Is Remain in Light good?

Riffiter listeners rate Remain in Light 4.5/5 from 15 ratings.

What is the highest-rated track on Remain in Light?

Crosseyed and Painless, rated 5.0/5 by 4 listeners on Riffiter.

When was Remain in Light released?

Remain in Light was released in 1980 on Sire Records.

How many tracks are on Remain in Light?

Remain in Light has 12 tracks, with a runtime of 59 minutes.

What genre is Remain in Light?

Remain in Light is catalogued under New Wave, Post-Punk, Rock.

What BPM is Remain in Light?

Remain in Light runs at a median tempo of 115 BPM across its tracks, most often in A# major, measured from audio analysis.

What albums are similar to Remain in Light?

Listeners of Remain in Light also rate London Calling by The Clash, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie, Disintegration by The Cure.

Who produced Remain in Light?

Remain in Light was produced by Brian Eno and Talking Heads. Brian Eno produced 8 of them.

Who wrote the songs on Remain in Light?

Remain in Light was written by Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, David Byrne and Jerry Harrison, among 5 credited in total. Brian Eno wrote 2 of them.

Album · 1980

Remain in Light

by Talking Heads

Remain in Light is a 1980 new wave album by Talking Heads. It runs 12 tracks across 59 minutes on Sire Records. Riffiter listeners rate it 4.5/5 from 15 ratings.

prod.

Brian Eno

Talking Heads 7connections

New Wave · Post-Punk · Rock

Best albums of 1980→

#1 in Best albums of 1980 · #1 in Best new wave albums

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4.5 /5
15 ratings: 100 /100
10 critics: 12
Tracks: 59 min
Runtime: 115 bpm
Tempo: A# major
Key

Ratings

15 ratings · avg 4.5

0.5★5★

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Reviews

1 review

4.0
Jackson Futrell Sep 10, 2026
First listen vibe: This sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before. It’s definitely going to take some time before I fully know how I feel but I was very intrigued the entire time. Nothin felt out of place or boring. Everything was rich but fast. Then the ending song is haunting. Also the whole thing about changing your face, actually nightmare fuel.
Reply

22 people have played it start to finish

Critics

10 publications

Uncut5/5
Chicago Tribune4/4
AllMusic5/5
Mojo5/5
Pitchfork10/10
Rolling Stone5/5
Spin Alternative Record Guide10/10
The Irish Times5/5
The Rolling Stone Album Guide5/5
Christgaus Record GuideA

Scores collected from the English Wikipedia ratings box (CC BY-SA). Ratings belong to the publications; follow a link to read the review.

Remain in Light album cover

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Elio Perlman · Call Me by Your Name (2017)
My father plays this and pretends it's research. It isn't. He just likes it.

Film & TV data from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Tracklist

12 tracks · 59 min

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Ranked by listeners

4 rated tracks

According to Riffiter listeners, the best track on Remain in Light is Crosseyed and Painless — rated 5.0/5 by 4 listeners.

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About

The musical transition that seemed to have just begun with Fear of Music came to fruition on Talking Heads' fourth album, Remain in Light. "I Zimbra" and "Life During Wartime" from the earlier album served as the blueprints for a disc on which the group explored African polyrhythms on a series of driving groove tracks, over which David Byrne chanted and sang his typically disconnected lyrics. Remain in Light had more words than any previous Heads record, but they counted for less than ever in the sweep of the music. The album's single, "Once in a Lifetime," flopped upon release, but over the years it became an audience favorite due to a striking video, its inclusion in the band's 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense, and its second single release (in the live version) because of its use in the 1986 movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills, when it became a minor chart entry. Byrne sounded typically uncomfortable in the verses ("And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife/And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?"), which were undercut by the reassuring chorus ("Letting the days go by").

Even without a single, Remain in Light was a hit, indicating that Talking Heads were connecting with an audience ready to follow their musical evolution, and the album was so inventive and influential, it was no wonder. As it turned out, however, it marked the end of one aspect of the group's development and was their last new music for three years.

In brief

Is Remain in Light good?: Riffiter listeners rate Remain in Light 4.5/5 from 15 ratings.
What is the highest-rated track on Remain in Light?: Crosseyed and Painless, rated 5.0/5 by 4 listeners on Riffiter.
When was Remain in Light released?: Remain in Light was released in 1980 on Sire Records.
How many tracks are on Remain in Light?: Remain in Light has 12 tracks, with a runtime of 59 minutes.
What genre is Remain in Light?: Remain in Light is catalogued under New Wave, Post-Punk, Rock.
What BPM is Remain in Light?: Remain in Light runs at a median tempo of 115 BPM across its tracks, most often in A# major, measured from audio analysis.
What albums are similar to Remain in Light?: Listeners of Remain in Light also rate London Calling by The Clash, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie, Disintegration by The Cure.
Who produced Remain in Light?: Remain in Light was produced by Brian Eno and Talking Heads. Brian Eno produced 8 of them.
Who wrote the songs on Remain in Light?: Remain in Light was written by Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, David Byrne and Jerry Harrison, among 5 credited in total. Brian Eno wrote 2 of them.