User Submitted Album

Don't Say No

Billy Squier

1981

3.33

Rating

210

Votes

Distribution

Rock Hard Rock

Album Summary

Don't Say No is the second studio album by Billy Squier, released on April 13, 1981. It stands as Squier's biggest career album, including the hits "Lonely Is the Night", "In the Dark", "My Kinda Lover" and "The Stroke". The album hit the Top Five on the Billboard album chart and remained on the chart for over two years (111 weeks). "The Stroke" was the first single, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, and an even bigger hit at rock radio, hitting number 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The song even dented the British Pop charts, rising to number 52. The video for "The Stroke" — as most of the music videos from both Don't Say No and its follow-up, Emotions In Motion — is a straight-ahead performance piece, featuring Squier on an arena stage. Billy's many videos were staples on the then brand-new channel known as MTV which brought him increased popularity. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA for 500,000 sales in July 1981 and Platinum two months later. Though multi-platinum awards were not certified prior to 1984, Don't Say No belatedly received a Triple Platinum award in 1992, certifying sales of over 3 million US copies. A cover of "Lonely Is the Night" is a playable track in the PlayStation 2 video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s and the master recording is playable in Guitar Hero 5 and Rock Band 4.

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Reviews

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May 23 2024 Author

What a great album. I remember well when it hit the airwaves back in the day. I tried to resist, mistakenly believing that anything this popular must be trash. I could only resist for so long because it's just that good. It's like Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were reincarnated in a single person. Great selection for an addition to this list, shouldn't have been overlooked. 5 stars.

May 23 2024 Author

Stroke! I've never heard this album before, but I love this kind of almost-AOR stuff. I should've checked this out a long time ago tbh. 5/5 and thank you!!

Jun 24 2024 Author

This album takes me back to 1981 again. Every songs is so great. This has always been an absolute favorite of mine and I don't think I've heard it in years. Standouts: The Stroke, Lonely Is the Night, In the Dark, My Kinda Lover, Nobody Knows, Whadda You Want from Me, You Know What I Like, Too Daze Gone, I Need You, Don't Say No. (Yep, that's every song...) 5/5

Jun 24 2024 Author

One of the best of the 1980s. Billy is more than just THE STROKE. Great guitars on this whole album and Nobody Know (Song for John Lennon) is so perfect. His next album had some good tracks but this was absolutely his best. Strong FIVE for me.

May 23 2024 Author

Never quite registered how many of these songs I had heard over the years. A classic rock power house! If you had asked me this morning "who is billy squier" I would have said "no idea".

May 23 2024 Author

This was an absolute treat! Completely unknown to me, yet sounding oh so familiar. If you're into Led Zeppelin like me, this is a sure shot. Impressive how Billy is able to almost reach Led Zep levels, yet not make it sound like a cheesy coverband. I will be revisiting this one for sure. Multiple times. Thanks so much for bringing this one to this list!

Jul 07 2024 Author

Great choice! I was excited to see this one, not because I think it's the greatest album ever, but because it belongs here. Don't Say No was wildly popular when it came out and its songs have become a staple of classic rock radio over the years. Whether you like him or not, Billy Squier is a huge part of the rock sound of the early 80s, a sound that the editors of the 1001 list have made a point of ignoring completely. Tight hook-laden production, with a strong pop sensibility that also rocks surprisingly hard at times. Billy Squier is a compelling, swaggering frontman who also knows his way around a guitar. Sort of a polished take on Led Zeppelin, but in the best ways. Fave Songs: The Stroke, My Kinda Lover, In the Dark, Lonely Is the Night, Whadda You Want from Me, Nobody Knows

Jul 06 2024 Author

A different take on 80s rock that I enjoyed - no wild vocals, no dated synths, just a solidly rock LP with some minor glam stylings. I’d heard of Squier before but had never listened to any of his tracks knowingly, so appreciate this actually worthwhile classic rock addition.

Aug 17 2024 Author

Brings back a lot of memories! 5/5

May 30 2024 Author

It is a classic!

Jun 15 2024 Author

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: My kinda lover, You know what I like, Whadda you want from me

Jun 19 2024 Author

Good stuff

Jul 13 2024 Author

Very good!

Aug 14 2024 Author

Seems like it would be cool driving music

Aug 24 2024 Author

Great hits that I still listen to.

Aug 29 2024 Author

Rock, hard rock. Me ha gustado. Un 4, venga.

