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''Rio'' is the second studio album by English new wave band
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band we ...
, released on 10May 1982 through
EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
. The band wrote and demoed most of the material before recording the album at
AIR Studios Associated Independent Recording (AIR) is an independent recording company founded in London in 1965 by record producer Sir George Martin and his business partner John Burgess, after their departure from Parlophone. The studio complex was founded ...
in London from January to March 1982.
Colin Thurston Colin Thurston (13 July 1947 – 15 January 2007) was an English recording engineer and record producer. Born in Brentford, Middlesex, Thurston played in bands in London before he "bluffed his way" into audio engineering.Pierre Perrone (24 ...
returned from their 1981 self-titled debut studio album as producer. The band utilised more experimentation compared to the debut, from
vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...
and
marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
to the sound of a
cigarette A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...
being lit and cracking ice cubes.
Andy Hamilton Andrew Neil Hamilton (born 28 May 1954) is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter, radio dramatist, novelist and actor. Early life and education Hamilton was born in Fulham, southwest London. He ...
played a saxophone solo on "
Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
". A new wave album with musical elements ranging from
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
to
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
, ''Rio'' is mostly composed of fast, upbeat numbers, along with a couple slower synthesiser-based
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s. Lead vocalist Simon Le Bon's obtuse lyrics cover topics from chasing one's dreams to pursuing a love interest. Bassist John Taylor conceived the album title, which the band felt represented the optimistic and exotic tone of the album. The cover artwork, painted by
Patrick Nagel Patrick Nagel (November 25, 1945 – February 4, 1984) was an American artist and illustrator. He created popular illustrations on board, paper, and canvas, most of which emphasize the female form in a distinctive style, descended from Art Dec ...
and designed by
Malcolm Garrett Malcolm Leslie Garrett (born 1956) is a British graphic designer, and Creative Director of Images&Co, a communications design consultancy based in London, UK. He is Ambassador for Manchester School of Art and co-founder of the annual Design M ...
to resemble 1950s cigar packaging, is considered one of the greatest of all time. Duran Duran shot
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
s for many of the album's tracks, all of which helped spearhead the 1980s
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
revolution. Accompanied by three worldwide hit
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
, ''Rio'' peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and remained in the chart for 110 weeks. Initially unsuccessful in the United States, the album was
remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
ed, as commissioned by
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
, to better match American radio at the time; the remixed album spent 129 weeks on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' chart and peaked at number six. The band toured the US and Europe throughout the latter half of 1982. Despite its commercial success, ''Rio'' initially received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who commended the melodies but were mostly distasteful towards the lyrics. Retrospective reviewers consider ''Rio'' Duran Duran's best work and praise its timelessness, instrumentation and band performances. With the album, Duran Duran were forerunners in the
Second British Invasion The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the U.S. during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV. The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U. ...
of the 1980s, helping ensure the success of other English artists throughout the decade. It has since made appearances on best-of lists and has been reissued several times.


Background and development

Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band we ...
released their self-titled debut studio album in June 1981. Aided by the album's highly successful third single "
Girls on Film "Girls on Film" is the third single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 13 July 1981. The single became Duran Duran's Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5 in July 1981. The band personally selected t ...
", the album peaked at number three in the UK and remained in the charts for over two years. With the album, Duran Duran had established themselves as one of the biggest new
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
groups of 1981. Around July, their management instructed them to start writing songs for their second studio album. Like their debut studio album, the band spent time writing at the
Rum Runner Rum-running or bootlegging is the illegal business of smuggling alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law. Smuggling usually takes place to circumvent taxation or prohibition laws within a particular jurisdiction. The t ...
in
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
—their resident nightclub—as according to Rhodes, "We didn't have very big budgets, we were on time constraints, and we felt that that was the best way to develop our songwriting." Nevertheless, the band's label,
EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
, doubled their budget for the second studio album. Feeling pressure in England, the band briefly withdrew to a secluded
château A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions. No ...
in France to continue writing. Keyboardist
Nick Rhodes Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
later stated: On 28August 1981, Duran Duran recorded demos of several songs that would appear on their next studio album, including "Last Chance on the Stairway", " My Own Way", "New Religion" and "Like an Angel", at the basement studio of EMI's Manchester Square building. According to bassist John Taylor, the demo of "Last Chance on the Stairway" was identical to the final studio album version, while "My Own Way" and "New Religion" both had different arrangements. This version of "My Own Way" was
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
-inspired and featured bursts of electric guitar, a different bassline and pattering percussion. Dissatisfied with this version, the band rerecorded the song during the official sessions. An early version of "The Chauffeur" was also taped with German sound engineer Renate Blauel. Both "
Hungry Like the Wolf "Hungry Like the Wolf" is a song by English new wave band Duran Duran. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Colin Thurston for the group's second studio album ''Rio'' (1982). The song was released on 4 May 1982 as the band's fi ...
" and " Save a Prayer" were the result of collaborations between Rhodes and guitarist Andy Taylor; Rhodes began on synthesiser, which Andy used to fashion into guitar riffs. The latter later commented, "When we wrote 'Hungry', I knew we had the album right." The band taped demos of "Save a Prayer" and "Lonely in Your Nightmare" at
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considerin ...
Bob Lamb's home studio in Birmingham. Having taped demos with Lamb before recording their debut studio album, Duran Duran cherished their work with Lamb, with Roger describing him as "like a father figure in those early days". The band would use the material recorded with Lamb for reference during the proper sessions, particularly for the sequenced-based tracks "Save a Prayer" and "The Chauffeur". Duran Duran continued promotional appearances and live performances throughout September and October 1981, including their first American tour. With EMI wanting a new single, the band returned to England and taped a new version of "My Own Way", boasting a
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
and American R&B-influenced production, with "Like an Angel" as the
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
. Released on 16November 1981 in England only, the single peaked at number 14 and spent 11 weeks on the chart. However, Rhodes disliked the single-only release: "It was the only time we actually sat down and said, 'Ok, we've got to write a hit single now'." The band underwent the Careless Memories tour in December, which featured 17 sold-out dates, including three shows at the Birmingham Odeon with
Talk Talk Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles " Talk Talk" (1982), " It's My Life", and " ...
, before taking a holiday break.


