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Cheap Thrills

by Big Brother and the Holding Company

Released: August 12, 1968

Blues rock, acid rock, psychedelic rock

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Experimental Album.

The Album

This was the band's second studio album and their last with Janis Joplin as the lead singer before she embarked on her solo career. The album's blend of rock, blues, and psychedelic sounds, coupled with Joplin's electrifying presence, has made "Cheap Thrills" a classic and influential work in the rock genre. The album is renowned for its raw energy and Joplin's powerful vocal performance.

Inside the Recording

To create a live feel, producer John Simon incorporated crowd noises into the recordings, which led many listeners to initially believe the album was recorded live. However, only the track **"Ball and Chain"** was actually recorded at a live performance, specifically at the Winterland Ballroom.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

Rolling Stone magazine included it in their list…

Rolling Stone magazine included it in their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time," initially ranking it at number 338 in 2003 and repositioning it at number 372 in the 2020 update.

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Explore the Album

Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills

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Then

Reception

Now

Legacy

"Cheap Thrills" is indeed a landmark album by Big Brother and the Holding Company, released on August 12, 1968. It was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007, underscoring its lasting impact on music.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Cheap Thrills" is indeed a landmark album by Big Brother and the Holding Company, released on August 12, 1968. This was the band's second studio album and their last with Janis Joplin as the lead singer before she embarked on her solo career.

The album is renowned for its raw energy and Joplin's powerful vocal performance. To create a live feel, producer John Simon incorporated crowd noises into the recordings, which led many listeners to initially believe the album was recorded live. However, only the track **"Ball and Chain"** was actually recorded at a live performance, specifically at the Winterland Ballroom.

"Cheap Thrills" was both a critical and commercial success, topping the Billboard Top LPs chart for eight nonconsecutive weeks in 1968. It was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007, underscoring its lasting impact on music. Rolling Stone magazine included it in their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time," initially ranking it at number 338 in 2003 and repositioning it at number 372 in the 2020 update.

The album's blend of rock, blues, and psychedelic sounds, coupled with Joplin's electrifying presence, has made "Cheap Thrills" a classic and influential work in the rock genre.