Reviews (page 2 of 14)
love it
A scorcher of an album. Favorites: Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Will Anything Happen Would I listen to it again: Yes
A little 60s style pop but add some female fronted punk. The hits are nonstop. What a killer album.
Fire
One of the most BANGER albums of all time. It's literally all bangers. No filler + the singles hit + it's got some incredibly interesting and ear catching songs. I fuckin love Blondie. What a cool band
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I know most quite a few of the songs How do I feel about this artist? Love me some Blondie Favorite song(s)? Heart of Glass, Fade Away and Radiate, Hanging on the Telephone Overall Thoughts: Loved it! Love Blondie even though I am less familiar with the deep tracks. Definitely will be revisiting!
ok shordy ok shordy ok shordy ok shordy ok shordy ok shordy ok shordy ok generator shordy the thing about the new wave™️ is that (to bungle a todd in the shadows paraphrase) although they were dorks they were massive hitmakers (related but unrelated but also related {listen to flock of seagulls' first two albums to get me}) with heavily underrated guitar work and (band dependent) intermittently underrated rhythm section work. that said it's a classic for a reason. properly rated vocals. the 7 track run from 11:59 to i'm gonna love you too🫀. (related but unrelated) the bassist throwing a synth at the producer's kinda baller (actually related) fade away is an elo type beat. thank you mike chapman for "bullying" them into this heat (and functionally sidechaining the synths to the cr78 on heart of glass {that's genius}) but can we turn down the organ solina thing like 2db? 4.5-5
i am always transported to the beach whenever this album is on
All time great
Really great album. A lot of UK chart hits and some good basic pop tracks. I really like this album, but have heard most of the songs so many times that I'm a bit jaded. However it is a solid 5.
Lots of fun. Really liked this
Cool cover, can say the same about the music. 5/5
This is one of those albums where if you don't like it I think we just have fundamentally different music tastes and on some level I will never understand you.
I don't think Blondie needs much introduction as one of the pioneering bands of the American new wave scene. They still get plenty of airplay on the radio these days, including "One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass" off this record. I was just looking for a good time spinning Parallel Lines and ended up really digging this. I think credit should be due first and foremost to producer Mike Chapman. Not only does this album have such a glossy pop sheen, but from what I'm reading, he did a lot of behind-the-scenes work to strengthen the band's songwriting and musical chops. That much is evident from the start with the rendition of the Nerves' "Hanging on the Telephone" into "One Way or Another" and "Picture This", as the guitar riffs popped off brilliantly alongside the tightened rhythm section, squelching keyboards, and Debbie Harry's powerful vocal delivery nestled with the harmonies. The fact that they maintained this quality throughout the whole run, even into swerves like the ominous keyboard-led slowburn of "Fade Away and Radiate", the fast-paced swing of "11:59", and the disco flourish of "Heart of Glass", is genuinely impressive alongside the lyrics of fervent reckless abandon as the pursuit of passion proved futile. Even the cover of Buddy Holly's "I'm Gonna Love You Too" fits right at home here with its own tale of a thinly veiled heartbreak. The guts finally spill on the floor with the closing track "Just Go Away", as the guitar wah on the hook accentuates the emotional ache. Parallel Lines is simply an amazing record, as the band and their producer came together to smash through with their particularly edgy power pop sound.
Probably their best album in (my opinion)
Loved it. No notes
pick the jacket pick the bike and play this album. Perfect album to road trip in the bike.
Uniquely late 70s. Uniquely Blondie. Uniquely Deborah Harry.
Still got this on vinyl love it
Pop music doesn't get much better than this
0 skips
This album is an absolute banger, and I feel no shame in giving it a full 5*. The iconic black and white album cover. And the strongest of starts to an album with 'Hanging On The Telephone' followed by 'One Way Or Another'. And despite how strong this album starts, it never really lets up; I would even argue that the end of the album might be even better! Just an all round brilliant time and I would feel guilty giving it less than full marks. Favourites: One Way or Another I Know But I Don't Will Anything Happen Heart Of Glass I'm Gonna Love You Too
Unparalleled Lines
I was too young for this album when it came out, but it's never too late to enjoy. The iconic cover art is awesome too. They could have skipped the last song.
かなり好き
This RIPSSSS holy shit. There’s a slight dip in the middle with some of the more “poppy” tracks, but nothing that ruins the whole project. Nothing I wouldn’t expect from a late 70s album like this and nothing that the band can’t make sound good. The keys and guitar on this are stellar. Extremely solid, fun, powerful album. I need to find this on vinyl! Favorite track: One Way or Another (that guitar solo is just too good. And for this one it might be easier to pick my LEAST favorite track)
A classic album, so many singles and bangers. Blondie at their most pop. But it works, Debbie Harry is iconic, and her vocals are consistently great. I really liked I Know But I Don't Know and Will Anything Happen.
Pure New York late seventies pip and punk mix. Great listen
I absolutely love blondie TODAY'S BIRD: Blond-crested Woodpecker
love Blondie!!!
Perfect album, no notes.
Really good
Bello dai, molto orecchiabile. Non sapevo nemmeno dell'esistenza di questo gruppo, ma ci sono un paio di canzoni famose che conoscevo. Canzone preferita: I'm gonna love you too
Brilliant album, I really enjoyed it! No notes, will be listening to it more frequently
Can't ignore those bangers
Clássic!
Eu AMEI este álbum ele em si é um Banger ,tipo, não há uma música minimamente má nele. Além disso a capa é simplesmente icónica
Fab
It’s Blondie…definite 5
This is obviously THE Blondie record everyone knows, but that's for good reason. However we'll remember the band a hundred years from now will be based on our appreciation of this album as one of the classics of its era, a masterpiece not b/c the members were creative geniuses but b/c this is a perfect pop record. For some artists, their purposes converge on a single or two while for others, they span decades of creative output. Blondie is a group that made one essential album, which is not to say they have nothing else worth listening to, or that I love every song off Parallel Lines equally. It just means that when you get to the end of it, you'd be wont to say, 'that's as good as it gets.' And Debbie Harry's vocals possess underrated oomph.
I’ve always loved Blondie. They come from cool cbgb punk origins, so even if you call them (via this album, in fact) sell outs, they sold out in such a fun and genuine way, I could listen to this all the time.
Fun to listen again after such a long time
A classic. I love it, very fun!
fantastic album. i always listen to their greatest hits and rarely their albums. i forgot how great this one is. from the hits to "Picture This", "pretty baby", and "Sunday Girl". Not a dud on the it. and also, what's not to love about Debbie?
It's just a bunch of people with guitars, drums and voices - how can it be so incredible? What is it about a great album that generates such a mental and physical response? I had goosebumps by the second track and by the third song, I wondered if I'd put a 'Best of' on by mistake. I was going to say this is about as good as a guitar pop record can get, but there's more to it than that. Listening properly for the first time in years to songs like Picture This, and Sunday Girl - these are perfectly crafted songs. And Heart of Glass!? What is that? It STILL sounds like something from the future, or maybe from another planet. I really, really, like this record - five stars is not enough.
What a cracking album. For me growing up and seeing Blondie on Top of the Pops was always an exciting experience - fabulous guitar pop music as it should be: sharp, sassy, catchy. Even though it's not an original Blondie song (though I didn't know that for decades) Hanging on the Telephone must be one of their best known and it is a gorgeous pop song. The list goes on: One Way or Another, Heart of Glass, Sunday Girl all fabulous. Songs that still stand up today and are aped by many.
