Description
Brigade: The Final Chapter of Heart’s 80s Arena Rock Reign
Released in 1990, Brigade served as the powerful, commercially successful, and ultimately final album of Heart’s “arena rock” era. The album cemented the band’s status as a dominant force, particularly in the power ballad and rock singles market, while also signaling a slight shift back toward a heavier guitar sound.
Commercial Performance:
- High Charting: The album was a massive international success, peaking at Number 3 on both the US Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart. It also reached Number 2 in Canada, Finland, and Sweden.
- Multi-Platinum Sales: Brigade achieved multi-platinum status, underscoring its widespread appeal.
Hit Singles & Key Tracks:
- The album’s success was driven by multiple high-charting singles:
- “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You”: The lead single, a Robert John “Mutt” Lange-penned power ballad, was a global smash, peaking at Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- “I Didn’t Want to Need You”: Reached Number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- “Stranded” (featuring Nancy Wilson on lead vocals): Peaked at Number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- The album also showcased its rock pedigree with six tracks charting in the Top 25 on the US Album Rock Trackschart, including “Wild Child” (Number 3) and “The Night”.
Brigade capitalized on the momentum of the band’s mid-to-late 80s comeback, delivering a blend of radio-friendly anthems and dynamic rock tracks, making it a critical purchase for fans of AOR and classic rock, and one of Heart’s biggest-selling records globally.
