History of Album of the Year (Faith No More album) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: February 3, 2025

Album of the Year is the sixth studio album by American rock band Faith No More, released in 1997. It marks guitarist Jon Hudson's first appearance and was the band's final studio album before an eleven-year hiatus. The album is considered more straightforward musically compared to their previous work. Despite mixed reviews and moderate commercial success, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard 200, it achieved gold certification in Australia. The album's singles, including "Asha," "Collision," and "Last Cup of Sorrow," received music video releases and saw some chart success, with "Asha" performing particularly well in Australia and New Zealand.

1957: "Paths of Glory" Film Release

The film "Paths of Glory", which inspired the Faith No More song of the same name, was released in 1957.

1958: Vertigo Inspires "Last Cup of Sorrow" Video

The music video for "Last Cup of Sorrow," released in 1997, was a parody of Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo.

1965: "The Slender Thread" Film Release

The film "The Slender Thread", from which a line in "Helpless" is taken, was released in 1965.

1973: "F for Fake" Film Release

The film "F for Fake", referenced in the song "Stripsearch", was released in 1973.

1985: "As the Worm Turns" Makes a Comeback

During the 1995 Album of the Year tour, the song "As the Worm Turns" from their 1985 album We Care a Lot, began appearing more frequently in setlists after having been largely absent from the previous tour.

1993: Previous Russian Performance

In 1993, Faith No More played a show in Russia during their Angel Dust tour, marking their first performance in the country before returning in 1997.

1994: Nine Inch Nails' "The Downward Spiral" Release

Nine Inch Nails released "The Downward Spiral", an album also featuring shortwave radio samples, in 1994.

1995: Comparison to Previous Tour Setlists

During the 1997-1998 Album of the Year tour, Faith No More's setlists focused more on their 1990s material compared to their 1995 King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime tour.

1995: Billy Gould's Trip to the Balkans

In 1995, following a German tour, Billy Gould traveled to the Balkans, a trip that inspired the song "Pristina". At the time, the conflicts in the region were largely unreported in American media.

1995: Alleged Filming Location for "Ashes to Ashes"

Roddy Bottum stated that the house used in the "Ashes to Ashes" music video, filmed in Los Angeles sometime after the album's release, was also a filming location for the 1995 film Seven.

1996: Faith No More Takes a Break from Performing

During 1996, Faith No More did not play any live shows, marking a period of inactivity before the Album of the Year tour began the following year.

April 1997: Album of the Year Tour Begins

The Album of the Year tour commenced in April 1997, marking Faith No More's return to live performances after a year-long absence from the stage. The tour covered Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Europe, and North America, but notably excluded Latin America unlike previous Patton-era tours.

June 14, 1997: Interview with MTV Europe

On June 14, 1997, Faith No More discussed the meaning behind the album title, "Album of the Year," in an interview with MTV Europe. Keyboardist Roddy Bottum explained the title as a bold statement following their hiatus, while vocalist Mike Patton added a humorous element, suggesting those who don't find it funny "have a problem."

June 1997: Positive Reviews and Critical Acclaim

During June 1997, Album of the Year garnered positive reviews from several publications. The San Francisco Chronicle praised the album's balance and Patton's vocals, while NME called it a "slamdunk return to form." Australian and UK publications also offered favorable reviews, noting its improvement over the previous album.

June 16, 1997: Rolling Stone Reviews Album of the Year

On June 16, 1997, Rolling Stone published a negative review of Album of the Year, awarding it only one-and-a-half stars out of five. Reviewer Lorraine Ali criticized the band's perceived lack of direction.

June 18, 1997: Mixed Reviews for Album of the Year

On June 18, 1997, Album of the Year received mixed reviews. Canadian publication Fast Forward Weekly gave it a scathing one-star review, while MTV's Tom Phalen offered a more positive perspective, noting its listenability.

June 20, 1997: Entertainment Weekly's Initial Review

On June 20, 1997, Entertainment Weekly published a review of Album of the Year. Despite this positive early review, they later listed it as one of the flop albums of 1997.

