Rio

Holy shit the bass on this album is incredible! An album and band my metal-loving ass completely dismissed as a kid. This is some good shit.

Loved this one. Duran Duran is quintessential '80s synth pop, and this has gotta be one of the best albums in that space. Of course, I've heard "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf," but I was surprised to find that almost every track on here is a banger, even the more contemplative songs. I think I loved all but two tracks. How this only peaked at #6 on the US Billboard charts is beyond me. Favorite tracks: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Last Chance on the Stairway. Album art: Iconic. This is the first we've had that isn't a photograph, and doesn't feature the artist. But for me, it's the most easily identifiable. If you took all the text off the cover and just showed me the art, I would know it in a second. But aside from that recognition, it's also a fantastic cover design. The art style is awesome, perfectly '80s. 5/5

So fucking good man, Hungry Like the Wolf and Rio are my obvious favorites but the start of New Religion is fire. No skips and a perfect length, def gonna listen to this album a lot more now. Already Saved: Hungry Like the Wolf Saved After Listening: Rio (idk why i didn't already have this one), New Religion, Save a Prayer

It’s hard to believe I used to love this band, I must have listened to this record a thousand times when it first released. I even had a nice Patrick Nagel print hanging in my bedroom. But now I find Simon Lebon’s voice annoying AF and the arrangements very cheesy, esp that 80’s sax, ugh. They only song that I still like is Save a prayer because it’s the least formulaic sounding. The other new wave pop groups of the era did better work and don’t sound nearly as dated now, eg OMD, The Cure, Tears for Fears, The The etc.

The year is 1982. Man, what a time to be alive! Especially for me, being that I was born that year. Imagine, you’re an adolescent in an era that, although there wasn’t any internet yet, there was cable television. Cable was kind of mind blowing to be honest and it was the Wild Wild West at this time. Kids didn’t have Tik Tok or YouTube, but they had MTV!! I’ll hold the tired jokes about how that’s when they actually played music. MTV helped introduce all kinds of music to people that previously only had three channels to choose from when watching television. How did the infant network manage to set themselves apart from any other old thing on the boob tube? Well because if you want to be on MTV you obviously have to have a music video. Having visuals to go along with music that you could see over and over without having to be at a live concert or being forced to sit in front of Ed Sullivan or Dick Clark was revolutionary for the young folks of the time and a humongous marketing tool! Speaking of revolutionary, Paul Revere warned that the British were coming way back in 1775. Well, that wouldn’t be the only invasion since then. The British Invasion in the 60’s changed the musical climate of the entire world. In the late 70’s and early 80’s there was a second invasion. No warfare was necessary, we welcomed it this time around! Now to get on with it, as an Englishman would say. Duran Duran utilized all of the tools listed above. This group of young guys went viral before there was viral. They understood the popularity of Punk Rock and glammed that shit all the way up! Now, that may have been a deal breaker for the widely homophobic demographic of that time, no worries though, a video for a little song titled Girls on Film came out and, what I would have to guess is an enigma of record breaking prepubescent jack off sessions would be had worldwide because of it. That video will still make some guys and girls blush to this day. Look it up if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Just be sure to find the uncensored version. Keep in mind, this was a great time to be alive because the HIV epidemic wouldn’t hit until a couple of years later. Being able to be free sexually if you so shall chose to had little consequences compared to the near future. Duran Duran became so popular that it became cool for girls to like this band as much as the boys and, let’s be real, Duran Duran probably already had the girls attention anyways. Posters and magazine covers were sure to be plastered everywhere. This new English phenomena was just beginning. Now on to my review of the actual music! Every song on this album is as salacious as the guys themselves. If you’re alive and more than 4 years old, you’ve heard Hungry Like a Wolf and Rio for sure. They’re expertly recorded to excite you, make you want to dance and most importantly give you that sexy feeling. Rio gives you a tropical feeling. Listening to it I can see the girls dancing in the sand. Horny, errr I mean Hungry Like The Wolf is self explanatory. The videos these guys put out were top notch. So much beauty, action and anticipation. The music videos that accompanied these songs were next level and inspired classic shows and movies, at least stylistically, like Miami Vice and Scarface. Tell me I’m wrong. They also have sold more than 100 million albums to date. Other great songs from Rio include New Religion, Hold Back the Rain and Lonely In Your Nightmare. Patrick Nagel created the cover art that is so iconically 80’s you get nostalgic just looking at it. In closing, Duran Duran put out pretty good music. Their success, in my opinion, should be chalked up to their vision. The styles, the fashion, the marketing, the good looks and the smarts of these party animals made every guy want to be them and every girl want to be with them.

