The Tubes - The Completion Backward Principle (35th anniversary)

This month marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of The Completion Backward Principle, the sixth studio album from the Tubes. This 1981 release spent twenty-seven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 36.

For my full album review, click here.

For more from the Tubes, click here.

Aretha Franklin - Aretha

Today (October 25th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Aretha, the twenty-eighth studio album from the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin. This 1980 release spent thirty weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 32. It also reached number 6 on the US Billboard R&B chart and won her a Grammy award for Best Female R&B Vocal.

Toto - Isolation

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Isolation, the fifth studio album from Toto. It had moderate sales, only achieving gold status. Still, it charted at number 67 in the UK, number 65 in Australia, number 57 in Canada, number 26 in the Netherlands, number 17 in Finland and Italy, number 15 in Germany and Switzerland, number 12 in France, number 8 in Norway and Sweden, and number 2 in Japan. Here in the US, it spent twenty-one weeks on the Billboard Album chart with a top spot of number 42.

Paul McCartney - Give My Regards to Broad Street

Today (October 22nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Give My Regards to Broad Street, the soundtrack album to the film of the same name starring Paul McCartney. While the film did not fare well, the album was big across the globe. It went to number 25 in Germany and New Zealand, number 24 in the Netherlands, number 23 in Canada, number 21 on the US Billboard Album chart (with eighteen weeks total on the chart), number 15 in Italy, number 10 in Australia, number 9 in Sweden, number 6 in Japan, number 4 in Norway and Spain, and number 1 in the UK.

Barbra Streisand - Emotion

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Emotion, the twenty-third studio album from Barbra Streisand. The Platinum seller spent twenty-eight weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 19. It also reached number 44 in Canada, number 40 in Germany, number 25 in New Zealand, number 23 in Sweden, number 17 in Switzerland, number 15 in the UK, number 13 in Australia, Austria and Norway, and number 11 in the Netherlands.

Chaka Khan - I Feel For You

Earlier this week (the 1st) marked the thirtieth anniversary of I Feel For You, the fifth solo studio album from Chaka Khan. It spent forty-nine weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 14. It also charted at number 71 in Australia, number 15 in the UK, and number 4 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Sheena Easton - A Private Heaven

Today (October 2nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of A Private Heaven, the sixth studio album from Sheena Easton. The Platinum seller hit number 88 in Australia, number 36 in Canada, number 26 in New Zealand, and number 9 in Japan. Here in the US, it spent thirty-five weeks on the Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 15.

Rickie Lee Jones - The Magazine

This week (September 12th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Magazine, the third studio album from Rickie Lee Jones. It spent twenty-one weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 44. It also went to number 40 in the UK and number 20 on the US Billboard Jazz chart. Some of the album was written in Paris while Jones was kicking her addiction to heroin and cocaine.

Leo Sayer - Have You Ever Been in Love

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Have You Ever Been in Love, the tenth studio album from Leo Sayer. Following up his 1982 release World Radio (click here for that review), this one from 1983 only charted at number 15 in the UK.

Olivia Newton-John - Totally Hot

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.

Today, in honor of its thirty-fifth anniversary this month, we are giving a listen to the 1978 release Totally Hot. This was the tenth studio album for Australian-born singer Olivia Newton-John. The Platinum selling record went to number 30 in the UK, number 18 in New Zealand, number 9 in Japan, number 7 on the US Billboard Album chart, number 5 in Canada, and number 4 in Australia on the US Billboard Country chart.

The Tubes - Outside Inside

Just shy of two years after the release of The Completion Backward Principle (click here for that review), the Tubes released Outside Inside, their seventh studio album. It charted at number 77 in the UK and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 200. Once again, David Foster was at the production reigns.

Today we look at this March of 1983 release to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Christopher Cross - Another Page

After his phenomenal hit selling, self-titled debut record from 1979 (click here for that review) and a number 1 hit song with the title theme from the 1981 film Arthur, Christopher Cross had a lot riding on his follow up album. Today (January 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Another Page, his second studio album.

