"Chicago 13" is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band Chicago, released on August 13, 1979, by Columbia Records. This album was notable as the band's final release featuring lead guitarist Donnie Dacus, who had joined the group following the death of founding member and guitarist Terry Kath. Unique to this album, all band members contributed to the songwriting, making it one of only two Chicago albums where this occurred, the other being "Chicago VII."
After recording sessions in Morin-Heights, Quebec, and Hollywood, "Chicago 13" was released in August 1979, marking the band's return to numbering their albums with Arabic numerals and prominently displaying their iconic logo. The album was preceded by the single "Must Have Been Crazy," written and sung by lead guitarist Donnie Dacus. Notably, "Chicago 13" became the first Chicago album without any significant hit singles.
Despite receiving negative reviews, the album managed to reach No. 21 on the charts and achieved gold certification. However, it was the band's first album to miss the Top 20, marking a commercial decline compared to their previous works. Following the supporting tour for the album, Dacus was dismissed from the band without an explanation.
In 2003, Rhino Records remastered and reissued "Chicago 13," including bonus tracks such as the B-side "Closer to You," an outtake from the "Hot Streets" sessions, and the 12-inch single mix of "Street Player." The opening track, "Street Player," was a disco-influenced extended jam that briefly appeared on the R&B singles chart. The song, along with "Closer to You," had been previously recorded by other artists—Rufus for "Street Player" and Stephen Stills for "Closer to You," with Dacus on lead vocals. "Street Player" later gained recognition through sampling in the 1995 hit "The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind)" by The Bucketheads, the 2009 hit "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" by Pitbull, and a 2013 remix by dance music producer Tradelove.
