mumpcake
I noticed that of all the people I know who really love Bat Out of Hell, none of them seem to be particularly musically inclined.
 
I also noticed that for a lot of music I don't like, I can at least see the appeal.  To me, this just sounds like a badly overacted high school musical.
 
Can anyone enlighten me on what I've been missing?  Or is this album actually a litmus test?
 

seeing as to how this album sold millions and millions....
and todd rundgren's band did most of the backing tracks....
 
i'd say it's just not your cup of tea.
different strokes.

Of all The Beatles* albums sold I wonder what percentage of the listeners were "musically inclined"?
 
* Or.... The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Carpenters, Bobby Vee etc. etc. etc.

dmbaer
OK, I'll confess I rather like Bat out of Hell - although I haven't listened to it in years.  In general, I always thought the collaborations of Meatloaf and Jim Steinman produced some pretty intense successes.  For that matter, Jim Steinman's efforts without Meatloaf were worthy of attention in all cases I ever encountered.

I think Steinman might be the problem for me.  I remember hearing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" on the radio not too long ago and realizing I didn't like it because it reminded me of Meat Loaf.  I also saw that he had collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Weber, and I share the same views as Neil Finn on the matter.

bapu
Of all The Beatles* albums sold I wonder what percentage of the listeners were "musically inclined"?
 
* Or.... The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Carpenters, Bobby Vee etc. etc. etc.

Well Two out of Three Ain't Bad..............

Ham N Egz

bapu
Of all The Beatles* albums sold I wonder what percentage of the listeners were "musically inclined"?
 
* Or.... The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Carpenters, Bobby Vee etc. etc. etc.

Well Two out of Three Ain't Bad..............

Three Out Of Four Ain't Half Bad ... either.

mumpcake
I noticed that of all the people I know who really love Bat Out of Hell, none of them seem to be particularly musically inclined.
 
I also noticed that for a lot of music I don't like, I can at least see the appeal.  To me, this just sounds like a badly overacted high school musical.
 
Can anyone enlighten me on what I've been missing?  Or is this album actually a litmus test?
 

You and Dr. Frank N. Furter.  He didn't like Meatloaf either.

They went absolutely mad for it in Australia when I was growing up. I wasn't much of a fan, but I watched a documentary on Meatloaf a few months back on where he and Steinman came from and how they got rejected by virtually every record company. By the end I was glad they were successful and sort of appreciated what they managed to do in a period much like now where music was disposable and formulaic.

This thread influenced my lunch decision.  Heh...

craigb
This thread influenced my lunch decision.  Heh...

I heard the fried bat is to die for ...

It is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 43 million copies worldwide.
43 million.
 
 
 
Rolling Stone ranked it at number 343 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.
 
 
even rundgren laughed about it, thinking it was a rave-up of springsteen, who he didn't think very highly of either.
 
but no one laughed at the income.
 
 

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)25× Platinum 1,750,000^{^}
Canada (Music Canada)2× Diamond 2,000,000^{^}
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)2× Platinum 40,000^{^}
Germany (BVMI)Platinum 500,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)17× Platinum 255,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)10× Platinum 3,282,300
United States (RIAA)14× Platinum 14,000,000^{^}
Summaries Worldwide 43,000,000