Huey Lewis and the News
Rock · US · Active since 1978

Huey Lewis and the News

Bright, punchy rock and roll with a soulful heart. Polished eighties production meets bar-band grit, perfect for high-energy road trips and backyard hangouts.

Browse Catalog
Intro

Huey Lewis and the News represent the peak of 1980s blue-collar optimism. Their sound is a meticulously engineered blend of rootsy rock and roll, doo-wop vocal harmonies, and the high-gloss sheen of the MTV era. It is music that feels inherently sunny, anchored by Huey's distinctive raspy baritone and a rhythm section that hits with the precision of a Swiss watch.

What truly sets them apart is the 'News' themselves - a band of genuine virtuosos who brought a sophisticated R&B sensibility to straightforward pop-rock. Between the punchy horn arrangements and Huey’s surprisingly soulful harmonica playing, there is a level of musicianship here that elevates their catchy hooks into something more durable. They managed to be both the ultimate bar band and the ultimate stadium act simultaneously.

Start with 'Sports' to hear a band at the absolute zenith of their powers. From the driving energy of 'The Heart of Rock & Roll' to the perfect pop construction of 'If This Is It,' it is an album that defines the decade's sound while remaining stubbornly rooted in the classic traditions of American rhythm and blues.

Huey Lewis and the News (formerly known as Huey Lewis & The American Express) are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Mainstream Rock charts. Their sound draws upon earlier pop, rhythm & blues and doo-wop artists, and their own material has been labeled as blue-eyed soul, new wave, power pop, and roots rock. The group's first two albums were well-received, with Huey Lewis's personal charisma as a frontman gaining notice from publications such as The Washington Post, but they struggled to find a wide audience. Their most successful album, Sports, was released in 1983. The album, along with its music videos being featured on MTV, catapulted the group to worldwide fame. Their popularity significantly expanded when the song "The Power of Love" was featured in the 1985 film Back to the Future. "The Power of Love" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 58th Academy Awards. The group's 1986 album, Fore!, produced two further number-one singles in "Stuck with You" and "Jacob's Ladder". The band's other top-ten hits, all from the 1980s, include "Do You Believe in Love", "Heart and Soul", "I Want a New Drug", "The Heart of Rock & Roll", "If This Is It", "Hip to Be Square", "I Know What I Like", "Doing It All for My Baby" and "Perfect World". Though not formally disbanded, the group has not been active as a performing unit since 2018 when Lewis was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, an inner ear disorder. In 2020, they released Weather, which contains songs the band recorded prior to Lewis's hearing loss.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA →
Our Catalog10 Albums · 1980 · 2020
Known ForWeighted across the artist's discography. Tap a trait for examples.
Adjacent Artists
The Romantics
The Romantics

Shares summer, road trip, dive bar (atmosphere); studio polished, analog warmth, crisp clean (production style)

Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis

Shares joyful, confident, energetic (moods); studio polished, hi fi, analog warmth (production style)

The Kings
The Kings

Shares joyful, confident, playful (moods); studio polished, analog warmth, crisp clean (production style)

D
Diesel

Shares power pop, new wave (subgenres); energetic, nostalgic, playful (moods)

C
Clocks

Shares energetic, nostalgic, confident (moods); power pop, new wave (subgenres)

TB
The Boys

Shares joyful, energetic, nostalgic (moods); power pop, new wave (subgenres)

DA
Doug and the Slugs

Shares power pop, new wave, baroque pop (subgenres); dive bar, road trip, urban night (atmosphere)

P
Playback

Shares power pop, new wave (subgenres); energetic, confident, playful (moods)

Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth

Shares joyful, confident, playful (moods); raspy, harmonized, baritone (vocal style)

TT
Tommy Tutone

Shares energetic, playful, nostalgic (moods); power pop, new wave (subgenres)

The Romantics
The Romantics

Shares harmonica, crisp clean, power pop, new wave (signature)

D
Diesel

Shares crisp clean, power pop, new wave, harmonized (production)

Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →