Heart - Passionworks (revisited)

Wow, I've known people over the years that liked "This Man Is Mine", but you're the first to suggest that the single actually performed well. I have a feeling if you asked the Wilson sisters or their label at the time if it was a success they would tell you it wasn't. If you like it that's great; I'm not crazy about it but I don't hate it either. But it was absolutely a commercial disappointment.

And album sales may have been down overall but plenty of comparable/AOR artists sold millions with albums released that year: J. Geils, Asia, John Cougar, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.

 

Relatively speaking, the single was a success as I have provided much evidence to support that conclusion. Perhaps you better check your sales figures again because that year none of those LPs sold millions of copies. In fact, I recall an article in Billboard that year mentioning how Fleetwood Mac had a #1 LP but was struggling to reach Gold status. And I hardly think those artists were comparible to Heart, unless the lead singers of all of those bands were actually women.

 

I took your advice and checked the certification data on the RIAA website. First, the certification criteria:
"Gold – 500,000 Units
Platinum – 1,000,000 Units
Each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 Unit for certification purposes."

Fleetwood Mac Mirage - released in June, 1982 and certified both gold and platinum in August, 1982. Certified double platinum in 1984.
John Cougar American Fool - released in April, 1982. Certified gold in July and platinum in August of that year. Certified double platinum in 1984 and for 5 million copies in 1996.
Asia (self-titled) - released in March, 1982. Certified both gold and platinum in June of that year. Certified triple platinum in 1984.

Conversely, Heart's Private Audition has never been certified gold.

 

We seem to be drifting far from the original discussion. We were discussing sales figures in 1982 and how you were suggesting "This Man Is Mine" was responsible for Heart's decrease in sales. Hopefully this article will shed some light:

POP MUSIC'S HEYDAY SAID TO BE WANING AMID FALLING SALES »

You don't have to convince me that Heart was in a slump during this time frame. But you cannot apply that slump to their second highest chart single during that time frame. That is the point I was making.

 

Some people talk about Heart selling out with its 1985 album. But the way I see it, by Private Audition and Passionworks, (both excellent,) Heart were drowning. Capitol records appeared and threw them a lifebelt. Had they rejected that lifebelt, sadly I think Heart would have been has-beens. Their profile exploded between 1985-1990, and I bet the money couldn't have been bad either.

 

They wasted all that extra cash on makeup and hair product.

 

Passionworks was a decent album, but when it came out I found it really boring. The electronic drum kit sound was terrible, and the album didn't rock very hard. How Can I Refuse was a terrific single, Sleep Alone was ok, Allies was ok, and a couple of other tracks were ok. But most of it was filler and gave the sound of a band that had no idea what it's direction was.

At least the s/t 1985 album had a clear direction and sound. It was hair metal no doubt, but If Looks Could Kill and Never are two of the best tracks they ever did even if the product is way too bright.

 

I only discovered this album in 2002. Its excellent and should have been massive. It must have sold over 500k in the US.

 

Not according to RIAA. I imagine it's probably close to that number though.

 

Definitely a favourite of Heart's. Standouts are 'Sleep alone, Together now, Love mistake. I bought the purple translucent vinyl a few months ago. I'm sure over the years the album has achieved sales of 500,000 in the US. Just because it is not official, doesn't mean it hasn't.

 

How does,something become "official", anyway? Does the band/label have to request it or is it automatic?

 

From what I understand, the record label pays the RIAA to track how units a an album has sold.

 

Love Allies. The rest...not so much but I haven't listened in ages.

 

Ooof. I visited this album once or twice when it came out. What a stinker.
Classic Heart...Deamboat Annie through Bebe Le Strange, is where the magic is.

 

I quite liked Heart's early albums. Dog & Butterfly's acoustic side especially. Just gorgeous. After that, Bebe Le Strange was a huge let down. I haven't heard it for a couple of decades but, in my memory at least, it has no redeeming features save for Ann's lovely voice.

After that, Private Audition was a real return to form. Perfect Stranger is sublime & the rest of the songs are not too far behind. Following on, Passionworks moved the goalposts a little. It's definitely a transition towards the MTV era but the songs are uniformly excellent. No idea why it didn't sell. Record company indifference would be my best guess.

From here, they released my two favourite Heart records. I love AOR and S/T & Bad Animals are prime examples of the genre. Different sound? Most certainly but they nailed it! Brigade was also a strong record but Desire Walks On was a tired effort, I reckon.

I picked up Jupiter's Darling when it came out but there wasn't anything there to detain me & I haven't bothered with anything since with the exception of Ann's solo record, which, to my ears was dreary although I know plenty of people who enjoy it.

 

Different ears & all that.

I like bit and bats of early Heart, mostly the gentler stuff, although Barracuda is a fine song. But for me Private Audition through Brigade is Heart at their best.

Not a popular opinion, I'm aware.

 

I very much doubt, after all these years that Private audition and Passionworks will ever get a gold disc. Passionworks in particular must have excess of 500k by now. I always understood it is the labels job to inform the RIAA that a album has reached a certain sales threshold. I don't know the cost a record label would pay for such albums that are so old now.

 

They lost me when they lost Derosier. That guy was a hero on the drums. Still, I love How Can I Refuse.

 

Just picked up this. Passionworks (EK 38800)
Not sure why I avoided for so long. It's a pretty good album. Different from both the 70s material and the late '80s era.