Dare I say better than Autoamerican
People say this is the album that Blondie abandoned their punk roots, but I always thought they were a better pop band than punk band anyway. Sure, the first album has its charms, but this one is just perfect. Not a wasted note.
Just in love with this masterpiece 😭🥲
banger
ugh i love blondie
Blondie is honestly unmatched. When the tone of Sunday Girl kicks in that’s just kinda the peak of music ya know. To then lead into heart of glass holy moly. If i don’t get to hear call me at any stage of this project im gonna scream*. * it’s a single 😩
New Blondie fan!! Another classic review of mine where I’ve finally connected songs I’ve heard before to a name. Had never heard Pretty Baby before though and it’s the first song in all of this list’s listening to reach instant repeat on a loop status. I wish I hadn’t just read that it’s about a 13 yo Brooke Shields, but musically it’s addictive!
You don’t /really/ need me to explain this, do you? The Bang a Gong cover was a nice treat 😌
Wow another album with a women, I was beginning to think Kate bush might be the only one on the list.
Classy stuff. The well known tracks are truly excellent and the album as a whole is first rate. Great compositions and vocals. Distinctive and quality sound. Definitely one for the desert island discs list, difficult to pick out a favourite track. So good.
Banger after BANGER
#40/1001 🇺🇸 What an absolute belter of an album. I'm rating albums musically, but this also has an iconic cover too. Where to start? Side one is pretty much perfect, the first 2 tracks are fast and furious, then we've got a Picture This - lyrically brilliant, an unsettling love letter. Fade Away... gives old movie nostalgia and Pretty Baby is perfect pop. I know but i don't know has a heavy hypnotic riff and whilst its not one of their best known tracks i think its a belter. Moving on to side 2 we have paranoia and dread in the brilliant 11.59. Sunday Girl is power pop and Heart of Glass absorbs the disco influence of the time. Just Go Away is another big favourite of mine too. This album really catches the band at a pivotal moment in their career, moving from punkers to mainstream power pop. I love Debbie Harry's vocals on this record - ranging from a gravelly growl to ethereal cool. Best tracks: Picture This, Fade Away And Radiate, Heart of Glass, Just Go Away, Hanging On The Telephone, 11.59. I mean pretty much the whole album.
Amazing! Split between a 4-5. There were some AMAZING nostalgic songs on here.
I’m a big fan of Blondie. They were part of the New Wave movement. Heart of Glass was a huge hit.
Before this I had heard of the name Blondie, but that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge. Then I saw all the names of the songs on this album. All the hits. All bangers all the time, even the ones I had never heard before.
Ripping fun. Instant mood lifter.
Debbie is such a great fronter and the band keeps every song feeling fresh. A great album for almost any mood or occasion
So fun
If this is not a 5, what is? Deathless bangers.
No question that this gets a 5
While Blondie are worshiped now as punk icons, my first memory of hearing them dates from the summer of 78 (best year ever, once again) when my only source of music was top-40 radio. How did they pull that off? (The same way Nirvana did--accessible songs and cute singer.) Totally holds up. Heart of Glass is a miracle, underwear ad notwithstanding, and I love 11:59.
Classic
Absolutely love this album. Bought this as a teenager and listened to it constantly. Just a perfect album.
GOAT TRULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Omg me encantó
Longest yeahh boiiiiiii.mp3 So so great. The opening 3 tracks are just sheer excellence and the rest just builds to Heart of Glass and you're like... damn. Debbie Harry. Unreal woman.
*Great pre-punk/pop album
Yes. Yes. Yes. Every song on this is Blondie at their best. One of my favourite new wave albums for a reason.
Самые лучшие хиты собранные под одной обложкой. Однозначно идет в плейлист любимого
One of the greatest albums of time.
Nice, really good
It took me by surprise just how good this album was , the sound is in your face straight up pop rock , with classics such as one way or another , picture this , the iconic heart of glass which sneaks in a very clever little 7/4 groove into the keyboard / singing break of the song Don’t hear that much often in a pop setting The songs are punchy well crafted with killer choruses and great instrumental breaks you can really hear the drummer clem Burke pounding those skins relentlessly with headphones on , another thing I like is the blend of the organ as well playing some nice higher register chords in the background to thicken the guitars out , To imagine this coming out at the time must be quite a revalation to think how it changed music and inspired bands and even today you’d be hard pressed to find a band that can produce a decent song structure like blondie and a good chorus so For me it deserves a solid 5 stars
Zweiundzwanzigstes Album, das ich schon kannte. Und dann ist es noch eins, das ich mir gelegentlich anhöre. Was soll man sagen: Keine schlechten Songs und vor allem gegen Ende wird es nochmal richtig stark. Durchgängige Atmosphäre, ohne dass die Songs zusammenfließen und es macht einfach Spaß und gute Laune. Sogar das Albumcover ist genial.
After 17 days, I am finally blessed with the voice of a woman. Debbie Harry and Blondie have a number of hits and most of them are featured on this record. A collection of power pop, disco influence, punk, mixed with notes of hard rock this record offers a diverse collection of songs ranging from the doo wop loveliness of Sunday Girl to the tension building and never-ending crescendo of Heart of Glass, the broad spectrum of feelings and musical presence of the band supporting Debbie Harry’s vocals makes for a phenomenal listening experience. There’s a reason why many of these songs are considered classics. To have them all on one album is phenomenal.
If I were to rate this off of the bonus tracks it would get a 3, maybe 4 out of 5. But considering it’s off the remastered edition, I’m going to be lenient. I hate when they add bonus stuff to records. I get the sentiment… but to rate the album that has additional poor live performances will inevitably make me like the record less. Imagine listening to a Nirvana record and hearing the bonus and horrible live performances. If you are a die hard fan, I’m sure those are welcomed. But it does take away from the record as a whole. But back to Blondie. This record was perfect. Every song was enjoyable. There is a song on here called I Know But I Don’t Know and it sounds exactly like a Rush song. Which is either kind of cool… or dumb. But it’s different enough within the song to feel like it isn’t stolen, or an homage if anything. Anyways…. Great record. Great riffs. Great rhythm section. Great vocals and lyrics. The singles are world wide recognized. I miss this type of rock and roll.
What a great album!
Awesome. Didn't know so many of the classics were on one album.
Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, and Picture This are an amazing opening sequence, only to be followed by Heart of Glass and Sunday Girl towards the end. Which isn't to say it lags in between, but three songs in they've already covered more breadth and versatility than most albums, and just warming up. Its anything but parallel lines, it's a twisty turny rollercoaster and Debbie, Clem et al are gleefully squeezing your hands as you ride along.
GREAT listen. I didn't think I would enjoy this, but I really did. Every song was a banger. I will gladly listen to this one again.
I remember listening to One Way and Heart of Glass with my cousins, since my uncle had this album, but I never remember listening to the full thing. I thought I'd rate it a 4 but I have to bump it up to a 5. I forget how powerful Debbie Harry's voice is.
On a re-listen this album is much worse, but I still think it's good because although an unconventional choice I think "Sunday Girl" is a top 100 song of all time.