Recording

The recording sessions for ''Rio'' commenced in January 1982 at London's
AIR Studios Associated Independent Recording (AIR) is an independent recording company founded in London in 1965 by record producer Sir George Martin and his business partner John Burgess, after their departure from Parlophone. The studio complex was founded ...
and lasted six to eight weeks. The members rented apartments in close vicinity to AIR during the duration of the sessions.
Colin Thurston Colin Thurston (13 July 1947 – 15 January 2007) was an English recording engineer and record producer. Born in Brentford, Middlesex, Thurston played in bands in London before he "bluffed his way" into audio engineering.Pierre Perrone (24 ...
returned from their debut studio album as producer and engineer. The band were excited to record at AIR, having previously demoed "Girls on Film" there in July 1980. Founded by former
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...
producer
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
, the studio boasted high-tech equipment that Rhodes, in particular, was thrilled to experiment with. Spending large amounts of time learning production techniques with Thurston, the keyboardist was purportedly the first to arrive and last to leave. According to John, all of the songs, except for "The Chauffeur", were fully arranged before recording began; "
Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
" had been played during multiple sound checks. Recording followed the same template as the debut studio album, with the bass, drums and synthesiser parts recorded first, followed by guitar, keyboard
overdubs Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more av ...
and vocals. The band recalled recording going by relatively easily. Drummer Roger Taylor recorded his parts quickly and returned to Birmingham with his girlfriend, while John and Andy spent time at the Embassy Club on
Old Bond Street Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north. Since the 18th century the street has housed many prestigious and upmarket fashion retailers. The southern section is Old Bond Street and th ...
during the sessions. While at AIR,
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
and
Linda McCartney Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney ( Eastman; September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) was an American photographer, musician, animal rights activist, vegetarian cookbook author and advocate, and entrepreneur. She was the keyboardist in th ...
, who were recording the former's album ''
Tug of War Tug of war (also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war, rope pulling, or tugging war) is a sport that pits two teams against each other in a test of strength: teams pull on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal being to bring the rope a certa ...
'' (1982) in the adjacent studio, would stop by on occasion to say good night, a gesture Rhodes described as "very surreal"; John also listened back to a mix of the finished album with Paul. Having defined the majority of the arrangements before recording began, the band spent time sharpening their individual performances and also experimented with different sounds. John played
fretless bass A fretless bass is a bass guitar whose neck does not have any frets. While the instrument is played in all styles of music, it is most common in pop, rock, and jazz. It first saw widespread use during the 1970s, although some players used them befo ...
on "Lonely in Your Nightmare", while lead vocalist Simon Le Bon added
vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...
to "New Religion" and a
marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
interlude to "Last Chance on the Stairway". In addition, the latter features the sound of a cigarette being lit and clinking glasses, both of which were done by Rhodes, while "Hungry Like the Wolf" opens with a giggle from Rhodes's then-girlfriend Cheryl. With Thurston, Roger melded accents from his Simmons' electronic drum kit to multiple tracks, hooking up the electronic tom-toms to his acoustic set. He explained in 2021: "I'd play an acoustic drum kit and just lay the Simmons over the top. ..And I'm glad that we did that....it was great to have something modern coming through as part of the kit, but it didn't completely dominate the sound." Saxophonist
Andy Hamilton Andrew Neil Hamilton (born 28 May 1954) is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter, radio dramatist, novelist and actor. Early life and education Hamilton was born in Fulham, southwest London. He ...
plays the solo on "Rio". Hamilton had previously contributed to the "night version" of ''Duran Duran'' "
Planet Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surface ...
" and played with Duran Duran on their 1981 European tour dates. He mostly improvised his part: "Luckily with 'Rio', there were only really two chords for most of the solo; it was only at the end where it changed. It wasn't that I had to negotiate overloads of chords. With 'Rio', I just played the first thing that came into my head and hoped that it worked." Rhodes oversaw Hamilton's part, which he later described as "more of an integral melody within the song rather than a solo", leading it to be played the same way during concert performances. The track's opening was created when Rhodes dropped metal rods onto the strings of the studio's grand piano and flipped the tape over, reversing the sound. "The Chauffeur" was created on the spot in the studio. During downtime, Rhodes retreated to an auxiliary studio room with Blauel, their tape operator, and crafted a track using keyboards and synthesisers. He also used the sound of an ice cube cracking and a conversation about nature for extra effects. Le Bon accompanied him and brought lyrics inspired by a 1979 visit to a
kibbutz A kibbutz ( he, קִבּוּץ / , lit. "gathering, clustering"; plural: kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1909, was Degania. Today, farming h ...
in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, further adding a melody on an
ocarina The ocarina is a wind musical instrument; it is a type of vessel flute. Variations exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body. It is traditionally made from cl ...
. The final track features no contributions from the three Taylors. The band also recorded an acoustic version without Rhodes, which appeared as a B-side to "Rio". The keyboardist later quipped, "I guess that was my punishment for have created an entirely electronic track."


