The Great Radio Controversy

The Great Radio Controversy is the second studio album by American hard rock band Tesla, released in 1989. The album's sound has been described as "glam metal to play inside the cab of a tractor-blusey denim and downright wholesome".[2]

The Great Radio Controversy
Studio album by
Tesla
ReleasedFebruary 1, 1989[1]
Recorded1988
StudioBearsville, Woodstock, New York
Genre
Length59:18
LabelGeffen
Producer
Tesla chronology
Mechanical Resonance
(1986)		 The Great Radio Controversy
(1989)		 Five Man Acoustical Jam
(1990)
Singles from The Great Radio Controversy
  1. "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)"
    Released: January 1989
  2. "Hang Tough"
    Released: April 1989
  3. "Love Song"
    Released: August 11, 1989[1]
  4. "The Way It Is"
    Released: March 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[8]
Kerrang![9]
Rolling Stone[10]
Sounds[11]

The hit singles "Love Song", "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)", "Hang Tough" and "The Way It Is" received considerable airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball, and rocketed the band to stardom.

The album is titled after the controversy about the identity of the inventor of radio. It is posited that Serbian engineer Nikola Tesla (whom the band is named after) is the true inventor of radio, while the Italian Guglielmo Marconi took the credit and is widely regarded as having the title. The album's inner sleeve recounts this story.

The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on July 23, 1998.[1]

Critical reception

Kirk Blows, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week gave positive response to the album. He thinks that the album musical material will "satisfy even the most fastidious rock fan". He writes, "There's plenty of light and shade here too, all conveyed with an overwhelming air of confidence from a band set to expand on their promising base".[12]

Spin wrote, "This is hard rock's call to the Party, and it will compel anyone with a butt to wiggle and huff and leap around playing air to all eight solos."[6]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hang Tough"Jeff Keith, Tommy Skeoch, Frank Hannon, Brian Wheat4:21
2."Lady Luck"Keith, Skeoch, Hannon, Wheat3:39
3."Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)"Keith, Skeoch4:41
4."Be a Man"Keith, Hannon, Skeoch4:20
5."Lazy Days, Crazy Nights"Keith, Skeoch4:26
6."Did It for the Money"Keith, Skeoch, Hannon4:25
7."Yesterdaze Gone"Keith, Hannon3:43
8."Makin' Magic"Keith, Skeoch, Hannon, Wheat5:03
9."The Way It Is"Keith, Skeoch, Hannon, Troy Luccketta5:14
10."Flight to Nowhere"Keith, Skeoch, Hannon, Wheat4:43
11."Love Song"Keith, Hannon5:20
12."Paradise"Keith, Hannon, Wheat4:59
13."Party's Over"Keith, Hannon, Skeoch4:24

Personnel
Tesla
  • Jeff Keith – vocals
  • Tommy Skeoch – guitars, backing vocals
  • Frank Hannon – guitars, piano, synthesizer, organ
  • Brian Wheat – bass, backing vocals
  • Troy Luccketta – drums
Production
  • Steve Thompson – producer, mixing at Mediasound, New York City
  • Michael Barbiero – producer, engineer, mixing
  • George Cowan – additional recording and assistant engineer
  • Vic Deyglio – assistant engineer
  • George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City
  • Barry Diament – CD mastering at BDA, New York City

Charts

Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1989 "Heaven's Trail" Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)[19] 13
"Hang Tough" Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)[19] 34
1990 "Love Song" Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)[19] 7
Billboard Hot 100 (US)[20] 10
"The Way It Is" Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)[19] 13
Billboard Hot 100 (US)[20] 55

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades
Publication Country Accolade Rank
Rolling Stone US 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time[3] 11
L.A. Weekly US Chuck Klosterman's Favorite Hair Metal Albums[4] 18
Martin Popoff US The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time[5] 415

See also

References
  1. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  2. Klosterman, Chuck (2007). Fargo Rock City : a Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota. 3M Company. Scribner. pp. 160–161. ISBN 978-1-4165-8952-5. OCLC 869442403.
  3. "50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  4. Westhoff, Ben (December 6, 2011). "Chuck Klosterman's Favorite Hair Metal Albums". LA Weekly. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. Popoff, Martin (2004). The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time. Chicago: ECW Press. p. 415. ISBN 978-1-55490-600-0. OCLC 705538374.
  6. Evelyn McDonnell (May 1989). "Spin offs". Spin. No. 47. p. 89.
  7. Huey, Steve. "The Great Radio Controversy - Tesla | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  8. Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 353. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  9. Guy, Lyn (January 28, 1989). "Radioactive". Kerrang!. No. 223. p. 14. ISSN 0262-6624.
  10. Neely, Kim (May 4, 1989). "Tesla: The Great Radio Controversy: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  11. Elliott, Paul (January 28, 1989). "Albums Reviews: Tesla — The Great Radio Controversy (Geffen)" (PDF). Sounds. Peterborough: United Newspapers. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  12. Blows, Kirk (February 4, 1989). "Review: Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy" (PDF). Music Week. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 22. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021 – via American Radio History.
  13. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9231". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  15. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  16. "Tesla | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  17. "Tesla Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  19. "Tesla Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  20. "Tesla Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  21. "Canadian album certifications – Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy". Music Canada.
  22. "American album certifications – Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy". Recording Industry Association of America.
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