Incredible album of rock and great for its time. A couple of classics and very raw but tidy. Forgot about the oasis cigarrettes and alcohol innovation. Is a solid 9
One of the best bands to come out of the punk rock / new wave movement of the mid to late seventies. I can only give this four stars but I'd like to give it four and a half. Almost every song is a banger.
loooooooove this album 10/5
Banger after banger after banger
At last. A five star album. Remember it coming out. Bought it on vinyl recently. It almost lost a star for the poor ending to each side. But everything else is perfect. Packed with hits plus 11:59 - probably my favourite song on the album
Very good
I was sceptical about listening to this again as I thought it wouldn’t have the impact of when I first listened to it. I think it benefited from my not having listened to it for a while. I don’t think there is not a bad track on the album. There are the obvious singles but my personal favourite is Fade Away and Radiate, which brings a welcome touch of melancholy to the album. The drummer seemed to be having a great time too.
Absolute bangers
Before listening to this I only knew some of the most popular songs but now I wish I'd listened to more sooner! This album has such great variety and definitely some catchy hits!
had this on one side of a bootleg cassette and Eat to the Beat on the other in elementary school and I still love these songs to this day. 6 stars.
classic: one way or another heart of glass once i had a love love it!
Finally some good fu king music. I can see why the popular songs off this album are the well-known ones, but the others are still worthwhile. Great sound, great energy, iconic performances.
Discovered two new liked songs and rediscovered Hanging on the Telephone. 5 favorited songs and a reminder of how powerful Debbie Harry's voice can be...5/5.
An iconic album that lives up to the status. Starts off hot, and doesn't really let up after that.
God, so many incredible songs on this album. I've been meaning to check out Blondie and 'Parallel Lines' for a long time. I knew the band sonically stood somewhere between pop-rock and punk at the cusp of the new-wave movement of the 80s, and I found that to certainly be the case when I was finished listening to this album. I think the sugary 'Sunday Girl' does a great job of presenting those fascinatingly transient elements the album holds. The production is so rich and clear - it's so sobering, like sitting in a tidy room. I love the guitar work on the interlude of 'One Way Or Another' - it's one of the dirtier songs here with those punk elements at the forefront. The song 'Pretty Baby' has an almost throwbacky 60s Phil Spector production vibe with that guitar riff and those chorus harmonies - I dig it. Ultimately, though, Debbie Harry is the heart and soul of this album, and she's absolutely incredible as a lead vocalist. She captures all things great in the late 70s electro-pop and punk vocal styles. Be it the higher register singing of the catchy 'Heart of Glass' or the sticky refrain of the songs 'Will Anything Happen' and especially 'Hanging on the Telephone', it's clear that she's one hell of a dynamic vocalist, and she has an undeniable knack for ear-candy vocal melodies. Debbie really elevates this record beyond what I ever thought it could do for me. It's really just great, wide-appealing rock music, and I can't overstate how fun and addictive it is to listen to. The album transitions from one great motif to another at the drop of a dime; each and every song sounds fresh. Addictive stuff, and I'll be listening to many songs off this thing for a long time.
Pretty good shit. Apart from the classics, face track probably the opener
Einfach gut, Blondie halt Eigenes Rating: 8,9 Top 3: 🥇: One Way Or Another 🥈: Heart Of Glass 🥉: Hanging On The Telephone - Live HM: 11:59, Picture This, Will Anything Happen, Sunday Girl, Just Go Away, I'm Gonna Love You Too
This one surprised me. Never knew I'd like Blondie this much.
It’s a fun album, very good, have it on Cassete and vinyl
I really like this more than I expected to. I'd lived through the time Blondie came out and I always just thought they were a thin pop rock band. Sometimes I wondered what happened with them because they were supposed to have born out of a punk ethos, Debbie was a known punk singer. But then the songs I heard were so poppy I never actually listened to a whole album by them. My bad. There's a pretty good range of tunes/styles here. Her voice is quite good and she shows off a punk growl, a crooners/torch style, and can rock. Wish I had listened to this 45 years ago! "Fade Away And Radiate" is my favorite thing here. (Could be because I've heard "Heart of Glass" over 100 times.) Such a cool and unexpected song. I think it foretells of triphop as it sounds like Morcheeba or the like. I was going to say 4.5, but give it a 4... but listening right now, I have to give it the nudge. It's a worthwhile album everyone should try and most will enjoy.
Great pop rock
Loved it. Has some very fun songs.
Iconic British badass. What a record!
Catchy power pop and punk rock with many hit songs on it, especially Heart of Glass which is one of my favourite songs from the 70s and since I was a kid I loved that song. This album works very well from start to finish, that's why I round it up from a 4.5 stars to 5.
This is #day498 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… "picture this, a day in December," or here's to the late '70s punk/new wave essentials. I can't say it's my favorite Blondie record (I kind of like it when a band breaks free and delivers, say, Autoamerican). Still, Parallel Lines is a classic, boasting staples like "One Way or Another," "Picture This," "Sunday Girl," and "Heart of Glass." A couple of deep cuts to boot. Last but not least, I absolutely love Debbie Harry. She's one of the most iconic female figures in rock music history. It's crazy to think Blondie is releasing a new album in 2026, exactly 50 years after their debut. Anyway, this is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day499.
Good album to wake up with and get some energy
10 billion!!!
No. 44 Loved this Album. Debbie Harry has such a powerful voice and she wasn’t afraid to be different in a very tumultuous time for rock and roll, and thus helped to influence a revolution.
You know what blew my mind when I first realised it? The fact that 'One Way or Another' and 'Heart of Glass' are both Blondie songs from the same record. I was in absolute disbelief that both the sweet, beautifut voice on 'Heart of Glass' and the wild, raspy howl on 'One Way or Another' were the products of one Deborah Harry. I guess you could say that's where my fascination with Blondie began. 'Parallel Lines' is an absolute classic; an album that doesn't shy away from blending that rough punk sound from the streets of New York with the flourishes of the emerging New Wave movement. It's an incredible achivement given the difficulties during the recording process. Blondie had just brought in a new producer, Mike Chapman, who infamously said they were the worst band he ever worked with in terms of musical ability. He sought to bring out the best in the band through some unorthodox methods, such as encouraging greater songwriting input from other members, encouraging Harry to delve deeper into her singing style to discover more voices and going for multiple takes until perfection was achieved. Whatever he did worked because, like I said, Parallel Lines is probably Blondie's best record! What really impresses me about this album is the versatility of Debbie Harry's voice. I previously said that I was shocked she's the same singer on both 'One Way or Another' and 'Heart of Glass' and I don't mince my words in saying that. I seriously didn't believe it at first. And there's plenty of other songs on this album (Pretty Baby, Sunday Girl, Picture This) that further showcase Harry's chameleonic vocals. Honestly, if I had to pick a favourite female vocalists, its between her and Annie Lennox (Eurythmics) for me. The band also sounds in fine form here. Chris Stein and Frank Infante trade some impressive guitar riffs, Nigel Harrison and Clem Burke produce a solid rhythm section and Jimmy Destri adds numerous colourful keyboard parts that give the songs soul and groove. If Mike Chapman did indeed crack the whip on Blondie during the recordiing of 'Parallel Lines', it obviously worked, because it's not only Blondie's best album, but one of the best albums of the 70s. A true classic from one of New York's finest bands! Best songs: Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Picture This, Pretty Baby, Will Anything Happen, Sunday Girl, Heart of Glass
LOVE IT! Of all of their LPs this is my favorite.
LOVED THIS!