Almost want this on my best albums just for the cover. But the music really bores me. Judging only the 9 first songs on the original album, this is a 1 The deluxe version adds so much good stuff, and actually makes the songs good, I can't comprehend why the difference is so big. "My Own Way" - Manchester Square Demo and "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)" - Early Version are really good, but the originals are just straight trash.

used to hate this when i was younger cause "the 80s" but now that Im old and sad as fuck i cant get enough of cocain pop

Maybe you had to be there. For someone like me how doesn't really have much nostalgia for the 80s, it's just too pop and 80s electronic drums and keyboards for me.

Excellent New Wave album

One of my favorites. 5/5

All in all a great album with hits I barely remember from when I was young to fresh ones that just blew me away Favourite songs: Rio, The Chauffeur, Hungry like a wolf, Save a prayer, My own way

Came way way more impressed than I expected. It’s rock, it’s pop, it’s synthy as hell. A lot of rock bands in the 80s did the synth thing in really tasteless ways. This is well done, a great fusion of rock guitar and rhythm section with synth heavy pop. Melodies are creative and sticky, but this would be a 5 if more songs experimented like “The Chauffeur.”

Here we go again...I under why some like this album and even put it at top of their list of they were into 80’s synth pop. I don’t understand why it’s here though in this list? I doesn’t say much for music from the age of modern man when a non eventful album full of lacklustre songs like this is judged one of the best of all time. I found it drab. 1 Star!

Saved Prior: Hungry Like the Wolf Not Saved: 9. Lonely in Your Nightmare Cutting Edge: 8. Save a Prayer 7. New Religion Off Rip: 6. My Own Way 5. Rio 4. Last Chance on the Stairway 3. The Chauffeur (all of the songs mostly had the same vibe except for this one. didn't expect to like this one as much as I did) 2. Hold Back the Rain 1. Hungry Like the Wolf Overall Notes: Didn't think I was going to give this album a 5, but looking back I saved all but one song so how could I not. Hit that 80's alt zone dead on. The hooks are absurdly good and took it from a 4 to a 5. Every single song had a really good melodic element to it.

oh how i love this album.

The soundtrack to junior high for me. Terrible years, I don't think anyone enjoys being 13, especially in retrospect. But even that can't taint my love for Duran Duran; I'm finding that I still know every word of every song. Even the album cover is the 80's crystalized in one image. It is impossible to listen to these songs and not see the videos in my mind's eye. MTV propelled Duran Duran into superstardom and they likewise made MTV central to teenage life. So. Many. Memories.

This album is great! I. LOVE. EVERY. SONG. Do you hear the bass? Amazing! Here are some stories about Duran Duran. 1. I have relatively recently had a dream wherein I was running around an indoor flea market singing the "You make me feel alive, alive, alive!" part of the title track repeatedly at the top of my lungs. 2. When the album came out, there were families that had MTV and families that did not. Mine did not and this created a particular kind of desperation in me for music videos. At a party at the home of one of my dad's work colleagues, the kids all shuffled into the living room, where the host's kids were watching TV, the oldest daughter controlling the remote. She clicked on MTV where the video for Rio was starting but said, "oh, I've seen this" and clicked away and I died a little inside and still remember it a full 40 years later. 3. I have a friend who tells the tale of decorating a Christmas cookie in 1983 with the name Duran Duran and her mother storming out of the kitchen and proclaiming with complete sincerity, "Christmas is ruined!" I think that is very funny.

If I was alive when this was released, it might have been too much, but I really appreciate the cocaine fueled production for what it is now. Loved the whole album

Killer 80s music.

