When people think of the Pointer Sisters, I would imagine there are a few songs that come quickly to mind: “I’m So Excited” (not this version, though), “He’s So Shy”, “Fire”, and that pinball song from “Sesame Street” come to mind quickly for me.
But do you think of their 1982 hit “American Music”?
“American Music” was on the same album, So Excited!, as “I’m So Excited” (though that song was added to later releases of their next album, Break Out and re-released as a single in 1984).
(So Excited! peaked at #59 on the Billboard 200. Album ℗1982 Planet Records. Photo courtesy Wikipedia under Fair Use clause.)
The song entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at #73 for the week ending June 26, 1982 (chart | magazine). It peaked at #16 nine weeks later (chart | magazine) and stayed at that position for three straight weeks before dropping out of the top 40 the next week. Overall, it spent 14 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100, its last being the debut week of “I’m So Excited”.
I have heard this song on the radio exactly once since it was on the charts in 1982, and that was sometime around 2002 when my city of residence had an 80s station, and that station was airing what was then called “AT40 Flashback” programs. I’ve never heard it on the radio since.
Of course, the Pointer Sisters went on to much bigger successes with their aforementioned next album, which spawned several top 10 hits and went 3x platinum.
