Ghost Town by Poco

Ghost Town

by Poco

Released: September 20, 1982

Country rock

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

01

The Album

This album marked Poco's debut on Atlantic Records and featured the final lineup that had played on their breakout 1978 album, Legend, as Charlie Harrison would not return for their next album, Inamorata (1984). "Ghost Town" is the fifteenth studio album by the country rock band Poco, released on September 20, 1982. The title track, "Ghost Town," served as the first single but failed to make a substantial impact, only "bubbling under" the Hot 100 at #108.

Then

Reception

After the gold success of Legend, Poco's subsequent albums on MCA Records did not achieve similar acclaim, prompting their move to Atlantic. Unfortunately, Ghost Town did not mark a significant comeback, peaking at #195 on the Billboard album chart, notably lower than their previous MCA album, Cowboys & Englishmen, which reached #131. The second single, "Shoot for the Moon," fared slightly better, peaking at #50 on the Hot 100 in March 1983 and reaching #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart, while also hitting #44 on the Cash Box chart.

Now

Legacy

Poco's relationship with Atlantic Records faced challenges, and after releasing Inamorata in April 1984, the band went on a hiatus until 1989, when they returned with Legacy on RCA Records, which would eventually become their second gold-certified album.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Ghost Town" is the fifteenth studio album by the country rock band Poco, released on September 20, 1982. This album marked Poco's debut on Atlantic Records and featured the final lineup that had played on their breakout 1978 album, Legend, as Charlie Harrison would not return for their next album, Inamorata (1984).

After the gold success of Legend, Poco's subsequent albums on MCA Records did not achieve similar acclaim, prompting their move to Atlantic. Unfortunately, Ghost Town did not mark a significant comeback, peaking at #195 on the Billboard album chart, notably lower than their previous MCA album, Cowboys & Englishmen, which reached #131.

The title track, "Ghost Town," served as the first single but failed to make a substantial impact, only "bubbling under" the Hot 100 at #108. The second single, "Shoot for the Moon," fared slightly better, peaking at #50 on the Hot 100 in March 1983 and reaching #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart, while also hitting #44 on the Cash Box chart. A third single, "Break of Hearts," which Paul Cotton described as an overlooked gem and a follow-up to their earlier hit "Heart of the Night," unfortunately did not chart.

Poco's relationship with Atlantic Records faced challenges, and after releasing Inamorata in April 1984, the band went on a hiatus until 1989, when they returned with Legacy on RCA Records, which would eventually become their second gold-certified album.

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