This is probably THE quintessential 80's new wave album, only to be rivaled by "Songs From the Big Chair". The synths are fresh, the bass is bombastic, the guitar riffs are energetic, everything comes together to create perfectly crafted songs. Admittedly I never listen to the lyrics of these songs because the music itself commands so much attention. These songs inspire so much joy, they're effortless to listen to, and there's not much more to say other than that I love every song on this album. Favorite track: I honestly can't choose Least favorite track: none

"Вы хотите к ним с драм-машинкой выйти? Да они меня еле терпят, вас вообще сожрут! ... Делайте, что хотите: играйте хоть Duran Duran, мне всё равно." - Майк Науменко Виктору Цою в фильме Лето (2018, Серебренников). Хм, может и ко всем остальным рецензиям подбирать эпиграфы?🤔 Кстати просмотр фильма "Лето" вообще открыл для меня тогда много разной хорошей музыки, которая там играла или упоминалась. В том числе и Duran Duran. А потом когда я привёз с дачи (и забрал с собой в Люкс) пластинку "Notorious", я взял её, не слушая, на доверии к знакомому имени. Конечно же я её послушал чуть позже: да, прикольный саунд, но на Кино не похоже, вообще. Так что Майк в фильме чутка преувеличил ;) Альбом "Rio" был выпущен за 4 года до вышеупомянутой записи. В них есть похожие черты, например, обилие синтетического звука. Ну и в целом это одного поля ягоды. По рассказам отца, это была музыка их дискотек, и я прекрасно себе представляю как это проходило в актовом зале ленинградской ФМШ. Вообще я может быть и сам под такое потусовался, даже сейчас (ууу, старпёр). Так что Duran Duran - это тоже своего рода маркер эпохи нью-вейва, как Pearl Jam для гранжа. Длина треков кстати тоже намекает на то, что это танцевальная музыка прежде всего: помимо большой продолжительности особое внимание уделяется припевам и хукам, для лучшего рАсКоЛбАсА. А вообще здесь есть какая-то тонкая грань между песней для концерта на стадиона и для дискача в ДК: композиции вроде и туда, и туда подходят. Тёма мне устроил сегодня небольшой спойлер, и такой: "прикинь, Lonely in Your Nightmare - это блин Гранитный камушек в груди!". И вот теперь это может быть сбило меня с толку, но я тоже слышать это сходство! Но надо отдать должное Duran Duran, у них поинтереснее мелодические ходы и аккордовая последовательность. Но между этими песнями точно что-то есть! Говоря также о похожестях, упомяну группу из советского синти-попа - Кофе, и особенно трек Zero. Чем-то напомнило Rio. Возможно, главными упрёком, который можно предъявить этому альбому, будет являться его недостаточная, как говорит Тёма П., "выебонистость". Ну, он довольно обычный, если рассматривать его в контексте всей существующей музыки, и в этом направлении "Notorious" мне нравится чуть больше, там огромную работу выполняют разнообразные духовые инструменты, усложняя треки. Хотя работа над различными ритмическими рисунками здесь проделана хорошая, нельзя сказать, что все песни прям калька друг с друга (как это обычно бывает с попсой). Короче вероятно, это будет первая честная пятёрка (не считаем Pearl Jam). В прошлый раз я поставил 4+ "Ladies And Gentelmen...", потому что там не было трека, от которого пошла бы приятная дрожь по телу; все они были равнозначно хороши или плохи. А вот здесь мне, во-первых, понравилась плотность звучания (=сочетание композиций друг с другом), а во-вторых, два трека (Last Chance on the Stairway и Save a Prayer) вызвали те самые "мурашки".

