The New York Dolls, known for their flamboyant style, released their self-titled debut in 1973, swiftly gaining a polarized following. While they were celebrated as the Best New Band by Creem magazine readers, others deemed them the Worst. Their music combined elements of blues, rock’n’roll, and girl group melodies, luring devoted fans while alienating traditionalists. The Dolls faced mixed receptions during performances, particularly outside New York City. Despite their short-lived success and eventual decline, they left a lasting impact, embodying the chaos and charisma that would lay groundwork for punk rock.
In 1973, the readers of Creem magazine voted the New York Dolls the year's Best New Band. They also voted them the year's Worst New Band. The poll succinctly captured the polarizing effect of the group's brief but marked reign over the Lower Manhattan rock scene.
Years after the Dolls' 1975 falling-out, charismatic frontman David Johansen explained the band's highly 'colloquial' sense of humor, which didn't translate beyond 'St. Mark's and 2nd.' But punk entrepreneur Malcolm McLaren, who briefly managed the Dolls in their decline, might have summed up the group's trainwreck charm best in a 2004 op-ed: 'They were so, so bad they were brilliant.'
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