She's So Unusual | ||||
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Studio album by Cyndi Lauper | ||||
Released | October 14, 1983 | |||
Recorded | Summer 1983 | |||
Studio |
Record Plant (New York City, New York) |
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Genre | Pop,new wave,dance-pop | |||
Length | 38:42 | |||
Label | Portrait | |||
Producer | Rick Chertoff, William Wittman | |||
Cyndi Lauper chronology | ||||
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Singles from She's So Unusual | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Christgau's Record Guide | A |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
PopMatters | 7/10 |
Record Collector | |
Rolling Stone | |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Slant Magazine | |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 9/10 |
She's So Unusual is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper, released on October 14, 1983 by Portrait Records. The album was re-released in 2014 to commemorate its 30th anniversary, and was called She's So Unusual: A 30th Anniversary Celebration. The re-release contains demos and remixes of previously released material, as well as new artwork.
In 1978, Lauper formed the band Blue Angel. The band soon signed a recording contract with Polydor Records; however, their debut album, Blue Angel, was a commercial failure. The band parted ways after firing their manager, who sued Lauper for $80,000 and forced her into bankruptcy. Lauper went on to sing in many New York night clubs, and caught the eye of David Wolf, who became her manager and subsequently got her signed to Portrait Records.
The album is primarily new wave-based, with many of the songs being influenced by synthpop and pop rock. Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from music critics, who noted Lauper's unique vocals. Lauper earned several awards and accolades for the album, including two Grammy Awards at the 27th Grammy Awards, one of which was for Best New Artist. She's So Unusual peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed in the chart's top forty for 65 weeks. It has sold over 6 million copies in the United States and 16 million copies worldwide. This makes it Lauper's best-selling album to date and one of the best-selling albums of the 1980s. The album ranked at #487 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003, and ranked at #41 on Rolling Stone's list of Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012.