Loved it, I can see why it was such a hit

In 1977 and 1978, respectively, TALKING HEADS: '77 and Q: ARE WE NOT MEN? A: WE ARE DEVO! were released. They, to me, are the definitive sounds of early New Wave: this quirky or artsy punk music... Particularly DEVO's album. Songs like "Uncontrollable Urge", "Jocko Homo", "Mongoloid" — that kinda stuff, right there. Unlike post-punk, this wasn't music that was entirely adverse to being pop hits (Talking Heads had "Psycho Killer", and Blondie's PARALLEL LINES from '78 had quite a few), but I feel like a lot of it still made an attempt to have higher artistic intentions or follow punk's ethos more than any other pop songs at the time. Early New Wave, to my mind, was the domain of punks, nerds and arty folk. It's four years after ARE WE NOT MEN?. DEVO had been bringing synths more to the forefront of their work. MTV had launched just last year. And Duran Duran has released RIO. What does New Wave sound like now? Like, OK, lemme break from my essaying for a second to make it clear that I'm no musicologist/music historian. I can't tell you the exact evolution of New Wave and where RIO fits in — or if it's even actually that important at all. Besides, New Wave's a pretty arbitrary label, anyway, let's be real. But I'll tell you this: I really thought RIO had come out later on in the '80's than just '82, 'coz looking at this album, I'm thinking it's **the** sound of New Wave everyone recognizes. I mean, obviously, I don't think that early New Wave went away overnight. DEVO, Talking Heads and Blondie were still around and having their successes. Early MTV was filled with punks, geeks and art weirdos, and a number of them, even later in the decade, would get hits on the Hot 100 — as much as that's worth. Although, I think by that point, that's when the 80's truly became the "greatest decade for one hit wonders." Heck, this list might have an album or two from them; I haven't checked lately. Then we have RIO: slickly produced, very synth heavy and way more radio friendly. These are songs with hooks destined, maybe **designed**, to be pop hits. Just listen to "Hungry Like The Wolf" — you've **probably heard** "Hungry Like The Wolf". That song alone says it all. Like, I read on this album's Wikipedia page that it's supposed to be more experimental than Duran Duran's debut, but for the life of me I can't hear it. I suppose there's, like, the bridge of "Hungry Like The Wolf", though I'd hardly even consider that "experimental" if I wasn't actively looking for examples. And I don't keep bringing up MTV for nothing, by the way. Out of the nine songs on this album, six got music videos. This was the first album to really be marketed heavily on MTV, and from what I can tell I think it helped paved the way for how image-focused the channel would become later on in the 80's. I mean, the members of Duran Duran sure didn't **look** like geeks, lemme tell you that much. Now, pop isn't a bad word to me. I don't bring any of this, necessarily, to slam the band. Heck, I like "Hungry Like The Wolf" as much as everyone else does, and the title track "bops," as the kids say (I'm 26). I even really like this "synth-pop" style of New Wave — more than a lot of the earlier, artsier New Wave I've heard, actually, even. This album so specifically scratches any itch I'd have for it, and, honestly, I kind of love it for that. I just find the difference between late-70's New Wave and early-80's New Wave interesting, with how hard it got glammed up in the mainstream not even half a decade after DEVO's debut. Blame the record execs, I guess, I'unno. This album's a big 5 in my book. It's definitive 80's British synth cheese. I'm not terribly surprised it's what really kicked the second British Invasion into gear. Obviously, if you're not a fan of this sort of sound, or you just don't have the stomach for cheese, you should avoid this album at all costs. The synth flutes on the closer will probably do you in if the sax on the opener doesn't. Me, though, I love this kind of sound a lot.

80s to the core. Still, weirdly doesn't sound super dated like some late 80s stuff does. Pretty fun, the songs can be a bit long though. Favorite tracks: "Hold Back the Rain", "Rio", "Save a Prayer"

I independently listened to this album last week, in the pre-1001 days where free will guided our album choices, so I'm locked and loaded. This album is the top of the mountain. The peak new wave achievement: sparkly synthesizers everywhere, giant spritely pop songs, nonstop infectious hooks, that metallic flanger vocal effect, a devastatingly handsome collection of Englishmen (who actualy wrote and performed the whole album). Plus the real hero: BIG BOOTY FRETLESS BASS. And the Chauffeur is a cool spooky song. I imagine this one will be divisive among the Mayo crew, but you gotta respect the top of the genre even if you don't love the genre. I don't fuck with disco, but Donna Summer rules. A

Ahaha, this is an album I know so well. I was an eleven-year-old girl when this came out, so there you go. Listening now, I think this album is as good as it ever was. It's a New Romantic classic, and a still a really fun listen. Rio is probably the strongest, most perfectly crafted album Duran Duran ever made, the album that made them stars. Credit where it's due: John Taylor is a legitimately great bassist, delivering a surprising, funky groove that a lot of English bands did not have. You pull Taylor out of Duran Duran and you have a considerably less interesting band. The best songs on this album are the ones that lean into that groove, like the title song and "New Religion." Taylor's funky bass plays well against Andy Taylor's equally strong, energetic riffs and Roger Taylor’s crisp, punchy drumming style. Nick Rhodes' keyboard arrangements are elegant and exotic sounding, with a vibe straight out of Bowie. Simon Le Bon had a lot of charisma as a front man and his voice works well with these songs, even if he wasn't as strong a vocalist as some of his contemporaries. The album is book ended with two excellent songs in "Rio" and "The Chauffeur." The rest of the songs vary in quality, but the overall flow from beginning to end is really good. The danceable stuff is where the band excels, but the ballads are also still lovely to listen to, with some of the prettiest, most stylish keyboard arrangements out at that time. Fave Songs: Rio, New Religion, The Chauffeur, Save a Prayer, Hungry Like the Wolf

A cup of kickass riffs. 500 grams of irresistible grooves. 10 slices of hooks that are either terrible or doesn't age well. A can of dull, whiny vocals. And finally, a desired amount of layers of deliciously interesting production instrumentals. Mix everything careful until it's thick enough for future molds to sneak in. And behold! A typical new-wave album! An odd yet perfectly sane mixture of delicious and repulsive.

