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| #13—Probably still in your collection, too. |
Notable tracks: Don't Let Him Go, In Your Letter, Take It On The Run
Released: 1980
Chart peak: #1 (U.S. Billboard 200—15 weeks!)
Popularity: 10 million copies sold
Lucky number 13 is the biggest album of the early eighties. It's hard to really compare this album to the kind of music that comes out today. Even really popular albums from artists like Beyonce and Taylor Swift don't dominate the charts and the airwaves the way REO Speedwagon did in 1980 and 1981.
I didn't know a single person who didn't own this album. One of its six singles was on the radio somewhere at almost any time of the day or night. And almost all of this was done without the help of MTV, which was still in its infancy and had yet to really drive record sales and play when this album was at its peak. In fact, the video for "Keep On Lovin' You" was first played on the 17th day of MTV's initial broadcasting.
I had the pleasure to see REO perform in Poplar Bluff about ten years ago, and although the band looked older in some places and heavier in others (thank you, middle age biology!), they sounded as good as they did on their classic vinyl.
All the songs are great, especially "Take It On The Run" and "Don't Let Him Go," but everyone knows that the undisputed champion of this record is the classic "Keep On Lovin' You," the band's first #1 single. One of the things I do while writing these blogs is listen to the album, and this song hasn't aged a day in more than 30 years. True greatness never tarnishes or fades.
How much does Kevin Cronin in 1980 look like Andy Samberg in 2013? Freaky!
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