Mixing

The band were contracted to finish mixing the album by the end of March 1982 and were due to fly to
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
to film
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
s before their tour of Australia commenced on 15April. However, with the record still unfinished, Le Bon, John and Roger flew to Sri Lanka while Rhodes and Andy stayed in London with Thurston to make some last-minute tweaks; according to biographer Steve Malins, the trio worked for 48 hours straight. Once completed, Rhodes and Andy flew to Sri Lanka, the former listening to and analysing ''Rio'' the entire ride.


Music and lyrics

Musically, ''Rio'' is a new wave album that contains elements of dance,
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...
, rock,
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
,
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
and
gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie ...
. According to author Stephen Davis, EMI wanted the band to change direction from their debut studio album, desiring more of a rock-edged dance groove, telling Thurston: "Think
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...
and
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
having a baby and calling it Duran Duran." The band's influences at the time included
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...
,
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, pre-''
Dare Dare may refer to: Places * Dare, East Timor, a city * Darè, Italy, a commune * Dare County, North Carolina, United States * Dare, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community Name * Dare (name), a list of people and fictional c ...
'' Human League and 1970s UK guitar rock.
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
's Donald A. Guarisco, in particular, retrospectively compared the title track's instrumental to the Roxy Music releases '' Flesh and Blood'' (1980) and ''
Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...
'' (1982), even associating Hamilton's saxophone solo to
Andy Mackay Andrew Mackay (born 23 July 1946) is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founding member (playing oboe and saxophone) of the art rock group Roxy Music. In addition, he has taught music and provided scores for television, while his ...
's contributions to Roxy Music. Rhodes later described the album's sound as "elegant punk". Of the album's nine tracks, its first seven ("Rio" to "Last Chance on the Stairway") are faster and more upbeat numbers, while the last two ("Save a Prayer" and "The Chauffeur") are slower and atmospheric synthesiser-based
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s. Discussing the band members' playing on ''Rio'' in ''
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
'', author
Annie Zaleski Annie Zaleski is an American music journalist and author. Career Zaleski is a regular writer for mainstream media outlets such as The A.V. Club and NPR Music, and a columnist at ''Salon''. She is based in Cleveland, Ohio where she has won fir ...
described the rhythm section of John and Roger as "formidable" and "locked into grooves with nimble precision", with Rhodes' synthesisers adding "artsy textures" and Andy's "blazing guitar acrobatics" bringing "ferocity and heft" to the tracks; Malins highlights "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "New Religion" as showcasing Andy's guitar. The album's production is sparser than that of the debut studio album, although Rhodes felt its bouts of studio experimentation made the album definitively theirs: "It sounds like us – I don't think it sounds like anybody else." Le Bon turned to his experiences on their first American tour for inspiration in writing the album's lyrics. In a nod to artists such as
Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after atte ...
and
the Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
'
Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredictable and err ...
, the lyrics of ''Rio'' touch on topics from chasing one's dreams and finding one's place in the world, to pursuing a love interest and providing solace to a friend—mainly using dark and poetic words. While the title track paints a picture of a girl named Rio with a "cherry ice cream smile" that is "too lovely to resist"; "Save a Prayer" concerns a couple's love affair that ends too soon and "The Chauffeur" conveys images of restive driving and attractive women. Malins writes that Le Bon's lyrics are sometimes full of the "most obtuse tongue-twisters", with "New Religion" being presented as "a dialogue between the ego and the alter ego", but he does find the line "No time to worry cause we're on the roam again" in "Hold Back the Rain" perfectly encapsulates the album's "high spirits". However, Guarisco argued that Le Bon's "stream-of-consciousness" lyrics on tracks like "Rio" and "The Chauffeur" primarily add to the tracks' personalities rather than mean anything "in the literal sense".


