An album which featured covers of Neil Young, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Webb songs from Cher is still not available on Spotify.
Stars, the ill-fated album which had Cher take on some of the all-time classics, was not what Warner Bros., her record label at the time, were expecting from the chart-topper. The label is unable to reissue the release, which is absent from streaming platforms. It seems as though the album will remain elusive, though there are still ways of listening to Stars, though doing so is a questionable way to spend your time. Cher tackled some of the all-time greats on her album and subdued expectations by doing so. There were plenty of reasons for Cher to release Stars at the time, but it was a far cry from her days of success alongside former husband Sonny Bono.
The Sonny and Cher duo came to an end amid their divorce, with the Strong Enough singer branching out as a solo artist soon afterwards. Stars marked one of her first albums to be released following the split from the duo. Dark Lady would release just a year after the last-ever Sonny and Cher album, Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs.
Cher sounded as though she wanted to step away from the popular sound she had established in the past, which was not what Warner Bros. or the audience were expecting. Margaret Stevens, a former staff member at Warner Bros., says the label were disappointed by the product and “bias” from listeners of the time.
She said: “It’s not what we expected. Her personal life was too high-profile and no one could take her seriously as a recording artist…No matter how strong the product, a bias had developed.”
Cher would tackle the likes of Mr. Soul, Bell Bottom Blues, and The Bigger They Come, the Harder They Fall on Stars. It would be a far cry from her usual output of chart-topping pop sensations in the years to come.
Stars wouldn’t even make the Billboard Top 100 at the time of release, but it has since found new love from listeners online. The album has since been released on Cher’s official YouTube page though has not racked up the millions of listeners it ought to have received on first release.
One fan took to the YouTube upload of Love Enough and wrote: “We are so blessed to finally have this best album remastered.” Another praised the release, adding: “My beautiful, favourite song, I love Cher so much.” Praise for the cover of Bell Bottom Blues was also found, with one user suggesting the “high note makes me melt.”
Another added: “We need this on the streaming services! Such a great, and sadly underrated album.” Cher would eventually remaster and release the album in 2021, though copies of physical editions of Stars are tricky to track down. Stars remains unlisted on the likes of Spotify, though is readily available for listeners on YouTube. You can listen to Stars below.
