The Wild Boys & Second British Invasion Band
- Simon Le Bon
- Nick Rhodes
- Andy Taylor
- John Taylor
- Roger Taylor
Glam appearance & glam rock
Pop 80s & synth-pop rock
Always inventive & debut to now
5-4-3-2-1 : Duran Duran 5
Top album from the original lineup
Of the many, there are three that stand out - Duran Duran debut, Rio, & Seven and the Ragged Tiger.
Of the three, Rio is the most obvious selection.
Aside from Rio, Seven and the Ragged Tiger is my highlight to reflect upon here.
Third album
Released in November 1983
Genres considered - Synth-Pop, Dance
Vague lyrics & variety of topics
Overall theme - "an adventure story about a little commando team" - - - - Simon Le Bon
Poor critical reviews but a commercial success
Duran Duran's first and only No. 1 UK album
No. 8 in the U.S.
No. 1 in the Netherlands & New Zealand
No. 2 in Australia
No. 3 in Finland
No. 7 in Canada
No. 11 in Austria
No. 12 in Italy
No. 14 in Norway
No. 16 in Switzerland
No. 17 in Germany
No. 19 in Sweden
"The Reflex" impact on Duran Duran -
Remix by Nile Rodgers made the song dance oriented
Released in April 1984
First U.S. & second UK No. 1 single
Boosted sales of the album
Music video filmed during a live show as proof of being a live band and not just a video band
Review Scores -
AllMusic - 4/5 Stars
Classic Pop - 3/5 Stars
The Daily Telegraph - 3/5 Stars
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music - 2/5 Stars
Q - 3/5 Stars
Rolling Stone - 3/5 Stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 3.5/5 Stars
Spin Alternative Record Guide - 6/10
Track List -
Side A -
1. The Reflex
2. New Moon on Monday
3. (I'm Looking for) Cracks in the Pavement
4. I Take the Dice
5. Of Crime and Passion
Side B -
1. Union of the Snake
2. Shadows on Your Side
3. Tiger Tiger
4. The Seventh Straner
Certified Gold in Finland, the Netherlands, & Switzerland
Certified Platinum in New Zealand & the UK
Certified 2x Platinum in the U.S.
Certified 3x Platinum in Canada
The Duran Duran debut album cemented the band on MTV with the controversial music video for "Girls on Film." The video for "Planet Earth" was intriguing as well.
Rio cemented Duran Duran as a household name.
Seven and the Ragged Tiger was Duran Duran's last chance at staying together for the long haul. After Live Aid, the band constantly split, partially came together, broke up entirely, worked on side projects, reunited, and after Astronaut you can go from there.
I have to note -
Musical contemporaries of Duran Duran's time saw profound success and reviews straight out of the debut gate. The advent of the synthesizer really helped shape Duran Duran as one to consider. Their "finally" moment came with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yet, why were some contemporaries more well received early on? I always consider certifications, especially multi-platinum and higher.
On that thought, I will leave you to consider the question.
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