Storm Front (album) explained

Storm Front
Type:	studio
Artist:	Billy Joel
Cover:	BillyJoel StormFront.jpg
Released:	October 17, 1989
Recorded:	1988–1989
Studio:	Hit Factory, New York City Right Track, New York City The Warehouse, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Power Station, New York City
Genre:	Art rock arena rock^[1]
Length:	44:34
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Billy Joel, Mick Jones
Prev Title:	Концерт
Prev Year:	1987
Next Title:	Souvenir
Next Year:	1990

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.

"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.^[2] The album's cover depicts the maritime storm warning flag indicating wind forces 10–12, the highest intensity on the Beaufort scale. Joel has stated in recent Sirius XM segments that he was inspired by Peter Gabriel's 1986 track "Sledgehammer", as an inspiration for the "driving rhythm section" when he was writing the title track.

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

6. "Storm Front" – 5:17
7. "Leningrad" – 4:06
8. "State of Grace" – 4:30
9. "When in Rome" – 4:44
10. "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, 7, 8, 10), clavinet (2, 3, 6), percussion (2), accordion (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):
  • Andrew Love – saxophone
  • Wayne Jackson – trombone, trumpet
• 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

|-| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|1990 ||rowspan=3|"We Didn't Start the Fire" || Song of the Year || |-| Record of the Year || |-| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male || |-| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1991 || Storm Front || Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male^[3] || |-| Storm Front (produced by Billy Joel and Mick Jones) || Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)^[4] ||

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1989–1990)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[5]	1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[6]	10
Belgian Albums (BEA)^[7]	9
Canadian Albums (RPM)^[8]	4
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)^[9]	14
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[10]	33
German Albums (Media Control)^[11]	5
Icelandic Albums (Tonlist)^[12]	9
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[13]	8
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ)^[14]	9
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[15]	30
UK Albums (OCC)^[16]	5
US Billboard 200^[17]	1
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)^[18]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1989)	Position
Australian Albums Chart^[19]	41
UK Albums Chart^[20]	73
Chart (1990)	Position
Canadian Albums Chart^[21]	29
Dutch Albums Chart^[22]	67
German Albums Chart^[23]	4
US Billboard Year-end^[24]	10

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: Billy Joel’s "We Didn’t Start The Fire. . August 27, 2021 . December 1, 2023. [''Storm Front'' is a] blaring, synthed-out, personality-free take on late-’80s arena-rock....
2. Web site: Here's list of nominees from all 77 categories. deseretnews.com. January 12, 1990. Deseret News. August 31, 2011. May 31, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160531213312/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/81603/HERES-LIST-OF-NOMINEES-FROM-ALL-77-CATEGORIES.html. dead.
3. Web site: 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.. https://web.archive.org/web/20121108014632/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-11/entertainment/ca-8578_1_phil-collins/2. dead. November 8, 2012. Los Angeles Times. Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis. January 11, 1991. September 1, 2011.
4. Web site: 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.. https://web.archive.org/web/20121108014653/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-11/entertainment/ca-8578_1_phil-collins/5. dead. November 8, 2012. Los Angeles Times. Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis. January 11, 1991. September 1, 2011.
5. Web site: australian-charts.com Billy Joel – Storm Front. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 8, 2011.
6. Web site: Billy Joel – Storm Front – austriancharts.at. August 19, 2011.
7. Web site: Billboard. December 28, 1989.
8. RPM100 Albums. 51. 14. February 17, 1990. RPM. September 27, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314200025/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6698&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. March 14, 2016. dead.
9. Web site: dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel – Storm Front. dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. August 29, 2011.
10. Book: Pennanen, Timo . 2006 . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . 1st . Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava . Helsinki. 978-951-1-21053-5 . 263 . fi .
11. Web site: Album Search: Billy Joel. de. Media Control. August 8, 2011.
12. Web site: Tonlist Top 40 . DV . February 9, 2017.
13. Web site: 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. ja. oricon.co.jp. Oricon Style. August 29, 2011.
14. Web site: charts.nz – Billy Joel – Storm Front. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. August 29, 2011.
15. Web site: Billy Joel – Storm Front – hitparade.ch. August 8, 2011.
16. Web site: The Official Charts Company – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man . Official Charts Company. August 29, 2011.
17. Allmusic – Storm Front > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
18. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
19. Web site: End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1989. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 29, 2011.
20. Web site: UK best albums 1989 . August 29, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120927003211/http://uktop40.republika.pl/najlep%20sprzalbumy%20uk%201989.html . September 27, 2012 .
21. RPM Top 100 Albums of 1990. RPM. October 3, 2011.
22. Web site: Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl. August 29, 2011.
23. Web site: End Of Year Charts – Top 5 Albums 1990. August 29, 2011.
24. News: Billboard rates the top hits for 1990. Associated Press. deseretnews.com. August 29, 2011. May 31, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160531215110/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/140115/BILLBOARD-RATES-THE-TOP-HITS-FOR-1990.html. dead.