Sep 26 2024 Author

Even though I'm giving this a four, there's way too much classic rock on the list already, I wouldn't have included this.

Oct 02 2024 Author

An artist and album I wasn't familiar with, and the album cover didn't leave me optimistic that I'd enjoy it. However, this was a pleasant surprise. Really good 80s rock, without too much of the cheesiness. Rating: 3.5 Playlist track: The Stroke Date listened: 02/10/24

Mar 15 2025 Author

Go! Go! Power Rangers

May 23 2024 Author

Lonely is the Night and the Stroke have been rotating for years, glad I now know there is a full album of badassery surrounding it to jam anytime

Jan 21 2025 Author

I think this would have been a great choice for the original list. It's a great and classic rock album.

Jan 28 2025 Author

"Billy! Every rock album has a ballad on it... it really pulls in the female audience." "Eh? it means chicks? Sign me up." Though the ballad included on this album is nearly a sin, the rest is an enjoyable rock fest. 4 absolute home runs with the rest decent tracks that follow the standard rock tropes. Billy Squier has a great voice for rock, and it is so enjoyable to guitar solos in these tracks. Really enjoyed.

Jan 28 2025 Author

Another one for the tape deck. And there are certain songs that you crank. Lonely is the Night is one of those. Just good rocking music.

Feb 10 2025 Author

I know Don't Say No pretty well, having been a regular Planet Rock listener for years and then digging deeper, and I suspect people will know a lot of Billy Squier's stuff without realising. He's excellent, no frills rock, memorable hooks, standout riffs, an all-round good time reminiscent of greats like Led Zep without coming across as a poor imitation. It gets a 5/5 from me because I can do and do listen to his stuff every week, one way or another, and I could happily do that for the rest of my life really. Life is better with this sort of music in it.

Mar 19 2025 Author

This exceeded any expectations I could have had. Gave it two listens. Classic album, I would argue. Had no idea how many hits were on this thing. Dude sounds like he carried Zeppelin into the 80s.

Apr 21 2025 Author

I absolutely remember when this album came out, it was *everything*. How was this not on the main list? Back to back hits that still sound so great. Wonderful share, finisher 150, you hit it out of the park with this suggestion. I had so much fun listening to this again today after I don't know how long; I'm a teenager again.

Oct 21 2025 Author

I’ve never heard of this guy before but he’s really good. Starts off straight down the line Rock and/or Roll with interesting little experimental flourishes here and there. But it evolves as the record goes on and keeps changing to keep me invested. I’d much rather have seen this included than any number of depressing British Post Punk albums on the list. It’s probably a 4 star album for me, but it gets an extra bonus point for showing that douche Dimery what the list should have been.

Nov 12 2024 Author

This is a pretty solid "classic rock" album. I really don't care for The Stroke at all but there's definitely better songs on there that make up for it. Honestly this probably could've taken the place of several duds that popped up in the book.

Dec 21 2024 Author

Oh it was great fun. I was disappointed when it wasn't Tale of the Tape, as that has the Big Beat on it, but this still goes balls out fun and mostly hits!

Jan 21 2025 Author

Grew up familiar with Billy Squier. I like this!

Jan 21 2025 Author

Kind of surprised I didn't own this as a teen. It would've fit into my stuff quite well. Very nostalgic.

Jan 22 2025 Author

Definitely belongs here, good times

Mar 06 2025 Author

Yes some good old classic hard rock, how is this not on the original list!

Apr 15 2025 Author

Ok Steve, we are off to a strong start here. This is The Stroke guy?! Yea this is fun and there is nothing wrong with that.

May 12 2025 Author

Fun, if sometimes fairly forgettable, 80s rock, with a few great songs and a bit of filler. An artist I first knew through GTA V, and the song from there is still his best in my view, but a guy who deserves (a wee bit) more recognition. Possibly sounded a bit out of place at the time - it's very old school rock & roll, and far removed from new wave / post-punk. Without that comparison, and with the distance that time brings, it's a solid collection of songs.

Jun 13 2025 Author

Fun old 80s era rock. Can't really go wrong. My personal rating: 4/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Slight yes.

