Grace Under Pressure is the tenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released April 12, 1984, on Anthem Records. After touring for the band’s previous album, Signals (1982), came to an end in mid-1983, Rush started work on a follow-up in August. Grace Under Pressure was influenced by the growing tensions in the Cold War in the 1980s. Led by Distant Early Warning, the other hits include the haunting Red Sector A, Afterimage and the Body Electric but also have the crowd favourite Kid Gloves & Between The Wheels.

Caught in the Act is a live double album by Styx, released in 1984. It contains one new song, “Music Time,” which was released as a single, reaching #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Caught in the Act is also the name of a VHS video recording that featured the band acting out the concept established in their Kilroy Was Here album. A DVD version was released on December 11, 2007. Shortly after this album’s release, Tommy Shaw announced his departure from the band to pursue a solo career. The band then went into hiatus for the rest of the 1980s. Caught In The Act would ultimately prove to be the final album by the massively successful 1975-84 Styx lineup of Dennis DeYoung, Shaw, James Young, Chuck Panozzo, and John Panozzo;

Street Talk is Steve Perry’s first solo studio album, released in April 1984. Street Talk contains Perry’s biggest hit as a solo artist, “Oh Sherrie”, written for his then-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford The song hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard’s Rock chart, and the accompanying music video (also featuring Swafford) was a hit on MTV. Other singles included “Foolish Heart” (peaked at #18), “She’s Mine” (peaked at #21), and “Strung Out” (peaked at #40). There were a number of nods to Perry’s pre-Journey band Alien Project on this album—in fact, that band was originally going to be called Street Talk.

Dickey Betts, the singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band whose piercing solos, beloved songs and hell-raising spirit defined the band and Southern rock in general, died Thursday morning at the age of 80. The cause was cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as confirmed by his manager. Although he was often overshadowed by Gregg and Duane, the brothers who gave the Allmans their name, Betts was equally vital to the band. His sweetly sinuous guitar style introduced elements of Western swing and jazz into the band’s music, especially when he was duetting with Duane. As a singer and writer, Betts was responsible for the band’s biggest hit, 1973’s “Ramblin’ Man,” as well as some of their most recognizable songs: the moody instrumental “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” the jubilant “Jessica,” and their late-period comeback hit “Crazy Love.”

Born Forrest Richard Betts in Florida, early in his career, he collaborated with Duane Allman, introducing melodic twin guitar harmony and counterpoint which “rewrote the rules for how two rock guitarists can work together, completely scrapping the traditional rhythm/lead roles to stand toe to toe”. Following Allman’s death in 1971, Betts assumed sole lead guitar duties during the peak of the group’s commercial success in the mid-1970s. The band went through a hiatus in the late 1970s, during which time Betts, like many of the other band members, pursued a solo career and side projects under such names as Great Southern and The Dickey Betts Band. The Allman Brothers reformed in 1979, with Dan Toler taking the second guitar role alongside Betts. In 1982, they broke up a second time, during which time Betts formed the group Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, which lasted until 1984. A third reformation occurred in 1989, with Warren Haynes now joining Betts on guitar.

Betts was ousted from the band in 2000 over a conflict regarding his continued drug and alcohol use; he never played with them again nor would he appear with other former band members for reunions or side projects. With the death of Betts in April 2024, Jaimoe is the last living founder of the Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won a best rock performance Grammy Award with the band for “Jessica” in 1996. Betts was ranked No. 58 on Rolling Stone‘s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003, and No. 61 on the list published in 2011. Married 5 times, one of his daughters is married to Frank Hannon of the band Tesla.

Determining the top-selling rock albums of all time can be challenging due to variations in reporting methods and the different eras in which albums were released. However, some of the best-selling rock albums globally, based on certified sales figures and industry estimates, include:

1. “Back in Black” by AC/DC
2. “The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd
3. “Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin
4. “Greatest Hits” by Queen
5. “The Wall” by Pink Floyd
6. “Hotel California” by Eagles
7. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson (while not strictly rock, it’s often included due to its rock-oriented tracks and massive sales)
8. “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen
9. “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac
10. “Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses

These albums have achieved both critical acclaim and significant commercial success, becoming iconic within the rock genre. Keep in mind that rankings may vary based on different sources and metrics used for measuring sales.

Here are the top 10 best-selling music albums of all time:

1. Michael Jackson – “Thriller”: Released in 1982, “Thriller” by Michael Jackson is the best-selling album of all time, with estimated sales of over 66 million copies worldwide.
2. AC/DC – “Back in Black”: Released in 1980, “Back in Black” by AC/DC is one of the highest-selling albums ever, with estimated sales exceeding 50 million copies worldwide.
3. Pink Floyd – “The Dark Side of the Moon”: Released in 1973, “The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd has sold over 45 million copies worldwide and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.
4. Whitney Houston – “The Bodyguard” Soundtrack: Released in 1992, the soundtrack album for the movie “The Bodyguard” starring Whitney Houston and featuring various artists has sold over 45 million copies worldwide.
5. Meat Loaf – “Bat Out of Hell”: Released in 1977, “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf has sold over 43 million copies worldwide and remains one of the best-selling albums in history.
6. Eagles – “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)”: Released in 1976, this compilation album by the Eagles has sold over 42 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
7. Bee Gees / Various Artists – “Saturday Night Fever” Soundtrack: Released in 1977, the soundtrack album for the movie “Saturday Night Fever” featuring songs by the Bee Gees and various artists has sold over 40 million copies worldwide.
8. Fleetwood Mac – “Rumours”: Released in 1977, “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac has sold over 40 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums in history.
9. Led Zeppelin – “Led Zeppelin IV”: Released in 1971, “Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin has sold over 37 million copies worldwide and is considered one of the greatest rock albums of all time.
10. Shania Twain – “Come On Over”: Released in 1997, “Come On Over” by Shania Twain has sold over 36 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums by a female artist.

