Scorpions were founded in 1965 and have two Top 5 hits to their name with 'Still Loving You' and 'Send Me An Angel'. The name ‘the Scorpions’ was already taken at the time of their formation, by a rock 'n' roll group from Manchester. The English band had been called ‘the Scorpions’ a year earlier but due to a late debut album and even later international success, this was not a problem in the early years.
First, but late album
The first album by the German rockers was released in 1972 under the name Lonesome Crow. However, The Scorpions only gained international recognition in 1984 with the album Love at First Sting. ‘Still Loving You’ is the well-known single from that record.
First Western band in ‘Russia’
In the spring of 1991, The Scorpions reached number 1 with the political 'Wind Of Change', which was written about the changes in Eastern Europe. The five-piece was also the first Western band allowed to perform in the former Soviet Union.
Controversy "Virgin Killer"
The album cover of "Virgin Killer" by Scorpions, released in 1976, is highly controversial due to the depiction of a naked minor girl. The cover shows a close-up of a young girl in a daring pose, with her nudity partly visible. This image has sparked much discussion and criticism over the years. Due to the controversial nature of the cover, it was later replaced by alternative covers in some countries. The album itself contained tracks such as "Pictured Life" and "In Your Park" and is considered an important work in the Scorpions’ discography.
Last album
In 2010, The Scorpions decided to record their final studio album; Sting in the Tail. However, the band did not stop immediately, as a three-year tour followed. In 2013, they cancelled their retirement plans and decided to continue.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000 (we are now in 2023), Scorpions have the following entries:
Sunday Morning Classic
It was inevitable and on 18 June 2023, it finally happened: Scorpions on our Sunday Morning Classic stage.
We chose the album Love At First Sting from 1984. It was a hit for Scorpions. Since the release of their predecessor Blackout, Scorpions belonged to the premier league of the genre and this album catapulted the Germans to worldwide stardom. The singles Rock You Like A Hurricane, Big City Nights and especially the ballad Still Loving You became hits in many countries. What helped especially in the United States and Canada was Scorpions’ performance at the US festival in 1983. The US festival, an initiative of Apple founders Jobs and Wozniak, was one of the largest festivals (300,000+ visitors) ever organised and was later broadcast on American TV. Scorpions gained so much fame from that performance that Love At First Sting shot up the charts immediately after release and stayed in the upper regions for a long time. True to Scorpions’ reputation, the album cover, a photo by Helmut Newton, caused some controversy again (did the couple have intercourse or not). Controversy usually translates into publicity and every band benefits from that. Fortunately, it was mainly the music that guaranteed success. Strong and catchy compositions that perfectly matched the taste of the rapidly growing population of hard rock fans.
It combined the characteristic hard rock sound of Scorpions with catchy melodies and powerful guitar riffs. "Love at First Sting" is often considered one of the highlights of Scorpions’ discography and contributed to their international breakthrough.
Source: NPO and Written in Music
Photo: Carlos Delgado; CC-BY-SA and dr_zoidberg
Below you will find a selection of Scorpions albums. Looking for a specific album? Let us know. We are happy to help you search!