Title and packaging

John Taylor came up with the album's title in 1981 during the band's non-stop worldwide tour in support of their debut studio album. Taylor, who had never left England before, was taken by the glamour and excitement of the road which included stops in Los Angeles, New York City, Paris and Berlin. While visiting
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, he particularly became fascinated with the idea of exotica, stating in his memoir: "
Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
, to me, was shorthand for the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop." The other band members liked the title, feeling it encapsulated the "more optimistic" tone of the entire album. Le Bon later said: "The word looks great, sounds great and makes people think of parties, rivers – it's Spanish for river! – foreign places and sunshine." Duran Duran themselves do not appear on the front cover of ''Rio'', which was a stylistic departure from their debut studio album and most albums at the time; the band felt that photographs and the music videos would suffice. Instead, the cover artwork for ''Rio'' is a portrait of a woman with striking make-up, a large smile and black hair. It was painted by artist
Patrick Nagel Patrick Nagel (November 25, 1945 – February 4, 1984) was an American artist and illustrator. He created popular illustrations on board, paper, and canvas, most of which emphasize the female form in a distinctive style, descended from Art Dec ...
, who was commissioned by the band after Paul Berrow discovered his work while browsing a ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' magazine; Nagel was a regular contributor to the magazine at the time. Creating what would become known as the artist's trademark style, Nagel presented two options: a woman with a flower in her hair sitting sideways and the chosen shot of a woman smiling. Rhodes later recalled, "We all said instantly: 'Yes, that's it. That's the cover." Author Elena G. Millie described her as the "quintessential" 1980s woman: "elegant and sophisticated, alluring but cool, stark but sensual, mysterious, contradictory and utterly contemporary".
Malcolm Garrett Malcolm Leslie Garrett (born 1956) is a British graphic designer, and Creative Director of Images&Co, a communications design consultancy based in London, UK. He is Ambassador for Manchester School of Art and co-founder of the annual Design M ...
, who had designed the cover artworks for the band's singles and debut studio album, had "no more than a week" to complete the final sleeve design. Garrett, who had yet to hear the title track at that point, stated: "In the same way that 'Planet Earth' made me think of airlines, ''Rio'' made me think of cigars and cigar packaging. The whole idea of something Latin and something Cuban and South American." Disliking album sleeves at the time having a plain image on the front and nothing on the back, Garrett wrapped the painting around the front and back of the sleeve, later clarifying it was a conceptual choice: "You've got to go through the picture to get to the album." Like cigar packaging, initial pressings had a physical sticker sealing the LP shut, a design choice that was pasted directly onto the sleeve for later reissues. For the title's typeface, Garrett used a retro style that was also evocative of 1950s cigar packaging. He received credit on the sleeve itself with "Assorted Images" integrated into the design. Duran Duran loved the finished design, with Rhodes later stating that "it just seemed to represent everything we wanted at that point." Duran Duran would become closely associated with the sleeve's image over the course of their career. The original drawing hung at Paul Berrow's office at the Rum Runner before the band stole it on their way to appear on ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'', after which the members each took turns hanging it in their respective houses or apartments. Garrett subsequently used the sleeve to establish a distinctive system of visual elements that provided "conceptual continuity" across ''Rio'' advertising, tour materials, merchandise and singles, which he also supervised. He later stated in 2000: "What we were doing with music then was always about creating and defining a visual world in which the fans operated and could come to understand." Nagel's second rejected image later debuted on the Japanese single release of "My Own Way", released months ahead of ''Rio'', in a mix-up between the band and the Japanese label. Rhodes later said: "No one had told the Japanese label that we hadn't actually bought that one." A lyric sheet and a band portrait appears in the LP liner. Deliberately incongruous to the album title, the band chose to be photographed on the top of the British Petroleum Building, the tallest building in London at the time, against a modern nighttime skyline. The band used the same wardrobe from the photo shoot—
Antony Price Antony Price is an English fashion designer best known for evening wear and suits, and for being as much an "image-maker" as a designer. He has collaborated with a number of high-profile musicians, including David Bowie, Robert Palmer, Iva D ...
suits—for the subsequent music videos. Photographer Andy Earl recalled: "Because their music was so electronic, I wanted to try and create that energy in the picture. Just before the end of the exposure, I kicked the tripod, and that's what gives it this fizzy, electronic and glamorous look. Which, to me, captured the music and what they were all about."


Promotion


Music videos

Music videos were shot for six of ''Rio'' nine tracks.
Russell Mulcahy Russell Mulcahy ( ; born 23 June 1953) is an Australian film director. Mulcahy's work is recognisable by the use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights, neo-noir lighting, windblown drapery, and fans. He directed music videos ...
, who had directed "Planet Earth", worked with the band on videos for "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Save a Prayer" and "Lonely in Your Nightmare" in Sri Lanka, a video for "Rio" in
Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
a few weeks later and one for "The Chauffer" in London without the band's involvement; another video had been made for the single version of "My Own Way". Former film student Marcello Anciano acted as storyboard artist and art director for all the videos. The Sri Lanka videos emphasised the exotic location; "Hungry Like the Wolf" saw Le Bon cast as an
Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
-type character, while "Save a Prayer" utilised
elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...
s and found the band atop a mountain inspecting stone temples. While there, Rhodes and John Taylor felt homesick, while Andy contracted a
fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...
from the water, requiring his hospitalisation on his return to England. Andy was "very run-down" for the subsequent Australian and Japanese tours throughout the second half of April 1982 and had an oxygen mask at the side of the stage for the shows. He fully recovered for the "Rio" shoot, which found the band sailing aboard
yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
s. Duran Duran earned a massive advance from EMI to film the videos, particularly the Sri Lanka ones, said to range between £30,000 and £55,000. The label had strong faith in the band and wanted videos prepared in advance before ''Rio'' release. Both the band and EMI had ambitious plans for promotion and devised the release of a full-length
video album A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
consisting of the best songs from both ''Duran Duran'' (1981) and ''Rio''. Le Bon had declared the medium's importance in an interview with ''
Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...
'' earlier in the year, stating, "I take video very seriously. I see it as an artform. Most people see it as a promotional device. ..Videos are the 'talking pictures' of today's music industry." Rhodes and Roger Taylor also spoke about it to the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
in late-summer 1982. Nevertheless, other band members were more reserved, particularly John. Although video albums originated as early as 1979, EMI's parent corporation,
Thorn Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Comic ...
, intended for the proposed Duran Duran album to sell exquisitely in the VHS and home video markets. At the time, Britain saw the significance of music videos and, with programmes such as ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'' in their native Britain, audiences were accustomed to watching bands perform on television. In America however, music videos still played a lesser role in promotion, as American labels felt they were insignificant compared to
radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30  hertz (Hz) and 300  gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...
.
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, which launched in August 1981, would soon provide a shift in this perspective, primarily due to the videos of British bands they would play on the channel. One of MTV's original VJs, Alan Hunter, later stated that while American artists, such as
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
, took more literal approaches when producing videos, "the music of the young New Wave romantics uch as Duran Duranlent itself better to a more ephemeral interpretation, or a little looser interpretation." Commenting on the more stylised videos of England at the time, MTV director of promotion and artist relations John Sykes said:


Release

As the band were shooting the "Rio" video, EMI issued "Hungry Like the Wolf" as the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from the album on 4May 1982. Duran Duran mimed to the song on ''Top of the Pops'' nine days later. Entering the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number 35, it reached the top ten by the end of May, and peaked at number five in late June. Its accompanying video received frequent rotation on MTV by early July. Shortly after the lead single, EMI issued ''Rio'' on 10May 1982. It debuted at number four and peaked at number two by 22May, behind the
Madness Madness or The Madness may refer to: Emotion and mental health * Anger, an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat * Insanity, a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns * ...
greatest hits compilation album ''
Complete Madness ''Complete Madness'' is the first greatest hits album by ska/pop group Madness. It was released in 1982 and included Madness' biggest hits from their first three studio albums and the stand-alone singles. ''Complete Madness'' spent 99 weeks on th ...
'' (1982). ''Rio'' remained in the UK chart for 110 weeks, including 96 consecutive weeks until March 1984. Additionally, a tour EP generated publicity in Australia, with "Hungry Like the Wolf" and ''Rio'' both reaching the top ten. In interviews, Duran Duran disassociated themselves with
New Romantic The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
ism, with John Taylor insisting the band wanted to set themselves apart from "any broader movement", drawing comparisons to
Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet () were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European D ...
and
Ultravox Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
. Initial European tour dates were delayed to September 1982 due to Andy falling ill. Instead, the band toured the US throughout July, attracting their largest audiences to date, later opening for Blondie for several dates throughout August. "Save a Prayer" was released in England as the second single on 9August 1982, backed by a remix of "Hold Back the Rain", which peaked at number two in the UK a couple of weeks later. Before commencing the European tour, EMI issued ''An interview with Simon Le Bon'' as a 7" picture single, composed of interviews the singer made with ''Smash Hits'' and ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
''. During the tour, John injured his hand while in Munich, forcing the cancellation of several dates. He fully recovered before a month-long UK tour that commenced on 30October. Two days later, "Rio" was released as a single in England and America, backed by "The Chauffeur" in the former and "Hold Back the Rain" in the latter, reaching number nine in the former by mid-November; It failed to chart in the US as a single until 1985 as part of the
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...
''
Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...
''.


Critical reception

''Rio'' received mixed-to-negative reviews on release. Critics commended the melodies but were mostly distasteful towards the lyrics.
Robin Denselow Robin Denselow is a British writer, journalist, and broadcaster. Education Denselow was educated at Leighton Park School, a boys' Quaker boarding independent school (now co-educational) in Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough ...
, in particular, mused in ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'': "Why do bands with no lyrical skill insist on printing their ghastly efforts on inside record sleeves?" He meanwhile deemed the music "melodic, disposable pop to a best-selling formula". A writer for ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...
'' bluntly described ''Rio'' as "thoroughly competent and yet bereft of the soul, passion and wit that makes a great record."
Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Allenschteddel'', ''Allenschtadt'', or ''Ellsdaun'') is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The city has a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 census. It is the fastest-growing major city in Pennsylvania ...
newspaper ''
The Morning Call ''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its ...
'' was also negative, finding the album "a pain in the butt to sit through". '' NME''
Paul Du Noyer Paul Du Noyer (born Paul Anthony Du Noyer; 21 May 1954) is an English rock journalist and author. He was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, and educated at the London School of Economics. He has written and edited for the music magazines '' NME'', ' ...
found a lack of artistic differentiation from their debut studio album, stating, "What they've done is spin out the formula, quite efficiently." Deeming ''Rio'' "a sweet, lumpy pudding of a noise", he concluded: "In its own blandly unambitious way, I guess, it's a perfect record. In other ways, it's boring as hell." Meanwhile,
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' deemed the LP "Anglodisco at its most solemnly expedient," feeling that "it lacks even the forced cheerfulness" of
Haircut 100 Haircut One Hundred (also Haircut 100) were a British new wave group formed in 1980 in Beckenham, London by Nick Heyward, Les Nemes and Graham Jones. In 1981 and 1982, the band scored four UK top 10 hit singles: " Favourite Shirts (Boy Meet ...
, and that "if it had as many hooks as ''
A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s. The ...
'' (not bloody likely) it still wouldn't be silly enough to be any fun." By late 1983, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' had dismissed Duran Duran as soulless, musically derivative and typical of the "frivolous dance-oriented synthesizer pop made by ritishfashion-conscious groups" that MTV had helped to popularise. Other reviewers were warmer to the record. Writing for ''Smash Hits'',
Fred Dellar Frederick Dellar (29 May 1931 – 15 May 2021) was an English music writer and journalist, regarded in the popular music scene as "the king of trivia". Life and career Fred Dellar was born in Willesden, London, and lived above a fish and ch ...
gave praise to the first three tracks, commenting that they "had me jotting down theories about the new golden age of pop", but by the LP's end, it turned into "yet another well-dressed but not totally satisfying album". In ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pen ...
'', Jack Lloyd wrote that ''Rio'' "indicates a strong feel for the pop market" and gave positive mentions to the instrumentation and accessible music. A writer for ''Billboard'' agreed, describing the album as "catchy, melodic and accessible", with tunes hewing toward "bright and sassy pop". A particularly positive review came from ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'', wherein Steve Sutherland proclaimed ''Rio'' "the true culmination of the much-misunderstood New Romanticism – energetic, proud, enthusiastic, joyous; something to escape FULLY into." He expressed excitement in seeing where the band would go next. Ira Robbins was also positive in ''
Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...
'', finding the music showcased the young band as an emerging and creative talent: "Even when Duran Duran aims for the b.p.m. crowd, they display enough musical perspicacity to avoid tedium."


