June is Black Music Month. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter decreed that the month of June would be dedicated to celebrating the African American music and musicians that have helped the country to dance, express their faith through song, march against injustice, and to defend the country’s enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all.
As a musical artist, there are very few things that feel as good as dropping a debut album that many regard as a classic. Equally, there are very few things that are more stressful and terrifying than trying to recreate the magic that was made with the first record. With critics, label executives and fans all looking for an extraordinary follow-up, it can sometimes be a daunting task to accomplish. Oftentimes, artists and groups become consumed in the hype surrounding their second efforts and it doesn’t turn out as nearly as well as its predecessor. This is surely where the phrase ‘sophomore slump’ originated from. Legendary artist Missy Elliott offered advice to artists on how they could avoid this mishap in a Twitter post last year.
While some artists slip and struggle on album number two, there are those that meet and exceed the expectations that are set for them. One clear sign that an artist has unique talent is them being able to ignore the excitement, predictions and buzz that come with the release of an album and still being able to deliver a timeless project.
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We thought it would be a perfect to highlight some of our favorite sophomore albums of all-time. From Public Enemy to Beyoncé, these artists took it upon themselves to lock in and offer up critically acclaimed records that matched and in some cases surpassed the albums that came before them.
Check out our list below! Let us know what you think about it, what your favorite sophomore album of all-time is and if you feel like we left any worthy albums off the list in the comments!
1. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Release Date: June 28, 1988
Singles: Rebel Without a Pause, Bring the Noise, Don’t Believe the Hype, Night of the Living Baseheads, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
