Airport (song)#Charts

{{Infobox song

| name = Airport

| cover = The Motors - Airport.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = The Motors

| album = Approved by the Motors

| B-side = {{ubl|"Cold Love (Live)"|"Be What You Gotta Be (Live)"}}

| released = {{start date|1978|5|19|df=y}}

| recorded = 1978

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Power pop, new wave{{cite web|author=Song Review by Stewart Mason |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/airport-mt0015394278 |title=Airport - Motors | Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2013-09-18}}

| length = 4:36

| label = Virgin

| writer = Andy McMaster

| producer = Peter Ker, Nick Garvey, Andy McMaster

| prev_title = Sensation

| prev_year = 1978

| next_title = Forget About You

| next_year = 1978

}}

"Airport" is a single by British power pop/new wave band the Motors. Released on 19 May 1978 by Virgin Records,{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1978/Music-Week-1978-05-20.pdf|title=Music Week|page=47}} the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts

|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|page=381|isbn=1-904994-10-5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/vs219-2|title=Record Details|publisher=45cat.com|accessdate=9 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/motors/|title=MOTORS | Artist |publisher=Official Charts|accessdate=2013-09-18}} On 1 July 1978, the single was awarded a silver certification by the BPI in the UK for sales of over 250,000 units. It also reached number 19 in South Africa on 24 November 1978.{{cite web|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html |title=SA Charts 1965 - 1989, Songs A-B |accessdate=17 January 2018}}

Origin

The song was written by singer Andy McMaster in 1976. McMaster then switched from keyboards to bass for the band's first album. After the release of their 1977 debut album 1, the Motors moved away from their pub rock sound to a new wave style with synthesizers (most prominent on tracks McMaster had previously written) and recognisable melodies.{{cite book|last=Philips|first=Lance|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|year=2003|publisher=Rough Guides|location=London|isbn=1843531054|page=[https://archive.org/details/roughguidetorock0003unse/page/700 700]|edition=3rd|url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetorock0003unse/page/700}}

Reception

Reviewing the group's 1981 greatest hits compilation, Lance Philips (in the Rough Guide to Rock) describes "Airport" as "naturally stand[ing] out" and that the "rest doesn't quite match up". Philips also comments on the song's inclusion on the 1978 album Approved by the Motors, saying that despite its appearance the album failed to be a commercial success.

The Motors' entry in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music notes that "Airport" has become a stock piece of music often accompanying footage of aeroplane or airports.{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=0195313739|page=33|edition=4.}} The encyclopedia suggests that the song's popularity did nothing to extend the life of the band, whose membership changed by the end of the year.

Personnel

Nick Garvey—guitar/vocal
Andy McMaster—lead vocal/synthesizer/bass guitar
Bram Tchaikovsky—guitar/vocal
Ricky Wernham—drums/vocal

Charts

Chart (1978) !Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} \|31
{{singlechart\|Belgium (Flanders)\|24\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Europe (Europarade Top 40){{Cite web\|last=\|first=\|date=7 August 2008\|title=The Europarade - 1976 to 1979\|url= https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/51702-the-europarade-1976-to-1979?q=Airport\|archive-url=\|archive-date=\|access-date=2020-09-09\|website=UKMIX Forums\|language=en}} \|13
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{Cite web\|last=Timo\|date=13 August 2015\|title=Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit MOK - MOY\|url=http://suomenlistalevyt.blogspot.com/2015/08/mok-moy.html\|access-date=2020-09-09\|website=Sisältää hitin}} \|15
scope="row"\|France (IFOP){{cite web \|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artistes_M.php \|title=InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par M\|publisher=Infodisc.fr\|accessdate=2020-09-09}} \|5
{{singlechart\|Germany\|36\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|songid=26058\|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart\|Ireland2\|8\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Israel (IBA){{cite magazine\|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-10-21.pdf\|title=Hits of the World\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=90\|issue=42\|page=82\|date=21 October 1978\|accessdate=9 September 2020}} \|3
{{singlechart\|Dutch40\|28\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart\|Dutch100\|26\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart\|New Zealand\|37\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(M).html\|accessdate=9 September 2020}} \|19
{{singlechart\|Sweden\|4\|artist=The Motors\|song=Airport\|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart\|UKsinglesbyname\|4\|artist=Motors\|rowheader=true}}

References

Category:1978 songs

Category:1978 singles

Category:The Motors songs

Category:Virgin Records singles

Category:Songs written by Andrew McMaster (songwriter)