The fact that Metal Health has sold 6 million copies and reached #1 on billboard chart is beyond comprehension.

The “It factor” and the “cool kids” factor is huge with music. Also, the idea of the right time is huge with popular music. Finally, accessible “pop” music is huge with the average music fan. If the music is on the radio, back in the day, people bought the album.
I would also put Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” and Jewel’s “Pieces of You” on that list.

Blue Oyster Cult  - Some Enchanted Evening was huge because of timing, 2 big hits on one album, and a great album cover. People love skeletal monsters, everyone went apeshit for live albums in the 1970s, and the album art was directly related to their biggest hit single.

The Cars Heartbeat City had about 5 hits but the MTV videos really propelled it into the stratosphere.

The song "Who Made Who" did the heavy lifting because it was highlighted in the Maximum Overdrive movie.

There is definitely a follow up effect, buying the next album sight unseen because of the previous one.

“Magic” was also a hit from Heartbeat City

Kind of makes sense that Some Enchanted Evening sold so much. It had two of their biggest hits at that time plus some other cool accessible songs.

I agree that Martin overemphasizes album covers, which is what music nerds like us might have considered flipping through the bins. But most record buyers were lured in my the radio and/or MTV.

Wetton: “push a lot of air….”  Do you even listen to these before you get on here?”

I think ACDCs 'Who Made Who' was probably such a big seller at that time because metal and hard rock were just massive at that time - late 80s - rock fans generally couldnt ignore an ACDC album.  Not their best album but the song 'Twos Up' was one of my fav ACDC songs.

We Can't Dance was a huge huge seller in Germany

I was surprised that The Rolling Stones Emotional Rescue wasn't mentioned. The formula of Some Girls redone. Also, the horney stuff from early Chicago, lol!

Martin - Have you completely forgotten about the impact of MTV?  It only took one song with heavy rotation on MTV? Pete called this out with The Cars but the same is true of Motley Crue and Metallica.

Great discussion! Agree with most of the choices and love it when you guys get into the weeds.

MTV videos for Who made Who and You Shook Me all Night Long (the new version). Totally drive it

The BOC album was definitely disappointing as a single disc but has my favorite version of Astronomy.  At least they finally expanded it years ago.

13:10 I'm a Crue Zombie but I love it when Pete rips on them! I still remember the turn of phrase "I have no use for Motley Crue" from a long-ago episode

Hey Martin--  With respect to "Afterburner," Heather Langenkamp was in the video for "Sleeping Bag."  And Paula Abdul did the choreography for "Velcro Fly."  Can you get more 80s than that?

Cars -- Heartbeat City has four hit singles and everybody loves it, including the critics. Not sure the surprise of this being so popular.