Suzanne Vega is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. It was released on May 1, 1985 through A&M Records. The album was primarily recorded at Celestial Sound in New York City and was produced by Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye.
The album's folk style and stripped-back arrangements deviated from the prevailing trends of the time, and helped to usher in a new era of singer-songwriters. Suzanne Vega was a critical success and helped Vega's rise to popularity.[2] The album surpassed sales expectations by selling over 200,000 copies in the US[3] and was certified platinum in the UK for sales of over 300,000 copies.
"Marlene on the Wall", "Small Blue Thing" and "Knight Moves" were released as singles to promote the album, with the former becoming a top 30 hit in the UK upon a re-release in 1986. The album itself reached the top 20 in the UK. It would later be placed at number 80 in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Best Albums of the Eighties".[4]
Suzanne Vega exceeded both A&M and Vega's expectations by selling over 200,000 copies in the US.[3] The album would peak at number 91 on the Billboard 200.[5] It was even more successful in the UK, where sales numbers exceeded 300,000 and the album reached number 11.[3][6]
"Marlene on the Wall" was released as the album's first single. Upon its original release, the song stalled at number 83 on the UK Singles Chart.[6] However, after being re-released in 1986, it reached a new peak of number 21, becoming her highest-charting song in that country and one of her biggest hits.[6] The album's second single, "Small Blue Thing", peaked at number 65 in the UK.[6]
Spin wrote, "Vega can get a bit pretentious, but what singer-songwriter worth a damn doesn't? It's the price you pay for taking risks. Suzanne Vega is a flattering and very substantial introduction."[10]
^Azerrad, Michael; DeCurtis, Anthony (November 16, 1989). "The 100 Best Albums of the Eighties: 80 | Suzanne Vega, 'Suzanne Vega'". Rolling Stone. No. 565. p. 53. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
^"Suzanne Vega Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
^ abcd"Suzanne Vega Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
^"European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. December 27, 1986. p. 35. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
^"Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
^"Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986)" (PDF). Music Week. January 24, 1987. p. 25. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
^"New Zealand album certifications – Suzanne Vega – Suzzane Vega". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
^"British album certifications – Suzanne Vega – Suzzane Vega". British Phonographic Industry. October 19, 1988. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
^Pooley, Eric (April 27, 1987). "Songwriter Suzanne Vega Gets Set for Stardom". New York. Vol. 20, no. 17. p. 54. ISSN 0028-7369 – via Google Books.
^Meter, Jonathan van (July 9, 2007). "Lady of the Canyons". New York. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
Bibliographyedit
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
April 28, 2024
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Suzanne Vega is the debut studio album by American singer songwriter Suzanne Vega It was released on May 1 1985 through A amp M Records The album was primarily recorded at Celestial Sound in New York City and was produced by Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye Suzanne VegaStudio album by Suzanne VegaReleasedMay 1 1985RecordedNovember 1984 March 1985StudioCelestial Sound New York City GenreFolk 1 Length35 37LabelA amp MProducerSteve Addabbo Lenny KayeSuzanne Vega chronologySuzanne Vega 1985 Solitude Standing 1987 Singles from Suzanne Vega Marlene on the Wall Released 1985 re release in 1986 Knight Moves Released 1985 Germany Small Blue Thing Released 1986 UK The album s folk style and stripped back arrangements deviated from the prevailing trends of the time and helped to usher in a new era of singer songwriters Suzanne Vega was a critical success and helped Vega s rise to popularity 2 The album surpassed sales expectations by selling over 200 000 copies in the US 3 and was certified platinum in the UK for sales of over 300 000 copies Marlene on the Wall Small Blue Thing and Knight Moves were released as singles to promote the album with the former becoming a top 30 hit in the UK upon a re release in 1986 The album itself reached the top 20 in the UK It would later be placed at number 80 in Rolling Stone s list of the 100 Best Albums of the Eighties 4 Contents 1 Commercial performance 2 Critical reception 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 5 Charts 5 1 Weekly charts 5 2 Year end charts 6 Certifications and sales 7 References 7 1 BibliographyCommercial performance editSuzanne Vega exceeded both A amp M and Vega s expectations by selling over 200 000 copies in the US 3 The album would peak at number 91 on the Billboard 200 5 It was even more successful in the UK where sales numbers exceeded 300 000 and the album reached number 11 3 6 Marlene on the Wall was released as the album s first single Upon its original release the song stalled at number 83 on the UK Singles Chart 6 However after being re released in 1986 it reached a new peak of number 21 becoming her highest charting song in that country and one of her biggest hits 6 The album s second single Small Blue