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.
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 