They Were DEAD in the Water… Until Sports SAVED Huey Lewis And The News!
Huey Lewis and the news album Sports which produced huge hits like I Want a New Drug, The Heat of Rock N’ Roll.
Ghostbusters Huey lewis Controversy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAvy0EnVFac&t=6s&pp=ygUXaHVleSBsZXdpcyBnaG9zdGJ1c3RlcnM%3D
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Huey Lewis & The News’ journey to their breakthrough album, Sports, is a classic tale of perseverance, reinvention, and unexpected stardom. The story begins with Huey Lewis, born Hugh Cregg III, growing up in a musically rich Bay Area household. His early exposure to jazz, swing, and rock through his parents, along with formative experiences sneaking into blues bars as a teenager, set the stage for his musical ambitions. After a stint at Cornell University and a year busking across Europe, Lewis committed fully to music, joining the Bay Area band Clover. Despite recording two albums in London with producer Mutt Lange, Clover failed to break through, and the band eventually dissolved.
Returning to California, Lewis assembled a new group with local musicians, initially performing as Huey Lewis & The American Express before adopting the name Huey Lewis & The News. Their energetic live shows quickly built a following, and with the help of manager Bob Brown, they secured a deal with Chrysalis Records. However, their self-titled debut album flopped, leaving Lewis nearly broke and the band’s future uncertain.
Desperate for a hit, the band convinced their label to let them self-produce their second album. After months in the studio with little to show, Lewis reached out to Mutt Lange, who provided the song that became “Do You Believe in Love.” This track finally broke the band into the mainstream, peaking at number 7 on the charts and helping the album go gold. MTV exposure and relentless touring built momentum, but the pressure for an even bigger follow-up loomed.
Drawing inspiration from their experiences on the road and the evolving sounds of the early 1980s, the band entered the studio to craft Sports. They aimed for radio-friendly hits across a range of genres, blending rock, R&B, and new wave. The recording process was fraught with uncertainty—label upheaval, last-minute song changes, and technical experimentation with drum machines. Key tracks like “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug,” and “The Heart of Rock & Roll” emerged from this creative crucible, each with its own backstory and blend of old-school and modern influences.
When Sports was finally released in September 1983, it became an instant sensation. The album spawned multiple top 10 singles, dominated MTV, and topped the Billboard charts, ultimately selling over 7 million copies in the U.S. alone. Its success opened new doors, including the opportunity to write “The Power of Love” for Back to the Future, which became the band’s first number-one hit and earned an Academy Award nomination.
Despite the stardom, Lewis remained grounded, crediting teamwork and authenticity for their success. The album’s diversity, self-production, and distinctive videos set them apart in a crowded pop landscape. The pressure to follow up Sports was immense, but its triumph ensured that Huey Lewis & The News had secured their place in music history, allowing them to pursue their craft with newfound confidence and longevity
@rnrtruestories
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Throw suggestions below here’s the Huey Lewis and ghostbusters video I referenced https://youtu.be/gAvy0EnVFac?si=-zEg-prm7QpxW3pi
@prettyvacant09
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
One of my absolute favorite bands, reminds me of growing up in the 80s and going through my uncle's Tape collection, I always asked to listen to Huey Lewis and the News album Sports.
@ms.ellenlevy5667
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
They were the first concert I ever went too. Man,that was a long time ago. 😊 Patrick Bateman’s diatribe about sports is legendary .
@frankiemae1302
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Can you do one on The Outfield?
@gentelmanjunkie542
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
I remember the summer of '84. I was 9 yrs old, its impossible to convey how huge these songs were. The album's in my top 10 for soundtrack of my childhood.
@ericpanissidi6761
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
He is not going to win an oscar but he was good in the movie" duets" playing a " karaoke hustler
@ericpanissidi6761
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Borat named his son after the great huey lewis. Immortalized in " american psycho" though not admitting being liked for being" to black sounding"for patrick bateman
@KattilaTheHunFreedomFighter
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Growing up in the SF Bay Area in the 1980's, Huey Lewis and The News were local boys to us. I'm a huge fan. I met Huey once at a charity golf tournament (super nice guy). My mom was Johnny Colla's personal housekeeper for about a decade. I used to go over to his house after school to wait for my mom to finish up. He was always really cool and down-to-earth as well. On 10/25/91 they were playing a show at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA, and he gave me and mom backstage passes so we got to hang out backstage. It was a crazy stormy night. Incidentally, this was the very same night that legendary rock promoter Bill Graham was also backstage and I shook his hand and chatted with him for a few mins. Tragically, he died just a few hours later after his helicopter took off from the venue's helipad and crashed into a transformer due to the storm and visibility issues.
@thekillingfieldsable
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Can you do video on Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy? 🙏
@PattMcCrotch
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
HLN was the early 80s on MTV. It played constantly but was seemingly new videos that everyone loved 🥰
@javierservigon
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Hiey Lewis and the news is a highly underrated band. Their musicianship is amazing and their guitar player, Chris Hayes, is out of this world.
@mlwsf
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Plimsouls would be a good one.
@rickclogston5205
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
I remember seeing the first album in a record store I used to go to, and the guy who worked behind the counter talked me out of buying it. A couple years later, just as Sports was coming out, I saw them at the California State Fair and they tore the place down! If I remember correctly, they were opening for Greg Kihn, who was good, but HL&N blew them off the stage.
@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Damn interesting, but how could he not think they were a pop band?
@troysvisualarts
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Enjoyed watching this video, learned a fair bit about Huey Lewis & The News and Huey's background. I was a child in the 80s growing up in Tasmania and remember hearing a number of his songs on the car radio particularly "If This Is It" and "Happy To Be Stuck With You" and enjoyed them and hearing them today reminds me of my childhood. I wasn't familiar with "Power Of Love" until the early 90s when I watched a rerun or VHS release of "Back To The Future" and absolutely enjoyed it. My most favourite song is "Heart & Soul" everything about that song musically and vocally appeals to me and sounds really cool!
@gtw541
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
The first band I ever saw in my life. In a club in Abilene Texas 1982. They rocked! I can still picture it.
@johndalton3180
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Huey Lewis and the News was EVERYWHERE. In ways no band will ever be again. They were literally the soundtrack to everyday life in the '80s. It's like you'd just hear Power of Love just walking down the street.
@satansalley6526
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Quality job.
@waxworse
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
"You like Huey Louis and the News?" – Patrick Bateman
@johnmorris8472
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
I always preferred picture this….
@Nammsayin
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Do Kenny Loggins. his music was in films too
@JonasLindqvist69
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Another great episode 😊 What about a doing something on the 80’s supergroup Power Station?
@jimpederson1328
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
great video- thanks!
@AlJohnsGuitar
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
They Lost to zz top and Tina Turner!? That's respectable! At least it wasnt Nena or the Buggles.
@geneevans7885
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Those guy are overlooked musicians. Top notch for sure.
@dfgarcia74
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
When Sports blew up I got to see them as a kid with my mom in San Antonio where we were from. It was my first concert. When they got to the San Anton lyric the place blew up and I was hooked on concerts ever since. My tastes went to more Metal but Huey Lewis and the News have a special place in my heart.
@TtumpsNeckVagina
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Huey inspires me to dance around in a raincoat while wielding an axe every time I hear him.
@teddnagurski5583
January 12, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Huey Lewis and the News were like the "Soc's" in the Outsiders or Johnny in the Karate Kid. They're music was squeaky clean and made for the high school jocks.
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