Planet Rock: The Album

Planet Rock: The Album is an old school hip hop album by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, released in 1986 as a collection of previous singles. The song "Planet Rock" was one of the earliest hits of the hip hop music genre and remains one of its pioneering recordings. The single's liner notes include members of Kraftwerk with the songwriting credits. In creating the track, portions of Kraftwerk's "Numbers" and "Trans-Europe Express" were interpolated (re-recorded in the studio, rather than through the use of a digital sampler), along with portions of songs by Captain Sky and Ennio Morricone.

Planet Rock
Studio album by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force
Released	December 1, 1986
Recorded	1981–1986
Genre	Electro old school hip hop breakbeat
Length	46:09
Label	Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records
Producer	Arthur Baker John Robie Fats Comet Productions Keith LeBlanc Doug Wimbish Skip McDonald
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force chronology
Death Mix (1983) Planet Rock (1986) Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere) (1986)
Singles from Planet Rock: The Album
"Looking for the Perfect Beat" Released: January 1983 "Renegades of Funk" Released: 1983

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	A–[2]

Legacy

The song "Planet Rock" was ranked by Rolling Stone magazine at #240 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,[3] and went on to become the first gold-certified vinyl 12-inch single. Slant Magazine listed the album at #84 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s".[4] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[5] "Renegades of Funk", the third track, was covered by Rage Against the Machine on its Renegades album.

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Planet Rock"	7:31
2.	"Looking for the Perfect Beat"	6:51
3.	"Renegades of Funk"	6:45
4.	"Frantic Situation" (Frantic Mix) (featuring Melle Mel)	3:47
5.	"Who You Funkin' With?"	6:23
6.	"Go-Go Pop" (featuring Trouble Funk)	6:00
7.	"They Made a Mistake"	5:30

Personnel

• Arthur Baker – producer, mixing
• Keith LeBlanc – producer
• Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
• Latin Rascals – remixing
• Afrika Bambaataa – producer, mixing
• John Aquilino – illustrations, hand lettering
• Jay Burnett – mixing
• Albert Cabrera – remixing
• Skip McDonald – producer
• Tony Moran – remixing
• John Robie – producer, mixing
• LeRoi Evans – producer, mixing
• Rae Serrano – producer
• Adrian Sherwood – mixing
• Andy Wallace – mixing
• Doug Wimbish – producer
• Monica Lynch – art direction
• Steven Miglio – artwork, design
• Fats Comet – producer, mixing
• M.C. G.L.O.B.E. – additional vocals

References

1. "Planet Rock: The Album - Afrika Bambaataa, Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
2. Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
3. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/afrika-bambaataa-and-the-soul-sonic-force-planet-rock-19691231 500 greatest songs of all time—rolling stone
4. "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s - Feature - Slant Magazine". slantmagazine.com.
5. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.