Slick, haughty and perhaps even a touch forbidding - Duran Duran in their pomp sound like a band that simply didn't produce music for the lumpenproletariat. But before you dismiss this as the soundtrack to boardroom cocaine binges, think again; the boys knew how to write a brilliant pop song, even when mucking around with the rule book. All the big songs on here - 'Rio', 'Hungry...' shimmer and shine; perhaps even better are 'Save a Prayer' with its wonky synth riff, and 'The Chauffeur', a startling slice of pop modernism. 'Rio' still sounds a bit like the future.

Бас охуетительный, конечно, просто пу шеч ка, дорога на работу задалась бодренькой. Но добавил только "My Own Way", "The Chauffeur", все таки альбом будет стоять на полочке "круто иногда вспомнить" Интересный факт: "Lonely In Your Nightmare" отослал мое подсознание к "не ходи к нему навстречу, не ходи. у него гранитный камушек в груди". Оставлю вас с таким инсайтом, хорошего дня :)

This smells like it sounds.

A very enjoyable record!! Definitely worthy of the list, but it just didn't have what it took to push beyond 3 stars for me!

The overabundance of synth pop on this list has made it difficult for me to have a real objective opinion on some of these 80’s synth records. There really isn’t a lot of variation in the sound between a lot of the bands and when you’ve heard so much of it, it just kind of becomes a coalesced mash of synthetics, where it’s hard to tell what makes one band stand out from another. Rio is fine, it’s more upbeat than some of the others, but aside from the songs we all already know, most of it doesn’t really stand above any of the other 80’s synth pop records on the list.

its nights like that one that remind that the paths we walk are nothing but miracles. in the grand scheme of things we are all miracles, in a metaphorical sense. to be is divine, godless or not.

The hits are the hits. No doubt, great songs. I saw Duran Duran in 2004 and they were terrific. All that aside, the rest of the album is forgettable, too much same same in the other tracks.

Annoyingly catchy 80's pop. No thanks.

Pop der 80er… schwierig…

Pretty solid. You can see the influence on Radiohead they had.

Last song was a little underwhelming, but the rest of the album is fantastic. Banger after banger.

Fantastic. Classic. So Good.

Äärimmäisen positiivinen yllätys. Duran Duran oli ennestään tuttu pääosin hittiensä kautta, mutta tämä levyhän oli todella tasavahva kokonaisuus. Hitit (Rio, Hungry Like a Wolf, Save a Prayer, My Own Way) ovat klassikoita, joskaan ei puhkikuunneltuja sellaisia. Lisäksi levyltä löytyi aivan uusia kiinnostavia tuttavuuksia josta tykkäsin kovasti (Lonely In Your Nightmare, The Chauffeur). Lähes virheetön levy omassa genressään, joka ansaitsee listauksen tähän mennessä ensimmäinen yllätysvitosen.

I listen to this album a couple times a year. Great album to start with! Upbeat and classic.

Really love this album!

I like it - I was already familiar with a lot of the songs but it's nice as a whole. 4.5 - I like it and would listen to it again, but don't know that it's a favorite of all time. I wrote that halfway through, still listening, pushing it to a 5, I really like it and some of these I wasn't familiar with are really good. It also feels like they go together as an album.

Got some classics and all around a pretty good album

Guay

Es uno de mis álbumes favoritos

Classic

love this album, so captures that those of the polished new wave 80s pop.

Loved it. I have been spoken derisively about synth heavy 80s albums in the past, but I'm growing to enjoy quite a bit of that style of music. Rio is well paced, and features interesting lyrics, amazing bass lines, and intriguing synth/keyboard work. I will definitely be returning to this album.

Ha, expected to hate this but it's a riot

Surprisingly delightful. I had mentally filed Duran Duran as "that ur-80s band" and never sat down to really listen to them. This album is excellent - it's fun, and sentimental, and has some real bops.

I want my MTV. This is truly a pop gem that definitely transcends the synth era. Enjoyable from start to finish.

Truly a sensation album, not just for the music, but for the video generation it created. Certainly their best.