Brilliant album. Like one or two other 'new wave' band Blondie managed to keep pop and rock mainstream. Perhaps also watershed in terms of the turn towards female singers dominating pop. But great songs great hardworking playing by the whole band to produce a wonderful sound. A bit seminal to jangle pop too probably.
Fun! Love Debby Harry.
This is a classic album, and Debbie Harry is the epitome of cool.
Pretty solid!
Amazing blend of raw energy while still being polished. Not a single bad song, def an album you need to listen to before you die!
I didn't realize how many Blondie songs I love. Love this album
Banger upon banger
The World: “There’s no such thing as perfection.” Blondie: “Hold my beer.” It’s been ages since I last heard Parallel Lines, and I’d forgotten just how flawless this record is. Every track is a masterclass in pop-rock craftsmanship—hooks for days, attitude in spades, and Debbie Harry commanding the spotlight like few others ever could. And then there’s “11:59”—what a tune!! That driving rhythm, the urgency in the lyrics, the way it bridges punk energy with pop sensibility… it’s pure magic. Honestly, this album doesn’t just define an era; it transcends it.
Favorite tracks: Hanging on the Telephone, Heart of Glass, I Know But I Don't Know, 11:59 I absolutely loved this album, every song was great. I'm kicking myself for not listening to more Blondie earlier! Spotify had two versions of Heart of Glass/Once I Had a Love, it's interesting to hear a song's evolution. Both were great, but I definitely think they picked the right one for a single release.
banger after banger
banger of a album, adventurous and fun - trippy at times hell yeah
i absolutely love blondie and this album is probably my favourite of theirs, gets lost a little in the middle third. heart of glass and sunday girl are highlights
Iconic
Hanging on the Telephone is a good cover song with nice guitar riffs to start it off. One Way or Another is a classic; I had forgotten this was a Blondie song. Picture This is pretty good. Fade Away and Radiate is good; nice guitar parts and synth. Pretty Baby sounds like 50s music. I know but I Don't Know is cool. Another with good guitar and catchy riffs. 11:59 is also good with a sick organ solo. Will Anything Happen is also a good song, has a driving beat. Enjoying this album a lot more than anticipated. Sunday Girl is catchy. Hear Of Glass is really good. I've heard it before but didn't know its name or artist. Just Go Away brings back the compressed guitar solo with keys and nice vocal harmony.
Perfect pop album! One of the two vinyl albums I bought on the same day from Woolworths as a 14-year-old. My first of X-thousand over the years and still one of the best! Perfect pop from the opening chord (telephone bell...) to the final fade-out. Every song a winner. The other record I bought with my pocket money that day was Love Bites by Buzzcocks, which I've probably played more times over the years. Sod it, going to play that one now and pretend I'm fourteen again...
Yessssssss Absolute fave Listened twice Bit of a dip in the middle but honestly outweighed by the rest.
To the surprise of no one I've listened to it multiple times before, and one of the very few records on the list I own a vinyl of. Legendary
Still holds up to this day. New wave/punk/ pop infusion
goat
5 stars for the album and another 5 stars for my cat debbie :)
Boom! Perfect album to land on a Friday. This album reminds me that I need a little Blondie in my life on the regular!
There isn't a duff track on this punky power pop album.
Pure pop perfection. I can’t magone a better pop record from this period really. Just brilliant.
this was great, can't believe its from 1978, it's got a more 80s even 90s at times sound to it. they must've helped pioneer the sound that would become so popular. It was poppy but had a bit of edge and wit to it
This is an iconic album. Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Heart of Glass, so many great songs. The album has good variety and the guitar riffs and bass lines are solid. Debbie Harry's voice is at once powerful and subtle. Its got an early punk sound and musically simple, but just sounds so great.
Rating: 5/5 Short Review: Punk meets pop, both leave wearing each other’s lipstick. Favorite Track: “Heart of Glass” — glittering nihilism with a bassline that still owns every dance floor on Earth.
Brilliant
Excellent Album! Great variation and the live tracks prove just how strong Blondie is!
It's easy to forget how good of a pop album band Blondie was. Their singles were brilliant, but their albums were kinda perfect.
Excellent album
teriffic, teriffic, teriffic I will always have a soft spot for femme-fronted bands, particularly 50's-70's. such strong (literally and figuratively) voices are SO important, and Blondie really rises to that occasion.
Duuh
nice
Debbie Harry leads her harem of men to make some great classic rock
I’m in the phone booth, it’s the one across the hall Find a finer opening lyric on any album.
Timeless banger alert. 10/10
One of those that was practically guaranteed four stars from the singles alone. Heart of Glass is an A*; One Way or Another, Hanging on the Telephone and Sunday Girl are all A’s. At first I was underwhelmed by the album tracks: a solid array of well-crafted power pop, sure, but they felt very much like the ‘supporting cast’ to the main stars of the record. After a few listens, though, I decided that Fade Away and Radiate was really rather good, and that Will Anything Happen? had a bit of that star quality too… So yeah, I talked myself into awarding a 4.5, rounded up. Because at any rate, this process had taught me that there are *very* few albums that are absolute gold from start to finish, and also that the difference between being underwhelmed by an album track and being fond of one is often just time, and repeated listens.
I can't look at this album cover without thinking about Damon Albarn in drag which tells you a bit about some of the things that are wrong with me I guess but unrelatedly: holy shit!! This was my first time hearing a lot of these songs and they truly are all bangers. Perfect from the very first track. I had kind of a shitty day at work today to be honest with you but having this album on repeat the whole time made it just about tolerable. Everyone say thank you to Debbie Harry
Debbie can sing, her grungy voice with the rock is a vibe. Sunday Girl and Heart of Glass are🔥🔥, definitely the best songs on the album.
Fantastic
Yesssss wow thank the lord. I mean she really is just so much better than all the sad boys we just endured… the vocal range! This ruled. I was making dinner and drinking a green bottle of beer and taking big sexy swigs to this big sexy music and feelin’ alive baby!!!
Yes yes yes! I love this album, it was one of my most played in high school. Debbie Harry is too cool, and there are so many fun songs. My favorites are Picture This, Pretty Baby, Fade away and Radiate, Sunday Girl….actually the whole album is amazing. Can you even imagine what it must have been like to see Blondie play at CBGBs in 1978???? Damn what a hot time to be young
Rating: 9.5/10 One of the best albums of the 70s: just incredibly catchy, amazing vocals, fun instrumentals, and varied and tight songwriting throughout.
kupiłam ostatnio tą płytę - KOCHAM BLONDIE
25.09.25 n#2 Favourite tracks: one way or another, Sunday girl, heart of glass. Rate: 9/10
Good memories from the first time hearing this way back in the late 70s. Its the perfect rock pop new wave album. Still sounds fresh today.
Love it.
9/10. The instruments can get repetitive but it’s such a well defined sound.
Blondie is one of my favorite bands ever. I love the way they evolved over time and put a lot of other great talent on the map. This album rules
So many hits. Such good tunes. Wasn't expecting to give a 5, but here we are.
