The 1971 song that turned The Doors into a band they hated: “I thought it was way too commercial”
The Doors’ 1971 single ‘Love Her Madly’ became a commercial success despite the band’s misgivings about its radio-friendly sound. The article presents the song as a sign of tension between the group’s experimental identity and the commercial expectations that followed their earlier hits.
Guitarist Robby Krieger recalled thinking the track was “way too commercial”, though label head Jac Holzman believed it would suit FM radio. Producer Paul Rothchild strongly disliked the song and quit the project, while it went on to sell a million copies. Released in March 1971, it was the last Doors single with Jim Morrison as lead singer before he left for Paris.
- ‘Love Her Madly’ was a hit the band thought too commercial.
- Producer Paul Rothchild quit over the album’s direction.
- It was the last Doors single with Jim Morrison.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A more accessible, radio-friendly sound can help a band reach listeners beyond its existing audience and sustain its career. If the song still expressed the group’s musical ideas, its success could be seen as an opportunity rather than a betrayal of their experimental identity.
The case against
A band’s artistic identity can depend on resisting commercial pressure, especially when success encourages labels to favour familiar, radio-friendly songs. From that perspective, the track’s popularity did not settle the artistic question: its commercial direction could still feel like a compromise to members and collaborators who valued experimentation.