Storm Front (album)

Storm Front is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 17, 1989. It was Joel's third album to reach No. 1 in the U.S. and features "We Didn't Start the Fire", a fast-paced song that cataloged a list of historical events, trends, and cultural icons from 1949 (when Joel was born) until 1989, which was Joel's third Billboard No. 1 hit.

Storm Front
Studio album by
Billy Joel
ReleasedOctober 17, 1989
Recorded1988–1989
StudioThe Hit Factory Times Square Studio, New York City
Right Track Recording, New York City
The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Power Station, New York City
Genre
Length44:34
LabelColumbia
ProducerBilly Joel, Mick Jones
Billy Joel chronology
Концерт
(1987)		 Storm Front
(1989)		 River of Dreams
(1993)
Singles from Storm Front
  1. "We Didn't Start the Fire"
    Released: September 27, 1989
  2. "Leningrad"
    Released: 1989
  3. "I Go to Extremes"
    Released: 1989
  4. "The Downeaster 'Alexa'"
    Released: April 1990
  5. "That's Not Her Style"
    Released: July 1990
  6. "And So It Goes"
    Released: October 1990
  7. "Shameless"
    Released: 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Deseret News(Positive)[2]
The Los Angeles Times[3]
The New York Times(Positive)[4]
People(Not favorable)[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
The Village VoiceB[7]

"I Go to Extremes", a song describing the ups and downs of his emotional life, placed at No. 6. Other songs that placed in the top 100 were "And So It Goes" (No. 37), "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" (No. 57), and "That's Not Her Style" (No. 77). The album was also nominated for five Grammy Awards.[8] The album's cover depicts the maritime storm warning flag indicating wind forces 10–12, the highest intensity on the Beaufort scale.

Notable cover versions
  • In 1991, Garth Brooks recorded "Shameless" on his album Ropin' the Wind. Brooks' cover version was also released as a single and reached the top of the US country charts, and also entered the UK Singles Chart.

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Side one

  1. "That's Not Her Style" – 5:10
  2. "We Didn't Start the Fire" – 4:50
  3. "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – 3:44
  4. "I Go to Extremes" – 4:23
  5. "Shameless" – 4:26

Side two

  1. "Storm Front" – 5:17
  2. "Leningrad" – 4:06
  3. "State of Grace" – 4:30
  4. "When in Rome" – 4:44
  5. "And So It Goes" – 3:38

Personnel

Storm Front marked a radical change in Joel's backing band. Since his last studio album (The Bridge), both Russell Javors and Doug Stegmeyer, long-time members of Joel's band, were discharged from their respective duties as rhythm guitarist and bass guitarist. Javors was replaced with Joey Hunting for the record and by Tommy Byrnes on tour while Stegmeyer was replaced by Schuyler Deale. Band regulars Liberty DeVitto, David Brown and Mark Rivera were retained. Joel also hired the percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero beginning with this album.

  • Billy Joel – vocals, acoustic piano (1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10), clavinet (2, 3, 6), accordion (3), percussion (3), Hammond organ (4, 6, 9), harpsichord (5), organ (8), synthesizers (10)
  • Jeff Jacobs – synthesizers (1–9), backing vocals (1), horn arrangements (6)
  • David Brown – lead guitar (1–9), MIDI guitar solo (6)
  • Joey Hunting – rhythm guitar (2)
  • Schuyler Deale – bass guitar (1–9)
  • Liberty DeVitto – drums (1–9), percussion (2)
  • Crystal Taliefero – backing vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 9), percussion (2)

Additional musicians

  • Don Brooks – harmonica (1)
  • Kevin Jones – keyboard programming (2)
  • John Mahoney – keyboards (2), keyboard programming (7)
  • Doug Kleeger – sounds effects (2), arrangements (2)
  • Sammy Merendino – electronic percussion (2)
  • Dominic Cortese – accordion (3, 7)
  • Itzhak Perlman – violin (3)
  • Lenny Pickett – saxophone (6, 9)
  • The Memphis Horns (6):
  • Arif Mardin – orchestral arrangement (7)
  • Frank Floyd – backing vocals (1, 5, 6)
  • Mick Jones – backing vocals (1, 4, 8), guitar (6), guitar solo (8)
  • Patricia Darcy Jones – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Richard Marx – backing vocals (1, 6)
  • Brian Ruggles – backing vocals (1)
  • Ian Lloyd – backing vocals (4, 8)
  • Joe Lynn Turner – backing vocals (4, 8)
  • Chuck Arnold – backing vocals (7), choral leader (7)
  • Hicksville High School Chorus – backing vocals (7)
  • Bill Zampino – choral arrangement (7)
  • Brenda White King – backing vocals (9)
  • Curtis King – backing vocals (9)

