Continuing my look at the albums of 1986…
It would be malpractice to write about the music of 1986 and not mention the Beastie Boys’ debut release Licensed to Ill. This is one of the best-selling rap albums of all time and one of the most successful debuts. It was the first rap album to top the Billboard 200 and the second to go Platinum.
It is also critically acclaimed, praised for its punk rock sensibility, its creative use of classic rock samples, and the chemistry of its three leads.
Now that I’ve put the 2024 movie year to bed, it’s time to return to music posts. And I’m kicking things off with an installment of my Hall of Fame series.
I’ve been working backward, covering each Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction class from the most recent to the inaugural class of 1986. So far, I’ve made my way back to 2013, so I’ll spend the next three weeks documenting the Class of 2012.
Shockingly, this is the first Beastie Boys song featured on this blog in the 13 years I’ve been posting daily. Not that I’m a big fan or anything, but it’s hard to believe they haven’t popped up on a Random Weekend before now, or that I didn’t find room for one of their hits.
The band’s 1986 debut, Licensed to Ill, was certainly a hit. It sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and became the first rap album in history to reach #1 on the Billboard 200. The first rap single to reach #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 was Vanilla Ice’s ‘Ice Ice Baby,’ meaning white dudes own both of those milestones. Go figure.
Meet Me In Montauk 