Loverboy

Release

Originally rejected by all the major record labels in the United States, the band signed with CBS Records Canada. On March 20, 1980, Loverboy went into the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Bob Rock to record their debut.

Over that summer, Loverboy became a huge hit, eventually selling over a million records in Canada. Its success convinced Columbia Records to release it in the United States that November. It went on to sell over two million copies in the US. Their debut single, "Turn Me Loose", went on to hit No. 7 on the Canadian charts and No. 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1981. Follow up single "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" reached number 20 in Canada and number 55 in the United States.

Critical reception

Linda Romaniak of the Beaver County Times compared Loverboy to The Cars and The Babys, calling "Turn Me Loose" and "Teenage Overdose" rocking tunes, while also praising "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" and "Lady of the 80's". AllMusic gave the album a rave retrospective review, making particular note of the hybridization of musical styles on most of the songs, and picking out "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" and "Turn Me Loose" as especially strong tracks. Record World stated that "The Kid is Hot Tonite" had "winning guitar/synthesizer strains and a smashing chorus hook."

Artwork

Fellow Canadian photographer Barbara Astman was commissioned to create the album cover, and was sent a copy along with lyrics. She created the cover by typing the lyrics to "Little Girl" onto a self-portrait Polaroid as it developed. It is based on her Untitled, I was Thinking About You series of photos.

Personnel

Loverboy

Mike Reno – lead vocals

Paul Dean – guitar, backing vocals

Doug Johnson – keyboards

Scott Smith – bass

Matt Frenette – drums

Additional musicians

Wayne Kozak – saxophone

Nancy Nash – backing vocals on "Turn Me Loose" and "Always On My Mind"

Production

Bruce Fairbairn – producer

Bob Rock – engineer

Mike Fraser – assistant engineer