all80s Blog

Belinda Carlisle- Circle InThe Sand (1988)

Rio- Duran Duran (1982)

Rio is the second studio album by English new wave/synthpop band Duran Duran, originally released worldwide on 10 May 1982. It reached #2 in the UK and #1 in Australia.

The album was re-released in the United States in November 1982. It earned a Gold disc on 1 March 1983, and went Platinum on 26 April 1983, eventually reaching Double Platinum status. It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 album chart in the US on 12 March 1983, and remained on the chart for 129 weeks.

The first song to be recorded for Rio was "My Own Way", written and recorded in October 1981, and released as a single in November 1981. The rest of the album was recorded in the early months of 1982 at Air Studios in London, with producer and engineer Colin Thurston. "My Own Way" was re-recorded for the album and the newer version is significantly different from the 1981 single version.

The second single, "Hungry Like the Wolf", was released in the UK on 4 May 1982. It peaked at #5 in the charts on 26 June 1982.

The Rio album was first released worldwide on 10 May 1982, peaking at #2 in the UK in its second week of release. The image on the album's distinctive purple cover was painted by artist Patrick Nagel. The cover itself was designed by Malcolm Garrett.

John Taylor takes credit for the title. "[It] was something I had thrown into the mix," he recalled in 2012. He was particularly fascinated with the idea of Brazil, and "Rio, to me, was shorthand for the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop."

The band had their own plans and ambitions for promotion. They reunited with director Russell Mulcahy (who had directed the music video for their first single, "Planet Earth"), and planned the release of a full length video album—eleven videos for the best songs off of the Duran Duran and Rio albums. The band travelled to Sri Lanka and Antigua between tour dates to film the memorable videos for the singles "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer", as well as the lesser-known "Lonely in Your Nightmare" and "Night Boat" — the latter video being a creepy zombiefest set on a deserted island.

While filming the videos, guitarist Andy Taylor contracted a tropical virus and was hospitalised on his return to England. This forced the delay of the band's European tour, and the record company decided to hold the release of the third single until the band was ready to promote it again.

"Save a Prayer" was finally released on 9 August 1982, and peaked at #2 on the UK charts in mid September 1982. On 1 November 1982, the "Rio" single was released worldwide. It peaked at #9 in the UK in December 1982.

Not a huge Duran Duran fan, in fact not even a fan, but quality always shines through and no-one can deny this is a uality album. But for me it's 7.5/10

Tracks-

Side one

1. "Rio" – 5:33
2. "My Own Way" – 4:51
3. "Lonely in Your Nightmare" – 3:50
4. "Hungry Like the Wolf" – 3:41
5. "Hold Back the Rain" – 3:59

Side two

1. "New Religion" – 5:31
2. "Last Chance on the Stairway" – 4:21
3. "Save a Prayer" – 5:33
4. "The Chauffeur" – 5:10

Slippery When Wet- Bon Jovi (1987)

After two moderately successful albums, the group changed their approach and hired professional songwriter Desmond Child as a collaborator. Bruce Fairbairn was chosen to produce and, in early 1986, Bon Jovi moved to Vancouver, Canada to spend six months recording a third album. They named it Slippery When Wet after visiting a strip club in Vancouver.

"We were getting a lot of hassle from everyone around us to make the perfect third album," Jon Bon Jovi recalled. "We kept being told that it had to sell, or the band's career would stall."

On August 16, 1986, Slippery When Wet was released. It spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200.

Slippery… was named 1987's top-selling album by Billboard "Livin' On A Prayer" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. The band won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band at the American Music Awards and an award for Favorite Rock Group at the People's Choice Awards. When Slippery When Wet was released in August 1986, Bon Jovi was the support act for 38 Special.

By the end of 1986, Bon Jovi were well into six months of headline dates in arenas across America. In August 1987, they headlined England's Monsters of Rock festival. During their set, Dee Snider, Bruce Dickinson and Paul Stanley guested to perform "We're an American Band". The band ended the year having headlined 130 shows in the "Tour Without End", grossing $28,400,000. Asked what this breakthrough to worldwide fame meant, Jon Bon Jovi said, "Everything is bigger, and it moves twice as fast. You're recognized twice as often. This is bigger, the whole world gets bigger. You have to sell more records, be huger. You get smarter and you understand the business a little more, so it's more responsibility. You understand it now, and you want to make sure everything goes right".

An amazing album 8/10

Tracks

Side one

1. "Let It Rock" Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora 5:26

2. "You Give Love a Bad Name" Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child 3:43

3. "Livin' on a Prayer" Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 4:09

4. "Social Disease" Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:18

5. "Wanted Dead or Alive" Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:09 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Length

6. "Raise Your Hands" Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:17

7. "Without Love" Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 3:31

8. "I'd Die for You" Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 4:31

9. "Never Say Goodbye" Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:49

10. "Wild in the Streets" Bon Jovi 3:56

As featured on The Hits Album 7

As featured on The Hits Album 7

The Hits Album 7 -Released 1987

Tracks

Suzanne Vega 

Suzanne Nadine Vega (born July 11, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.

Vega's music career spans more than 30 years. She came to prominence in the mid 1980s, releasing four singles that entered the Top 40 charts in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s, including "Marlene on the Wall", "Left of Center", "Luka" and "No Cheap Thrill". "Tom's Diner," which was originally released as an acappella recording on Vega's second album, Solitude Standing, was remixed in 1990 as a dance track by English electronic duo DNA with Vega as featured artist, and it became a Top 10 hit in over five countries. The song was used as a test during the creation of the MP3 format.

Vega has released nine studio albums to date, the latest of which is Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers, released in 2016.

Solitude Standing was an excellent album, Luka and Tom’s Diner were great songs but sadly Suzanne drifted out of focus thereafter and was largely forgotten about. Still, class always shines through.

 I was a big fan and would award Suzanne Vega 6/10

Top 10 Best Selling Albums of 1983

As featured on The Hits Album 6

As featurd on The Hits Album 6

The Hits Album 6 -Released 1987

Tracks