Lou Reed — Popularity, Songs, Albums, Bio & Fame Trend

Summary

Updated 2026-06-10

He made rock that sounded like it came from the street after midnight — deadpan, transgressive, and uninterested in whether you liked it. The Velvet Underground barely sold during its brief run, but its shadow stretches across every band that wanted something darker than the radio would allow.

Biography

About

Lewis Allan Reed formed the Velvet Underground in 1965 with John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Angus MacLise, building a reputation in New York's avant garde scene before Andy Warhol made them his house band at The Factory. The group released its first album in 1967 with Moe Tucker and Nico, parted ways with Warhol, then issued three more little-heard records before Reed left in 1970. His solo career began quietly but hit commercial ground with Transformer in 1972, produced by David Bowie and driven by "Walk on the Wild Side" — a glam-rock landmark that finally brought him above ground. The cri…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Lou Reed

Lou Reed

said1 Nov 2013

Of course. All the best people are.

— When asked if he was Jewish. Quoted in The Jewish Chronicle obituary, 1 November 2013, p. 31

Lou Reed

said1996

He's probably the single most untalented person I've heard in my life. He's a two-bit pretentious academic, and he can't play rock'n'roll, because he's a loser.

— On Frank Zappa in Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story (1996) by Victor Bockris and Gerard Malanga

Lou Reed

saidundated

LR: "Are you political, Lou? Audience: "Yeah, are you?" LR:"Political about what? You give me an issue, I'll give you a tissue and you can wipe my ass with it.

— On his Take No Prisoners album

Lou Reed

saidundated