Starmaker (song)

Last updated
"Starmaker"
Single by the Kids from "Fame"
from the album The Kids from "Fame"
B-side
  • "I Can Do Anything Better Than You Can" (US)
  • "Step Up to the Mike" (UK)
ReleasedMarch 1982 (1982-03)
Genre Pop
Length3:35
Label RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Barry Fasman
The Kids from "Fame" singles chronology
"Hi-Fidelity"
(1982)		"Starmaker"
(1982)		"Mannequin"
(1982)

"Starmaker" is a song written by Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager [1] for Roberts' self-titled album in 1977. It was later popularized in 1982 as the second single by the Kids from "Fame", the recording group of the Fame TV series based on the 1980 film of the same name. [2]

Whilst "Starmaker" was released in the US in March 1982, it was not released in the UK until September 1982. It entered the UK charts at number 38, [2] then stayed on the charts for 10 weeks peaking at number 3, [3] the highest charting of The Kids from "Fame"'s singles. [4] In 1983 the song reached fifth place in the Dutch chart, with nine weeks in total. [5] [6] In the United States, WIFI AM Philadelphia deemed it a Playlist Top Add-on. [7]

According to The Radio Times , the scene has added poignancy due to the fact that actor Michael Thoma was nearing the end of his battle against cancer. [8]

The cast performed the song at the 21 October 1982 episode of Top of the Pops , [9] and included it as the fifth track in their The Kids from Fame Live! concert and album in 1983. [10]

In 2003, some of the cast members were reunited by the BBC for a special programme, in which the group performed "Starmaker" to a piano arrangement by Lee Curreri who played Bruno Martelli in the series. [2]

The song has also been covered in Paul Anka's 1978 album Listen to Your Heart [11] Judy Collins' 1979 album Hard Times for Lovers , [12] and Lindsay Shawn & Maxdown's 2014 album, Vintage Ballads. [13]

Charts

Chart (1982)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [14] 8
Ireland (IRMA) [15] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [18] 15
UK Singles (OCC) [19] 3

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References

  1. ↑ "Original versions of Starmaker by The Kids from Fame | SecondHandSongs". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Kids From Fame - Starmaker | SimplyEighties.com". Simplyeighties.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  3. ↑ "starmaker | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  4. ↑ "KIDS FROM 'FAME' | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  5. ↑ "Kids from Fame". Nporadio2.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  6. ↑ "51 - 100 / 1983 / 80's Jaarlijsten". Fransrecords.nl.
  7. ↑ "Billboard" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 1982-05-08. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "The Kids from Fame hit 30". Radio Times . Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  9. ↑ "21/10/1982 ‹ Top of the Pops". Subsaga.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  10. ↑ "VIPRPM SEALED - 1124 ALBUMS" (PDF). Theviprpm.com. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  11. ↑ "Cover versions of Starmaker by Paul Anka | SecondHandSongs". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  12. ↑ "Cover versions of Starmaker by Judy Collins | SecondHandSongs". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  13. ↑ "Cover versions of Starmaker by Lindsay Shawn & Maxdown | SecondHandSongs". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  14. ↑ "The Kids from Fame – Starmaker" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Starmaker". Irish Singles Chart.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Kids from Fame" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  17. ↑ "The Kids from Fame – Starmaker" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. ↑ "The Kids from Fame – Starmaker". Top 40 Singles.
  19. ↑ "Kids from Fame: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
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