A classic

Elsk. Allt er gott.

Dynamic sounds, absolute bops

Hi ha discos que s'han de valorar per sobre d'imatges, actituds i èpoques. 'Rio' és la cúspide del génere new romantics i un dels millors treballs de pop comercial dels 80. No es cansa un mai d'escoltar-lo i sempre és font de sol, platja i bons moments. Podrien ser nou singles junts en un sol disc, i algun d'ells, com 'Save a Prayer', 'The Chauffeur', 'Lonely in Your Nightmare' o 'Hungry Like a Wolf', destaquen entre els millors temes pop de la década

One of if not the best pop album of the 80’s. It’s slick and stylish without being overdramatic and becoming a parody of itself.

One of the best pop albums from the 1980s - with great album tracks such as The Chauffeur that are just as good as the hit singles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this album. My favourites are My Own Way, Hungry Like The Wolf, New Religion and Last Chance On The Stairway.

Bangers all the way 10/10

Super nice 80s album. Felt at home right away

I love this album man. It's the 80's in a bottle.

не ну прям очень хорошо, приятно и красиво

Classic album with multiple favorites already on my list. The lyrics on the favorites make less sense when you read them. Seems to be more about the catchy / familiar rhythm. Hungry like the wolf is fun on Rock Band (drums). The main tracks will stay in regular rotation.

I usually think that the 80s didn't add much to the music discourse, but albums like this prove me wrong.

Legendary 80s album. Still holds up.

John Taylor - a god amongst men.

definitivamente dançande e muuuito anos 80

Nostalgico, mas alto astral.

I remember buying this when I was 10 and now here I am at 52 and it still sounds astonishing. The production has been ignored on this but chapeau to Colin Thurston, this is sensational production. And I have never even heard of him. He would be worshipped nowadays full of sprinkles and sparkles and whooshes so much going on here. To me the Duran sound is right up there with New Order & The Cure, I remember wishing they would release an instrumental of this LP - nothing wrong with Simon Le Bon’s vocals, they fit perfectly, and I love the New Romantic lyrics, just that it would be fascinating to listen to the band & production. This is way beyond a boy band, John Taylor’s funky surfing bass high up in the mix, Andy Taylor’s brilliant inventive drumming, Nick Rhodes’unique mysterious way ahead of the time synths. It’s cool it’s upbeat it’s fun it takes you up a level, it’s the sound of holidays in blue skies & sunshine when you’re on top of the world or maybe that’s down to the amazing videos. I love the artwork, it invites you in to this exotic dreamworld music. I have got drunk and danced and laughed and sung with friends to this many many times, this is the LP that inevitably is played late on. It still sounds fresh not dated but I’d love to know what I’d make of this if I heard it first time at my age - will never know. But for me still at my age this is a perfect album.

After a respectable first album, Rio is when Duran Duran really got going. Everything fits well together here; lead singer Simon Le Bon doesn't always hit the correct notes, but what he lacks in intonation he makes up with tone that is uniquely suited for this kind of music. John and Roger Taylor (no relation) are a tightly locked, always grooving rhythm section - the title track's bassline is especially iconic, and John Taylor's playing is on a whole new level. Meanwhile Andy Taylor's (still no relation) very tasteful and restrained guitar playing adds some welcome rock overtones. And Nick Rhodes' keyboard parts are not only embellishment, but are totally integrated into these songs. This album more than any other defined the new romantic sound of the early 80s, and set an antithesis to the then-prevalent punk movement. Every single track here is worth a listen, but the standouts are Rio, Save A Prayer, and Hungry Like the Wolf. It's truly iconic for its era. 5/5

Quintessential British new-wave

Weirdly, I kinda like this one. I am hearing a kind of Yes-like vocal and it just feels kind of right. I feel like I will come back to it as much as I have Magazine's Self-Titled. Highlights: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9.

I love this album and I listened to the band playing live many of the songs in here. Big fan.

05/25/2022 Super fun from start-to-finish. An absolute blast to listen to!

