Pleasant Dreams

"Pleasant Dreams" is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones, released on July 20, 1981, through Sire Records. Despite the band's preference for Steve Lillywhite as producer, Sire chose Graham Gouldman to help the band gain broader popularity due to his well-known status. The recording sessions for the album were fraught with tension, particularly between Joey Ramone and Johnny Ramone, following Johnny's relationship with Joey's girlfriend. Additionally, there were disagreements about the album's musical direction, with Johnny favoring hard rock and Joey leaning towards pop punk.

This resulted in an album that featured high production values and a variety of musical styles, deviating from the band's traditional punk rock sound. Tracks like We Want the Airwaves, She's a Sensation, and Come On Now highlighted this shift. Pleasant Dreams is also notable as the first Ramones album not to include any cover songs.

Despite the strategic efforts by Sire to broaden the band's appeal, the album struggled commercially, peaking at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and charting only in Sweden outside of the US. The critical reception was mixed, reflecting the band's turbulent transition during this period.