Rio

Rio was recorded between January and March 1982 at AIR Studios in London, with Colin Thurston producing and engineering. The sessions took six to eight weeks, most of the arrangements were settled beforehand, and bass, drums and synthesizers came first, then guitar and keyboard overdubs and vocals. Roger Taylor layered Simmons electronic toms over an acoustic kit, and Andy Hamilton played the largely improvised tenor saxophone solo on "Rio". The mix was finished under deadline, with last tweaks made after the others had left for Sri Lanka. Malcolm Garrett designed the sleeve with an illustration by Patrick Nagel, and David Kershenbaum remixed the US LP.

It reached number two in the UK, number one in Canada and number six on the US Billboard 200 (129 weeks), and was certified two times platinum in the US and Canada. Robert Christgau called it Anglodisco at its most solemnly expedient; Record Mirror found it bereft of the soul, passion and wit that makes a great record; Ira Robbins of Trouser Press wrote there isn't anything less than good; and AllMusic's Ned Raggett said it remains as listenable and danceable as ever. A two-disc collector's edition with the DVD Live at Hammersmith '82 came out in September 2009, and NME ranked it number 65 in its 2003 list of the 100 greatest albums.