Andy Warhol's shadow over The Velvet Underground and Nico goes beyond just the peelable design he provided for the cover– the pioneering album was a testament to the band's artsy influences, avant-garde, daring and complex in its approach. The Lou Reed-penned lyrics on the album were groundbreaking in 1967, and their aggressive yet darkly detached treatment of violence, sex and drugs continue to grip listeners more than fifty years after its original release. Alternating between subtle, produced songs like "Sunday Morning" and heavy, grungy, rough-shod tracks like "Venus in Furs," it's no wonder The Velvet Underground and Nico is considered one of the most influential of all time across a staggering range of genres from punk to art rock to alternative rock and beyond. 

First listen: