Big Star never found commercial success, but they were one of the great power pop bands of the early ‘70s, and a major influence on subsequent generations of musicians.
Former Box Top Alex Chilton sung the majority of Big Star’s songs, sharing songwriting duties with fellow guitarist Chris Bell and bassist Andy Hummel. Drummer Jody Stephens rounded out the band.
Remarkably, Big Star’s sound still sounds fresh today. It’s powerful, it’s pop—and yet the songs, especially on Radio City, seem to shift gears in unexpected ways that aren’t quite pop. They reveal new insights upon repeated listening.
This playlist focuses on their first two brilliant power-pop albums, #1 Record and Radio City, before finishing with a taste of their final album, Third/Sister Lovers—which is the sound of a band falling apart, in both the mental/emotional and collaborative sense.
Cover Art:
- Radio City (front and back covers): Source, Discogs.com
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