The record went Gold in both the US and the UK. Chart-wise, it climbed all the way to number 12 in Sweden, number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 9 in New Zealand, number 7 in the Netherlands, number 6 in Australia, number 4 in the UK, number 2 in Germany and number 1 in Japan.

The Tubes - The Completion Backward Principle

Today (January 25th) marks the sixty-third birthday of Michael Cotten, synthesizer and keyboard player for the San Francisco band the Tubes.

In April of 1981, the group released The Completion Backward Principle, their sixth studio album and first on the Capital Records label. The record went to number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and gave the group their first Top 40 hit single as well.

Randy Newman - Trouble In Paradise

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Trouble in Paradise, the seventh studio album from singer-songwriter Randy Newman. It climbed to number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 200 chart. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 67 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 80's.

Newman had a number of guest performers on the record. Appearing on vocals are Lindsey Buckingham, Don Henley, Rickie Lee Jones, Christine McVie, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Wendy Waldman and Jennifer Warnes. On the music side, the record also featured Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of Toto, Waddy Wachtel and many more.

Cher - I Paralyze

On May 28th of 1982, Cher released I Paralyze, her eighteenth studio album and only one on the Columbia label. John Farrar, who worked for many years with Olivia Newton-John, was one of the two producers of the record; the other was David Wolfert. Some of the musicians who also worked on the album include guitarist Steve Lukather (of Toto), guitarist Sid McGinnis (who would later go on to be part of the band for the Late Show with David Letterman, and jazz bassist and keyboardist Nathan East.

I Paralyze was only promoted on shows like American Bandstand and Solid Gold. It failed to make any major chart impacts though, leading to a five-year recording hiatus for the singer/actress.

Olivia Newton-John - Physical

Today (September 26th) marks the sixty-fourth birthday of actress and Grammy award-winning singer Olivia Newton-John. Although she spent a good portion of the early part of her career, during the 1970’s, on the country charts, she crossed over into the pop arena by the end of the decade and continued that route in the early 80’s.

Working again with long-time producer John Farrar, Newton-John released Physical in October of 1981. It would go on to become her biggest selling album to date. The multi-Platinum selling record went to number 11 in the UK, number 8 in New Zealand, number 5 in Japan, and number 3 in Canada. In the US, it went to number 32 on the Billboard R&B charts and number 6 in the Billboard Hot 200. It also generated a trio of chart-breaking singles.

Don Henley - I Can't Stand Still

From 1972 to 1980, Don Henley served as the drummer and lead singer for the Eagles. When the band broke up, Henley embarked on a career as a solo artist.

Today (August 13th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of I Can’t Stand Still, his debut solo album from 1982. The Gold selling record went to number 34 in Sweden, number 24 in the UK, number 22 in Norway, number 14 in New Zealand and number 5 in Canada. In the US, it topped out at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.

Michael McDonald - If That's What It Takes

Today (August 9th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of If That’s What It Takes, the solo debut album of Michael McDonald. The American singer and songwriter had been a member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers in the 1970’s. After the later group’s first farewell tour, McDonald started working on the tracks that would eventually be part of his August 1982 release.

The album went Gold in sales, reaching number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 10 on the US Billboard R&B charts. It generated two charting singles, including one Top 10 smash. McDonald wrote two of the ten tracks solo and collaborated on seven others.

Toto - Toto IV

Today (April 8th) marks the 30th anniversary of the fourth studio album from the California rock band Toto.

After a cooled reception to 1981’s Turn Back, 1982’s Toto IV put the group back on the charts. The album easily broke the top twenty in all markets; it was number 17 in Sweden, number 16 in France, number 12 in Germany and Finland, number 9 in New Zealand, number 4 in the UK and the US Billboard Hot 200, number 3 in Japan, number 2 in Norway and number 1 in the Netherlands. The record also scored the group their first number 1 single.