What ... no Afghan Whigs? Suggest the best cult albums. Photograph: Sam Holden
In today's Film&Music Bob Stanley writes about how we are unlikely to see any more true cult pop stars. He argues that although artists like Goldfrapp, Arcade Fire and Nick Cave have a rabid following, they don't count as truly "cult" because their stage personas seem calculatingly quirky and contrived. Instead, he salutes the genuine innovators, outsiders and oddballs who have acquired mythic status over time. He makes the point that, in the age of the internet, where everyone is open to instant scrutiny and exposure, it is virtually impossible for artists to preserve a sense of mystique.
But are there albums that have escaped this fate? It seems inevitable that many cult records are destined to end up as classics. Releases by Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan and Syd Barrett all had an initial cult following but are now widely recognised as part of the canon. But how about albums that have defied canonisation yet still hold a sense of greatness to a marginal and devoted following? Are there still unsung records that you feel people should be listening to which haven't already been celebrated in the pages of Mojo?
Send us your suggestions for undiscovered gems ...