Ranking an album that, judging by other reviews, represents different musical milestones for various listeners makes it pretty hard to find comparable albums. Is this a pure pop album, targeting the heart of the radio listener of 1979; is this a punk band gone big; is this a woman's voice for a new decade; is this something else entirely? By what yardstick do I measure this? Look, this is a very good and very accessible album. After all these years, I'm still not tired of "Heart of Glass" or "One Way Or Another," and I love their interpretation of "Hanging On The Telephone" (and the Nerves' powerpop original is also great). I love the variety of influences, I love the execution, I love the way this album manages to satisfy so many listeners. I'd compare it to The Bangles' debut "All Over the Place". It's as deep as you'd like.
LOVE!
Debbie Harry is one of a kind. All hail Blondie.
The hits are great and the rest are cool. No complaints.
Absolute perfection, every song shimmers. Fast paced, fun, gorgeous melodies, relentless.
My daughter has a T-shirt of them, with a picture taken by my friend.
One of my favorite albums ever. No skips on this one, with a great collection of art pop/pop punk jams featuring great instrumentation and amazing vocals. Easy 5/5
Flawless album. Starts at 100 and stays there. Debbie Harry is one of the best to ever do it!!
Love love love Blondie
I just love it! So slick, so cool.
Such a rad album. More variety and catchier than I expected. Feels like such a good pop rock album all the way through, really well made but never feels so polished to be boring. I know but I know was an unexpected jam. The instrumentals and solos mixed in on all the songs are great, really enjoyed how a song might go from kind of light and boppy, to being heavy and full of guitar riffs. 11:59 builds so well and changes tone throughout. Will anything happen gets kind of heavy with a great drum solo. Overall the guitar riffs were great, vocals were great and suited the music, fantastic album.
My favorite
Who doesn’t love Blondie? They are among the best New Wave acts out there. This record just shows their ability to write angry sounding pop songs.
This was a nice surprise, knew the hits already but really like the rest of it. High energy and good production
Another new wave, 80's rock gem
If I had the time and the patience, I would write a paean to this record. I adore it that much. I don't think it's technically perfect or anything, but that's where the beauty lies. It's this amalgamation of pop, punk, disco, and new wave, and it came at the precise moment in music history to max out on all its influences. Parallel Lines is an open door to and from each of those genres, and its success - it's honey-sweet, hooky, propulsive success - allowed countless others to cross between worlds in their footsteps.
I thought about rating this album lower for a second because the singles, or really the two biggest singles, from this album loom so large it feels almost impossible to not be let down a bit by anything else. But the more I listen to this album, I find myself anticipating the highlights more.....while also being more excited to hear what comes between. Of course you've got one of the greatest disco songs of all time and the song that may as well be the most prototypical example of new wave imaginable, but there's so many nods to New York punk, girl groups, and softer balladry in between that overall this album becomes such a joyous exercise in listening to a band explore the whole world in front of them all at once. Maybe this band just got lucky with divine inspiration for a few songs that still stick generations later. But also, most bands aren't Blondie, either.
## In-Depth Review: Blondie's *Parallel Lines* (1978) ### **Background & Context** Released in September 1978, *Parallel Lines* was Blondie’s third studio album and a defining moment for the New York new wave scene. Produced by Mike Chapman (known for glam-rock hits with The Sweet), the album marked a deliberate shift toward radio-friendly pop while retaining the band’s punk edge. It catapulted Blondie from underground CBGB darlings to global superstars, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and spawning four iconic singles, including their first U.S. #1, "Heart of Glass" . --- ### **Lyrics & Themes** Debbie Harry’s lyrics blend romantic yearning, urban grit, and feminist defiance: - **Female Agency**: "One Way or Another" disguises a stalker narrative with upbeat music, reflecting Harry’s use of "levity as a survival mechanism" against male aggression . - **Vulnerability & Irony**: "Heart of Glass" juxtaposes disco euphoria with disillusionment ("Once I had a love, it was a gas"). "Pretty Baby" critiques idealized innocence through a lens of voyeurism. - **Urban Isolation**: "Hanging on the Telephone" (a cover of The Nerves) captures frantic longing, while "11:59" explores existential dread beneath its driving rhythm . - **Ambiguity**: Harry’s delivery—alternately detached, playful, or menacing—elevates straightforward themes into nuanced portraits of desire and disillusion . --- ### **Musical Innovation** The album’s genre fusion was revolutionary: - **New Wave/Punk Energy**: Tracks like "One Way or Another" and "I Know But I Don’t Know" feature angular guitar riffs (Chris Stein’s Stratocaster and Frank Infante’s Les Paul) and Clem Burke’s explosive drumming . - **Disco Synthesis**: "Heart of Glass" combined Kraftwerk-inspired motorik beats, Chic-esque funk bass (Nigel Harrison), and lush synths, creating a "manual mosaic" of 16th-note guitar chops . - **Eclectic Range**: "Fade Away and Radiate" merges gothic atmospherics with Robert Fripp’s avant-garde guitar solos; "Sunday Girl" channels 60s girl-group pop; "I’m Gonna Love You Too" reinvents Buddy Holly as rockabilly punk . - **Vocal Mastery**: Harry shifts from punk snarl ("Just Go Away") to ethereal crooning ("Heart of Glass"), proving her range extended far beyond "sexy zombie" caricatures . *Key Tracks & Musical Styles*: | **Track** | **Genre Fusion** | **Notable Elements** | |-------------------|--------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | "Hanging on the Telephone" | Power-pop punk | Jersey-accented vocals, driving guitars | | "One Way or Another" | Punk-rock | D-B grind riff, F♯m manic bridge | | "Heart of Glass" | Disco-rock | CR78 drum machine, octave bass runs | | "Fade Away and Radiate"| Art-rock | Frippertronics, cinematic synths | --- ### **Production: Precision vs. Rebellion** Producer Mike Chapman imposed studio discipline on Blondie’s "musically spotty" performances : - **Perfectionism**: Chapman spent hours re-recording parts, notably Stein’s guitar solos and Burke’s "poor timing." Tensions peaked when bassist Nigel Harrison threw a synth at him . - **Sonic Clarity**: Tracks were built "bar-by-bar," emphasizing hook-centric arrangements. The crisp separation of Harry’s vocals, Burke’s "organic" drums, and dual guitars created a polished yet urgent sound . - **Innovative Techniques**: "Heart of Glass" was pieced together manually over 4–5 days, layering Space Echo effects and synths over a Roland CR78 rhythm machine . --- ### **Influence & Legacy** *Parallel Lines* reshaped pop and alternative music: - **Genre-Blending Blueprint**: Its fusion of punk, disco, and pop paved the way for new wave’s mainstream acceptance, influencing acts from The Cars to LCD Soundsystem . - **Female Iconography**: Harry’s blend of "gamine sophistication" and streetwise authenticity redefined frontwomen in rock, inspiring Madonna, Shirley Manson (Garbage), and Hayley Williams (Paramore) . - **Enduring Relevance**: Critics rank it among pop-rock’s greatest albums (Robert Christgau called it "as close to God as pop-rock albums get"). Its DNA echoes in The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Robyn . --- ### **Pros vs. Cons** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | **Genre Innovation**: Seamless disco-punk fusion. | **Band Tensions**: Chapman’s rigidity stifled spontaneity (e.g., live versions of "Hanging on the Telephone" outshine studio cuts) . | | **Debbie Harry’s Performance**: Vocal versatility and lyrical wit. | **Filler Tracks**: Deep cuts like "I Know But I Don’t Know" feel underdeveloped vs. singles . | | **Production Polish**: Chapman’s sleek, radio-ready sound. | **Over-Discipline**: Some punk energy lost to studio perfectionism . | | **Timeless Hits**: 4 iconic singles + strong B-sides. | **Covers Uneven**: Buddy Holly’s "I’m Gonna Love You Too" adds little . | --- ### **Verdict** *Parallel Lines* remains a landmark for its fearless genre alchemy, Debbie Harry’s iconic presence, and Chapman’s transformative production. While minor filler and studio tensions slightly mar its consistency, the album’s strengths—innovative songwriting, stylistic daring, and cultural impact—cement it as a "perfect pop-rock blueprint" . Over 45 years later, its fusion of punk rebellion and disco glitter still sounds exhilaratingly vital. > *Key Citation*: "A sparkling record half-full of recognized classics hiding in plain sight" .
