Pick a Day

Music History Events: Releases

October 8, 1980 Prince releases his third album, Dirty Mind. The title hints at the lascivious songs within, including "Head" and "Sister." The biggest hit from the set is the modest "Uptown," which goes to #5 on the R&B chart.

October 3, 1980 The Police's third album release, Zenyatta Mondatta, continues their theme of giving their records French-sounding titles. This time, the title has no clear translation, although it is suggested that it is a stylized combination of "zenith" and "monde" (Top of the World). It becomes their most successful album so far in America, reaching a peak of #5 and winning the band a pair of Grammy awards.

October 3, 1980 Diamond Head, one of the leading bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, issue their debut album, Lightning To The Nations. Mega-DH fans Metallica cover five of the album's seven songs over the years: "Am I Evil?", "Helpless," "The Prince," "It's Electric," and "Sucking My Love." Other NWOBHM bands like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Saxon eclipse Diamond Head in terms of popularity, but the Metallica covers speak to their influence and ensure their place in history.

September 29, 1980 Kurtis Blow releases his self-titled debut album. Released on Mercury Records, it's the first rap album issued on a major label.

August 5, 1980 Pat Benatar releases her second album, Crimes Of Passion. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is the big hit, but her Young Rascals cover "You Better Run" gets a music video that becomes the second one aired on MTV (after "Video Killed The Radio Star") when the network launches a year later.

May 16, 1980 Paul McCartney releases McCartney II, which, like most of his first solo album issued 10 years earlier, was recorded at his home studio with Paul playing every instrument. Forty years later, he does it again with McCartney III.

April 22, 1980 The Cure release their second studio album, Seventeen Seconds, which features their first Top 40 hit on the UK Singles chart: "A Forest."

April 14, 1980 Iron Maiden release their self-titled debut album, with a twin-guitar attack and lyrics that pull from the worlds of mythology and horror. The song "Iron Maiden," which refers to the medieval torture device that band is named after, becomes a live stalwart, played before the encore at most of their concerts throughout their career.

January 14, 1980 Rush release Permanent Waves, their seventh studio album. "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" help make it their first to reach the Top 5 on the US albums chart, where it peaks at #4. The album represents a new direction for the band, with songs becoming denser and more radio friendly, setting the stage for the upcoming Moving Pictures.

November 23, 1979 Pink Floyd release "Another Brick In The Wall (part II)" in the UK, their first single issued in that territory since 1968. It goes to #1 a few weeks later.

November 19, 1979 Frank Zappa's one and only rock opera, Joe's Garage, is released. The opera mixes styles of blues, jazz, doo-wop, lounge, orchestral, rock, pop and reggae. It draws controversy for profane lyrics but is hailed as a cultural milestone and landmark album. The work also looks forward to Zappa's later crusade against the PMRC with its themes of government censorship, and introduces a few memes into the Zappa lexicon, including "The Central Scrutinizer," "a little green rosetta," and of course, the term "roto-plooker."

November 14, 1979 Hot on the heels of his wildly successful Rust Never Sleeps album, Neil Young releases Live Rust, an album of live performances from the Rust Never Sleeps tour.

October 2, 1979 Regatta de Blanc is The Police's second album release. It is even more successful than their debut and earns the band their first Grammy award in 1980. The French title loosely translates to "White Reggae."

August 3, 1979 Talking Heads release their third album, Fear of Music. Produced by Brian Eno, it's full of one-word titles, including "Heaven," "Air" and "Drugs."

June 22, 1979 Neil Young releases his highly lauded live album, Rust Never Sleeps. It contains several new songs that go on to be Young favorites, including "Powderfinger," "My My, Hey Hey," and "Pocahontas."

April 13, 1979 Thin Lizzy release their ninth album, Black Rose: A Rock Legend, with standout tracks "Waiting For An Alibi" and "Got To Give It Up."

December 21, 1978 The Cure release their debut single, "Killing An Arab," an existential song about a man who contemplates the meaning of life after murdering an Arab on a beach. Based on the controversial title, the band faces accusations of provoking anti-Arab sentiment.More

November 12, 1978 Kate Bush releases her sophomore album, Lionheart, featuring the Top 20 UK hit "Wow."

October 29, 1978 Rush's Hemispheres hits stores. The album is ambitious even by Rush standards, and the work put into recording it nearly gives the band members nervous breakdowns.

October 21, 1978 Neil Young releases Comes a Time, his 9th studio album. Featuring "Lotta Love," it's certified Gold a little over a month later.

September 18, 1978 The albums Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss all hit stores on the same day.More

August 2, 1978 Boston release their second album, Don't Look Back, which like its predecessor was recorded mostly in group leader Tom Scholz' basement studio.

May 16, 1978 Joe Walsh releases his fourth album, But Seriously, Folks..., where he indulges in an underwater meal in the artwork.More

April 7, 1978 The Police release "Roxanne" in the UK. BBC Radio 1 refuses to play it, which tanks the song, but when the band tours America a year later it catches on in that country, becoming their first hit.

March 17, 1978 Jimmy Buffett releases his eighth studio album, Son Of A Son Of A Sailor, which features his popular tune "Cheeseburger In Paradise."

September 23, 1977 Steely Dan release their sixth album, Aja. Pronounced "Asia," it's a collection of meticulous and mysterious songs like "Black Cow" and "Deacon Blues."

September 1, 1977 Rush release their fifth album, A Farewell to Kings. The album's epic "Xanadu" and "Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage" satisfy Rush's cult following, while the shorter and more radio-friendly "Closer to the Heart" find favor with general audiences in both the US and the UK.

May 27, 1977 Neil Young releases American Stars 'n Bars, his 8th studio album. Containing an eclectic batch of songs pieced together from four different recording sessions going back as far as three years (with "Star of Bethlehem" being the oldest), the album features one of Young's most iconic tunes, "Like a Hurricane."

May 1, 1977 The Police release their first single, "Fall Out," which is available only in the UK. Guitarist Andy Summers has yet to join the band.

April 15, 1977 The Stranglers' debut full-length album, Rattus Norvegicus, is released. Produced by Martin Rushent, the album spawns one of punk's all-time classics, "Peaches."