The Doors The Soft Parade

Photograph of the Doors in front of a blue background

American rock band the Doors released their fourth album, The Soft Parade, in 1969. Record producer Paul A. Rothchild urged for a departure from the band's previous albums by incorporating string and horn arrangements. Lead singer Jim Morrison was less involved in the songwriting process due to personal problems, so guitarist Robby Krieger wrote half of the album's tracks independently.

Compared to previous albums, The Soft Parade reached only No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Chart, and failed to make the charts in the United Kingdom. The album received poor reviews from critics who viewed it as the band's weakest effort to date. The band's original fans also rejected it because they believed the Doors had abandoned their unique sound to embrace popular music trends.