# Remembering When Blondie Battled Their Record Label (And Won) to Release an Album With a Pair of No. 1 Hits in 1980

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/remembering-when-blondie-battled-their-record-label-and-won-to-release-an-album-with-a-pair-of-no-1-hits-in-1980/
- Published: 2026-10-29T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T04:47:00+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/remembering-when-blondie-battled-their-record-label-and-won-to-release-an-album-with-a-pair-of-no-1-hits-in-1980/
- Topics: Americas, Business, Companies, Culture, Entertainment, Fashion, Music, World

## Key points

- Chrysalis doubted *Autoamerican* had a hit.
- Blondie released it as intended.
- “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture” both reached No. 1.

## Summary

Blondie’s label, Chrysalis Records, doubted that their 1980 album *Autoamerican* contained any hit singles and was reluctant to accept it. The band backed its unconventional mix of styles, and the album went on to produce two US No. 1 hits.

Recorded after Blondie moved to California, *Autoamerican* ranged across genres, including reggae and hip-hop. Chris Stein championed a cover of the Paragons’ “The Tide Is High”, while Debbie Harry added a rap to “Rapture”; both songs were released as singles and topped the US charts.

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