Kim Wilde
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Britain's Kim Smith (aka Kim Wilde) grew up in a musical family. Her dad, Reginald Leonard Smith (aka Marty Wilde), was a famous 50's English singer and songwriter. Her mother, Joyce Baker, was a member of the 50's dance group The Vernon Girls. In her early 20's, taking her father's stage name, Kim Wilde signed to RAK records in 1981. It was her father and brother that wrote her songs up until 1985.
Kim Wilde released her first single, "Kids In America", in January of 1981. The song was a huge success in Europe and Australia, but only charted at 25 in the USA when released in 1982. The song was featured on her self-titled debut album. Other notable songs from this album include "Chequered Love" and "Water on Glass". Her follow-up release, Select (1982), featured two more international hits: "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge". Notable songs from her third release, Catch as Catch Can (1983), include "Love Blonde" and "Dancing in the Dark".
After Wilde left RAK records for MCA, she released Teases and Dares (1984). It is worth mentioning that a number of Kim Wilde's songs faired better outside of the UK and the USA in countries like Germany, France, and Scandinavia. The album Another Step (1986) featured the hit songs "You Keep Me Hangin' On", "Another Step (Closer to You)", and "Say You Really Want Me". Her 1988 release, Close, was a big success, and featured the hit songs "Hey Mister Heartache", "You Came", "Never Trust a Stranger", "Four Letter Word", and "Love in the Natural Way".
Post the 1980's, Kim Wilde continued releasing new material and touring. Although she did meet with some chart success in the UK and a few other European countries post 80's, it wasn't until 2006 that she broke the top 40 in the USA again. She was never able to regain the fame of the 80's (she holds the record for the most charted British solo female artist of the 1980's). The Kim Wilde Discography is as follows:
Listen for free or download any Kim Wilde track for just 12 cents per song!
- 1981: Kim Wilde
- 1982: Select
- 1983: Catch as Catch Can
- 1984: Teases & Dares
- 1984: The Very Best of Kim Wilde
- 1986: Another Step
- 1988: Close
- 1990: Love Moves
- 1992: Love Is
- 1993: The Remix Collection
- 1993: The Singles Collection 1981–1993
- 1995: Now & Forever
- 2001: The Very Best of Kim Wilde
- 2006: The Hits Collection
- 2006: Never Say Never
- 2010: Come Out and Play
- 2011: Snapshots