Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

The Beastie Boys are an interesting one as they have put out a lot of great singles, but only one great record. Paul's Boutique was panned when it was first released and did not sell well on the heels of the million selling, Licensed to Ill, but in retrospect it is now seen as the band's most important record. The Beastie Boys started out as punk rockers, but switched to rap in the early 80's. After creating a following in NY, they were signed to Def Jam and powered by the single, "Fight for Your Right (To Party)," they blew up. However, there were a lot of haters as many in the hip-hop community were not too excited about three white Jewish kids "pirating" their sound. After being dismissed by critics as a frat band, and a ugly lawsuit with Def Jam, they left NY and regrouped in LA. They teamed up with the Dust Brothers and tried something a lot more cerebral the second time around with Paul's Boutique. It is a dense, layered record with samples and beats that take a few listens to appreciate. While "Hey Ladies" hit the top 40, this is more of a start to finish record than anything the Beasties have done before or since. To this day, it still stands up as their best work.