CoronaVinyl Day 198 (G): So by Peter Gabriel

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "G," and I'm going with a big one:  Peter Gabriel's 1986 album So.

Gabriel had left Genesis in 1975 to pursue a solo career, and he had a good amount of success in his native UK, but not a ton of success in the U.S.  After releasing his first four solo studio albums between 1977 and 1982, Gabriel took an album recording break for a few years before releasing So in 1986 (though he did do a soundtrack in 1984).

Gabriel's first four albums all cracked the Top 10 of the UK album chart (with his third eponymous album reaching #1), but until So, his best-charting album in the U.S. only reached #22 (also his third album).  Likewise, until So, 1982's "Shock the Monkey" was Gabriel's only Top 40 solo hit in the U.S., reaching #29 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Needless to say, So shattered his previous highs.  It went to #1 on the album charts in the UK and six other countries, #2 on the Billboard album chart, and the Top 5 on the album charts in four other countries.  The album has gone 5x platinum in the U.S. and triple platinum in the UK.

All five singles released from the album charted in the UK or U.S.  

• "Sledgehammer" was Gabriel's first (and as of today, his only) #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, and it knocked "Invisible Touch" by his old band mates Genesis out of the top spot.  It also topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks and Dance Club singles charts, went to #4 on the UK pop chart (tying his all-time high), and it reached the Top 10 on fourteen other international pop charts, going #1 in Canada.
• "Big Time" reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks chart, #13 on the UK pop chart, and the Top 20 on four other international pop charts.
• "In Your Eyes" went to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks chart.
• "Don't Give Up" -- a duet with Kate Bush -- went to #9 on the UK pop chart, #72 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the Top 10 on seven other international pop charts.
• "Red Rain" reached #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks chart and #46 on the UK pop chart.

Of course, what many of us of a certain age remember most about this album were the iconic videos for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," which undoubtedly helped the success of the album.  "Sledgehammer" won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards and was reported to be MTV's most played music video of all time.  The videos were so good that I couldn't leave them out, so I embedded them below after the album.

And "In Your Eyes" became known as the song that Jon Cusack's character plays while holding his boombox over his head in 1989's Say Anything... while trying to woo Ione Skye's character.  That scene's popularity was big enough that the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 again in 1989 and just missed out on making the Top 40, topping out at #41.

All in all, I think the album is hit (literally) or miss.  Other than "Sledgehammer," "Big Time," and to a certain extent, "Red Rain" and "In Your Eyes," the album is pretty mellow and kind of drony.  The Spotify version of the album has an extra song.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Sledgehammer"

There's a reason this song was so successful.  It's a great pop song, and it has a funky element to it too -- which explains why it also topped the Billboard Dance Singles chart.  It's also the peppiest song on Side 1.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Big Time"
Like "Sledgehammer" on Side 1, "Big Time" is not only a great pop song, but easily the most energetic song on an otherwise mostly drowsy side.