American remix

''Rio'' success in the UK, Australia and Japan initially went unmatched in the US. Duran Duran's American label,
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
, issued ''Rio'' through its
Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...
subsidiary. This release debuted at number 164 on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
''
Top LPs & Tape The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists ...
chart for the issue dated 5June 1982, eventually stalling out at number 122 in July before dropping out entirely by August. Executives at Capitol, who primarily targeted straightforward rock artists such as
Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
, attributed geography, size and what they viewed as zero hit singles to Duran Duran's initial struggle to break in the States. One executive even stated: "The only way you could break an album or a band was through radio—no other way." Discussing the band's lack of initial American success, Zaleski states that the radio landscape in 1982 was "competitive, but bland". At the time, ''Billboard'' magazine wrote that advertisers primarily wanted to appeal to the 25- to 54-year-old demographic, resulting in music that was "softer, more conservative or just plain older". Furthermore, radio stations were skeptical of new and different sounds. Radio consultant
Lee Abrams Lee Abrams (born 1952) is an American media executive who has held a number of posts for large and influential companies, and is generally credited with developing the Album Oriented Rock format first heard at WQDR Raleigh and thereafter employ ...
argued that the new wave movement was initially aligned to punk rock, which lacked appeal to Americans, who wanted more uplifting beats and lyrics and polished sounds. Abrams observed that bands such as
the Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Polic ...
and U2, who would go on to have massive US success, both had slow starts there: "The fact that those bands, among others, were perceived by American radio as new wave, thus punk, hurt their initial impact." Nevertheless, various English bands began enjoying chart success in America that year; in July,
Soft Cell Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of " Tainted Love" and their pl ...
reached the top ten with "
Tainted Love "Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. It attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synthpop duo Soft Cell in 1 ...
", while the Human League were at their second week at number one with " Don't You Want Me" (both 1981). Zaleski says that Duran Duran stood out in terms of fashion and overall look. With dwindling fortunes, Capitol ordered the band remix the album to better align with American radio, under the promise of more promotion. With staff producer
David Kershenbaum David Kershenbaum is an American record producer and entrepreneur, born in Springfield, Missouri. He has worked with many artists including Duran Duran, Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Laura Branigan, Bryan Adams, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, Elkie Broo ...
, the band remixed four songs: ''Rio'' "Hold Back the Rain", "My Own Way", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and ''Duran Duran'' "Girls on Film". According to Davis, Kershenbaum's goal was to "make Duran Duran sound like
Van Halen Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. Credited with "restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene", Van Halen was known for its energetic live shows and for the virtuosity of its lead gu ...
on an American pickup truck radio." Andy Taylor states in his memoir that the new mix "gave the album a smoother, cleaner sound that went down better with US audiences", who were used to "slightly more precise sound" than what was developed in the UK. John was unhappy with the remix, believing it represented the death of the band's original vision: "That was the end of Duran Duran, our original idea—an underground club band." Additionally, due to a lack of notice and a financial falling out with Paul Berrow, Thurston parted ways with the band, making ''Rio'' his final work with the group. Capitol collected the remixes and released them as an EP in late September 1982 called ''
Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...
''. Packaged with several photos of the band and liner notes, ''Carnival'' earned Duran Duran radio play throughout the US, reaching at number 98 on ''Billboard''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
chart in early October. Following the success of the Kershenbaum remixes, Capitol changed their marketing strategy, selling Duran Duran no longer as a New Romantic band but instead as a dance band. Additionally, Capitol commissioned Kershenbaum to remix the entire first side of the ''Rio'' album, while the band toured the UK. In November, Capitol issued the remixed ''Rio'' and "Hungry Like the Wolf" single in the US, the latter peaking at number three by Christmas. With all three music videos garnering heavy airplay on MTV and nationwide chart success, marketing executives pushed radio DJs to refer to Duran Duran as "the Fab Five". The remixed ''Rio'' charted at number six on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape chart in March 1983 and went on to spend 129 weeks on the chart.