Aug 28 2025 Author

August 27, 2025 HL: "In the Dark", "THE STROKE", “You Know What I Like”, “Lonely is the Night” Sometimes, boomer rock is all I need to be happy (EgoRatatouille.gif)

Oct 04 2025 Author

Do not tell me what to do Billy. From a very unpromising start this album actually shows some depth and creativity so well done Billy I'll say yes this one time to anal. I don't understand why people keep comparing this guy to Led Zeppelin, I guess some random review back in the day started another weird collective notion but no, that is not a good comparison just because the drums sound good occasionally or whatever. good labum thou

Nov 03 2025 Author

Some kick ass rock n roll. Energetic.

Nov 25 2025 Author

This was in my initial order from Columbia House.

May 22 2024 Author

This is so utterly exemplary of this era/genre/vibe, yet none of these hit me as true instant-recognition ubiquitous hits. It's all just too played out for me to be into it much. Nothing against it but I don't really need to listen to any more of this kind of music for this lifetime.

May 22 2024 Author

Pleasant radio friendly rock.

May 22 2024 Author

A lot of other people have said what I might say, but I will add, it was fun to learn where the sample in Eminem's "Berzerk" came from!

May 23 2024 Author

Gold-standard AOR of its time, hard rock style surrendered totally to a pop LP costume. Squier even feels like a character, playing what he says instead of believing it. The few peaks are nicely packaged in their respective songs.

May 23 2024 Author

Good eighties rock in all its splendor, with rhythmic songs and also gives us the Lonely classic!

May 23 2024 Author

Was into this at first, but it mostly turned into Zeppelin worship as it went on.

Aug 12 2024 Author

Didn't change my world, but was very competent

Sep 03 2024 Author

The Led Zeppelin influence is very clear here. It’s as if 70s hard rock was rolled into a single guy through a pop lens. The result is a very listenable and concise album. I’m surprised something like this wasn’t on the original list.

Oct 15 2024 Author

I’m surprised this wasn’t on the main list because there were a million other bland 80s power rock albums on there that were far less deserving of this. This might be the quintessential bland pop rock album but it also has the stroke which is still a great hype song. Glad someone chose to include this.

Oct 21 2024 Author

pretty shocked this wasn’t on the original list. This is some great rock anthem music here. Overall it’s classic rock to a T, just catchy choruses and solid guitar action. Pretty hard to beat sometimes. 7.6/10

Oct 21 2024 Author

Nov 13 2024 Author

The 80s answer to the cock rock likes of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Bad Company. While that sentence reads like I hate this album, I don't. It's fine, solidly performed, just doesn't move the needle too much for me. Favorite tracks: "I Need You", "The Stroke"

Jan 12 2025 Author

It was ok. Like Kiss from Temu.

Mar 10 2025 Author

I'd originally misread the release date for this wrong - thinking it was a 90s album - which made me question all kinds of things about the sanity of the person submitting. As a 90s release, it's all kind of tired, done-to-death 80s rock, with multiple tracks that could easily and seamlessly have been slotted into the 1986 film masterpiece / toy advert "Transformers: The Movie" without anyone noticing. As an early 80s release - well, it may well have been an introduction to the style. Given some of the other reviews on here, it might well have been. Personally, I thought it was OK. There is no danger at all of me listening to it again - I'm sure not going to fit into the requisite skinny jeans - but it was nice to hear something from someone who was clearly very popular and influential at the time, but since has pretty thoroughly vanished from consciousness. Not my thing, but I can see the value of it and why it's gotten a nod.

Apr 03 2025 Author

Early 80s American rock. I prefer the "i love rock and roll" flavour but it's inoffensive enough.

Apr 04 2025 Author

Straight up rock record. Enjoyed listening to it. Had heard of him before but didn’t know his stuff.

Apr 10 2025 Author

A fair few rip offs here

Apr 10 2025 Author

Didn’t realize The Stroke and Lonely is the Night were on the same album but glad we got this! I wasn’t impressed with the rest but a nice inclusion.

Apr 11 2025 Author

You've likely heard at least one of these songs on classic rock radio before, probably the Stroke. Squier's big rock sound can be partially attributed to the production of Reinhold Mack, who is also notable for this work with ELO, Queen, and Deep Purple. As far as this brand of '80s rock goes, Don't Say No is pretty safe and a bit bland. Much of the time he sounds like a watered down Led Zeppelin, but in all honesty it's not bad either. Very middle-of-the-road radio rock. And it wraps up before the 40-minute mark so that's a win. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: No!

Apr 21 2025 Author

They call him Led Blimp. They call him Shallow Purple. No idea who this guy is, but it's like listening to a homunculus of every 70s hard rock band imaginable. Serviceable.