Thing peaked at number 65 in the UK 6 Critical reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 1 Encyclopedia of Popular Music nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 7 The Rolling Stone Album Guide nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 8 The Village VoiceB 9 Spin wrote Vega can get a bit pretentious but what singer songwriter worth a damn doesn t It s the price you pay for taking risks Suzanne Vega is a flattering and very substantial introduction 10 Track listing editAll tracks written by Suzanne Vega Side one Cracking 2 49 Freeze Tag 2 36 Marlene on the Wall 3 40 Small Blue Thing 3 54 Straight Lines 3 49 Side two Undertow 3 26 Some Journey 3 38 The Queen and the Soldier 4 48 Knight Moves 3 36 Neighborhood Girls 3 21Personnel editCredits adapted from the album liner notes Suzanne Vega vocals acoustic guitar Steve Addabbo background vocals 4 5 7 synclavier guitar 6 12 string acoustic guitar 8 electric guitar 10 Darol Anger electric violin 7 Frank Christian acoustic guitar 2 9 electric slide guitar 10 Paul Dugan bass 1 4 6 8 9 vertical bass 2 Sue Evans drums 3 5 6 10 percussion 4 10 Jon Gordon electric guitar 1 7 Peter Gordon string arrangement 6 Frank Gravis bass 3 5 10 Shem Guibbory violin 6 Mark Isham synthesizers 7 John Mahoney synclavier programming 6 Maxine Neuman cello 6 C P Roth synthesizers 1 5 9 piano 8 organ 8 Roger Squitero percussion 7 Charts editWeekly charts edit Weekly chart performance for Suzanne Vega Chart 1985 1986 Peakposition Australian Albums Kent Music Report 11 23 Dutch Albums Album Top 100 12 11 European Albums Music amp Media 13 61 Finnish Albums Suomen virallinen lista 14 34 German Albums Offizielle Top 100 15 54 New Zealand Albums RMNZ 16 9 Swedish Albums Sverigetopplistan 17 42 UK Albums OCC 18 11 US Billboard 200 19 91 Year end charts edit 1985 year end chart performance for Suzanne Vega Chart 1985 Position Dutch Albums Album Top 100 20 98 1986 year end chart performance for Suzanne Vega Chart 1986 Position Australian Albums Kent Music Report 21 52 European Albums Music amp Media 22 76 New Zealand Albums RMNZ 23 44 UK Albums Gallup 24 46Certifications and sales edit See Tfd See Tfd Certifications and sales for Suzanne Vega Region Certification Certified units sales New Zealand RMNZ 25 Gold 7 500 United Kingdom BPI 26 Platinum 300 000 United States 250 000 27 Summaries Worldwide 2 000 000 28 Shipments figures based on certification alone References edit a b Ruhlmann William Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega AllMusic Retrieved October 1 2006 Suzanne Vega A Life in Music Official Community of Suzanne Vega Archived from the original on April 19 2008 Retrieved May 26 2008 a b c Huey Steve Suzanne Vega Biography AllMusic Retrieved June 5 2023 Azerrad Michael DeCurtis Anthony November 16 1989 The 100 Best Albums of the Eighties 80 Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega Rolling Stone No 565 p 53 Retrieved November 20 2011 Suzanne Vega Chart History Billboard Retrieved June 5 2023 a b c d Suzanne Vega Chart History Official Charts Company Retrieved June 5 2023 Larkin Colin 2011 The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 5th concise ed Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0 85712 595 8 Evans Paul Berger Arion 2004 Suzanne Vega In Brackett Nathan Hoard Christian eds The New Rolling Stone Album Guide 4th ed Simon amp Schuster pp 845 46 ISBN 0 7432 0169 8 Christgau Robert July 30 1985 Consumer Guide The Village Voice Retrieved November 20 2011 Gary Kenton July 1985 Spins Spin No 3 p 31 Kent 1993 p 329 Dutchcharts nl Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega in Dutch Hung Medien Retrieved June 8 2014 European Hot 100 Albums PDF Music amp Media Vol 3 no 27 July 12 1986 p 19 OCLC 29800226 via World Radio History Pennanen Timo 2006 Sisaltaa hitin levyt ja esittajat Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 in Finnish 1st ed Helsinki Kustannusosakeyhtio Otava ISBN 978 951 1 21053 5 Offiziellecharts de Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega in German GfK Entertainment Charts Retrieved January 28 2022 Charts nz Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega Hung Medien Retrieved June 8 2014 Swedishcharts com Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega Hung Medien Retrieved June 8 2014 Official Albums Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved January 28 2022 Suzanne Vega Chart History Billboard 200 Billboard Retrieved June 8 2014 Jaaroverzichten Album 1985 in Dutch Dutch Charts Retrieved December 31 2020 Kent 1993 p 438 European Hot 100 Albums Hot 100 of the Year 1986 PDF Music amp Media Vol 3 no 51 52 December 27 1986 p 35 OCLC 29800226 via World Radio History Top Selling Albums of 1986 Recorded Music NZ Retrieved January 28 2022 Top 100 Albums January to December 1986 PDF Music Week January 24 1987 p 25 ISSN 0265 1548 via World Radio History New Zealand album certifications Suzanne Vega Suzzane Vega Recorded Music NZ Retrieved June 11 2019 British album certifications Suzanne Vega Suzzane Vega British Phonographic Industry October 19 1988 Retrieved January 28 2022 Pooley Eric April 27 1987 Songwriter Suzanne Vega Gets Set for Stardom New York Vol 20 no 17 p 54 ISSN 0028 7369 via Google Books Meter Jonathan van July 9 2007 Lady of the Canyons New York Retrieved August 17 2018 Bibliography edit Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Suzanne Vega album amp oldid 1177985188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