Influence and legacy

The success of ''Rio'' electrified the already-rising
Second British Invasion The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the U.S. during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV. The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U. ...
. Alongside their contemporaries the Human League,
A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s. The ...
,
Culture Club Culture Club are an English pop band formed in London in 1981. The band comprises Boy George (lead vocals), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Mikey Craig (bass guitar) and formerly included Jon Moss (drums and percussion). Emerging in the New ...
and
Thomas Dolby Thomas Morgan Robertson (born 14 October 1958), known by the stage name Thomas Dolby, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher. Dolby came to prominence in the 1980s, releasing hit singles including " She Blinded M ...
, Duran Duran reigned the American pop charts throughout 1983 and led to the rise of other would-be successful British acts, including
Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the new ...
,
Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British Pop music, pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart (musician and producer), Dave Stewart. They were both previously in The Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio alb ...
,
Naked Eyes Naked Eyes are an English new wave band"All Eyes on Pete Byrne", ''Newsday'', 15 October 2013 that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. The band had four US top 40 singles. The group's first hit, "Always Something There to Remind Me", was ...
and the Rhodes-discovered
Kajagoogoo Kajagoogoo were a British new wave band, best known for their 1983 hit single "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, and the Top 10 in numerous other countries. History Beginnings (1978–1982) Formed in Leighton Buzzar ...
. With Culture Club and Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran created a teen "hysteria" similar to
Beatlemania Beatlemania was the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s. The group's popularity grew in the United Kingdom throughout 1963, propelled by the singles " Please Please Me", " From Me to You" and " She Loves You" ...
during the first
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" o ...
. Additional UK acts, including
Wham! Wham! (briefly known in the US as Wham! U.K.) were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981. The duo consisted of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They became one of the most commercially successful pop acts of the 1980s, selling mor ...
,
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Frankie Goes to Hollywood were an English synth-pop band formed in Liverpool in 1980. The group's best-known line-up comprised Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford (singer), Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Peter Gill (FGTH drummer), Peter ...
,
Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo ...
and Dead or Alive, would find American success in the ensuing years, alongside other bands who originated in small clubs like Duran Duran—
the Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. The band's ...
,
Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting). Depech ...
,
the Psychedelic Furs The Psychedelic Furs are a post-punk band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from the British post-punk scen ...
and Echo & the Bunnymen. Bowie, Duran Duran's idol, also found massive commercial success in 1983 with '' Let's Dance''. According to Zaleski, ''Rio'' "sonic approach—blasing electric guitars blended with moody synthesisers—became the dominant template for mainstream 1980s rock"; bands such as
INXS INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss ...
used Duran Duran and ''Rio'' as a basis for their edgier and funkier sound. Discussing the album's impact, Yahoo! Music's
Lyndsey Parker Lyndsey Parker is an American entertainment journalist and author. The managing editor of ''Yahoo! Music'', she focuses on music and pop culture. She is the author of ''Reality Rocks,'' a column that covers television shows such as ''The Voice'' ...
pondered: "Was there ever any album that embodied all things grand and glamorous about the escapist, excessive, exotic, erotic, aspirational '80s more than Duran Duran's ''Rio''?" Beyond the 1980s, artists who have replicated ''Rio'' include
the Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
,
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, R ...
and the AFI/
No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, ...
supergroup
Dreamcar Dreamcar (stylized as DREAMCAR) is an American new wave supergroup from Los Angeles, California. Background and musical style When news first broke of Davey Havok working with No Doubt members, many believed he would be replacing Gwen Stefani ...
. Three decades after its release, John Taylor still held the album in high regard, stating in his 2012 memoir: "The writing on ''Rio'' is fantastic, all out. Essential Duran Duran." He also had high praise for the band's musicianship: "Every one of us is performing ... at the absolute peak of our talents. There is no showboating. Every part is thoughtful, considered, part of a greater whole." Rhodes later admitted in 2022 that ''Rio'' was tough to top: "It's something that's been a double-edged sword for us, because it was such a powerful record, and perhaps the images from the videos stuck in people's minds. Then it came to the end of the 1980s, and people wanted to close the door on us." Nevertheless, John felt ''Rio'' helped the band establish longevity beyond the 1980s, leading to a career spanning 15 albums and more than 100 million record sales. Speaking to
Yahoo! Music Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds o ...
, John stated: "It's been such an amazing journey, and I think ''Rio'' is probably the reason why we're still getting to do what we do today, basically. This is the album that put us on the map — and has kept us there."


Retrospective appraisal

Retrospective reviews have been far more positive, with several critics declaring ''Rio'' Duran Duran's finest work. Beyond the 2000s, commentators agreed the album has aged well, with AllMusic's Ned Raggett declaring that "its fusion of style and substance ensures that even two decades after its release it remains as listenable and danceable as ever." Zaleski argued that the band's use of basic instrumentation—guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals—ensured ''Rio'' sounded more timeless than other albums of the time. She summarised: "''Rio'' was a testament to the band's chemistry and ambition, and how quickly they evolved as musicians." In ''
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...
'', John Freeman concluded that over 30 years after its release, ''Rio'' "encompasses all anyone needs to know about Duran Duran". In 2015, ''
Record Collector ''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine. It was founded in 1980 and distributes worldwide. History The early years The first standalone issue of ''Record Collector'' was published in March 1980, though its history stretches ba ...
'' Mark Elliot deemed it a "seminal 80s classic" and a record that displays a band figuring out their sound, growing in confidence and "setting to conquer the world". Other reviewers have given praise to the band. Writing for '' Q'' magazine, Paul Moody viewed ''Rio'' as reinitiating Duran Duran's status as "a national pop treasure". ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' Tom Ewing, who found the band simply copied their influences on their debut and their follow-up studio album '' Seven and the Ragged Tiger'' (1983) a disappointment, stated that ''Rio'' "is where the band's hunger for success really catalyzed its mix of rock, disco, and heartthrob pop". ''
Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...
'' magazine's Wyndham Wallace found the album "confirms
he band He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
packed a significant punch", while Robbins wrote in ''Trouser Press'': The band members' performances and instrumentation have been highlighted, with Raggett stating that "the quintet integrates
heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offic ...
sound near-perfectly throughout". ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...
'' John Bergstrom observed that "not even nearly 30 years of cultural change have been able to budge the careful juxtaposition between Andy Taylor's power riffing and Simon Le Bon's willfully artful lyrics and vocals, or the brilliant interplay between the awesome, seriously funky rhythm section of John Taylor and Roger Taylor, and Nick Rhodes' atmospheric, arpeggiated synthesizer framework. Together, it all created all kinds of energy and just the right amount of camp." Despite its praise, several commentators have taken issue with Le Bon's lyrics, arguing they lack literal meaning and range from "absurd" and "sublime", but agree that the singer's confident vocal performances offer bouts of connotation. ''Rio'' cover artwork has been deemed iconic and one of the greatest of all time by VH1 and ''Billboard''. In 2006, Ernest Simpson of ''Treblezine'' wrote: "Rarely does an album cover truly fit the style and attitude within, with maybe only
the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...
's ''
London Calling ''London Calling'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a double album in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records. Th ...
''
979 Year 979 ( CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary ...
as the most obvious example. But ''Rio''s Patrick Nagel-painted cover not only encapsulated the slick new wave of the stylish band, but also the early '80s in general." Reflecting on the artwork in his 2021 book ''Please Please Tell Me Now'', Davis states that the decline of the "classic album art" era began following the release of ''Rio''.