Production

  • Produced by Billy Joel and Mick Jones
  • Mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (tracks 1–3) and Jay Healy (tracks 3–10).
  • Engineered by Jay Healy
  • Assistant engineers – Dana Becker, Tim Crich, David Dorn, Suzanne Hollander, Joe Pirrera and Gary Solomon.
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Art direction – Chris Austopchuk
  • Back photo – Timothy White
  • Front photo – Frank Ockenfels

Accolades

Grammy Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
1990"We Didn't Start the Fire"Song of the Year[8]Nominated
Record of the Year[8]Nominated
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male[8]Nominated
1991Storm FrontBest Pop Vocal Performance, Male[9]Nominated
Storm Front (produced by Billy Joel and Mick Jones)Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)[10]Nominated

Charts and certifications

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[32] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[33] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Germany (BVMI)[34] Platinum 500,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[35] Platinum 110,000[36][37]
Netherlands (NVPI)[38] Gold 50,000[39]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[42] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Storm Front at AllMusic
  2. Boren, Ray (January 19, 1989). "'STORM FRONT' BRINGS OUT THE POPULIST IN JOEL". deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  3. Boehm, Mike (December 3, 1989). "Imitative Billy Joel Still Seeking Respectability : BILLY JOEL "Storm Front."". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  4. Holden, Stephen (October 29, 1989). "HOME ENTERTAINMENT/RECORDINGS: RECENT RELEASES". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  5. Hiltbrand, David /Novak, Ralph / Abrahams, Andrew / Small, Michael (November 20, 1989). "Picks and Pans Review: Storm Front". People. Retrieved November 11, 2013.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. John McAlley (November 30, 1989). "Music Reviews : Storm Front by Billy Joel". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008.
  7. Christgau, Robert (December 26, 1989). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  8. "Here's list of nominees from all 77 categories". deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  9. Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis (January 11, 1991). "Grammys—Round 1 : Pop music: Phil Collins' 8 nominations lead the pack and Quincy Jones sets a record with his 74th nod. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 20". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  10. Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis (January 11, 1991). "Grammys—Round 1 : Pop music: Phil Collins' 8 nominations lead the pack and Quincy Jones sets a record with his 74th nod. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 20". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  11. "australian-charts.com Billy Joel – Storm Front". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  12. "Billy Joel – Storm Front – austriancharts.at". Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  13. "Billboard". December 28, 1989.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel – Storm Front". dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  16. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  17. "Album Search: Billy Joel" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  18. "Tonlist Top 40". DV. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  19. ビリー・ジョエル-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック "Highest position and charting weeks of Storm Front by Billy Joel" Check |url= value (help). oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  20. "charts.nz – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  21. "Billy Joel – Storm Front – hitparade.ch". Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  22. "The Official Charts Company – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  23. Allmusic – Storm Front > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  25. "End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  26. "UK best albums 1989". Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  27. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1990". RPM. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  28. http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1990&cat=a. Retrieved August 29, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. "End Of Year Charts – Top 5 Albums 1990". Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  30. "Billboard rates the top hits for 1990". deseretnews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  31. "Australian Top 50 Albums Chart (weekly chart)". ARIA Charts. April 8, 1990.
  32. "Austrian album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  33. "Canadian album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Music Canada.
  34. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Joel; 'Storm Front')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  35. "Japanese album certifications – ビリー・ジョエル – STORM FRONT" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1993年1月 on the drop-down menu
  36. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  37. "a-ビリー・ジョエル" [Yamachan Land (Japanese Chart Archives) – Albums Chart Daijiten – Billy Joel] (in Japanese). Original Confidence. December 30, 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  38. "Dutch album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Storm Front in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  39. "de branchevereniging van de entertainmentindustrie". Archived from NVPI the original Check |url= value (help) on October 8, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.Note: User needs to enter "Billy Joel" in the "Artiest" field and click below "zoek" button.
  40. "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Recorded Music NZ.
  41. "British album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Storm Front in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  42. "American album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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