| Blackout | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Scorpions |
| Cover: | Scorpions_Backout.png |
| Caption: | Cover art by Gottfried Helnwein |
| Released: | [1] |
| Studio: | Villa San Pecaïre (Saint Jacques, Grasse, France) with Dierks Recording Mobile Dierks Studios (Stommeln, West Germany) |
| Genre: | Hard rock, heavy metal |
| Length: | 36:44 |
| Label: | Harvest/EMI |
| Producer: | Dieter Dierks |
| Prev Title: | Animal Magnetism |
| Prev Year: | 1980 |
| Next Title: | Love at First Sting |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
Blackout is the eighth studio album by the German rock band Scorpions. It was released in 1982 by Harvest and EMI Records.
In the US, the album was certified gold on 24 June 1982 and platinum on 8 March 1984 by RIAA.[2] Rolling Stone ranked Blackout as 73rd on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time" in 2017.[3]
After losing his voice during the writing of the album,[4] lead singer Klaus Meine had to undergo surgery on his vocal cords and was uncertain as to whether or not he would be able to record. Demos of the material were recorded with singer Don Dokken from Dokken, a then-unknown band from Los Angeles.[5] However, none of those recordings are featured on the album and Dokken is only credited with backing vocals.[6]
In Kerrang! issue 12, guitarist Rudolf Schenker said that he could not choose between his guitar solos on "China White" so the US and European releases differed in this detail.
A self-portrait of artist Gottfried Helnwein[4] is featured on the cover of the album. Schenker portrays this character in the "No One Like You" music video.
All music composed by Rudolf Schenker except where noted
Scorpions
Others
Production
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[7] | 12 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] | 47 |