Pick a Day

Music History Events: Releases

October 2, 1981 The Police's fourth album is the last in a sequence of four annual autumn releases. The title, Ghost in the Machine, is taken from a psychology book by Arthur Koestler and breaks their erstwhile tradition of giving their records French-sounding titles. It is a #2 hit in the US, led by the hit single "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."

September 18, 1981 Genesis release their "abstract" album, Abacab, in the UK.More

April 7, 1981 Rick James releases his most successful album, Street Songs, with "Fire And Desire" and "Super Freak."

February 20, 1981 Rick James releases "Give It To Me Baby," a #1 R&B hit filled with that funk, that sweet, that funky stuff.

February 19, 1981 Phil Collins releases his debut solo album, Face Value.

February 17, 1981 Eric Clapton releases his seventh solo album, Another Ticket. The first version was rejected by his record company so Clapton started over with a new producer (Tom Dowd) and wrote new songs, including the hit single "I Can't Stand It."

November 21, 1980 Steely Dan release Gaucho. The album is meticulously produced and features contributions from Rick Derringer and Mark Knopfler.

November 3, 1980 Neil Young releases his 10th studio album, Hawks & Doves.

October 20, 1980 U2 release their debut album, Boy, produced by Steve Lillywhite. It doesn't yield any hits but "I Will Follow" becomes one of their most popular songs.

October 8, 1980 Talking Heads release their fourth album, Remain In Light, their last produced by Brian Eno. The song "Once In A Lifetime" gets a video showing David Byrne's herky-jerky stage moves; it becomes an MTV favorite, aired the first day the network goes on the air.

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.