"Airport" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Motors | ||||
from the album Approved by the Motors | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 19 May 1978 | |||
Recorded | 1978 [1] | |||
Genre | Power pop, [1] new wave [2] | |||
Length | 4:36 | |||
Label | Virgin [1] | |||
Songwriter(s) | Andy McMaster [1] | |||
Producer(s) | Peter Ker, Nick Garvey, Andy McMaster | |||
The Motors singles chronology | ||||
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"Airport" is a single by English power pop/new wave band the Motors. Released on 19 May 1978 by Virgin Records, [3] the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. [1] [4] [5] On 1 July 1978, the single was awarded a silver certification by the BPI in the UK for sales of over 250,000 units. It also reached number 19 in South Africa on 24 November 1978. [6]
The song was written by singer Andy McMaster in 1976. McMaster then switched from keyboards to bass for the band's first album. After the release of their 1977 debut album 1 , the Motors moved away from their pub rock sound to a new wave style with synthesizers (most prominent on tracks McMaster had previously written) and recognisable melodies. [7]
Reviewing the group's 1981 greatest hits compilation, Lance Philips (in the Rough Guide to Rock) describes "Airport" as "naturally stand[ing] out" and that the "rest doesn't quite match up". Philips also comments on the song's inclusion on the 1978 album Approved by the Motors , saying that despite its appearance the album failed to be a commercial success. [7]
The Motors' entry in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music notes that "Airport" has become a stock piece of music often accompanying footage of aeroplane or airports. [8] The encyclopedia suggests that the song's popularity did nothing to extend the life of the band, whose membership changed by the end of the year. [8]
Chart (1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [9] | 31 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [10] | 24 |
Europe (Europarade Top 40) [11] | 13 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [12] | 15 |
France (IFOP) [13] | 5 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [14] | 36 |
Ireland (IRMA) [15] | 8 |
Israel (IBA) [16] | 3 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] | 28 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [18] | 26 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [19] | 37 |
South Africa (Springbok Radio) [20] | 19 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [21] | 4 |
UK Singles (OCC) [22] | 4 |
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