Turn Up the Radio (Autograph song)
| "Turn Up the Radio" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Thrill of Love" |
"Turn Up the Radio" is a song by American glam metal band Autograph and the lead single from their 1984 debut album, Sign in Please. Released on December 22, 1984, "Turn Up The Radio" was Autograph's only Top 40 hit, reaching No. 29 in the Billboard 100 and receiving significant MTV airplay. It would remain the band's most popular song and a staple of mainstream 1980s heavy metal.
Background
Lead guitarist Steve Lynch described "Turn Up the Radio" as "a last minute song that RCA didn't even want on the album because they thought it had no commercial value." However, the band firmly insisted and were granted its inclusion. According to Lynch, Autograph didn't expect great commercial success for the song or the band in general because of their disillusionment with the music industry.[1] Lynch also reflected that, although the song was never a personal favorite, he always appreciated its strong hook, commercial appeal, and "lyrics that were right for the times."[2]
A demo version of the song appears on the band's "odds and ends" collection entitled Missing Pieces wherein it has a slightly different chorus.
Appearances
"Turn Up the Radio" was used in the Miami Vice episode "Little Prince" in 1984. It also played in the opening credits of the 2010 comedy film Hot Tub Time Machine which centers around 1980s pop culture.
The song was featured on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the fictional radio station, VRock. "Turn Up the Radio" was also used in the role-playing video game Alpha Protocol as incidental music during a boss fight against an 1980s-obsessed Russian mafioso.
In addition, the song has appeared on a plethora of (primarily 1980s) music compilations, including not only those of an explicitly hard rock/glam metal genre, but also more mainstream compilations, such as Entertainment Weekly: The Greatest Hits 1985 and Top Groups of the Eighties.
Music video
The song's music video gained significant airplay in the early days of MTV. The video is set in a 1980s technological future. It opens with the band walking into a theater hall through an automated door. A RoboCop-like figure points, saying "sign in please", a direct reference to the album on which the song appears. In an occurrence of product placement, a ray of light reveals a PaperMate Sharpwriter mechanical pencil, which had been released earlier that year. Using the pencil, the band members provide their signatures next to their names (listed along with their respective musical instruments) on a paper during which the pencil's name is prominently featured. Drummer Keni Richards writes an X, which sets off an error alarm; Keni then erases it and signs properly. The band is then seen performing the song to a crowd. The video ends with Autograph boarding a limousine resembling a DeLorean DMC-12 by its gull wing doors. Lead vocalist Steve Plunkett throws the pencil to one of the female fans before leaving. The cyborg hand at the steering wheel turns out to be the robot from the start of the video, and the final shot reveals the robot's head as the door closes.
Awards and accolades
The song was ranked No. 93 on VH1's Top 100 Hard Rock Songs[3] and was named an AMG Track Pick by Allmusic.
In 1985, Guitar Player magazine awarded Steve Lynch "Guitar Solo of the Year" for his work on "Turn Up the Radio."[1]
Chart positions
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 29 |
| Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 17 |
References
- ^ a b Autograph Guitarist / Guitar Teacher Steve Lynch FullinBloom.com. Retrieved on 7-01-11.
- ^ My Interview With Steve Lynch – Original Guitarist For Autograph GlamRock.com (2009). Retrieved on 7-01-11.
- ^ "spreadit.org music". Retrieved February 4, 2009.