Fire Of Unknown Origin (studio album) by Blue Öyster Cult

Fire Of Unknown Origin by Blue Öyster Cult
Year: 1981
Overall rank: 2,568th   Overall chart historyOverall chart history
Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 150 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1981 (47th)
Award Top albums of the 1980s (393rd)
Award Best albums of all time (2,568th)
Product Details
Availability

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FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN / BLUE OYSTER CULT 1981 COLUMBIA CD CK 37389
Condition: Like New


eBay
eBay
BLUE OYSTER CULT - FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN 1981 ( CD )
Condition: Like New


eBay
eBay
LP SEALED BLUE OYSTER CULT FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN 1981 COLUMBIA ORIG PRESS HYPE
Condition: New

$139.98


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Blue Öyster Cult bestography

Fire Of Unknown Origin is ranked 2nd best out of 34 albums by Blue Öyster Cult on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Blue Öyster Cult is Secret Treaties which is ranked number 1545 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 1,109.

Blue Öyster Cult album bestography « Higher ranked (1,545th) This album (2,568th) Lower ranked (2,911th) »
Secret TreatiesFire Of Unknown OriginAgents Of Fortune

Upcoming concerts

Sep
20
Sat
19:00
Bachman-Turner Overdrive with Blue Öyster Cult & Foghat
The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino , Lincoln, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Sep
26
Fri
20:00
Blue Oyster Cult
Brown County Music Center, Nashville, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Oct
16
Thu
19:30
Kansas & Blue Oyster Cult
Steven Tanger Center for the Perfor, Greensboro, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Discover more upcoming concerts

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Fire Of Unknown Origin track list

  Track ratingsTrack ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 81 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Fire Of Unknown Origin rankings

Fire Of Unknown Origin collection

Fire Of Unknown Origin ratings

Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 150 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 150 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
50/100
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05/19/2025 21:33 brent13  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,48672/100
 
75/100
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05/03/2025 04:51 traistboar  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,15180/100
 
55/100
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03/18/2025 18:28 BoxFL  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,58151/100
 
85/100
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01/18/2025 06:23 matterhornrider  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4,57281/100
 
80/100
 Report rating
11/26/2024 14:47 Philly28  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 85869/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 3% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 77.0/100, a mean average of 76.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 77.3/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.3.

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Fire Of Unknown Origin comments

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From 03/27/2024 12:15
Music in the 6th track is from Russian folk
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 02/15/2024 18:03
BOC has always made an solid impression. Such a good lp
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 12/15/2017 17:51
As a teenager this vinyl saw a lot of spins and having recently given it a good clean I am pleased that it plays as well as ever. I don't think I would describe any of the tracks as weak. Joan Crawford and Burnin for You are my favourite tracks.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 09/22/2017 16:58
The last truly great BOC record. Martin Birch turns in a great job behind the board. For BOC, it is one of their more consistently heavy records...and love that album cover.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 11/30/2016 20:42
The first three cuts alone make a great album. Then throw in Joan Crawford and a host of other solid songs and this is a BOC classic.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 06/05/2016 10:49
One of my favorite album and mémoires !
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 01/23/2015 04:18
Inconsistent, but still makes me happy.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 08/22/2014 20:44
Excellent BOC album. Great way of changing with the times but still staying with their own sound. Joan Crawford, Psychic Wars, Vengeance, Burnin For You are faves.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 12/10/2012 14:51
Not quite sure where to place an album that has songs as great as “Burnin' for You” and “Joan Crawford” and songs as cheesy as “After Dark” and “Sole Survivor.” And, speaking of cheesy, “Heavy Metal: The Black And Silver” would be right at home on a Spinal Tap album. But that’s fairly typical of BOC: their best material is very rewarding and their worst is pretty tough to take.
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Best Albums of 1981
1. Moving Pictures by Rush
2. Computerwelt by Kraftwerk
3. Discipline by King Crimson
4. Juju by Siouxsie And The Banshees
5. My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by Brian Eno & David Byrne
6. Time by Electric Light Orchestra
7. Faith by The Cure
8. Dare by The Human League
9. Damaged by Black Flag
10. Deceit by This Heat
11. Tattoo You by The Rolling Stones
12. Youth Of America by Wipers
13. Fire Of Love by The Gun Club
14. Ghost In The Machine by The Police
15. The Ascension by Glenn Branca
16. Heaven Up Here by Echo & The Bunnymen
17. Face Value by Phil Collins
18. Killers by Iron Maiden
19. Nightclubbing by Grace Jones
20. Movement by New Order
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