June 28, 1997: Joseph Kahn Discusses "Last Cup of Sorrow" Video

On June 28, 1997, director Joseph Kahn discussed the concept behind the "Last Cup of Sorrow" music video in Billboard magazine, highlighting the juxtaposition of Mike Patton with the classic film Vertigo.

July 4, 1997: Album of the Year Tops ARIA Charts

On July 4, 1997, Album of the Year reached the top of the ARIA charts in Australia but was overtaken by Savage Garden a week later.

September 1997: Keyboard Magazine Interview

In September 1997, Billy Gould discussed "Got That Feeling" and "Naked in Front of the Computer" in an interview with Keyboard magazine. He described the former as being about a compulsive gambler and the latter's meaning remained ambiguous. During this time, "Naked in Front of the Computer" was often misidentified online as an Incubus song titled "Naked".

September 1997: Limp Bizkit Opens for Faith No More; Controversy Ensues

In September 1997, Limp Bizkit opened for Faith No More on several US tour dates and were met with negative reactions from the audience, including being booed off stage in Philadelphia. Roddy Bottum later expressed his disapproval of Limp Bizkit and recalled an incident where Fred Durst used a homophobic slur.

October 1997: "Helpless" First Live Performance

"Helpless" was performed live for the first time in October 1997, with backing vocals replacing the studio version's whistling.

October 26, 1997: "Helpless" Performed in Melbourne

On October 26, 1997, during a show at Festival Hall in Melbourne, Australia, Faith No More performed "Helpless" for the only time on the Album of the Year tour.

November 1997: Faith No More Tours Europe and Russia

In November 1997, during the Album of the Year tour, Faith No More played shows in Croatia and Luxembourg for the first time. They also returned to Russia for their second performance in the country since 1993 and were interviewed on Muz-TV.

December 1997: Album of the Year Deemed a Flop

In December 1997, Entertainment Weekly included Album of the Year on their list of "flop albums" of the year, contradicting their earlier positive review.

December 1997: Album of the Year Tour Concludes Initial Run

In December 1997, the initial run of Faith No More's Album of the Year tour concluded. They would reconvene for three shows in April 1998 before breaking up.

1997: Mike Bordin's Ozzfest Appearance and Paternity Leave

During 1997, shortly after Album of the Year released, Mike Bordin played drums for Ozzy Osbourne at Ozzfest while Faith No More went on a short hiatus. Robin Guy filled in for him during a UK Top of the Pops performance. Later in the summer, several European shows were cancelled so that Bordin could attend the birth of his daughter.

1997: Initial Release and Mixed Reception

In 1997, Album of the Year was initially released to a mixed reception, with some critics praising it while others considered it a disappointment.

1997: "Collision" Recording Details Revealed

In 1997, details about the recording of "Collision" were revealed, including the use of keyboard sounds manipulated through a SansAmp and the inclusion of Spanish-language shortwave radio samples.

1997: "Pristina" Recording and Remixing

In 1997, significant studio work, particularly EQing, was required to balance the instruments on "Pristina." Billy Gould also created a piano-based remix of the song, aiming to differentiate it from the prevailing trends in remixing at the time.

1997: Album Artwork Created

The artwork for "Album of the Year", featuring Masaryk's funeral, was created in 1997 after the album's recording and mixing.

March 1998: Papa Roach Covers Pristina

In March 1998, Papa Roach performed a live cover of "Pristina" during a show in Sacramento.

April 7, 1998: Final Show Before Split

On April 7, 1998, Faith No More played their last show before their breakup in Lisbon, Portugal, ending the Album of the Year tour. The setlist heavily featured their 1990s material, culminating with "As the Worm Turns."

April 1998: Retrospective Praise and Critical Re-evaluation

Following Faith No More's breakup in April 1998, Album of the Year began to receive more positive retrospective reviews. AllMusic described it as a fitting end to the band's career, and other publications like Stereogum and PopMatters highlighted its maturity and re-evaluated its initial reception.

April 19, 1998: Faith No More Announces Split

On April 19, 1998, Faith No More announced their breakup, following three festival dates in Spain and Portugal. These shows marked the end of their extensive Album of the Year tour, which had run from April 1997 to December 1997.

