The 80s were all about epic comebacks. Here are four comeback albums from this decade that we still love.
‘Back In Black’ by AC/DC
After the death of their original lead singer, Bon Scott, in 1980, AC/DC actually considered breaking up altogether. The success of Highway To Hell the year prior would have left the group with a solid legacy. Instead, though, with replacement lead singer Brian Johnson, the band released Back In Black. The project ended up becoming the second-best-selling album in recording history, second only to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
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‘Private Dancer’ by Tina Turner
Now this is what you call a comeback album. Following a divorce from Ike Turner and getting dropped by her label, Tina Turner needed to catch a break. Featuring hits like “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “Let’s Stay Together”, Private Dancer not only gave Turner that break, but also gave her a second chance at a solo career.
‘Mirage’ by Fleetwood Mac
Following the Top 5 success that was Tusk, Fleetwood Mac needed a resurgence. In many ways, their 1982 album Mirage ended up fitting the bill. The project returned the group to the top of the U.S. album charts, proving that shifting back towards the commercially successful Rumors sound was the right adjustment.
As he told Rolling Stone, Mick Fleetwood actually thinks that Mirage is a bit overlooked.
“…Because ‘Tusk’ had been very much Lindsey’s vision. And it was a great one – along with ‘Then Play On’, it’s probably my favorite Fleetwood Mac album,” he said. “So it was a highly successful creative moment. But at the time we took some blows for it, and Lindsey in particular, because the album wasn’t as successful as ‘Rumours’. How could it be, anyhow? But that being beside the point, I think Lindsey sort of handed back the mantle on ‘Mirage’. It was, ‘Let’s just do this as a band.’ That was the vibe going into it.”
‘Cloud Nine’ by George Harrison
The release of Cloud Nine catapulted Harrison back into artistry after a five-year-long hiatus. Apparently, Harrison was “fed up” with the record business before taking his break, as he told Guitar Player.
“I just got so sick of it… Just all this marketing thing-how everything has to be a certain way, otherwise you don’t have a chance of getting it on the radio,” he explained. “I got tired of writing songs and making records and then finding out that nobody ever got to hear it-unless I wanted to go and do me video and all that. At that point I just got tired of it-after 20-odd years of doing it.”
Cloud Nine, which featured notable songs like “Got My Mind Set On You” was also Harrison’s last album release before his death in 2001.
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