They had templated their new sound on Fela Kuti’s ‘Afrodisiac,’ and also took their cues from the new genre of Hip Hop

Eno’s mind changed when he heard the instrumental jams the band had demoed following their short break. Eno, too, was over working with the band. Married couple and rhythm section of the band, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth had grown disillusioned with just being David Byrne’s backing band. It just reeks of Eno! Following the tour supporting ‘Fear Of Music,’ the band took a bit of time off to regroup. 3 Speaking In Tongues (1983) ~ 2.Quite a jump for Talking Heads’ fourth record and widely considered magnum opus, ‘Remain In Light.’ This was their final release to produced by Brian Eno and this album is as much his as it is the band’s.

Early in 2020, streaming media sales spiked when former Talking Heads bandleader David Byrne did a version of the song on Saturday Night Live. Radio success still eluded the band with this release, although their signature tune 'Once In A Lifetime' got high in rotation as a video on MTV and was used in several movies from Down and Out In Beverly Hills to A Hologram For The King. RELATED: Rihanna's Highest-Selling Albums Of All Time, Ranked Remain In Light had discovered worldbeat long before other artists like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon started mining the genre, signifying that the album was way ahead of its time.

Much of that had to do with a unique blend of tape loops, a technique seldom used at the time, blended with synth technology and African rhythms. Granted, it wasn't a million-seller when initially released, but 40 years later it holds up remarkably well today. If there was one album that stamped Talking Heads as a formidable creative force in the industry, Remain In Light would be at the top of the list. 10 The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982) ~ 100,000 copies As a testament to their critical acclaim, 10 of their top-selling albums are listed here, according to certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America, the British Phonographic Industry, and Music Canada, among others. RELATED: Lady Gaga's Highest-Grossing Albums Of All Time, RankedĬombining avant-garde with pop, rock, and, eventually, worldbeat, Talking Heads became the poster kids for an alternative rock movement that threatened the supremacy of mainstream music and inspired later acts like Arcade Fire, Nine Inch Nails, and Radiohead. New York-based Talking Heads may not have sold anywhere near as many albums as other groups of their time like Bruce Springsteen or David Bowie, but low retail figures hardly reflect their influence on the music scene. Their legacy remains relevant since their painful breakup in 1992, ending 17 years of creating impressive bodies of work you can still hear on radio and movie soundtracks these days.

Talking heads albums