"Out of the Blue" is the seventh studio album by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released on 24 October 1977 in the United States and on 28 October in the UK. Written and produced by ELO frontman Jeff Lynne, the double album is one of the group's most commercially successful records, selling around 10 million copies worldwide by 2007.
Jeff Lynne wrote the entire album in three and a half weeks during a creative burst while staying in a rented chalet in the Swiss Alps. Recording took an additional two months in Munich. Out of the Blue was one of the first pop albums to extensively use the vocoder, helping to popularize it.
The opening track, "Turn To Stone," exemplifies ELO's skill in mixing string-laden pop hooks with rock elements. Following it is "It's Over," which has a classical feel and features simple chords complemented by strings. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" marks the band's foray into disco with its catchy, dance-friendly sound, while "Across the Border" incorporates a "Mexico-infused" style.
Side two begins with "Night in the City," praised for its innovative structure and evocative imagery of urban life. "Starlight," inspired by the night stars in the Swiss mountains, is noted for its rhythm and blues feel. "Jungle" features playful sound effects, making it a divisive track among fans. The interlude "Believe Me Now" leads into "Steppin' Out," a tender ballad about leaving home.
Side three is titled Concerto for a Rainy Day, a four-track suite thematically focused on weather. It begins with "Standin' in the Rain," evolving into an exhilarating instrumental piece. "Big Wheels" builds in intensity, while "Summer and Lightning" is more lively, with some critics ranking it among ELO's best. The suite concludes with "Mr. Blue Sky," a vibrant celebration of sunshine, inspired by a beautiful day after bad weather.
Side four features "Sweet Is the Night," which combines glam-funk with uplifting lyrics, and "The Whale," an instrumental track that evokes the ocean's expanse. "Birmingham Blues" offers a bluesy rock sound reflecting life on the road, while the album closes with "Wild West Hero," characterized by its longing lyrics and dynamic changes.
The album's cover art, designed by Kosh with contributions from Shusei Nagaoka, features a large spaceship that has become symbolic of the group. It includes a cardboard cutout of the space station and a fold-out poster of the band. The space theme was also reflected in the band's live performances, which featured a glowing flying saucer stage set.
Out of the Blue was highly successful upon its release, reaching No. 4 on both the US and UK charts, and achieving No. 3 in Australia and No. 2 in Sweden. The album produced five hit singles across different countries and stands as ELO's most commercially successful studio album. It made history as the first double album in the UK to generate four top twenty hit singles. Jeff Lynne regards A New World Record and Out of the Blue as the group's crowning achievements, both of which achieved multi-platinum status according to RIAA certification. In 1978, it was named "Album of the Year" by Capital Radio and The Daily Mirror Rock and Pop Awards, and Lynne received his first Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contributions to British Music that same year.
The US release of Out of the Blue was initially distributed by United Artists, but after the company was sold, Jet Records shifted its distribution to CBS Records due to a change of control clause. Consequently, American cut-out copies of the album became widely available at discounted prices soon after its release, impacting sales and leading to lawsuits by CBS and Jet, which were ultimately unsuccessful.
Reissues include the 30th Anniversary Edition released in February 2007, featuring three bonus tracks and a limited hardback book format with a 24-page booklet, sleeve notes by Lynne and ELO archivist Rob Caiger, and rare memorabilia. The album re-entered the UK top twenty, peaking at No. 18, and a sixth single, "Latitude 88 North," was released as a digital download and promo 7" single. In 2012, Out of the Blue was re-released on vinyl by Music on Vinyl, with the first 1,000 copies pressed on transparent blue vinyl. In 2017, a double picture vinyl disc was released to celebrate the album's 40th anniversary.
