‘Turn Up the Radio’ is a song by American glam metal band Autograph. Released as the lead single from the band's 1984 debut album, Sign In Please, the song peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on March 16, 1985 and number 17 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks on January 26, 1985. The song also received a significant amount of airplay on MTV. Due to the song being the band's only major hit, Autograph is often recognized as a one-hit wonder. The unexpected success of the single boosted the sales for its parent album, with the album being certified gold by the RIAA on April 1, 1985.
Lead guitarist Steve Lynch described ‘Turn Up the Radio’ as "a last minute song that RCA didn't even want on the album because they thought it had no commercial value." However, the band firmly insisted and were granted its inclusion. According to Lynch, Autograph didn't expect great commercial success for the song or the band in general because of their disillusionment with the music industry. Lynch also reflected that, although the song was never a personal favorite, he always appreciated its strong hook, commercial appeal, and "lyrics that were right for the times."
The song's music video gained significant airplay in the early days of MTV. Set in a 1980s technological future, the video opens with the band walking into a theater hall through an automated door. A RoboCop-like cyborg figure points, saying "sign in please", a direct reference to the album on which the song appears. In a blatant instance of product placement, a ray of light reveals a PaperMate Sharpwriter mechanical pencil, which had been released earlier that year. Using the pencil, the band members provide their signatures next to their names (listed along with their respective musical instruments) on a paper during which the pencil's name is prominently featured. The product placement was the band's manager's idea: she thought that the band's name and the album title Sign In Please presented a natural opportunity for a promotional deal with a pen-and-pencil company.
The song was ranked No. 93 on VH1's Top 100 Hard Rock Songs and was named an AMG Track Pick by Allmusic. In 1985, Guitar Player magazine awarded Steve Lynch "Guitar Solo of the Year" for his work on ‘Turn Up the Radio.’ The song's video was placed on New York Times list of the 15 Essential Hair-Metal Videos.
Label – RCA
Songwriters – Steve Plunkett, Steve Isham, Randy Rand, Steve Lynch, Keni Richards
Producer – Neil Kernon
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Ooh yeah
Turn it up
Come on
[Verse 1]
I'm working hard, you're working too
We do it every day
For every minute I have to work
I need a minute of play
[Pre-Chorus]
Day in, day out, all week long
Things go better with rock
The only time I turn it down
Is when I'm sleepin' it off
[Chorus]
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I wanna feel it, got to gimme some more
[Verse 2]
Now listen
I wanna shake, I wanna dance
So count it of one, two, three
I hear the beat, I'm in a trance
No better place to be
[Pre-Chorus]
Daytime, nighttime, anytime
Things go better with rock
I'm goin' twenty four hours a day
I can't seem to stop
[Chorus]
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I wanna feel it, got to gimme some more
[Guitar solo]
[Chorus]
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I wanna feel it, got to gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I wanna feel it, got to gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the radio
I wanna feel it, got to gimme some more