Cheap Thrills
Big Brother and the Holding Company · 1968
55 min · 11 tracks · hard rock
Psychedelic rock flourishes through raw energy, passionate vocals, and bluesy instrumentation that captures the spirit of the late '60s counterculture.
Top tracks — play these first
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Piece of My Heart — This track features Janis Joplin's powerful vocals that convey deep emotion, making it an enduring classic that defined her career and remains synonymous with the era.
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Summertime — The band's rendition transforms Gershwin's classic into a haunting experience, showcasing Joplin's bluesy interpretation that blends seamlessly with the band's raw sound.
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Combination of the Two — Opening the album with its frenetic energy, this track establishes the band's unique blend of rock and blues while highlighting Joplin's dynamic vocal range.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong songwriting and powerful performances, though its cohesion is affected by live and outtake tracks.
What we noticed
- The first five tracks maintain a high energy level, with the tempo and intensity gradually shifting downwards in the latter half.
- Janis Joplin's vocals dominate the mix, often layered with harmonies that emphasize emotional peaks in the songs.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic emotional journeys
- long immersive listening sessions
- wave-like pacing throughout
- raw powerful vocal expressions
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on August 12, 1968, Cheap Thrills was Big Brother and the Holding Company's breakthrough album, solidifying Janis Joplin's status as a leading voice in rock music. The album followed their earlier work, showcasing a significant evolution in both sound and prominence as they gained visibility at festivals like Woodstock.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Janis Joplin· The Doors· Cream
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Combination of the Two 5:47
- 2 I Need a Man to Love 4:54
- 3 Summertime 4:00
- 4 Piece of My Heart 4:15
- 5 Turtle Blues 4:22
- 6 Oh, Sweet Mary 4:16
- 7 Ball and Chain 9:37
- 8 Roadblock (studio outtake) 5:33
- 9 Flower in the Sun (studio outtake) 3:05
- 10 Catch Me Daddy (live) 5:31
- 11 Magic of Love (live) 3:58
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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