Agents of Fortune explained

Agents of Fortune
Type:	studio
Artist:	Blue Öyster Cult
Cover:	BlueOysterCultAgentsofFortune.jpg
Recorded:	1975–1976
Studio:	The Record Plant (New York City)
Label:	Columbia
Prev Title:	On Your Feet or on Your Knees
Prev Year:	1975
Next Title:	Spectres
Next Year:	1977

Agents of Fortune is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on May 21, 1976 by Columbia Records.^{[1] [2]}

The Platinum-selling album peaked at No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard chart,^[3] while the cryptic single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart,^[4] making it BÖC's biggest hit. The band became a bigger concert attraction after the release of the album, in part due to extensive airplay of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," to this day a staple of rock-station playlists.

Additionally, this is the only album in the group's discography to have at least one lead vocal performance by each original band member. It was also their only album to not include any songs written by Eric Bloom. However, the 2020 live release 40th Anniversary: Agents of Fortune Live 2016 adds Bloom's name to the authorship credits for "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)."

Critical reception

Rolling Stone wrote that "Agents of Fortune is a startlingly excellent album — startling because one does not expect Blue Öyster Cult to sound like this: loud but calm, manic but confident, melodic but rocking."^[5]

Cash Box said of the single "This Ain't the Summer of Love" that "growling guitars churn out this realistic message with brief and pointed expression" ... "a mood of evil created in a humorous fashion."^[6]

Personnel

Band members

• Eric Bloom – guitar, vocals, keyboards, percussion
• Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
• Allen Lanier – keyboards, rhythm guitar, bass on "Morning Final", vocals
• Joe Bouchard – bass, piano on "Morning Final", vocals
• Albert Bouchard – drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals

Additional musicians

• Patti Smith – vocals on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini"
• Randy Brecker – horns
• Michael Brecker – horns
• David Lucas – vocals, keyboards, percussion
• The cowbell on "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" may have been played by Albert Bouchard,^[7] David Lucas,^[8] or Eric Bloom.^[9]

Production

• David Lucas , Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman – producers
• Shelly Yakus, Andy Abrams – engineers
• Tony Stevens – mastering
• John Berg, Andy Engel – design
• Lynn Curlee – paintings

Charts

Chart (1976)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[10]	53
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[11]	18

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
The Village Voice	US	The 1976 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll^[12]	1976	10
NME	UK	Albums of the Year^[13]	1976	6
Dave Marsh & Kevin Stein	US	The Best of the Album Chartmakers by Year: 1976^[14]	1981	12
Kerrang!	UK	The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time	1989	62
Q	UK	The Greatest Classic Rock Albums Ever!^[15]	2004	No order

Notes and References

1. Web site: Blue Oyster Cult | Biography & History. AllMusic.
2. Book: Buckley, Peter. The Rough Guide to Rock. March 14, 2003. Rough Guides. 9781843531050 . Google Books.
3. Web site: Agents of Fortune Billboard Albums . March 2, 2012 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20120831133247/http://www.allmusic.com/album/agents-of-fortune-mw0000599232/awards . August 31, 2012 . live . mdy-all .
4. Web site: Agents of Fortune Billboard Singles . March 2, 2012 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20120831133247/http://www.allmusic.com/album/agents-of-fortune-mw0000599232/awards . August 31, 2012 . live . mdy-all .
5. Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune . April 8, 2012 . Tucker . Ken . Ken Tucker . July 15, 1976 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091012092855/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blueoystercult/albums/album/202805/review/6068312/agents_of_fortune . October 12, 2009.
6. News: CashBox Singles Reviews. June 25, 1977. 20. Cash Box. 2021-12-26.
7. News: Blue Öyster Cult, Playing Along With 'More Cowbell'. August 2, 2012. Farhi. Paul. January 29, 2005. The Washington Post.
8. News: Blue Oyster Cult cowbell ringer honored . June 30, 2011 . August 2, 2012 . . George . Eli . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110702084549/http://www.wivb.com/dpp/entertainment/music/Blue-Oyster-Cult-cowbell-ringer-honored . July 2, 2011 .
9. News: Blue Oyster Cult's innovative use of a cowbell will never be forgotten. September 17, 2009. Sauro. Tony. The Record (Stockton). August 7, 2012. August 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200802183250/https://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090917/A_ENTERTAIN/909170308/-1/rss03. dead.
10. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
11. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. 1st. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 2006. 978-951-1-21053-5 . fi.
12. Web site: The 1976 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll . March 30, 2012 . . Robert Christgau.
13. Web site: NME's best albums and tracks of 1976 . NME . 11 June 2024 . 10 October 2016.
14. Web site: The Dave Marsh Lists . March 30, 2012 . Book Of Rock Lists - Albums Of The Year: 1976 . Rocklist.net.
15. Q Lists: Q Special Edition – The Greatest Classic Rock Albums Ever ! . March 30, 2012 . . Rocklist.net.