Paul McCartney has made a triumphant return to the US charts with a Wings album that’s hitting all the right notes for fans, who believe its his ‘best’ work of all time. It’s been half a century since this particular album graced the Billboard 100, but a staggering sales increase of 5,435% has catapulted it back into the Top 100, securing a Top 50 position on the album charts and a Top 25 spot for vinyl sales.
The resurgence in popularity could be down to a recent remaster, which has left Macca fans buzzing with excitement over the album’s chart comeback. While reissues are common, the sight of Sir Paul’s record climbing the charts after a period of relative quietness has come as a pleasant surprise.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Venus and Mars album by Wings has been given a fresh lease of life with a half-speed mastered remaster, propelling it up the charts and reaffirming McCartney’s status in the Top 100.
The unexpected sales boost and chart success have left fans ecstatic – and many took to Reddit to share their thoughts. One commenter asked: “Didn’t he just remaster it this past month? Someone was talking about a new version on Apple Music.”
Another chimed in with a possible explanation for the surge: “Makes sense. There was a huge 59th anniversary listening party a couple of Fridays ago on Spotify and Apple Music.”
One fan commented: “He just released a new half speed master on vinyl and (I think) a new Dolby Atmos mix on streaming. Still, that’s a pretty impressive jump.”
Supporters not only applauded the “impressive jump” made by the album but also hailed Venus and Mars as McCartney’s “best” album with Wings, which included Linda McCartney and Denny Lane.
A user posted: “Perhaps Wings’ best album. Another added: “I don’t think the digital stereo version has been updated since the 2014 Archive Collection remaster.
“To coincide with the 50th anniversary, there’s a new Atmos mix on Apple/Tidal/Amazon that’s a big improvement over the previous quadraphonic surround mix. There’s also a new half-speed mastered vinyl version.”
Venus and Mars is the fourth studio album by Wings, Paul McCartney’s band following his time with The Beatles. It was released on May 27, 1975, as the follow-up to their highly successful 1973 album, Band on the Run. The album marked a continuation of Wings’ rise to commercial success and further established McCartney as a standout solo artist after his Beatles years.
Recording sessions for Venus and Mars took place in various locations, including New Orleans, Los Angeles, and London. The influence of these locations is felt in the album, which has a laid-back, funky, and slightly quirkier vibe compared to its predecessor.
The album is notable for its mix of rock, pop, and even touches of more experimental approaches. It’s a conceptually loose record that ties individual songs together with recurring themes, most notably the title tracks, “Venus and Mars” and “Venus and Mars (Reprise).”
Venus and Mars was a commercial success, reaching #1 on both the U.S. and U.K. charts. It solidified Wings’ reputation as one of the top bands of the 1970s. And it’s certainly nice to see it remains popular to this very day!