Back in time

PETER GABRIEL Released His 5th Album ‘SO’ Today 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

19 May 2026

After being the frontman of British prog-rock legends Genesis for 8 years
PETER GABRIEL (aged 76 now) decided to follow his own (successful) path.
At the end of this year, he will launch his 11th solo album, titled o/i.

Back to his 5th one, named SO. It was released on 19 May 1986, today
40 years ago. It topped the charts in the UK, Canada and several
European countries. It peaked at #2 in the US.

Gabriel drew on various musical influences, fusing pop, soul, and art rock with
elements of traditional world music, particularly African and Brazilian styles.

Often considered his best and most accessible album, So was an immediate commercial triumph and transformed Gabriel from a cult artist into a mainstream star, becoming his best-selling solo release. It has been certified fivefold platinum by in America and triple platinum in the UK.

The New York Times wrote: “Only a handful of Western rock musicians have
managed to use exotic rhythms and instruments with so much ingenuity and
conviction.”

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(More than 190 million
streams on Spotify)

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THE ROLLING STONES Topped The US Charts With Their Reggae-Juiced Album ‘BLACK AND BLUE’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

18 May 2026

THE ROLLING STONES are all over the internet with their forthcoming album,
their 25th, named Foreign Tongues. But today we take a look back in the past.

Their 13th, baptized BLACK AND BLUE was one of their No. 1 albums in their
looooong career. It topped the US Charts on 18 May 1976, today 50 years ago.

It was the first with Ronnie Wood, after previous guitarist Mick Taylor left.

The record runs a stylistic gamut from hard rock and funk to reggae,
blues, soft rock and also reflects the popularity of disco at the time.

Rolling Stone Magazine magazine wrote at the time: “The Stones have problems.
Keith Richard has seemed to run out of melodic ideas and, like the majority of their
post-Exile on Main Street repertoire, the new numbers are based on loose riffs rather
than tight song structures.

Consequently, the music lacks energy. Like the Who or any rock band, the Stones are obsessed in their way with age and time, but unlike the rest, they’ve matured with confident gracefulness. For Soul Survivors, I guess, dying before you get old is simply not relevant.”

TUTV: One of my favorite summer albums.
Simple but sticky tunes. Cocktail music for
hot stuff days.

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Back sleeve

RITCHIE BLACKMORE And RAINBOW Released Their 2nd Album ‘RAINBOW RISING’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

17 May 2026

Deep Purple‘s acclaimed guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (now aged 81) left
the band in 1975, formed his own, named RAINBOW, with Ronnie James Dio
on vocals, and released their debut LP almost immediately.

Blackmore: “I didn’t give a damn about song construction.
I just wanted to make as much noise and play as fast and as
loud as possible.”

On 17 May 1976, today 50 years ago, they had
their 2nd album out, called RAINBOW RISING.

The album featured only 6 tracks, including 2 epic compositions (Stargazer and A Light In The Black) on side 2, exceeding 8 minutes each. Although the tracks from this album have been performed live rarely, if at all, the song STARGAZER is widely regarded as a Rainbow classic and a landmark in heavy metal music.

AllMusic says in retrospect: “Blackmore replaced the entire band (except for Ronnie James Dio) immediately following the recording of the first album. The material is uniformly strong.
The playing has a very tight, colorful feel to it, which was lacking a bit on the first record. This album can legitimately be mentioned in the same breath as classic Deep Purple.”

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(Track 1-6)


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Back in time

PAUL McCARTNEY Released One Of His Best Solo Albums Ever With ‘RAM’ Today 55 Years Ago

Aside | Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

17 May 2026

Imperishable and sublime songsmith PAUL McCARTNEY, aged 83 now, released his 2nd solo LP, named RAM, today 55 years ago, on 17 May 1971.

His only one, also credited to his then-wife, Linda Eastman.

The album’s release coincided with a period of acrimony between McCartney and the other former Beatles, and followed his legal action in the United Kingdom’s High Court to dissolve
the Fab Four partnership

While the previous album had featured him playing every instrument, Macca decided to hold auditions for musicians
to play on this one.

The LP topped the US, UK, and Canada charts.


Back sleeve

Upon its release, Ram was panned by music critics. McCartney was particularly hurt by the harsh reviews − especially as he had attempted to address the points raised in criticism of his solo debut by taking a more professional approach.

But over the years critics lauded the album as one of
his best, some claimed that it was the first indie pop
album ever.

Pitchfork said in retrospect: “Ram is a domestic-bliss album,
one of the weirdest, earthiest, and most honest ever made.”

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THE BEACH BOYS Released Their Masterpiece LP ‘PET SOUNDS’ Today 60 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

16 May 2026

Surf pop icons THE BEACH BOYS released their masterpiece album PET SOUNDS (their only one to my ears) today, 60 years ago, on 16 May 1966. It was their 11th longplayer.

Seeking to expand Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound technique and surpass The Beatles’ Rubber Soul LP, Brian Wilson‘s (1942-2025) orchestrations blended pop, jazz, exotica, classical, and avant-garde elements, combining rock instrumentation with layered vocal harmonies, found sounds, and instruments not normally associated with rock.

