Blackout (Scorpions album)

Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Animal Magnetism1980Love at First Sting1984studioBlackoutScorpions_Backout.pngCover art by Gottfried HelnweinScorpionsTemplate:Start date<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Villa San Pecaïre (Saint Jacques, Grasse, France) with Dierks Recording Mobile
Dierks Studios (Stommeln, West Germany)Hard rock, heavy metal36:44Harvest/EMIDieter Dierksx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Music ratings

Blackout is the eighth studio album by the German rock band Scorpions. It was released in 1982 by Harvest and EMI Records.

In the US, the album was certified gold on 24 June 1982 and platinum on 8 March 1984 by RIAA.<ref name="RIAA" >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Rolling Stone ranked Blackout as 73rd on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time" in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background

After losing his voice during the writing of the album,<ref name="Metal Exiles interview with Klaus Meine">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> lead singer Klaus Meine had to undergo surgery on his vocal cords and was uncertain as to whether or not he would be able to record. Demos of the material were recorded with singer Don Dokken from Dokken, a then-unknown band from Los Angeles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, none of those recordings are featured on the album and Dokken is only credited with backing vocals.<ref name=dokken>Template:Cite interview</ref>

In Kerrang! issue 12, guitarist Rudolf Schenker said that he could not choose between his guitar solos on "China White" so the US and European releases differed in this detail.

A self-portrait of artist Gottfried Helnwein<ref name="Metal Exiles interview with Klaus Meine"/> is featured on the cover of the album. Schenker portrays this character in the "No One Like You" music video.

Track listing

All music is composed by Rudolf Schenker except where noted Template:Track listing Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Personnel

Scorpions

• Klaus Meine – lead vocals
• Rudolf Schenker – rhythm guitars, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars, backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 8), lead guitars (tracks 4, 8, 9)
• Matthias Jabs – lead guitars, 6-string acoustic guitar, rhythm guitars (track 4, 8, 9)
• Francis Buchholz – bass
• Herman Rarebell – drums

Others

• Don Dokken – backing vocals<ref name=dokken />
• Tom Croucier – bass<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Production

• Dieter Dierks – producer, engineer
• Gerd Rautenbach – mixing
• Bob Ludwig and Howie Weinberg – mastering at Masterdisk, New York

Charts

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Chart (1982)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)<ref name=FINI>Template:Cite book</ref>	12
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="JPN">Template:Cite book</ref>	47

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Chart (2015)	Peak position