Huey Lewis and the News - Picture This (35th anniversary)

Today (January 29th) marks the 35th anniversary of the release of Huey Lewis and the News' second studio album Picture This. It spent fifty-nine weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 13.

For my review of this album, please click here.

Huey Lewis and the News - Huey Lewis and the News (35th anniversary)

Today (June 25th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the self-titled debut album from Huey Lewis and the News. The record only spent three weeks on the US Billboard album chart, peaking at number 203.

For my full review, click here.

For even more of Huey Lewis and the News, click here.

Huey Lewis and the News - Sports (30th anniversary)

Happy 30th anniversary today (September 15th) to Sports, the third studio album from Huey Lewis and the News.

For my complete review of this huge-selling, chart-topping album from 1983, click here.

Huey Lewis and the News - Sports

Happy sixty-second birthday today (July 5th) to American singer, songwriter and actor Huey Lewis.

After the moderate selling self-titled debut album Huey Lewis and the News in 1980 (click here for that review) and the stronger Picture This in 1982 (click here for that review), the San Francisco based band knocked it out of the park with their next release.

Sports hit record stores on September 15th, 1983, and has gone on to be the group's biggest selling album to date. The record went Platinum seven times over in the US and Diamond in Canada. Chart-wise, it went to number 40 in Sweden, number 29 in Germany, number 23 in the UK, number 19 in New Zealand, and number 6 in Norway. In North America, it topped out at number 3 in Canada and number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

Huey Lewis and the News - Picture This (30th anniversary)

Today, January 29th, marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Huey Lewis and the News' second studio album Picture This.

For my review of this album, please click here.

To celebrate, I'm going to cue this one up on my iPod and enjoy.

Huey Lewis and the News - Picture This

After their 1980 debut album (click here for that review), Huey Lewis and the News spent a little time to put together their sophomore release. The extra time seemed to be just what the band needed as Picture This, released January 29th 1982, helped the band breakthrough. With the help of three hit singles and the advent of the video music format on MTV, the album spent thirty-five weeks on the US Billboard album charts, peaking at number 13, and was certified Gold.

The first track on side one is “Change of Heart” This mid-tempo rocker tells the tale of a woman who has decided to end a relationship. Drummer Billy Gibson delivers a nice steady beat here.

Huey Lewis and the News - Huey Lewis and the News

The San Francisco based band Huey Lewis and the News started out as a six piece combo. Huey Lewis lead the group with vocals and harmonica, with Bill Gibson on percussion and Sean Hopper on keyboards. On lead guitar was Chris Hayes, on bass was Mario Cipollina, and on rhythm guitar and saxophone was Johnny Colla.

They recorded their self-titled debut album Huey Lewis and the News in December of 1979 and released it on June 25th of 1980. As such, it straddled two decades - the departing disco-tinged 70's and the growing new-wave 80's. The band had more rock and blues roots, so they really didn't fit either of those styles - though they did try to touch upon the new-wave vein a little with this album.

Huey Lewis and the News didn't chart well in any of the major markets (the US, UK, etc.) but clearly their label Chrysalis Records saw potential in the band. It spent three weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 203.