Outstanding. Unequivocally one of the greatest albums ever written.
First 5. About half of the songs on this I really like. The rest range from OK to good. Nothing I'd immediately want to skip.
Was looking forward to this and all I can share is - it delivered. Just really enjoyable and now on the playlist to listen to regularly. Never really knew much about blondie before - assumed there was a risk it was a bit dated - but turns out it’s an absolute classic
Decided it was a 5 in the first 10 seconds and then just sat back and enjoyed myself
It was nice
Love this!
I love it
A 10/10 album and my favorite on the list so far. Was really excited to see this one come up this morning. I've never played a Blondie album in full. Going in, I recognized One Way or Another, Heart of Glass, and Sunday Girl (which was sort of a deep cut for me) but came out with several new favorites. "Fade Away and Radiate", "Sunday Girl", "Just Go Away", and (my favorite) "11:59" were huge standouts for me and all ended up in some playlists. What strikes me about this album is how influential it immediately felt. Like much of the music I've listened to my whole life was born from this style. Knowing that it came out in 1978, it feels like a true pioneer of alternative and indie rock. Its effortlessly cool but totally sincere, musically exciting and of course Debby Harry is one of the greatest vocalists in rock. This is a no-skips, 10/10 album.
An exceptionally fun album. Lots of standout tracks (heart of glass, one way or another, Sunday girl, I’m gonna love you too). Very engaging throughout. No skip album
Perfect crossroads album of post punk, new wave and power pop. Just a few of the standouts include "Hanging on the Telephone", "Heart of Glass", "Sunday Girl" and "One Way or Another" to name a few.
This is nostalgia for me and I adore it. Mum used to put it on all the time while doing housework, when I was a kid. Simple good memories. Objectively also a banger.
God I could gush for hours Harry's voice but I won't. Just know that I love her in each and every way. This album is a staple in the New Wave genre, filled with hits and one of the greatest songs ever "Heart of Glass." ❤️ The group bounces from mellow songs like "Sunday Girl" and "Picture This" to more up beat songs like "Will anything Happen" and "One Way or Another"... regardless of any track you choose, this album is totally electrifying and cements Blondie as legends in Rock/New Wave.
New Wave wonders.
Perfect pop
I imagine I've listened to this album all the way through in the past. Songs of my youth that I remember. I've added it to my background music list. 5 out of 5.
Yeah that slaps actually
Fantastic rock music. Where has this been in my life?
I love this album so much
73/1001. There are those albums, which you love and own,but which you don’t listen that much. And then there are those, which you own and love and listen to over and over again. This is one of those latter albums.
Awesome album , loved it
The Blondie Disco Album! Parallel Lines was the Blondie album that yanked Blondie out of the NYC New Wave scene and into international stardom, mostly because of the song Heart of Glass i.e. The Disco Song. The rest of the album is a masterpiece of New Wave songs, full of pop references and just enough quirkiness to not seem too insular or precious. From the cover of The Nerves' Hanging on the Telephone to the Robert Fripp infused Fade Away and Radiate, to the final track telling you to Just Go Away, Parallel lines is one great song after another... except Heart of Glass. It's hard to imagine today the breath of the controversy at the time but, Heart of Glass was almost a Blondie deal breaker to the NYC New Wave community. It's disco beat alone, while presaging the technopop of the 80s, was patently offensive to most Punk and New Wave folks. The whole "Blondie as Disco" thing seemed like capitualtion to the mainstream and not forward muscial evolution. The rest of the world loved it though. It was pop, it was disco, and to mainstream top-40 radio, a great song. With the space of almost 50 years between now and then, it's easy to see Heart of Glass for what it was - a sellout. It worked too! It's actually one of the weakest songs on the album but it got Blondie the attention they were seeking and it's why we are even talking about this album today. That's unfortuntate because the album itself is amazing... except for Heart of Glass.
Really good album. Debbie Harry is an amazing lead vocalist, she’s a force. I knew all the hits, but never listened to this in full before. I’m not surprised I loved it, but I’m surprised I didn’t listen to it sooner.
Fuckin love blondie
There's 4 bonafide classic songs here. Unfortunately, 3 of those are the first 3 songs on the album, but that's not to say there's a single bad song here. I have listened to this before, and I was going in expecting to give it a 4, but having listened, I think this is a 5. Just an incredibly fun catchy album.
Blondie är så coola! Några riktiga bangers + genomgående välljudande
"I want to tell you something you've known all along," she sings on the opener, and then she proceeds to do exactly that, running through power pop that feels both fresh and timeless in a way that's both relentless careerist (Disco! From a punk-adjacent band! The horror!) and quietly revolutionary by virtue of it coming from her voice. I'd call it the sound of the hunter getting captured by the game except that it collapses the categories of "hunter" and "game" so thoroughly.
This was unexpectedly fun! Loved the variety, the instrumentals, and the vocal work. 'One Way Or Another' is a certified classic and my fave. 'Heart Of Glass' was also an awesome track! Hard to pick between the two.
Really good rock/new wave album! I'd already heard Heart of Glass and One Way or Another, and after a careful listen I think they're both excellent. The real surprising part was how consistently good the album was. Sunday Girl is maybe the pick of the rest, but it's very close with just about any other track.
It’s actually kind of wild how many iconic songs are crammed into this thing. The variety is nuts! Its got punky edges and glossy pop hooks. Pure gold. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Hanging On The Telephone - On Way Or Another - Picture This - Sunday Girl - Heart Of Glass - I'm Gonna Love You Too
Blondie's masterpiece 😍
Wow, this blew my mind! Knew a little of Blondie but it's all here and then some. There's nothing else for it, this is just.... COOL. I want to be in Blondie. Loved it.
Amazing album!
So many amazing songs here!
Only one meh song and the singles are all top class
# Playlist Track - Hanging on the telephone # Notes - Not looking at the additional tracks from the extended version. - For something published almost half a century ago, this sounds pretty damn modern and fresh! - Listening to this on Debbie Harry's birthday! She's 80 today?! Oh my!