Rankings

''Rio'' has made appearances on several best-of lists. In 2000, '' Q'' magazine placed ''Rio'' at number 98 in their list of the 100 Greatest British Albums ever, while '' The Word'' ranked it number 24 is a similar list of the 50 best British albums in 2008. Meanwhile, ''Pitchfork'' named it the 95th best album of the 1980s in 2002. A year later, '' NME'' ranked ''Rio'' the 65th greatest album of all time. A decade later in 2013,
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
placed it at number three in a list compiling their "Top 100 Favourite Albums of All Time". In lists compiling the best new wave albums, ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' and '' Paste'' placed it at numbers 4 and 24, respectively. Despite its acclaim, Malins finds that ''Rio'' is often not as highly revered as other records of the time, such as ABC's ''
The Lexicon of Love ''The Lexicon of Love'' is the debut studio album by English pop band ABC. It was released on 21 June 1982 by Neutron Records in the United Kingdom, by Mercury Records in the United States and Japan, and by Vertigo Records in Canada and Eur ...
'', the Human League's ''Dare'' and Simple Minds' '' New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)''. The album was included in the 2018 edition of Robert Dimery's book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...
''.


Reissues

''Rio'' was first released on CD in early 1984 and was one of the first CDs issued by EMI in the UK and the US. The album's first major reissue by EMI was released on 3July 2001. This release contained
Enhanced CD Enhanced CD is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players. Formats that fall under the "enhanced CD" ...
material featuring the music videos for "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer", plus memorabilia and a link to the band's official website. The European limited-edition booklet cover used an alternate version of the Nagel cover painting. The original CD version was used rather than the original LP version, with EMI claiming that it was due to master tape research issues as a result of there being several different versions of the album. ''Rio'' was again reissued as a two-disc Collectors Edition on 7September 2009 in the UK, and 6October 2009 in the US. This edition includes the original LP release tracks and the US Kershenbaum remixes, along with several other tracks that were either previously unavailable officially on CD, or were only available on '' Singles Box Set 1981–1985'' (2003). This reissue received mixed reviews. Commentators felt the bonus tracks were mostly disposable and not worth the price tag, although some welcome the presence of several "night versions" and the US mixes. Ewing concluded: "The 2xCD package is probably best used as a way of recreating whichever version of ''Rio'' floats your nostalgia yacht." The release was packaged with the ''Live at Hammersmith '82'' DVD, which ''Record Collector'' Joel McIver felt was superior to ''Rio''. On 23June 2015,
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
repackaged this edition as a two-disc set, featuring the US album mixes, demos, assorted B-sides and five remixes.


Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Simon Le Bon, Andy Taylor, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and
Nick Rhodes Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
.


Notes

* The US LP reissue uses the US Album Remixes of "Rio", "Lonely in Your Nightmare", "Hungry Like the Wolf", and "Hold Back the Rain", along with the ''
Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...
'' remix of "My Own Way". Later pressings of this reissue use the Night Version of "Hungry Like the Wolf", mixed by Colin Thurston. * The original CD and 2001 Enhanced CD reissue use an edited version of the video mix of "Lonely in Your Nightmare", an alternate mix of "Hold Back the Rain", and the UK single edit of "Save a Prayer".


Personnel

Album credits adapted from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
: Duran Duran * Simon Le Bon – lead vocals,
vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...
on "New Religion",
ocarina The ocarina is a wind musical instrument; it is a type of vessel flute. Variations exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body. It is traditionally made from cl ...
on "The Chauffeur",
marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
on "Last Chance on the Stairway" *
Nick Rhodes Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
 – keyboards, synthesizers, sound effects, backing vocals on "Last Chance on the Stairway" * John Taylor – bass guitar, backing vocals * Andy Taylor – guitars, backing vocals * Roger Taylor – drums, percussion Additional musicians *
Andy Hamilton Andrew Neil Hamilton (born 28 May 1954) is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter, radio dramatist, novelist and actor. Early life and education Hamilton was born in Fulham, southwest London. He ...
 –
tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...
on "Rio" Production and artwork *
Colin Thurston Colin Thurston (13 July 1947 – 15 January 2007) was an English recording engineer and record producer. Born in Brentford, Middlesex, Thurston played in bands in London before he "bluffed his way" into audio engineering.Pierre Perrone (24 ...
 – production and engineering * Renate – technician *
Malcolm Garrett Malcolm Leslie Garrett (born 1956) is a British graphic designer, and Creative Director of Images&Co, a communications design consultancy based in London, UK. He is Ambassador for Manchester School of Art and co-founder of the annual Design M ...
 – sleeve design *
Patrick Nagel Patrick Nagel (November 25, 1945 – February 4, 1984) was an American artist and illustrator. He created popular illustrations on board, paper, and canvas, most of which emphasize the female form in a distinctive style, descended from Art Dec ...
 – illustration * Andy Earl – photography *
David Kershenbaum David Kershenbaum is an American record producer and entrepreneur, born in Springfield, Missouri. He has worked with many artists including Duran Duran, Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Laura Branigan, Bryan Adams, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, Elkie Broo ...
 – remixing (tracks 1–5 on US LP reissue) * Nick Webb – mastering (UK LP) * Wally Traugott – mastering (original US LP) *
Stephen Marcussen Stephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California, United States. He has been mastering music since 1979. Biography Marcussen's introduction to music recording happened in 1976 when, at ...
 – mastering (US LP reissue) * Tony Cousins – remastering (2001 Enhanced CD reissue) * Steve Rooke – remastering (2009 2-CD Collectors Edition)


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rio (Album) 1982 albums Albums produced by Colin Thurston Albums recorded at AIR Studios Capitol Records albums Duran Duran albums EMI Records albums New wave albums by English artists