Ammonia Avenue

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 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 20 in several countries^[4] and represents the last big hit for the Alan Parsons Project. "Prime Time" was a follow-up release that fared well in the Top 40, reaching No. 34. "You Don't Believe" was the first single in November 1983, reaching #54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Since the Last Goodbye" was a minor hit.

Ammonia Avenue
Studio album by the Alan Parsons Project
Released	February 1984
Studio	Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Genre	Progressive rock symphonic rock pop rock new wave
Length	40:22
Label	Arista
Producer	Alan Parsons
The Alan Parsons Project chronology
Eye in the Sky (1982) Ammonia Avenue (1984) Vulture Culture (1985)
Singles from Ammonia Avenue
"Don't Answer Me" Released: February 1984[1] "Prime Time" Released: May 1984

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

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.^[5]

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.^[6] This album was the second of three recorded on analogue equipment and mixed directly to the digital master tape.^{[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.^[7] In 2024, the album was again completely remastered.

Track listing

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

Side one

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Prime Time"	Eric Woolfson	5:03
2.	"Let Me Go Home"	Lenny Zakatek	3:20
3.	"One Good Reason"	Woolfson	3:36
4.	"Since the Last Goodbye"	Chris Rainbow	4:34
5.	"Don't Answer Me"	Woolfson	4:11

Side two

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Dancing on a Highwire"	Colin Blunstone	4:22
2.	"You Don't Believe"	Zakatek	4:26
3.	"Pipeline"	Instrumental	3:56
4.	"Ammonia Avenue"	Woolfson	6:30

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
• Mel Collins – saxophone
• Stuart Elliott – percussion, drums
• Alan Parsons – Fairlight programming
• David Paton – bass
• Andrew Powell – orchestral arrangements and conducting
• Chris Rainbow – vocals
• Eric Woolfson – all keyboards, vocals
• Lenny Zakatek – vocals
• Christopher Warren-Green – The Philharmonia Orchestra leader
• Storm Thorgerson – album cover design

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1984) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] 16 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[9] 5 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] 29 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[11] 1 European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)[12] 3 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] 1 Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[14] 5 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[15] 5 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] 8 Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[17] 2 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 8 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[20] 24 US Billboard 200[21] 15 Chart (2020) Peak position UK Independent Albums (OCC)[22] 31

Year-end charts Chart (1984) Position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] 79 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[23] 25 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[24] 17 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 8 US Billboard 200[26] 86

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[27]	Gold	50,000^
France (SNEP)[28]	Platinum	400,000*
Germany (BVMI)[29]	Gold	250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[30]	Gold	50,000^
United States (RIAA)[31]	Gold	500,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Great Rock Discography". p. 616.
2. "allmusic ((( Ammonia Avenue > Overview )))". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
3. "Ammonia Avenue : Alan Parsons Project : Review : Rolling Stone". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 26 September 2009.^{[dead link‍]}
4. "The Alan Parsons Project - Don't Answer Me - hitparade.ch". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012.
5. "Dutchcharts.nl - the Alan Parsons Project - Ammonia Avenue". Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
6. Woolfson, Eric. "Albums, Back Catalogue". Archived from the original on 17 May 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
7. "Ammonia Avenue Deluxe Box Set". The Alan Parsons Project. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 229. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Austriancharts.at – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6733". RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
12. "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. 16 April 1984. p. 12. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
14. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 July 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alan Parsons Project".
15. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
16. "Charts.nz – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
17. Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
18. "Swedishcharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
19. "Swisscharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
20. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
21. "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
22. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
23. "Jahreshitparade Alben 1984". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
24. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Album 1984". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
25. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 17 May 2022.
26. "Top Pop Albums of 1984". Billboard. 31 December 1984. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
27. "Canadian album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Music Canada.
28. "French album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
29. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alan Parsons Project; 'Ammonia Avenue')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
30. "Dutch album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Ammonia Avenue in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1984 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
31. "American album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Ammonia Avenue". Recording Industry Association of America.