The Who “The Who Sell Out” released 50 years ago on this date, December 15th, 1967 (in the UK, it was released on January 6, 1968 in the US). The Who’s third studio record is considered by many to be their best, an ironic concept album (which was immediately targeted by corporate lawsuits, for rather obvious reasons) that reached #13 in the UK and #48 in the US. The Who released one single from The Who Sell Out: “I Can See For Miles” which hit #10 in the UK and #9 in the US. Allmusic says, “Pete Townshend originally planned The Who Sell Out as a concept album of sorts that would simultaneously mock and pay tribute to pirate radio stations, complete with fake jingles and commercials linking the tracks… it’s a terrific set of songs that ultimately stands as one of the group’s greatest achievements. “I Can See for Miles” is the Who at their most thunderous; tinges of psychedelia add a rush to “Armenia City in the Sky” and “Relax”; “I Can’t Reach You” finds Townshend beginning to stretch himself into quasi-spiritual territory; and “Tattoo” and the acoustic “Sunrise” show introspective, vulnerable sides to the singer/songwriter that had previously been hidden. “Rael” was another mini-opera, with musical motifs that reappeared in Tommy. The album is as perfect a balance between melodic mod pop and powerful instrumentation as the Who (or any other group) would achieve; psychedelic pop was never as jubilant, not to say funny (the fake commercials and jingles interspersed between the songs are a hoot).”