Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive!” Released 48 Years Ago
Frampton! (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
January 16th, 1976 Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive!” was released. The album takes just five weeks to go Gold and turns Platinum in less than three months. It sold 19 million copies in its first year. “Frampton Comes Alive is One of the top-selling double albums of all time.
Double Albums of the 1970s
My three favorite albums are Kiss Alive!, Bob Seger’s Live Bullet and Frampton Comes Alive. There are others, but I don’t know what it was that made live double albums such a success when I was learning about music in the middle to late 70s. ‘Frampton Comes Alive’ became the multi-platinum sensation of 1976 and produced three major hits in ‘Show Me The Way,’ ‘Baby I Love Your Way,’ and ‘Do You Feel Like We Do.’
Frampton Mania
By 1975 Peter Frampton had four albums under his belt and became a seasoned player with his live performances. Frampton mania was about to explode in June of 1975 with a concert in San Francisco. The concert was so popular it spawned the release of “Frampton Comes Alive,” on June 16th, 1975.
Hits like “Show Me The Way,” became a radio smash and climbed into the Top 10 in the US. On April 10, sensationally, Peter found himself at No.1. Frampton Comes Alive took the top spot from the Eagles’ Greatest Hits. and flip-flopping at the top with Paul McCartney‘s “Wings’ At The Speed Of Sound,” Live album.
Every kid in school had Frampton T-shirts, denim jackets, and full-size wall posters. Pretty good street cred if you got the entire school to be fans. Every school kid seems to have a copy of the album in their record collection.
Frampton Comes A Million
“Frampton Comes Alive” first platinum certification in America for one million shipments. By June 1976, Frampton had another hit single with “Baby, I Love Your Way” in September,“Do You Feel Like We Do.”
Frampton Coves Alive In Detroit
In 1999 Peter Frampton did a special concert in Clarkston, Mi Pine Knob, and taped the live performance for DVD and a brilliant album of old favorites as well as new songs. Still having the magic of capturing a Frampton concert as it happened.
22 Albums That Turn 50 in 2024
When it comes to albums that turn 50 in 2024, there’s truly something for everyone.
If you’re the overachiever type, you’ll likely be impressed with the offerings from Queen and KISS. Both iconic bands released two albums in 1974. For Queen, it was Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack. As for KISS, they released their classic self-titled debut and Hotter Than Hell.
KISS wasn’t the only major band to release their debut album in 1974. Judas Priest released their debut, Rocka Rolla. Meanwhile, Rush and Bad Company released their self-titled debuts in 1974. Another notable debut came via Brian Eno. He released his debut solo album, Here Come the Warm Jets, in 1974 after he left Roxy Music.
Two bands proved in 1974 that the “sophomore slump” was nothing to worry about. Lynyrd Skynyrd released their second studio album, Second Helping, which featured “Sweet Home Alabama.” Aerosmith knocked it out of the park with their second album, Get Your Wings. That album features classic tracks “Same Old Song and Dance,” “S.O.S. (Too Bad)” and “Woman of the World.”
A number of female solo artists released major albums in 1974. Olivia Newton-John released If You Love Me, Let Me Know. The album topped the Billboard 200 album chart and featured the hit single “I Honestly Love You,” which was Newton-John’s first No. 1 hit in the United States. Carly Simon’s Hotcakes featured two major hits: “Haven’t Got Time for the Pain” and “Mockingbird,” her duet with then-husband James Taylor. Cher released Dark Lady, and its title track was a No. 1 hit. Lastly, Suzi Quatro made her mark in the United States with Quatro. The album notably features “Devil Gate Drive,” which Quatro performed on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero.
Keep scrolling to see which other albums turn 50 in 2024.
Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.