It was his album and no one else’s. Also, the first one with several sessions
musicians, on the other hand, the harmonies were pure Beach Boys.

Heralding popular music’s recognition as an art form, Wilson’s accomplishments as
a producer and composer helped initiate an era of unprecedented creative autonomy
for label-signed acts. He contributed to the development of many music genres and movements.

It peaked at #10 in the US, and #2 in the UK.

AllMusic wrote in retrospect: “Massively influential upon its release (although it was
a relatively low seller compared to their previous LPs), it immediately vaulted the band
into the top level of rock innovators among the intelligentsia, especially in Britain,
where it was a much bigger hit”.

TUTV: Timeless pop music, lousy album cover.

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TOOL, WEEZER And MISSY ELLIOTT Had An Album Out This Day 25 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

15 May 2026


Credit: Chet Zar

Los Angeles‘ far-famed alt metal champs TOOL, released their
3rd LP LATERALUS on 15 May 2001, today 25 years ago.

It topped the US and Canadian charts and peaked at #16 in the UK.

NME said: “Lateralus has added a little more colour to their palette of chanting,
drumming and high drama. There’s no trickery, Tool’s progressiveness is all their
own work.”

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L.A.’s poppy rockers WEEZER had their 3rd, self-titled album (also
referred to as the green one) on 15 May 2001, today 25 years ago.

It went to #4 in the US, #2 in Canada and #31 in the UK

Rolling Stone said: “It’s a totally crunk geek-punk record, buzzing
through ten excellent tunes in less than half an hour with zero filler.”

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Rap shero MISSY ELLIOTT, born Melissa Arnette Elliott, 54 years ago in Portsmouth (Virginia), released her 3rd LP MISS E… SO ADDICTIVE on 15 May 2001, today 25 years ago.

The New Yorker said: “It’s a foot-tapping, hip-shaking ride from start to finish.
Elliott’s long-term producer Timbaland refuses to pad the album with filler, instead
making every song count, from the driving hip-hop numbers to the languorous
ballads.”

It reached #7 in the US and #4 in the UK.

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ICE-T Released 4th Album ‘O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER’ Today 35 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

14 May 2026

Tracy Lauren Marrow aka ICE-T (born in Newark, New Jersey, 68 years ago)
released his 4th LP O.G. GANGSTER, on 14 May 1991, today 35 years ago.

It peaked at #15 and turned gold afterward.

NME said: “His best shot yet. Riotous vignettes from a decaying America full
of devious humour and striking pathos. All those things NWA profess to be but
clearly aren’t.

One of the greatest hip-metalic-hop rappers (also with his band Body Count) in my book.

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KRAFTWERK – German Electro Pioneers Released 8th LP ‘COMPUTER WORLD’ Today 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

11 May 2026

German electro pioneers KRAFTWERK (1970–1983, 1986–present / 11 albums)
released their 8th LP, COMPUTER WORLD, on May 11 1981, today 45 years ago.

The album is themed around computer technology and its rise within society.
As was the case with the two previous albums, the record was released in
both German and English.

AllMusic – Ned Raggett in retrospect: “The last great Kraftwerk album, Computer World captured the band right at the moment when its pioneering approach fully broke through in popular music, thanks to the rise of synth pop, hip-hop, and electro.

With this album, Kraftwerk – over a decade on from their start – demonstrated how they had stayed not merely relevant, but prescient, when nearly all their contemporaries had long since burned out.”

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TOM PETTY And His HEARTBREAKERS Released Fourth LP ‘HARD PROMISES’ 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

5 May 2026

On 6 May 1981, 45 years ago, TOM PETTY and his HEARTBREAKERS
released their 4th longplayer, HARD PROMISES.

Its working title was Benmont’s Revenge, referring to their keyboard player
and the band’s co-founder Benmont Tench. Hard Promises is the last full
album to feature the original Heartbreakers lineup, as bassist Ron Blair
left after the album’s release.

It reached #5 on the US Charts, #1 in New Zealand and #32 in the UK.

AllMusic‘s verdict: “It offered a reaffirmation that the previous album ‘Damn
The Torpedoes’ wasn’t a fluke. There’s not much new on the surface, since it continues
the sound of its predecessor, but it’s filled with great songwriting, something that’s as
difficult to achieve as a distinctive sound. It has a tremendous set of songs and a unified
sound that makes it one of Petty’s finest records.” Score: 4/5.

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AEROSMITH – Hard Rock Titans Released Their Drugs-Fueled 4th LP ‘ROCKS’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

3 May 2026

Hard rock titans AEROSMITH released their 4th LP,
named ROCKS on 3 May 1976, today 50 years ago.

At that point, although often derided by critics, the band had
amassed a loyal fanbase from relentless touring and their
ferocious live shows.

The album went to number 3 on the US Charts.

Producer Jack Douglas acknowledges the pervasiveness of drug use during
the album’s sessions: “Labels were giving them drugs. It was written into the project,
and in the case of Columbia Records, they had guys who delivered it to you. And they
finally got busted for that, people lost their jobs and it became a huge scandal.”

Rocks was one of Kurt Cobain‘s fav albums.

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