This is incredible, some of the most stand out singles of all time compiled into one album, it is almost like a blondie best of. Also shout out to 11:59 and fade away and radiate the album’s non single gems that make this a must listen for every 5/5
Excellent album. New to me as I am only really familiar with their Best Of (although a lot of it seems to be from here!)
hell yeah, WAY better than Patti Smith and Nick Cave. I should dislike this more on principle, but i think Debbie is a badass. these guys are sellouts, that's a fact. but they had a lot going on. they are apart of that scene early on in a very pivotal way. this one has banger after banger for 78. the energy this has from start to finish is undeniable. Hanging on the Telephone should be a hit cuz for the start its amazing. its hard to find a song i skip. there is a 50's theme throughout but it does stray for its own version of that style. the punk roots are here in a big way. I Know but I Don't Know and 11:59 show that. them playing shows with the Ramones at CBGB's is a radical image. there is sense of humor that if you aren't in on the joke, you just take the record at face value as a low budget rock project when, in reality, the ideas going into these tracks are basically the foundation that would build a scene for 30 more years. this is honestly 5/5 for all the markers: i have a connection to it, its a triumph of this group's talent, and moved music forward that we still see influence of today. arguments have been made as to how important they are to the punk scene versus others who are less recognized, but gun to my head, its objectively a perfect record. this idea at that time was brand new and opened doors wide. last song is called Just Go Away which tops that attitude that this album is exudes regardless of what you think.
My timelines are way off. Blondie were active in the 70s? This album is wall to wall new wave bangers
Excellent album. I don't know how they do it but every song hits perfectly and they each sound unique.
The mixture of punk and pop in the hands of this band produces one of the albums of the era. Debbie Harry’s vocal really carry it well.
This is the 148th album I’m rating. I don't really know anything about Blondie but I've heard about them before. Adding to my Playlist - Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Fade Away and Retaliate, Pretty Baby, Sunday Girl, Heart of Glass, I'm Gonna Love You Too, and Just go Away. Not Adding to my Playlist - Picture This, I Know but I don't Know, 11:59, and Will Anything Happen. One Way or Another - I didn't know this was Blondie. Classic song. All in all I liked 8/12 songs. Pretty basic pop album. Pretty good though.
Отличный альбом, много классных хитов
Awesome album!!! Not a bad song on here!!
Absolutely a classic
The return to Pop. A pleasant listen.
Blondie has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Like her friends Iggy, Bowie, and Joey - Blondie never sought to define themselves as New Wave or Punk Rock. Instead they wrote and produced songs from several genres and influences. I LOVE the album opener "Hanging On The Telephone" even today. Debbie wasn't blessed with a traditional beautiful voice like Linda Ronstadt or Pat Benatar, but you could HEAR her moxy and life experience of New Jersey/New York. There were 6 singles on this album, each another delicious flavor.
How good is Blondie! Banging record.
Favorite song: Pretty Baby I really like one way or another, I understand why it was such a big hit. I know but I don't know almost felt too repetitive and didn't not fit but also didn't fit, it felt like a last minute add on to fill time. I like the roadtrip feel of just go away, it would be a great car song. This album has a nice feel to it. It feels a little bit mainstream but not necessarily in a bad way but in the way that you could play it for anyone and they'd like it. Especially with the obviously rock inspired guitars and pop-rock type vocals and the keyboard they use.
Blondie is the perfect blend of pop and punk. Their 2nd and 3rd (i.e. this one) albums are absolute masterpieces with all-time classics. I slightly prefer the second because it's a bit rockier, but truth be told, this is perfection. Great radio-oriented songs, top-notch production, an amazing and super charismatic lead vocalist... again, pure NY punk-pop sound. You'll have timeless classics like Heart of Glass or Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another here, but ALSO some others that maybe aren't that famous but rock as hard. Example: 11:59, what a song! 5 stars and I sold my soul to Debbie Harry.
Great
Grappig om dit album achter elkaar te luisteren. Afzonderlijk van elkaar kende ik deze nummers bijna stuk voor stuk en bij sommige kon ik nooit de artiest plaatsen, maar de nummers zijn bekend. Super goed album!
What a great album, it's almost like a Greatest Hits in how many amazing singles it spawned, and pretty much any of these songs could've been justified as singles aside from the ones that actually were. Crammed with catchy hooks, Debbie Harry is just one of the coolest rock stars ever. I was also surprised to read that the producer thought they sucked as musicians - they sound pretty tight to me. I guess we can also thank him for getting a tune out of the band, too. It worked
Like fine and aging wine, every time I take a sip I enjoy it more. A response to Ramones style punk and a launching pad to new wave. You can really hear the nods to Lou Reed\Velvet Underground (I'm your dog but not your pet...) and this just makes me want to listen to other CBGB bands like Dead Boys, Talking Heads, Television and Patti Smith spring to mind. A musical time capsule with a smirking angel's voice. Absolutely the best.
I really love Blondie, so this is an incredibly biased review
Nice. I feel the band has a great mix of having poppy radio-ready hooks and a punky new-wave sound. Debbie Harry takes her role of front woman and runs with it. I really dig the whole style. The third album to score big with me (8/10, 5/5 on this scale)
One of my all time favorites
10/10
This took my so called proto/pop punk cherry and when I first listened to it as a young Turk and it became a go to for everything from just listening to it for fun to getting me out of teenage funk. It was and still is a gateway to my crush of Debbie Harry.
11:59
Love love love the album art and love the songs.
Blondie’s tight five-piece arrangements on this album toss punk, glam, prog, pop, disco, and new wave into a blender and serve it up smooth. Add in Debbie Harry’s distinctive, charismatic vocals, veering effortlessly from croon to growl and back, and you have an album that perfectly captures a mood and a style that was emblematic of its time.
APOLOGY FORM FOR THE BAND BLONDIE EXCUSE LIST: [x] The media convinced me they were boomer trailer music [x] I only listened to the radio singles [x] I was jealous of Blondie inventing new wave before punk [x] I didn't listen to the actual albums [x] I don't know new wave [x] Mercury was in Gatorade [x] I will hereby respect Blondie and I will NOT talk down on the current and 19 years running Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Anything else to say?: listen, i feel like a total dork when i enjoy new wave. the cookie crumbled so that the accessible and popular cousin of punk rock ended up making you look like a total mondo dweebazoid with no friends and no game if you had extensive knowledge about it. you may as well start buying Rogaine at 16. plus, as The Knack have proven, not all new wave is good -- it actually has a great capability to suck ass and survive in culture as throwback trailer music for bitter Gen X'ers. (what's millenial The Knack? Jet?) i know Blondie; who doesn't? i just kind of heard the singles, which are really good, and saw how little buzz their albums got and just assumed "yeah i guess they're a singles band" like a moron. this is some premium grade new wave, and probably the best pop rock that side of the 70s. i was wrong. i shouldn't have put off listening to Parallel Lines. neither should you. can i leave music dork detention now?
A punky poppy masterpiece!
"Cool" rhymes with "fool"
Just full of Blondie bangers.
Oozes cool
album concept: five goobers who look like they work at a pizza parlor dress as tarantino characters and put on a power pop hook clinic while a golden haired demi-goddess (i love you deborah) whirls, sneers, and wails her way through twelve excellent songs. i can remember the exact moment i fell in love with debbie harry as a boy in the back of the minivan listening along to Q104.1 FM: the second chorus of "one way" when she starts letting her voice do that growly thing. probably 7 years old. floored. slack-jawed. what is this weird feeling? who is this lady who's gonna get me? god, i hope she does. i didn't know who she was or what she looked like for another seven years. didn't matter. imprinted. apparently they caught shit for "heart of glass." too commercial or disco, not close enough to what the post-punk art rock world thought was legit. goes to show the value of a dogmatic view of music. any musician who wanted to rob the world of THAT groove (nice one, goobers) deserves to have their card revoked. plus it fits perfectly with the album's sequence. not a dull moment. gets better with every listen. makes me love rock and roll, debbie, and even disco a little more. what more could i ask for?
one of the coolest bands to ever do the damn thing. i love this record from top to bottom.
