A Look Back Boston’s Don’t Look Back The Incredible Second LP

Sept 16th, 2023 celebrates Boston's 45th anniversary of "Don't Look Back" hitting #1 in America on the charts. The music industry has a saying on the band's second album called, "The Sophomore Jinx." The follow-up to one of the best self-titled debut albums ever. Selling 20 million albums worldwide making it the best debut album in history. Don't Look Back, released, on August 15th, 1978. In just 10 days the 2nd album sold 1 million copies of Boston's Don't Look Back.

To follow up their 1st album success Tom Scholz went back to his basement recording studio. Now back in 1978 very few artists had a basement recording studio to call their own. The record company was also pretty reluctant to let Tom Scholz use his again. The second album was also the start of Tom's legal battle against the record label Epic Records.  To capitalize on fame record executives pushed him to release the record early. Tom said the record wasn't ready

Tom Scholz, guitarist and songwriter, wanted a guitar on the cover. Paula Scher was the design artist for the 1st album. Paula and Epic Record's product manager compromised with an upside-down guitar-shaped spaceship. It was such a success that was repeated and a theme for more records in the future for Boston.

"Don't Look Back", "A Man I'll Never Be" and "Feelin' Satisfied" were all released as singles, reaching No. 4, 31, and 46 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The second album had more of the same chemistry as the debut album. Brad Delp still had those incredible lead vocals, and harmony vocals and added acoustic guitar, piano, and tambourine for this album. Tom Scholz took care of a lot of instruments,  pianos, organs, lead guitar, electric rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, guitar special effects, bass guitar, hand claps, and more. Tom once again repeated what he said on the first debut album, No synthesizers or computers used.  Barry Goudreau, slide guitar, lead guitar. Fran Sheehan on bass guitar. Sib Hashian on drums.

The album was almost called, Arrival, to keep the spaceship logo theme. But the Swedish group called ABBA already had an album with that title. So the idea was scrapped.

The tour played a total of 190 concerts around the world. Made a stop in Detroit, Michigan, no foolin' April 1st, 1979 at Cobo Arena.

Pollstar, a tour industry publication, has released a list of the artists who have sold the most concert tickets since 1980. On that list are some of rock's most iconic acts.

Topping the concert ticket sales list was U2 with over 26 million tickets sold. Pollstar noted of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group's humble early days, "U2’s first show recorded in the archives was a performance for 1,440 patrons at Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on Nov. 29, 1981, during the band’s “October” tour supporting their second studio album. It was the fourth headlining trek in the group’s touring history and ran for about one year, wrapping in August 1982."

A number of major rock acts are scattered throughout the top 2o of the massive 150 artist ranking. Among them are Bon Jovi, the Eagles, Metallica, Paul McCartney and more.

Scroll below and see which acts made the top 20 of Pollstar's Top Touring Artists list along with their total touring grosses.

Tickets sold: 11,865,380

Tickets sold: 12,266,482

Tickets sold: 12,287,930

Tickets sold: 12,532,987

Tickets sold: 12,948,499

Tickets sold: 13,173,925

Tickets sold: 13,297,669

Tickets sold: 13,336,974

Tickets sold: 13,501,959

Tickets sold: 15,276,864

Tickets sold: 15,549,243

Tickets sold: 16,410,448

Tickets sold: 16,973,102

Tickets sold: 17,750,044

Tickets sold: 19,468,173

Tickets sold: 19,756,467

Tickets sold: 20,845,687

Tickets sold: 22,137,799

Tickets sold: 23,279,056

Tickets sold: 26,178,043