Ammonia Avenue

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Ammonia Avenue is the seventh studio album by the British progressive rock band the Alan Parsons Project, released in February 1984 by Arista Records. The Phil Spector-influenced "Don't Answer Me" was the album's lead single, and it reached the Top 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, as well as the fourth position on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single also reached the Top 10 in several countries, including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Prime Time" was the album's second single and reached No. 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "You Don't Believe" had previously appeared on The Best of the Alan Parsons Project and was issued as that album's first single in November 1983, reaching No. 54 in the US and No. 43 in Canada.

Ammonia Avenue is one of the band's biggest-selling albums, carrying an RIAA certification of gold and reaching the Top 10 in a number of countries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background and release

The title of the album was inspired by Eric Woolfson's visit to Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in Billingham, England, where the first thing he saw was a street with miles of pipes, no people, no trees and a sign that read 'Ammonia Avenue', whose portrait was used for the front cover. The album focuses on the possible misunderstanding of industrial scientific developments from a public perspective and a lack of understanding of the public from a scientific perspective.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This album was the second of three recorded on analogue equipment and mixed directly to the digital master tape.Template:Citation needed

"You Don't Believe" had already been released as both a single and a new song on 1983's The Best of the Alan Parsons Project compilation.

Promotion

Music videos for "Don't Answer Me" and "Prime Time" were produced in 1984, the former with art and animation by MW Kaluta. The latter video is inspired by John Collier's story "Evening Primrose" and features two mannequins, a female and a male one, coming to life and falling in love with each other. About halfway through the video, a street sign for "Ammonia Ave." appears.

Reissue

Ammonia Avenue was remastered and reissued in 2008 with bonus tracks, and in 2020 as well, on Blu-Ray audio format, including a high-definition remaster in stereo and multichannel sound, and the two promotional videos of the album as a bonus.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2024, the album was again completely remastered.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

2008 Bonus Tracks

1. "Don't Answer Me" (Early Rough Mix)
2. "You Don't Believe" (Demo)
3. "Since the Last Goodbye" (Chris Rainbow Vocal Overdubs)
4. "Since the Last Goodbye" (Eric Guide Vocal – Rough Mix)
5. "You Don't Believe" (Instrumental Tribute to The Shadows)
6. "Dancing on a Highwire/Spotlight" (Work in Progress)
7. "Ammonia Avenue Part 1" (Eric Demo Vocal – Rough Mix)
8. "Ammonia Avenue" (Orchestral Overdub)

Personnel

• Ian Bairnson – electric and acoustic guitars
• Colin Blunstone – vocals on 6
• Mel Collins – saxophone on 5, 8
• Stuart Elliott – percussion, drums, Simmons Toms
• Alan Parsons – Fairlight guitars, Fairligh CMI, Linn drum
• David Paton – electric bass
• Andrew Powell – orchestral arrangements and conducting
• Chris Rainbow – vocals on 4, backing vocals on 5, keyboards on 5
• Eric Woolfson – Wurlitzer piano, piano, synths, keyboards, Fairlight, vocals on 1, 3, 5 & 9
• Lenny Zakatek – vocals on 2, 7
• Christopher Warren-Green – The Philharmonia Orchestra leader
• Storm Thorgerson – album cover design

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	16
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	3
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alan Parsons Project".</ref>	5
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	2

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Chart (2020)	Peak position

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus/>	79
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	17
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	86