Power-pop masterpiece and their best album. 5 stars.
Yes
Thumping new wave with disco influence and yet another classic album that Robert Fripp has turned up to offer a bit of texture to. What's not to like?
Extremely familiar with the hits but never listened to the whole album. Super fine. This album could come out today and be a critical smash.
good
Amazing ALbum. Some classic hits and fun rock music!
LOVED!!!!
A classic new wave album. Lots of Blondie’s best songs are from here. Heart of Glass is a top tier song.
absolutely a great album
One of the defining albums for punk/new wave. Very solid!
Rare, I know.
Wow I think the keyword is 'fun,'. This is a super fun record, filled with massive hit singles. For a pop record, it meshes a lot of different genres together. One of the best female frontmen ever. Just super fun Maybe one of the best so far. Heart of Glass is a stone cold classic. Sunday Girl is brilliant. All good
I really enjoyed this one
Wonderful!! I love them. I had so many of these songs on the back of my mind. Even the Deep cuts (non singles) are great. I had to go after this and check out their Greatest Hits (2002) album to see how many songs I already knew. Turns out it was most of them. I think I like this band a lot, even if I never really paid attention to them. I even love Deborah's terrible rapping on Rapture. So awful but so iconic lol.
The best album I've heard all week. I'm definitely not exaggerating. Why didn't I listen to "Parallel Lines" sooner? Every song is very good at its worst. It's rare when the big hit is the least good. 5 stars for "Parallel Lines".
I'm not normally a fan of pop music, but I have to say Blondie does it for me. I tend to be a sucker for female lead singers, and Debbie Harry has a great voice. There is enough experimental stuff and variety in here to keep things interesting.
Pet fav song: Will Anything Happen One of the greatest, most perfect albums ever made. Pure joy. No notes.
I've actually been surprised how much New Wave stuff I know and enjoy, but only from hearing it play around me, not that I search it out. A solid album that will be making it in my rotations.
i love Blondie and i hate the cover of this album. it's like beetlejuice meets the beatles meets a bunch of fucking nerds. this album opens really strongly with Hanging on the Telephone and then moves straight into probably their most famous hit of all time. it keeps up with the high energy, more traditional-sounding rock for most of the album while keeping it interesting and creative. there's not a ton of variation in the sound on this album but when it's this good there doesn't need to be. overall this is super up my alley and this one squeaks just up to a 5 for me. 5/5 they should call the rest of them the brunette boys
Blondie is such an influential, interesting, and just awesome band. This album is badass and so well written and composed. So many absolute bangers on here too. Heart of Glass is a masterpiece.
LFG BLONDIE - I was itching to get some Blondie in here my mom put me on to this group via Autoamerican so I was expecting more experimental New Wave, but this was not quite that this album’s sound is slightly more straight ahead and there are elements peppered throughout that let Blondie be the freak that I was looking forward to hearing for me it’s an easy 5
This was my first college roommate’s favorite album. Played it truly every day. I like him but this is listen 300 something of this album. That said, phenomenal album. Debbie Harry is such a good vocalist and an icon for good reason. The fact that she is effectively a pop, punk, and rnb singer on this album is a feat, especially because she’s a perfect fit for every style. Quick shout out to Clem Burke who died literally today, great drummer, rip.
This is some of the best power-pop out there. Hanging on the Telephone is such a great opener from the staccato vocals to the sneaky little keyboards in there to the short and forceful guitar solo, its so good. It's a little harder to hear One Way or Another after growing up with it in so many movies and ads, but it's still a great song and you can't sleep on the guitar solo in this either. Fade away and radiate is a grower and a shower. Will anything happen is some good punky-pop, some might say pop-punk. Heart of Glass is one of the best pop songs. Is this what disco could've been? Every song on here does something for me. 5/5 Debbie Harry is so cool
I mean you know this a 5/5 so let's talk about Blondie. Did you know Blondie, specifically Debbie Harry, helped to put rap on national TV for the first time? In the early days of rap, it was the sound of the Bronx while New Wave and punk were appearing in Manhattan. Instead of staying completely separate, there were crossovers as the grafitti artists bridged the gap between the two art scenes. The downtown New Wave groups started to adopt rap styles in their songs. That's where Blondie's 1980 hit Rapture came from, and it was in 1981, on Valentines Day, that Debbie Harry, after bringing them onto the show herself, introduced the Funky 4+1 as they performed on SNL. That's The Joint by the Funky 4+1 is awesome by the way. Anyway, this isn't even Blondie's best album. That crown is held by the 2001 CD reissue of Autoamerican, which includes the first printing of their hit song "Call Me" on a Blondie album. Call Me fucking rules, it was produced by Giorgio Moroder and it fucking DRIVES, like all of Moroder's songs. It was also recorded for the soundtrack to the movie "American Gigolo" for some fuckin reason. A lot of the early synth masters did soundtrack work. Giorgio did Chase for Midnight Express. Jan Hammer did the theme to Miami Vice. Vangelis did Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire, and Wendy Carlos did The Shining and Tron. Funny how that works.
i <3 u blondie
Quintessential pop rock. I would potentially sell an organ to time travel into CBGB and watch Blondie perform live
Good.
Gotta love Blondie. Great proto-80's
straight fire
I saw Blondie live once and it took my virginity. Also, my boss said he was a groupie for Blondie for a summer in college and followed them around the prairie states and got to go backstage and party with them the entire time. That was cool to learn.
A lot of bangers in here. I also think the organization of tracks on the album was done really well. 4.5 rounded up
9/12, 75%
Cool as anything, this gets nine Debbies out of ten.
Banger after banger from Debbie Harry and company. The fact that they put a record out with this many hits was news to me. I’ll be listening to this again.
Very good
Awesome album from start to finish, every single track has something going for it, and Deborah Harry has a great voice, she did an awesome job going for a soft tone in "11:59" to and more aggressive delivery like in "One Way Or Another". This is just a fun album in general and I really appreciate it, it has a lot going for it and I can see why it is so loved, consider me a fan. Awesome album cover by the way. Rating: Fantastico (Decent ☆☆☆☆☆) Favorite Tracks: 11:59, I Know But I Dont Know, One Way Or Another, Fade Away and Radiate, and Will Anything Happen.
I've always loved this album
Why don't I listen to Blondie more?
Blistering new-wave post-punk rock-pop-disco
This album is just so listenable and is one I can never see myself not returning to. Yes, there are a few fillers on here, but it captures the post punk moment perfectly and is such a fun, fun, fun listen
Mästerverk, kan vara en av de mest perfekta popskivorna någonsin
Been years since I listened to this. I think my opinion has only grown. Freaking 🔥
4.5
I would never have listened to this on my own. I forgot how good One Way or Another is outside of movie needle drops. Debbie Harry has such a strong and commanding voice. Holy shit, that first minute of Fade Away and Radiate hits so good. Then you get the proggy I Know But I Don't Know. This album covers a lot of territory in the best way. I was all in by the time Heart of Glass hit, which sounded so good in the context of the whole album experience. 💯 Did not expect to dig this album so much
Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another are classic jams but Will Anything Happen, Sunday Girl and Fade Away And Radiate are excellent deep cuts, so don't sleep on those. The whole album is solid from start to finish, down to the Buddy Holly cover