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The Velvet Underground
Band · Lou Reed’s seminal rock band

The Velvet Underground

4.2 / 5 from 69 ratings across 4 albums
Albums
192
Members
10
Active
1964–1996
Origin
United States
Biography

The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited by many critics as one of the most important and influential groups of the 1960s. An often-repeated statement, usually attributed to Brian Eno or Peter Buck, is that "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.

" Andy Warhol managed the Velvet Underground and it was the house band at his studio, the Factory, and his Exploding Plastic Inevitable events. The provocative lyrics of some of the band's songs gave a nihilistic outlook to some of their music. Their 1967 debut album, titled The Velvet Underground & Nico (which featured German singer Nico, with whom the band collaborated) was named the 13th Greatest Album of All Time, and the "most prophetic rock album ever made" by Rolling Stone in 2003. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the band #19 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, by Patti Smith.

The Groove
Groove by decade

The Groove is music.nw’s own measure of renown — not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. It weighs reach (how many people engaged) against acclaim (how highly they rated it), balanced so a handful of votes can’t outshout a lasting favourite.

Computed the NeuraWeb way, across the whole record. The same yardstick for everyone — which is why the little-known can out-Groove the famous in their own corner.

The trajectory

How The Velvet Underground moved

Genre belongs to the record, not to the artist. Every album’s Groove is shared out across the genres it actually is — by how the raters tagged it — so nobody is 100% one thing. Stack that by decade and a career draws itself.

Discography

Album cover
Scepter Studios Sessions
The Velvet Underground · 1966
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground · 1967
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White Light/White Heat
The Velvet Underground · 1968
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1969
Album cover
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1969
What Goes On
The Velvet Underground · 1969
Album cover
Loaded
The Velvet Underground · 1970
Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1970
Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground featuring Nico
The Velvet Underground · 1971
Head Held High / Train Round The Bond
The Velvet Underground · 1971
I'm Waiting For The Man / There She Goes Again
The Velvet Underground · 1971
Pop History
The Velvet Underground · 1971
Who Loves The Sun / Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
The Velvet Underground · 1971
Album cover
Live at Max’s Kansas City
The Velvet Underground · 1972
Pop History Vol. 19
The Velvet Underground · 1972
Squeeze
The Velvet Underground · 1972
Sweet Jane / Rock And Roll
The Velvet Underground · 1973
That’s the Story of My Life
The Velvet Underground · 1973
Album cover
1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground · 1974
Album cover
1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed, Volume 1
The Velvet Underground · 1974
Evil Mothers (Rare Velvets)
The Velvet Underground · 1974
Evil Mothers (Rare Velvets)
The Velvet Underground · 1974
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1974
Pop Giants, Vol. 9
The Velvet Underground · 1975
White Heat
The Velvet Underground · 1976
1966
The Velvet Underground · 1981
Album cover
Etc.
The Velvet Underground · 1981
And So On
The Velvet Underground · 1982
Everything You've Ever Heard About.......
The Velvet Underground · 1982
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Historia de la Música rock - 38
The Velvet Underground · 1982
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1982
Live '68
The Velvet Underground · 1983
The Black Side Of The Street
The Velvet Underground · 1983
Album cover
The History of Rock, Volume Fifteen
The Velvet Underground · 1983
Orange Disaster
The Velvet Underground · 1984
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VU
The Velvet Underground · 1984
Live At The Boston Tea Party
The Velvet Underground · 1985
A Drug Hit Sally Inside (Live 1968)
The Velvet Underground · 1986
Album cover
Another View
The Velvet Underground · 1986
Down For You Is Up
The Velvet Underground · 1986
More Bermuda Than Pizza
The Velvet Underground · 1987
Ride Into The Sun
The Velvet Underground · 1987
"Searchin' For My Mainline" Live, Wild & Unreleased
The Velvet Underground · 1987
Sweet Sister Ray
The Velvet Underground · 1987
Album cover
1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed, Volume 2
The Velvet Underground · 1988
Praise Ye The Lord
The Velvet Underground · 1988
Amsterdam 1971
The Velvet Underground · 1989
A Tribute To Andy & Nico
The Velvet Underground · 1989
nyc
The Velvet Underground · 1989
Album cover
The Best of Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1989
A Young Person’s Guide to Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Pale Blue Eyes / I Can't Stand It
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Super Stars Best Collection
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Super Stars Best Collection
The Velvet Underground · 1990
The Best of Yesteryear
The Velvet Underground · 1990
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Album cover
The Wild Side of the Street
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground · 1990
VU
The Velvet Underground · 1990
Booker T
The Velvet Underground · 1991

Credits

Ranked #1,928 of 14,615 producers — 676.71 career Groove across 6 records.

1969
Producer · 2017
Foggy Notion / I Can't Stand It
Producer · 2011
Singles 1966–69
Producer · 2009
Gold
Producer · 2005
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Velvet Underground
Producer · 2000
Flat 29
Performer · 1998
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Mezzanine
Performer · 1998
romantico
Writer · 1998
Album cover
Risingson
Performer · 1997
A Groovy Place
Writer · 1996
Album cover
Peel Slowly and See
Producer · 1995
The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground
Conductor · 1995
Album cover
Ultimate Alternative Wavers
Lyricist · 1993
Album cover
The Doors: Music From The Original Motion Picture
Performer · 1991
Heaven & Hell: A Tribute to the Velvet Underground, Volume One
Writer · 1990
Album cover
The Best of Velvet Underground
Producer · 1989
Album cover
Another View
Producer · 1986
Album cover
VU
Producer · 1984
Squeeze
Producer · 1972
Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground featuring Nico
Writer · 1971
Album cover
Loaded
Liner Notes · 1970
Album cover
The Velvet Underground
Producer · 1969
Album cover
White Light/White Heat
Producer · 1968
Album cover
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Performer · 1967
Booker T
Producer · —
Dandelion Milk Summer
Writer · —
Down For You Is Up
Performer · —
Everything You've Ever Heard About.......
Performer · —
Head Held High / Train Round The Bond
Writer · —
Heaven & Hell - A Tribute To The Velvet Underground - Volume Two
Writer · —
I'm Waiting For The Man
Producer · —
Kitsch
Writer · —
Live At The Boston Tea Party
Writer · —
Loaded (Alternate Version)
Producer · —
Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground
Arranger · —
Message From The Dead
Writer · —
Muck!
Writer · —
Ostrich/Hilltop
Producer · —
Rock And Roll Diary 1967-1980
Performer · —
Sweet Jane / Rock And Roll
Producer · —
That's The Story Of My Life
Arranger · —
The Velvet Underground
Writer · —
The Velvet Underground
Producer · —
The Velvet Underground
Writer · —
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Writer · —
The Verve/MGM Albums
Producer · —
Velvet 1993
Writer · —
Velvet Serenade
Composer · —
Velvet Underground
Writer · —
What Goes On
Writer · —
Who Loves The Sun / Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Producer · —
Your Opinion
Writer · —