Amazing as always

Released just after my 18th birthday - FOURTY YEARS AGO. But it feels like yesterday to me. A solid album, with great melodies and - as always - solid bass lines. Already part of my collection.

my favorite band as a kid, my Roxy Music! lots of bangers on here, live version of The Chauffeur pips it but otherwise pretty awesome for a "boy band"

Very briefly: Duran Duran popped up and I thought to myself: Ah yes, a nice 3* album, just the standard 80s. I was so terribly wrong, I think this is an incredible album. I really had no idea anymore. How did I dismiss this all these years as 'just another 80's band' The bass, the melodies, everything on this album is just right. I'm not skipping a song. Personal Favorites: My Own Way and New Religion 4.5*

The perfect 80s synth-pop-funk album. Not enough credit is given to bassist, John Taylor, whose funky bass lines make this album & much of DD's catalog more than lip gloss pop. Rio sits on my top 20, and is the perfect listen start to finish. The Chauffeur is haunting & sultry, and the video is film noir erotica. I adore this album. 5/5.

Inch perfect pop music.

My mate Alan Eaglecock and I used to piss on eachother whilst miming along to Duran Duran. HIS NAME IS ALAN AND HE PISSES ON MY FACE. Those hot summer nights and delicious golden showers, what an innocent time it was.

Perfect album.

Rio is one of the greatest album openers of the 80’s. The energy, the composition…. THE SAXOPHONE…. Jesus! The songwriting is beyond great, Le Bon sounds amazing and the band plays their hearts out. I almost cried due to the sheer emotions on display in Save a Prayer. It’s worth noting that ⅗ of the band is surnamed Taylor. Without being related. A British band if there ever was one!

Brilliant, classic slice of 80s new wave

One of my absolute favorite albums. The memories this brings back are priceless, but some of these songs that were not overplayed on the radio in the 80s are now also some of my favorites. I especially love “The Chauffeur.” 10/10

such a fun and cohesive production, instant favourite

Absolutely love this and will listen to it so much more now!!

Ya gotta love it

Solid pop rock record. No skips.

Great album! Delicious 80s pop

Badass, cool, energetic, awesome riffs and power chords, rhythmic supporting drums, a sexy obligatory 80s sax part, over-the-top sci-fi synths, and plenty of hits to sing and dance to. This has it all. This album justifies New Wave's existence and prevalence as the pop music of the early 80s, being super accessible and consistent (no obligator ballads or other bullshit), maintaining a momentum to the very two last introspective chill tracks. It's engaging and interesting, with plenty of interesting sounds and painted atmospheres to focus on yet never repeating used tricks (thank god they abused what synths were capable of). They really nail down pop song structures, full of hooks with plenty of exciting changes to look forward to, and always leaving me satisfied, which is incredible considering the songs have an average runtime of 4.5 minutes. The greatest strength of this album is it having 9 tracks... you can tell they really roughed out the edges on each one. None of them were forgettable. Why it got negative reviews when it first released, my only clue is the hatred of the over-saturation of New Wave. But I wouldn't dismiss this one. All fantastic tracks, accessible for anyone, and fun from start to finish every time.

this album astonished me. it definitely exceeded my expectations. i had heard some tracks before, but those that i hadn’t blew me away!

10/10

Amazing album. Still as current as it was then.every song a winner

Si no te da ganas de bailar Durán Durán no entendés nada. Alto disco

Jeez I love it Right up my alley, forgot how many hits they have in one album Madness

Yesterday when reviewing the 80s album from The Go-Betweens I wrote “there are many other albums in this style I’d rather be listening to.” The band I had in mind when I wrote that was Duran Duran. Rio is their masterpiece. I don’t think I’ve listened to this album in its entirety since the 80s. The musical talent on display is incredible. “Rio” is such an absolutely brilliant opening to the album. It leaves no doubt that this is going to be an exciting ride! “Hungry Like the Wolf” is my all-time favorite Duran Duran song. I clearly remember the first time I heard this song. My mom and I were in the car and it played on the radio and I instantly became a huge Duran Duran fan. The song is exhilarating from the incredible opening giggle to the closing moans. It still gives me goosebumps! “Save a Prayer” deserves a place as one of the greatest songs of the 80s. It’s quite unique, haunting and beautiful! On this listen the consistent quality of the rest of the album really struck me: “My Own Way”, “Hold Back The Rain”, “New Religion”, “Last Change on the Staircase” (hooray for a marimba solo!). While we’re at it, I've got no good reason to overlook “Lonely in Your Nightmare” and “The Chauffeur”… every song on this album is worthy of Rio’s perfect, iconic cover art! I love this album!

I never jumped on the Duran Duran fan-wagon. Not that I had any issues with them…I just never caught the wave. As such, I have never listened to a Duran Duran album in its entirety…at least not that I can recall. This was a blast!!! No track disappointed.