These figures are approximate and may vary depending on the source, as precise sales data can be challenging to obtain, especially for older albums.

C.J. SNARE, FOUNDING singer of the long-running hair metal band FireHouse, has died at the age of 64. The group — which scored Hot 100 hits in the early Nineties with the singles “Love of a Lifetime” and “When I Look Into Your Eyes” — revealed Snare’s death Sunday on social media. “Today is a sad day for Rock N Roll,” the surviving members wrote. “It is with great sorrow we are letting the world know we have lost our brother: CJ Snare, the rock and roll warrior, lead vocalist, and a founding member of Firehouse. CJ snare passed unexpectedly at home Friday night, April 5, 2024. He was a young 64 years old.”

In September 2020, he was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. In September 2023, he took a hiatus from FireHouse to undergo abdominal surgery in October. Although he intended to return to the band for their shows in summer 2024, he died on April 5, 2024 of cardiac arrest. Born in Washington D.C. as Carl Jeffrey Snare, he moved to in Richmond, Virginia, and then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, with the band where they were signed to Epic Records in 1989. As the 1990s progressed, the band remained very popular in Asia, mainly in Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. They also maintained popularity in South America and Europe.

Formed nearly four decades ago, FIREHOUSE’s classic lineup consisted of Snare, guitarist Bill Leverty, drummer Michael Foster and bassist Perry Richardson. Richardson left in 2000 and was replaced by Allen McKenzie in 2003. Founded in the mid-Eighties, FireHouse stormed the charts in 1990 with their debut self-titled album, which boasted a pair of singles that became hair metal anthems, “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Love of a Lifetime,” both co-written by Snare; the former single enjoyed a resurgence in recent years when it was featured in the John Cena-starring superhero show Peacemaker, while the latter power ballad has accumulated over 88 million views on YouTube.

Although the band’s second album — 1992’s Hold Your Fire — arrived amid the outbreak of grunge and alternative rock, FireHouse remained relevant while many of their brethren washed out, placing a pair of singles onto the Hot 100 with the LP’s “Reach for the Sky” and “When I Look Into Your Eyes,” which peaked at Number 8 to become their biggest hit charts-wise. For the band’s third album, aptly titled 3, they changed producers. Ron Nevison, who had served as producer for Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne,  Europe, Heart, and many other groups, produced this album. 3’s follow-up, Good Acoustics, was a collection of acoustic arrangements of several of their greatest hits, as well as four new songs. Good Acoustics, produced by the band’s guitarist Bill Leverty, went gold in six countries around the world including Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

While FireHouse did not release an album of new music following 2003’s Prime Time, the band remained active up through Snare’s surgery. He sang on all seven albums the group released, including its double platinum, self-titled debut album, which sold more than two million copies. In December 2004, FireHouse became the first major international rock band to play concert dates in northeast India. The band’s first Indian concert date was in Shillong, followed by two more dates in Dimapur, and Aizawl. In 2011 the band released their eighth studio album titled Full Circle, which featured re-recorded versions of some of their older tracks.

Snare has 3 include three children for a previous marriage and has been in an 8 year relationship with a woman named Katherine Little.

Rising Force is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in late 1984 through Polydor Records. This was originally planned as an instrumental side-project of his then-current band Alcatrazz, but due to singer Jeff Scott Soto’s appearance on the album, Malmsteen opted to release it as a solo album. It reached No. 14 on the Swedish albums chart and No. 60 on the US Billboard 200, and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards. The album is regarded as a landmark release in the shred and neoclassical metal genres. Black Star, Far Beyond The Sun are still extremely important songs in his arsenal and live favourites.

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live is the first live album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released in March 1984 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 22–23 July 1983, the double album features songs from the band’s first four albums, the ExtendedancEPlay EP and Mark Knopfler’s Local Hero soundtrack. Many of the songs have reworked arrangements and extended improvisational segments. The album cover is taken from a painting by Brett Whiteley. It has all the pre-Brothers In Arms hits like Romeo & Juliet, Sultans Of Swing, Tunnel Of Love, Once Upon A Time In The west & Telegraph Road.

Love at First Sting is the ninth studio album by German rock band Scorpions. The album was recorded in 1983 and 1984 at Dierks Studios in Stommeln, West Germany. It was released in March 1984 on Harvest/EMI in Europe and Mercury in the US. The album contains “Rock You Like a Hurricane“, “Still Loving You“, and “Big City Nights“, three of the band’s most famous songs as well as Bad Boys Running Wild. Love at First Sting is notable in that it was one of the first digitally recorded heavy metal records ever released. Initial sessions took place in Stockholm’s Polar Studios in the Summer of 1983 with ex-Rainbow  members Jimmy Bain on bass and Bobby Rondinelli on drums, but nothing made it to the final album.