What’s New

Released in 1983, What's New represented a massive commercial risk for Linda Ronstadt, who was then the reigning queen of rock and country-pop. Defying her label's expectations, she collaborated with legendary arranger Nelson Riddle to record a collection of Great American Songbook standards. This album is credited with sparking a massive revival of traditional pop among rock audiences, predating similar moves by artists like Rod Stewart by decades. Recorded at Skywalker Ranch, the production is impeccably clean, allowing the 40-piece orchestra to breathe. Critics initially questioned the move, but the album's triple-platinum success proved Ronstadt's instincts correct. It remains the definitive example of a rock star successfully transitioning into the world of vocal jazz, characterized by its lush, mid-century aesthetic and Ronstadt's transition from a 'belter' to a nuanced torch singer.