Nick Drake "Pink Moon" [1972]

Proof that in the late 60s record companies knew so little about what the music-buying public was interested in they signed virtually everybody, painfully shy wallflower Nick Drake wound up on Island Records, even though he was the sort of mouse-quiet introvert who usually puts people to sleep at Open Mic Night. But by the time of "Pink Moon," even his label was clearly sick of the kid, now unwilling to pay for any extra musicians, such as the ones who ruined Drake's previous album with vomitously ornate 60s studio orchestrations. Even by himself, Drake proves he can't cut the mustard; he was basically already an old fart by the age of 24. Thus, his depressed folkie washout act may have been a true reflection of who he was, but why anyone thought it'd be able to sell any records is a riddle for the ages, with the ultimate answer likely revolving somewhere around the early 70s' ridiculously high drug usage. Regardless, Nick Drake was a flop throughout his career, only finding success posthumously in the 90s when it became stylish for young people to mope around and do nothing all day. "Pink Moon" was thus considered some sort of triumph -- clearly the wrong word for it -- among sad white slackers with college educations and no ambitions. They'd probably have built a commemorative statue in Drake's honor, had anyone bothered putting forth the necessary effort.