America Albums Ranked
America is an American rock band that was formed in London in 1970 by Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio met as sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live. Achieving significant popularity in the 1970s, the trio was famous for its close vocal harmonies and light acoustic folk-rock sound. The band released a string of hit albums and singles, many of which found airplay on pop/soft rock stations.
The band came together shortly after the members’ graduation from high school, and a record deal with Warner Bros. Records followed. Its debut 1971 album, America, included the transatlantic hits “A Horse with No Name” and “I Need You”; Homecoming (1972) included the single “Ventura Highway”; and Hat Trick (1973), a modest success on the charts that fared poorly in sales, included one minor charting song “Muskrat Love”. 1974’s Holiday featured the hits “Tin Man” and “Lonely People”; and 1975’s Hearts generated the number one single “Sister Golden Hair” alongside “Daisy Jane”. History: America’s Greatest Hits, a compilation of hit singles, was released the same year and was certified multiplatinum in the United States and Australia. Peek left the group in 1977 and their commercial fortunes declined, despite a brief return to the top 10 in 1982 with the single “You Can Do Magic”. The band’s final Top 40 hit was “The Border”, which reached no.33 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. Here are all of America’s albums ranked.
Don’t miss the TIMELESS of America! Click and enjoy all the classic hits of this influential group!
10. Alibi (1980)
“”Alibi” was like a fresh wind. It’s a crackling album that still sounds great more than 20 years after its original release – in my opinion one of the best AMERICA releases ever, especially since later albums introduced more electronic sounds that just don’t harmonize with AMERICA’s usual laid-back acoustic style. On “Alibi” there are some rocking Dewey Bunnell tracks, some mellow Gerry Beckley ballads – and some great backup work by the likes of Timothy B. Schmit and John D. Souther. The album has a very strong and straightforward West Coast sound to it, and each of the eleven tracks absolutely delivers.”
9. View From The Ground (1982)
“This 1982 album, despite it’s panoramic front cover, is a contemporary soft rock album. It’s not loaded with synthesisers like “Your Move”, and especially “Perspective”, but this music doesn’t really suit them, and their persona is lost here also. They have always written about relationships, but they used to write lovely songs about visiting the countryside, sight seeing and quiet contemplation, or ‘Alligator, lizards in the air’. However, by the time “View from the Ground” came, they are incapable of any interesting commentary outside of who they are breaking or making up with.”
8. Silent Letter (1979)
“SILENT LETTER finds Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley gamely continuing their offbeat lyrics and folk-tinged pop, occasionally branching into a harder edge as in ONLY GAME IN TOWN and AT NIGHT. Their lyrics have always had strange concepts. Though admittedly infectious and catchy, how can one decipher the meaning behind HORSE WITH NO NAME, MUSKRAT LOVE (although they didn’t pen this one), SISTER GOLDEN HAIR and TIN MAN’s “Tropic of Sir Galahad?” But this only makes them more memorable. Bunnell and Beckley have maintained their distinctive vocals; the harmonies are impeccable and their oft-time producer, George Martin (of early Beatles Fame) supports the duo with sharp arrangements. SILENT LETTER may not stand as tall as the H days, but it’s enjoyable as a companion piece.”
7. Here & Now (2007)
“A great start with a very catchy tune, Chasing The Rainbow, followed by a very cheerful Indian Summer. One Chance is a little bland, Golden a pleasant listen. Always Love not sure, hasn’t grown on me yet. Ride on love the sha la la la’s make this a catchy song. Love and leaving is magic, Look At Me Now is a taste of Gerry’s sensitive lyrics delivered effectively with a very catchy guitar tune making me want to play again and again. This Time is one of the best of Dewey’s vocals. Garden of Peace on The Hourglass Album is as good if not better with guest musicians playing harmony vocals.”
6. Hideaway (1976)
“America was one of my favorite groups during their heyday in the 70’s. To me that heyday lasted through their sixth album, “Greatest Hits” and started slipping on this album. Perhaps their desire to expand their sound was greater than their ability to do so. The hit “Today’s the Day” and “Watership Down”, a sound track for an animated film I never saw, were up to the quality of their previous albums, but from there the quality slips a bit. “Amber Cascades” was the second single, and is not a bad song in the “Tin Man”/”Ventura Highway” vein, “Lovely Night” offers a touch of reggae, and “She’s a Liar”,”Don’t Let it Bring You Down” and “Jet Boy Blue” rock harder than most previous America tunes, with “Jet Boy Blue” being the best of those 3.”
5. Hat Trick (1973)
“This is kind of a mix of the sound of the last album and a more top 40, 70s soft pop rock style. It has some nice stuff, namely “Wind Wave”, “She’s Gonna Let You Down”, “Submarine Ladies”, “It’s Life”, “Hat Trick” and “Willow Tree Lullaby”. Despite people calling it a weaker album than the first two, I might even like it better than Homecoming. It sees them moving more into melodic pop and away from the CSNY comparisons of their past. “
4. Hearts (1975)
“
“Even when it becomes obvious that America wasn’t The Fab Four, certainly the work that Sir George Martin made as a producer of this “Hearts” album is outstanding. The quality of the sound, as well as the careful instrumentation you hear in songs as “Seasons”, “Tomorrow” and “Company”, make this album an instantaneous “Must Have”.
In addition, you have very nice standard ‘Radio’ hits, like “Daisy Jane”, “Sister Golden Hair” and “Woman Tonight”. I recommend this album to any serious 70s Pop Music collector, as well as to those far younger than myself, who are just discovering the musical treasures of that ‘Marvelous Decade’!”
3. Holiday (1974)
“Recorded (impeccably of course) at AIR London studios, then located on the 4th floor of 214 Oxford Street. An album, really, of pretty little ditties, masterfully produced and orchestrated by the great George Martin, following on from the not-so-great Hat Trick. Old Man Took is one of their loveliest songs (from this era), though the whole album is beautiful, excepting only the last track which I never much liked. Short, but wonderful and not at all diminished by the passage of time.”
2. Homecoming (1972)
“While winning the grammy award for best Artist of 1972 after their debut release album titled “America”, “Homecoming’ was released with the same initial musical style while their sounds were much more polished and mature, reaching the Top Ten hits in the US and peaking to # 21 in The UK. The band was never able to reach this level afterward, although their third album “Hat Trick” is an absolute Jewel.”
1. America (1971)
“There is nothing like America , nor will there ever be , with their haunting catchy tunes and their cutting lyrics I mean ‘ I understand you’re running from a man that goes by the name of the Sandman ‘it doesn’t get better than this I put this record on and just relax and drift away. What excellent guitar work and harmonies”
