Editing Quadrophenia (section)

== Reception ==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Unterberger|first=Richie|author-link=Richie Unterberger|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/quadrophenia-mw0000652644|title=Quadrophenia – The Who &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508193031/http://www.allmusic.com/album/quadrophenia-mw0000652644|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
| rev2score = A−<ref name="CG">{{cite book |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: W |chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=W&bk=70 |title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]] |publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]] |year=1981 |access-date=9 March 2019 |isbn=089919026X |via=robertchristgau.com |archive-date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510072755/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=W&bk=70 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]''
| rev3score = 10/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-who-quadrophenia-the-directors-cut |title=The Who – Quadrophenia: The Director's Cut &#124; Reviews &#124; Clash Magazine |publisher=Clashmusic.com |date=19 March 2014 |access-date=19 May 2014 |archive-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202224058/http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-who-quadrophenia-the-directors-cut |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Digital Spy]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/review/a352524/the-who-quadrophenia-deluxe-edition-album-review.html |title=The Who: 'Quadrophenia' (Deluxe Edition) – Album review – Music Review |website=Digital Spy |date=23 November 2011 |access-date=19 May 2014 |archive-date=18 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818214807/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/review/a352524/the-who-quadrophenia-deluxe-edition-album-review.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock]]''
| rev6score = 4/5<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Graff|editor-first=Gary|editor-last2=Durchholz|editor-first2=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, Michigan|year=1999|isbn=1-57859-061-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/1227 1227]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/1227}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-who/albumguide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206034417/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-who/albumguide |title=The Who: Album Guide |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-date=6 February 2011 |access-date=19 May 2014}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Tom Hull – on the Web]]''
| rev8score = B<ref>{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=n.d.|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=The+Who|title=Grade List: The Who|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|access-date=19 July 2020|archive-date=19 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719114331/http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=The+Who|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
Critical reaction to ''Quadrophenia'' was positive. ''Melody Maker''{{'}}s [[Chris Welch]] wrote "rarely have a group succeeded in distilling their essence and embracing a motif as convincingly", while [[Charles Shaar Murray]] described the album in ''[[New Musical Express]]'' as the "most rewarding musical experience of the year".{{sfn|Atkins|2000|p=209}} Reaction in the US was generally positive, though [[Dave Marsh]], writing in ''[[Creem]]'' gave a more critical response.{{sfn|Atkins|2000|p=209}} [[Lenny Kaye]], wrote in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' that "the Who as a whole have never sounded better" but added, "on its own terms, ''Quadrophenia'' falls short of the mark".<ref name=kaye>{{cite magazine |last=Kaye |first=Lenny |author-link=Lenny Kaye |title=The Who Quadrophenia Album Review |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/quadrophenia-19731220#ixzz3RSEJbP5t |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=20 December 1973 |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-date=18 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218072914/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/quadrophenia-19731220#ixzz3RSEJbP5t |url-status=live }}</ref> In a year-end top albums list for ''[[Newsday]]'', [[Robert Christgau]] ranked it seventh, and found it exemplary of how 1973's best records "fail to reward casual attention. They demand concentration, just like museum and textbook art."<ref>{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |title=Returning With a Painful Top 30 List |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/news/nd740113.php |newspaper=[[Newsday]] |date=13 January 1974 |access-date=5 June 2017 |archive-date=15 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615142927/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/news/nd740113.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

Retrospective reviews were also positive. Writing in ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981), Christgau regarded ''Quadrophenia'' as more of an opera than ''Tommy'', possessing a brilliantly written albeit confusing plot, jarring but melodic music, and compassionate lyrics about "Everykid as heroic fuckup, smart enough to have a good idea of what's being done to him and so sensitive he gets pushed right out to the edge anyway".<ref name="CG"/> Chris Jones, writing for [[BBC Music]], said "everything great about the Who is contained herein."<ref name=jones>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Chris |title=Review of The Who – Quadrophenia |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/qr54 |publisher=BBC Music |year=2008 |access-date=28 January 2015 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925114607/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/qr54 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013, ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', reviewing the album for its 40th anniversary, said: "Filled with performances packed with life and depth and personality, ''Quadrophenia'' is 90 minutes of the Who at its very best."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/5763116/the-who-s-quadrophenia-at-40-classic-track-by-track-review|title=The Who's Quadrophenia at 40: Classic Track-By-Track Review|first=Caryn|last=Rose|magazine=Billboard|date=19 October 2013|access-date=28 January 2015|archive-date=14 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114030150/http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/5763116/the-who-s-quadrophenia-at-40-classic-track-by-track-review|url-status=live}}</ref> The album has sold 1 million copies and has been certified Platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y8vKoEsPMqsC&pg=PA155|title=Heritage Music & Entertainment Auction #7006|work=Heritage Auctions|publisher=Heritage Capital Corporation|page=155|isbn=978-1-59967-369-1|access-date=10 September 2017|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418205146/https://books.google.com/books?id=Y8vKoEsPMqsC&pg=PA155|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000 ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine placed ''Quadrophenia'' at No. 56 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clements |first=Ashley |title=Everything you need to know about The Who's Quadrophenia |url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/79177/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-whos-quadrophenia |publisher=GigWise |date=29 January 2013 |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-date=11 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211190642/http://www.gigwise.com/news/79177/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-whos-quadrophenia |url-status=live }}</ref> The album has been ranked at No. 267 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 greatest albums of all time]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Who, 'Quadrophenia' – 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/the-who-quadrophenia-20120524 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=10 February 2015 |archive-date=19 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219131633/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/the-who-quadrophenia-20120524 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also ranked at No. 86 on [[VH1]]'s list of the 100 greatest albums of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2001/vh1albums.htm|title=VH1 greatest albums of all time|publisher=VH1|access-date=20 June 2021}}</ref>

Townshend now considers ''Quadrophenia'' to be the last great album that the Who recorded. In 2011, he said the group "never recorded anything that was so ambitious or audacious again", and implied that it was the last album to feature good playing by Keith Moon.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Graff |first=Gary |title=Pete Townshend on 'Quadrophenia,' The Who's 'Last Great Album' |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465182/pete-townshend-on-quadrophenia-the-whos-last-great-album |magazine=Billboard |date=11 November 2011 |access-date=28 January 2015 |archive-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913092539/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465182/pete-townshend-on-quadrophenia-the-whos-last-great-album |url-status=live }}</ref>