Peter Gabriel (1980 album)

Peter Gabriel
Studio album by
Peter Gabriel
Released30 May 1980 (1980-05-30)[1]
Recorded1979[1]
Studio
Genre
Length45:32
LabelCharisma (UK)
Mercury (US 1980)
Geffen (US 1983)
ProducerSteve Lillywhite
Peter Gabriel chronology
Peter Gabriel
(1978) 		Peter Gabriel
(1980) 		Peter Gabriel
(1982)
Singles from Peter Gabriel
  1. "Games Without Frontiers"
    Released: January 1980[6]
  2. "No Self Control"
    Released: April 1980[7]
  3. "Biko"
    Released: August 1980[8]
  4. "I Don't Remember"
    Released: November 1980 (US)[9]

Peter Gabriel is the third solo studio album by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released on 30 May 1980[10] by Charisma Records. The album, produced by Steve Lillywhite, has been acclaimed as Gabriel's artistic breakthrough as a solo artist. AllMusic wrote that it established him as "one of rock's most ambitious, innovative musicians".[11]

Building on the experimental sound of his previous self-titled studio album, it saw Gabriel embracing post-punk and new wave with an art rock sensibility. Gabriel also explored more overtly political material with the anti-war song "Games Without Frontiers" (which became a No. 4 hit and remains his joint highest-charting single in the UK) and the anti-apartheid protest song "Biko", which remembered the murdered activist Steve Biko.

The album is also often referred to as Melt, owing to its cover photograph by Hipgnosis.[5] Some music streaming services refer to it as Peter Gabriel 3: Melt.[12]

  1. ^ a b c Mic, Smith (2002). Peter Gabriel (booklet). Peter Gabriel. Box, Wiltshire, UK: Real World. p. 1.
  2. ^ Thomson, Graeme (30 October 2015). "Peter Gabriel – the first four solo albums remastered". Uncut. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  3. ^ Bahn, Christopher (26 March 2007). "Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel (a.k.a. III/Melt)". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Christgau 1990 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Roberts, Chris (11 October 2010). "Peter Gabriel 3: Melt 40 Years On By Chris Roberts". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  6. ^ "BPI".
  7. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 28.
  8. ^ "Biko".
  9. ^ "Peter Gabriel singles".
  10. ^ Martin, Alf, ed. (31 May 1980). "Gabriel LP" (PDF). Record Week. London, England, UK: Morgan Grampian Ltd.: 5. ISSN 0144-5804. OCLC 6459252. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023. Peter Gabriel's new album simply titled 'Peter Gabriel' is released on May 30.
  11. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Peter Gabriel". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Peter Gabriel 3: Melt". 23 May 1980 – via open.spotify.com.