Wheels Are Turnin'
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Album Summary
REO Speedwagon laid down 'Wheels Are Turnin'' and delivered it to the world in November 1984 through Epic Records — and baby, this was a band that knew exactly where they were going. Produced by Kevin Cronin and Alan Gratzer alongside the full band, this record was the sound of a group in full command of their craft, polishing that arena rock and melodic soft rock formula they had been perfecting since the early part of the decade. Recorded at the peak of their commercial momentum, REO Speedwagon brought together hard-driving rock energy and silky, radio-ready ballads in a way that made program directors everywhere reach for the repeat button. This was not an accident — this was a band with a vision, and 'Wheels Are Turnin'' was the proof in the grooves.
Reception
- The album climbed all the way to number 7 on the Billboard 200, a testament to REO Speedwagon's iron grip on the hearts of the album-buying public in the mid-1980s arena rock landscape.
- 'Can't Fight This Feeling' ascended to the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1985, becoming one of the most beloved power ballads of its era and one of the defining singles of the band's entire career.
- The album earned platinum certification, fueled by the relentless airplay of its lead single and the deep loyalty of a rock and pop audience that simply could not get enough of what REO Speedwagon was serving up.
Significance
- 'Can't Fight This Feeling' stands as one of the crown jewels of the power ballad format, the kind of song that reminded the world in 1984 and 1985 that melody and emotion were still the most powerful forces in popular music.
- 'Wheels Are Turnin'' captures arena rock at its commercial zenith — a cultural moment before glam metal's flash and alternative rock's edge began pulling mainstream tastes in new directions as the decade wore on.
- The record is a master class in crossover appeal, with REO Speedwagon threading the needle between rock credibility and pop accessibility in a way that defined the most commercially successful acts of the entire mid-1980s era.
Tracklist
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A1 I Dowanna Know —
4:12
-
A2 One Lonely Night 151
3:20
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A3 Thru The Window 124
5:01
-
A4 Rock 'N Roll Star —
3:40
-
A5 Live Every Moment 156
4:56
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B1 Can't Fight This Feeling 78
4:54
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B2 Gotta Feel More 137
4:26
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B3 Break His Spell 130
2:57
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B4 Wheels Are Turnin' 135
5:47
Artist Details
REO Speedwagon burst onto the scene out of Champaign, Illinois back in 1967, a hard-driving rock and roll machine that spent years grinding through the Midwest club circuit before the whole world finally caught up to what they were laying down. They carved their sound right out of the heart of American heartland rock — equal parts muscle and melody — and when the 1980s rolled around, albums like *Hi Infidelity* turned them into bona fide superstars, proving that years of dues-paying on the road could absolutely pay off in gold and platinum. REO Speedwagon stands as a testament to the blue-collar spirit of rock and roll, bridging the raw energy of the seventies with the polished, emotionally charged anthems that would define an entire generation's soundtrack.
