Radioatividade
Blitz
1983
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1983, Radioatividade solidified Blitz's musical proposition, a phenomenon of Brazilian pop rock that, with its charisma and innovative sound, profoundly marked the 1980s. The album, the band's second, maintained the adolescent and fun formula that catapulted them to stardom, combining elements of new wave and national rock with colloquial and relatable lyrics. This work stands out for its conceptual structure, which emulates a radio broadcast, interspersing songs with jingles and voice-overs. This approach not only justifies the album's title but also immerses the listener in a unique sonic experience, reflecting the cultural effervescence of the era.
Context
Radioatividade emerged onto the Brazilian music scene on the heels of the enormous success of As Aventuras da Blitz, the band's debut album, and the mega-hit “Você Não Soube Me Amar”, which sold over 800,000 copies as a single. In 1983, Blitz enjoyed unprecedented prestige, having sold over 300,000 copies of their first album, and was recognised as the band that opened the doors of record labels to a new generation of Brazilian rock. Their success guaranteed them the autonomy to impose conditions on the record label, including the choice of producer and technical recording details, which demonstrates the power and influence the band had achieved in such a short time.
Recording
The recording of Radioatividade took place in early 1983, under the baton of the renowned producer Liminha, who, interestingly, had refused to work with the band the previous year. Blitz demanded a 24-channel studio, something rare in Rio de Janeiro at the time, and Liminha had to lend his own 24-channel mixing desk, recently acquired for Estúdio Nas Nuvens, which he was setting up with Gilberto Gil. Odeon's studio, where part of the work was done, only had 16 tracks, making Liminha's machine essential for the desired sound. The recording and mixing process took two months, but the repertoire, already tested and approved in live shows, facilitated a relatively fast pace. The creative and striking double-gatefold cover art was developed by the A Bela Arte studio, led by Luíz Stein and Gringo Cardia.
Songs
The album Radioatividade is a mosaic of songs that capture the spirit of youth and relaxation, filled with insightful lyrics. Among the standout tracks, “A Dois Passos do Paraíso” became one of the biggest hits of the band's career, narrating the longing for a distant love with a pop sensibility. “Weekend” is an infectious funk-pop track, while “Ridícula” addresses the end of a relationship with Blitz's characteristic humour. Other notable moments include “Apocalipse Não”, which carries an anti-war message, and “Betty Frígida”, a rock song that explores sexual frustration. The album also features the fun cover of “Biquini de Bolinha Amarelinha Tão Pequenininho”, with the distinctive vocals of Fernanda Abreu and Márcia Bulcão, and the title track “Rádio Atividade”, which serves as a closing jingle, tying together the album's radio concept.
Legacy
Radioatividade achieved platinum status, driven by the overwhelming success of “A Dois Passos do Paraíso”, which became one of the band's biggest hits. Although the track “Weekend” initially had a more lukewarm reception, the success of “A Dois Passos do Paraíso” meant that other songs such as “Betty Frígida” and “Ridícula” also gained traction on the radio. Despite its great popular success, some music critics at the time pointed to a certain repetition of the debut album's formula. However, Radioatividade marked the consolidation of Blitz as one of the most important bands in the Brazilian pop rock scene of the 80s, and its influence can be seen in opening up space for the genre, even though the success and overexposure had already begun to generate the first internal conflicts within the band during the recordings.
Tracks
Podcasts
AutoRadio Podcast · autoradiopodcast
No episódio desta semana, embarcamos na energia contagiante da Blitz com o álbum "Radioatividade", lançado em 1983! Com aquele mix irresistível de rock, reggae e bom humor, a banda de Evandro Mesquita seguiu surfando no sucesso e entregou hits que marcaram época. @autoradiopodcast
Books
Analyses
"Radioatividade" (EMI-Odeon), Blitz
discosessenciais.blogspot.com
Titled Radioatividade, Blitz's second album was released on 10 September 1983. The new Blitz album arrived in stores packaged in a beautiful and creative gatefold sleeve created by A Bela Arte studio, by graphic designers Luíz Stein and Gringo Cardia.
Blitz - Radioatividade (1983)
musicasdonordeste.net
The album, divided into two parts, brings together the singer's greatest hits from his 20-year career, with songs such as "Avôhai", "Chao de Giz", "Bicho de 7 Cabecas", and others.
Blitz - Radioatividade 1983 - Ivan DJ
ivandj.com.br
Artist: Blitz Album: Radioatividade Year: 1983 This edition: 2003 (CD reissue in the '2 Em 1' series) Record Label: EMI (Original and this Edition) Style: New Wave, Pop Rock Total running time: 38:58 Format: MP3 320k (+ scans) Tracks 01. A Última Ficha - 3:07 02. Ridícula - 3:31 03. Charme De Artista - 3:12 04. Só O Amor ...
Blitz Radioatividade e sua capa de 41 anos! - Diário da Manhã
diariodamanhapelotas.com.br
Along with several other songs throughout their career, Evandro Mesquita and Ricardo Barreto were true geniuses, on this album in particular, with the lyrics of "Weekend" and "A Dois Passos do Paraíso", being, in my opinion, a memorable milestone for us listeners and fans of the band.
DISCOTECA PERDIDA #180 - BLITZ - RADIOATIVIDADE - AutoRadio Podcast
autoradiopodcast.com.br
In this week's episode, we dive into the contagious energy of Blitz with the album "Radioatividade", released in 1983!. With that irresistible mix of rock, reggae and good humour, Evandro Mesquita and Fernanda Abreu's band continued to ride the wave of success and delivered era-defining hits.
