Love Zone
Studio album by
Billy Ocean
Released6 May 1986[1]
Recorded1985–1986
StudioBattery, London
Genre
Length44:56
Label
Producer
Billy Ocean chronology
Suddenly
(1984)		 Love Zone
(1986)		 Tear Down These Walls
(1988)
Singles from Love Zone
  1. "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going"
    Released: 15 November 1985
  2. "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"
    Released: 22 January 1986
  3. "Love Zone"
    Released: 5 July 1986
  4. "Love Is Forever"
    Released: October 1986

Love Zone is the sixth studio album by British R&B singer and songwriter Billy Ocean, released in May 1986 through Jive Records. Three singles were released from the album including Ocean's second US No. 1 hit "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and the US top ten hit "Love Zone". It also features the UK No. 1 and US No. 2 single "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going", which had originally been released as a single from the soundtrack to the 1985 film The Jewel of the Nile.

A critical and commercial success, it became his highest charting album in both the UK and the US, where it peaked at number two and number six respectively, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over 2 million copies.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The New York Times(favourable)[3]

Love Zone received favourable reviews from critics. People noted that "Ocean just floats along on this smooth" album and that "the moods [he] creates are so richly romantic they shouldn’t be inflicted on the brokenhearted".[4]

The album received a Grammy nomination in the category of Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.[5] Ocean also won two American Music Awards, including for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wayne Brathwaite, Barry Eastmond and Billy Ocean, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going"
5:45
2."Love Zone"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
5:37
3."Without You"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
5:03
4."There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"
  • Eastmond
  • Brathwaite
  • Ocean
4:55
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Bittersweet"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
4:58
6."It's Never Too Late to Try"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
  • Jolyon Skinner
4:54
7."Showdown"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
  • Skinner
4:58
8."Promise Me"
  • Jonathan Butler
  • Skinner
4:36
9."Love Is Forever"
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Ocean
4:15
Total length:44:56
Bonus tracks on 2011 reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Love Zone" (extended version) 6:21
11."Bittersweet" (extended version) 6:40
12."When the Going Gets Tough" (club mix)
  • Brathwaite
  • Eastmond
  • Lange
  • Ocean
6:46
13."There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" (12" version) 8:12

Production and artwork

  • Executive producer on track 1 – Robert John "Mutt" Lange
  • Producers – Barry J. Eastmond and Wayne Brathwaite
  • Engineers – Steve Power (1–7 and 9); Bryan "Chuck" New (track 8)
  • Mixing – Nigel Green (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9); Bryan "Chuck" New (tracks 2, 6 and 7)
  • Cover photography – Rob Lee

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Love Zone
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[22] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[24] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "BPI".
  2. ↑ Wynn, Ron. "Billy Ocean: Love Zone". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Holden, Stephen (21 December 1986). "Ultra-Romantic Pop-Soul Music Remains a Powerful Force". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: Love Zone". people.com. People. 16 June 1986.
  5. ↑ "Billy Ocean". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  6. ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ↑ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Billy Ocean – Love Zone" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 227. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Ocean – Love Zone" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Charts.nz – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  15. ↑ "Billy Ocean | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  16. ↑ "Billy Ocean Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  17. ↑ "Billy Ocean Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  18. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1986". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  19. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1986 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  22. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "British album certifications – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". British Phonographic Industry.
  24. ↑ "American album certifications – Billy Ocean – Love Zone". Recording Industry Association of America.


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