Apr 22 2025 Author

Ok rock album big of drums and the guy definitely loved Led Zep as it's influence shines through. Didn't like the slow one. 3.5 I don't think I will revisit it.

Apr 24 2025 Author

This surely should be included in the original 1001 list. It sounds exactly like the stuff the authors' list love (and I liked it :-P).

May 15 2025 Author

Pretty fine hard rock with some dance tendencies

May 20 2025 Author

It was good.

Jun 04 2025 Author

Dear fellow child of the ‘80s, thanks for recommending this. Really enjoyed listening for the first time since … well, the ‘80s. It was so big that it probably merits inclusion on the list proper, though it can’t really be said that it’s held up all that well musically, which is no surprise given that time had already passed him by before one graduated high school and he never caught up. One shudders to think where he might be touring today. While he’s certainly bigger than Tommy Tutone, it’s an issue when “similar artists” queries turn up Loverboy (yikes!) and Pat Benetar.

Jul 03 2025 Author

Classic yet-undersung 80s rock. Billy Squier was a casualty of the “video killed the radio star” phenomenon of MTV. I wonder what would’ve happened had he had Duran Duran’s video producer?

Jul 07 2025 Author

Don’t Say No might not be a groundbreaking album, but it’s widely considered the high point of Billy Squier’s career. After listening, I can see why. I went in cold, having never really heard of Squier before. Judging by the comments here, this album was formative for a lot of people growing up in the U.S., but I’m not sure it ever made much of a splash in Europe. That said, I definitely recognised a few riffs. This thing has been sampled and borrowed from a lot more than I realised. Musically, it’s idiosyncratic stadium rock, if that makes sense: big and bombastic, but with some quirky bits too. You can really hear Queen producer Reinhold Mack’s fingerprints all over it, especially in the theatrical production. It feels a bit glam-rock strut with a bit of Zeppelin swagger. The album veers between solid rock craftsmanship and slightly sugary or cliché moments. But the variety keeps it interesting, and for fans of REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, or Heart, this album’s a must-listen.

Jul 28 2025 Author

You know what, this is pretty much exactly what I expected, and that's totally cool. It's got his big hits, and the other songs don't fall off too hard from that. It's a nice little time capsule for the transition in rock between the 70s and 80s. I have a hard time rating it all that highly, since I don't think that this was pushing the limits compared to some of his contemporaries, especially Van Halen, but it's a really solid listen 3/5, but a very upbeat 3/5

Oct 02 2025 Author

Enjoyable, classic Rock. Not really heard much of his stuff before. good chops, riffs and solos. Feels a bit generic, but enjoyable enough.

Oct 08 2025 Author

Pretty standard early 80s rock. Not bad. Not great.

May 23 2024 Author

I'm afraid I have to disagree with my fellow user in this group. Although it sounds good, it's a total Led Zep ripp-off. In at least three songs I hear a riff or vocal line that sounds exactly like that. No, this I cannot approve.

Dec 09 2024 Author

I'm afraid I have to say No to Billy Squier. I do not like this MOR stadium hardrock sound and the songs are mediocre.

Dec 22 2024 Author

I'm going to have to say no to this, Billy.

Feb 08 2025 Author

Didn’t get into this one at all I’m afraid. A cheesy ‘80s take on ‘60s-style rock with generic songwriting, rubbish synths and reverse snares all over certain tracks, and really cringy lyrics. The falsetto in the ballad Nobody Knows is pretty painful, and the bass tone in the verses of I Need You sounds so much like a Casio preset it’s actually kind of funny (though otherwise I think it’s a pretty good song and probably my favourite on the album) Apparently two songs from this album have been sampled by Eminem which is fun Also my goodness Billy, please put your dogs away

Jul 18 2025 Author

OK. Dad rock.

Aug 23 2025 Author

And I thought Jeff Buckley wanted to be Robert Plant

Sep 11 2025 Author

I saw Billy Squier open for Styx and Bad Company when I was in high school probably 25 years ago now. Styx was incredible and at this point I don't remember much else from that show. This album at the same time seems to be entirely familiar and entirely ordinary. I feel like I have heard of all of these songs so many times, but they all sound kind of the same, and just kind of sound like ubiquitous inoffensive rock music from the late 70s/early 80s.

Sep 23 2024 Author

Meh

Jun 17 2025 Author

Strokin' strokin'! Stroke!