2008 was far from being a "bust" for new releases, although it was a far cry from the "boom" of the previous two years in terms of quantity. But it did produce the first new studio albums in quite some time from Queen, AC/DC, The B-52's, and Uriah Heep.
AC/DC - 'Black Ice'
Columbia Records
Aside from being AC/DC's first new studio album in six years (the longest gap between albums since the Aussie rockers made their first one 1975) it was one of its most successful, selling almost 2-million copies in just the first week after its release, and rocketing to #1 in the U.S. and 28 other countries. The band worked on writing and recording the album for over two years. Black Ice received two Grammy nominations.
Asia - 'Phoenix'
Frontiers Records / EMI America
Fans of mythology (or Harry Potter) know all about how the bird known as the Phoenix periodically burns up, then rises from the ashes good as new. The original lineup of Asia (Carl Palmer, John Wetton, Steve Howe, Goeff Downes) got back together in 2008 for a new album they hoped would bring about a rebirth of the classic Asia of days gone by.
Def Leppard - 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge'
Mercury Records
Def Leppard's 10th studio album took its name from that given to the backstage area where the band works on new material when they're touring. Songs From The Sparkle Lounge debuted at #1 on the Rock and Hard Rock Album charts and peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. The song "Nine Lives" featured a curious collaboration with country singer Tim McGraw.
John Mellencamp - 'Life, Death, Love and Freedom'
Hear Music
Heartland rocker John Mellencamp's 20th studio album (his fourth in the decade of the '00s) neatly described its lyrical content in its title. Life, Death, Love and Freedom was #5 on Rolling Stone's list of the 50 best albums of 2008.
The Pretenders - 'Break Up The Concrete'
Artist First
The Pretenders' ninth studio album had a definite rockabilly flavor. Break Up The Concrete was the band's highest charting album since 1986's Get Close. After the album's release in late 2008, they spent most of 2009 on a world concert tour.
Ringo Starr - 'Liverpool 8'
Capitol Records
The production of Liverpool 8 was marked by an acrimonious falling-out between Ringo Starr and his longtime producer, Mark Hudson. In mid-production, Hudson was replaced by Dave Stewart (ex-Eurythmics) whose influence included greater use of synthesizers. This was Starr's 14th solo studio album.
Queen + Paul Rodgers - 'The Cosmos Rocks'
Hollywood Records
Queen hadn't released a new studio album since 1995's Made In Heaven, the last to feature vocals by the late Freddie Mercury. 2008's The Cosmos Rocks was the first to feature vocalist Paul Rodgers, who had begun working with band in 2004. The album made it to #5 in the U.K. but managed only to peak at #47 on the chart in the US. Rodgers has since left the band, but hasn't ruled out the possibility of working together again.
Steve Winwood - 'Nine Lives'
Sony
Steve Winwood neatly summarized Nine Lives in an About.com Classic Rock interview. "The concept, for me, is that it has nine songs and it's my ninth album. Originally I intended it to be a continuation of my last album, About Time ... but as soon as I started to work on it I realized that many of the songs ... were actually inspired, and came out of, many of the songs that the band had played in jams and sound checks."
More 2008 Releases
Sanctuary Records
• The B-52's - Funplex (Review)
• Jackson Browne - Time The Conqueror
• Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider
• Judas Priest - Nostradamus (Review)
• Little Feat - Join The Band
• Steve Lukather - Ever Changing Times (Review)
• Michael Schenker Group - In The Midst Of Beauty (Review)
• Pete Best Band - Hayman's Green
• R.E.M. - Accelerate
• Uriah Heep - Wake The Sleeper (Review)
• Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad (Review)
We're Live!
New Wave
There weren't many live releases in 2008, but there wasn't a loser in the bunch.
• 10cc - Clever Clogs
• David Gilmour - Live In Gdansk
• Journey - Revelation
• Rush - Snakes & Arrows Live
