I say Be Here Now by Oasis.
It sold more than Adele in the UK first week (technically Adele sold more but she had 7 days; Oasis had 3), and it was heavily acclaimed.
Then it flopped in America, sales stalled badly, and critics realised they'd got caught up in the hype. It is currently seen as one of their worst albums, and a generally terrible piece of work in general.
What other frontloaded eras are there?
