’s full of amateurish charm, and yet you can tell these lads have spent years honing their sound and mastering their craft.

With The Beatles

Verdict: OVERRATED

• Overrated Track – Roll Over Beethoven
• Underrated Track – Till There Was You

Nobody is claiming “With The Beatles” to be one of their best albums, but I’ve seen a lot of comments in recent years saying that this album is underrated / an early classic. Those people are wrong.

It’s such a boring album that drags in too many places, and the abundance of covers means it barely qualifies as a Beatles album to begin with.

A Hard Day’s Night

Verdict: PROPERLY RATED

• Overrated Track – I Should Have Known Better
• Underrated Track – If I Fell

“A Hard Day’s Night” was a sort of return to form for the band (yeah, a one-album losing streak counts as being “off-form” for the Beatles), and I like it just as much as any other fan.

There are lots of great tracks here, and you can tell the Beatles are learning how to make consistent hits.

Beatles For Sale

Verdict: PROPERLY RATED

• Overrated Track – I’m A Loser
• Underrated Track – Every Little Thing

… Aaaaand then the Beatles go right back to making boring albums.

“Beatles For Sale” is definitely one of their weaker efforts, and most fans seem to agree. There are shining spots here and there, but it’s not enough to make whole thing worthwhile.

Help!

Verdict: OVERRATED

• Overrated Track – You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
• Underrated Track – It’s Only Love

Now we get to the spicy opinions that I promised!

“Help!” is by no means a bad album, and it has a very good shout at being the best of the first five, but it’s not consistent enough to be great. There’s a lot of filler, and it ends on a really stale note.

Rubber Soul

Verdict: UNDERRATED

• Overrated Track – The Word
• Underrated Track – Run for Your Life

People point to “Revolver” as the point when the Beatles rose above their boyband personas to become true pioneers of popular music, but they forget that “Rubber Soul” laid the groundworks.

Every song here is at the very least a fun track, and some of Lennon’s work in particular is beyond exceptional.

Revolver

Verdict: PROPERLY RATED

• Overrated Track – Yellow Submarine
• Underrated Track – I’m Only Sleeping

Yep, “Revolver” is one of the greatest albums of all time. You don’t need me to tell you that.

It’s not as consistent as some of their other albums, but it’s such a fascinating experiment of sounds that you just have to applaud their genius.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Verdict: OVERRATED

• Overrated Track – Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
• Underrated Track – She’s Leaving Home

Before you come at me with pitchforks, let me make one thing very clear – “Sgt. Pepper’s” is easily one of the best Beatles albums (which automatically makes it one of the best in music history), but I don’t think it would crack my personal top three.

It’s definitely as era-defining and experimental as “Revolver”, but the middle segment drags a fair bit. Let the angry comments commence!

Magical Mystery Tour

Verdict: UNDERRATED

• Overrated Track – The Fool on the Hill
• Underrated Track – Your Mother Should Know

When there’s a discussion for the greatest Beatles albums, I’m always astounded that “Magical Mystery Tour” doesn’t get a mention.

Sure, it may be derivative of “Sgt. Pepper’s” concept-album format, and it may only be a measly film soundtrack, but it has some of the greatest songs of all time peppered throughout its tracklist. The most underrated album on this list.

The White Album

Verdict: OVERRATED

• Overrated Track – Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
• Underrated Track – Happiness Is a Warm Gun

It’s time to ruffle some feathers yet again!

I’m always on the fence when it comes to “The White Album” – it’s either an ingenious idea, one that allowed all four members of the band to display their talents, or its a mess of noise with no real focus. For the sake of this list, I’ll steer towards the latter.

Yellow Submarine

Verdict: PROPERLY RATED

• Overrated Track – All Together Now
• Underrated Track – It’s All Too Much

Oh look, it’s the worst Beatles album. The best part is that everyone on planet earth seems to agree.

The first half is alright, albeit a little mediocre by Beatles standards, but the second half of George Martin orchestral tracks had no place in the band’s discography.

Abbey Road

Verdict: PROPERLY RATED

• Overrated Track – Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
• Underrated Track – I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

My favourite Beatles album, my favourite album of all time, and – thankfully – loads of other people love it too.

You can tell the band went all out for what was assumed to be their final album, and almost every track here slaps. The Abbey Road medley is one of the greatest moments in music history.

Let It Be

Verdict: UNDERRATED

• Overrated Track – The Long and Winding Road (the “Naked” version is better)
• Underrated Track – Dig a Pony

I’m glad the “Get Back” documentary made people realise just how underrated “Let It Be” was and still is.

Sure, it isn’t as flamboyant as a lot of their other albums, but it’s the kind of stripped-back songwriting that showcases their personality and heart. Probably the Beatles album with the most underrated songs on its tracklist.

Aaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: