"Stars" is the fourth album by Simply Red, released on September 30, 1991. It features five singles, including the top ten hits "Stars" and "For Your Babies." The album achieved significant success, particularly in the UK, where it has been certified twelve times platinum and was the best-selling album for both 1991 and 1992. This marked the first time an album topped the charts in two consecutive years since Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. As of April 2019, it ranks as the 14th best-selling album in UK history.
Originally, recording began in Paris in August 1990, but due to equipment issues and an oppressive atmosphere influenced by the Gulf War, the band relocated to Venice. Mick Hucknall, the band's frontman, aimed for a more soulful sound and enlisted programmer Gota, who later became the full-time drummer. Many songs were written during their previous tour, and themes included Hucknall's political sentiments regarding the British Conservative government.
The album cover features Hucknall in a Native American painted cloak against a Californian desert backdrop. Concerns about his bare legs led to digital retouching to ensure the photo would be acceptable in the US.