1998: Origins of "Stripsearch" Revealed

In 1998, Billy Gould revealed that Jon Hudson originated the idea for "Stripsearch", which was then modified by the other band members, including adding an electronic loop at the beginning.

1998: "Instrumental" Released on Compilation Album

In 1998, the unreleased track "Instrumental" from the "Album of the Year" sessions was included on the compilation "Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Hits".

1999: European Re-release

In 1999, Album of the Year was reissued on CD across Europe.

1999: Mike Patton Criticizes Album of the Year Era

In 1999, Mike Patton criticized the era of Faith No More surrounding Album of the Year, stating they were starting to make bad music. He also mentioned differing opinions within the band about disbanding.

2002: Meaning Behind Album Artwork Discussed

In 2002, Billy Gould explained that the album artwork symbolized the "death of a 'golden age'", relating it to Masaryk's role in Czechoslovakia's history.

2002: Papa Roach Covers "Naked in Front of the Computer"

In 2002, Papa Roach recorded a cover of "Naked in Front of the Computer" as a B-side for their single "She Loves Me Not".

2003: Re-release by Warner Bros. Records

Album of the Year was re-released again in 2003 by Warner Bros. Records.

2003: Album of the Year liner notes

In 2003, the liner notes for "This is it: The Best of Faith No More" called Album of the Year the band's "coda".

2006: "She Loves Me Not" featured on "The Platinum Collection"

In 2006, despite Faith No More's disbandment preventing its release as a single, "She Loves Me Not" was included in their greatest hits compilation, "The Platinum Collection".

2009: Band Wears Black Suits on Reunion Tour

During their 2009 reunion tour, Faith No More frequently wore black suits, mirroring the aesthetic of the "Album of the Year" artwork.

2009: Official Lyrics Posted on fnm.com

Prior to their 2009 reformation, official lyrics for "Album of the Year" were submitted to the fan-controlled website fnm.com by Mike Patton and Billy Gould, despite not being printed on the album sleeve.

August 26, 2013: Vinyl Re-release by Music On Vinyl

On August 26, 2013, Music On Vinyl re-released Album of the Year on limited edition gold and black vinyl.

2013: Roddy Bottum Reflects on Limp Bizkit Tour

In 2013, Roddy Bottum reflected on the 1997 tour with Limp Bizkit, expressing his dislike for the band's sound and Fred Durst's attitude. He recalled an incident where Durst used a homophobic slur, and Wes Borland discussed the challenges of playing for Faith No More's audience.

2015: Album Sales Figures

As of 2015, Album of the Year had sold 221,000 copies in the US and achieved platinum status in Australia, and gold in the UK.

2015: Stereogum Retrospective Review

In 2015, Stereogum published a retrospective review calling Album of the Year a "great album" and noting its mature sound.

2016: Deluxe Edition Release

A deluxe edition of Album of the Year, including bonus tracks, was released in 2016.

2016: PopMatters Review of Deluxe Edition

In 2016, PopMatters reviewed the deluxe edition of Album of the Year, noting a more forgiving reception.

2016: "Instrumental" Incorrectly Included on "King for a Day" Deluxe Edition

The song "Instrumental" was mistakenly included on the 2016 deluxe edition of "King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime".

2020: Louder Sound Review and Recognition

In 2020, Louder Sound reviewed Album of the Year, describing it as "cinematic" but not essential listening. They also included it in their list of the 20 best metal albums of 1997.

2020: John Dolmayan Praises Album of the Year

In 2020, System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan listed Album of the Year as a life-changing album in a Louder Sound feature.

2022: Roddy Bottum Discusses Favorite Tracks

In 2022, Roddy Bottum named "Ashes to Ashes" and "Stripsearch" as two of his favorite tracks from "Album of the Year", reflecting on Patton's lyrics and the origins of the keyboard parts.

2022: Mike Bordin Reflects on Album of the Year

In 2022, on the 25th anniversary of Album of the Year, Mike Bordin reflected positively on the album, expressing satisfaction with the songs and performances.