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Love Stinks
Studio album by the J. Geils Band
Released	January 28, 1980
Recorded	1979
Studio	Long View Farm, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
Genre	Rock new wave
Length	37:34
Label	EMI
Producer	Seth Justman
The J. Geils Band chronology
Best of the J. Geils Band (1979) Love Stinks (1980) Freeze Frame (1981)
Singles from Love Stinks
"Come Back b/w "Takin' You Down" Released: 1980 "Love Stinks b/w "Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down" Released: 1980 "Just Can't Wait b/w "No Anchovies, Please" Released: 1980

Love Stinks is the ninth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band. The album was released on January 28, 1980, by EMI Records.

The title song, "Love Stinks", is a rant against unrequited love. It has been covered by industrial metal band Bile, by Andru Branch in the film Love Stinks, Joan Jett in the film Mr. Wrong and Adam Sandler in the film The Wedding Singer.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	C+
Record Mirror
Rolling Stone	(mixed)

Cash Box said that the single "Just Can't Wait" has "earthy old wave rock guitar riffing, with a souped up synthesized farfisa organ sound." Record World called it "certified boogie music with a hook that will grab summer listeners." Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian named "Just Can't Wait" as the band's 7th best song, stating that "The song’s Farfisa organ lick was very symbolic of the sound of the early 1980s, when all styles of music were merging into a new wave-type sound."

Track listing

All songs written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman, except where noted.

Personnel

• Peter Wolf – lead vocals
• J. Geils – guitar
• Magic Dick – harmonica, alto sax
• Seth Justman – keyboards, vocals
• Danny Klein – bass
• Stephen Jo Bladd – drums, vocals

Production

• Producer: Seth Justman
• Engineer: David Thoener
• Mixing: David Thoener
• Mastering: Joe Brescio
• Studio assistant: Jesse Henderson
• Arranger: Seth Justman
• Art direction: Carin Goldberg
• Design: Carin Goldberg, Mark Handel
• Photography: Cadence Industries Corp.

Charts

Album

Singles

References

1. Rolling Stone Staff (November 11, 2020). "The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2023. The Geils gang kicked down the door into the Eighties with a surprise New Wave makeover for Boston's finest blues-rock party monsters.
2. John Franck. "Love Stinks - J. Geils Band". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
3. Nicholls, Mike (15 March 1980). "The J Geils Band: Love Stinks". Record Mirror. p. 23.
4. Christgau, Robert. "Love Stinks". Robert Christgau.
5. Ed Levine (1980-04-03). "J. Geils Band: Love Stinks". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
6. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 12, 1980. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
7. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 19, 1980. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
8. Kachejian, Brian (January 2024). "10 J. Geils Band Songs Fans Love". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
9. "The J Geils Band Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 122. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
11. ^ "The J. Geils Band Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
12. "The J. Geils Band Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.

• 1980 albums
• The J. Geils Band albums
• EMI Records albums
• Albums recorded at Long View Farm
• Albums produced by Seth Justman