Love Zone

Last updated

Love Zone
Love zone billy ocean album.jpg
Studio album by
Released6 May 1986
Recorded1985–1986
Studio Battery (London)
Genre
Length44:56
Label Jive
Producer
Billy Ocean chronology
Suddenly
(1984)
Love Zone
(1986)
Tear Down These Walls
(1988)
Singles from Love Zone
  1. "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going"
    Released: 15 November 1985
  2. "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"
    Released: 22 January 1986
  3. "Love Zone"
    Released: 5 July 1986
  4. "Love Is Forever"
    Released: October 1986

Love Zone is the sixth studio album by British singer Billy Ocean, released on 6 May 1986 by Jive Records. [1] Three singles were released from the album, including Ocean's second US No. 1 single "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and the US top ten entry "Love Zone". It also features the UK No. 1 and US No. 2 single "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going", which had originally been released as a single from the soundtrack to the 1985 film The Jewel of the Nile .

Contents

A critical and commercial success, it became his highest charting album in both the UK and the US, where it peaked at number two and number six respectively, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over two million copies.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The New York Times Favourable [3]

Love Zone received favourable reviews from critics. People noted that "Ocean just floats along on this smooth" album and that "the moods [he] creates are so richly romantic they shouldn't be inflicted on the brokenhearted". [4]

The album received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. [5] Ocean also won two American Music Awards, including for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wayne Brathwaite, Barry Eastmond and Billy Ocean, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going"
5:45
2."Love Zone"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
5:37
3."Without You"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
5:03
4."There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
4:55
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Bittersweet"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
4:58
6."It's Never Too Late to Try"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
  • Jolyon Skinner
4:54
7."Showdown"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
  • Skinner
4:58
8."Promise Me"
  • Jonathan Butler
  • Skinner
4:36
9."Love Is Forever"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
4:15
Total length:44:56
Bonus tracks on 2011 reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Love Zone" (extended version) 6:21
11."Bittersweet" (extended version) 6:40
12."When the Going Gets Tough" (club mix)
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Lange
  • Ocean
6:46
13."There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" (12" version) 8:12

Production and artwork

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Love Zone
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ) [27] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [1] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [28] 2× Platinum2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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Bibliography