Kim Carnes: Straddling the Line Between Pop and Innovation

Kim Carnes has been a fixture on the music scene since the early 1980s. Her classic hits such as Bette Davis Eyes, 'Voyeur, and(Love Comes) Strange Ways propelled her to international superstardom and provided a soundtrack for many listeners' lives throughout that decade. Not content to stay within traditional bounds, Kim experimented with her sound over the years, taking risks that were not always met with open arms by critics or fans. But while some of her musical attempts didn't pan out as planned, many respect Kim Carnes for deftly straddling radio-friendly pop sounds and more musically adventurous territory in order to further explore the depths of modern music. In this blog post, we'll take a look at both sides of Kim Carnes' career—the songs she was critiqued for along with her best-known hits—to get an in-depth view of how one artist pushed boundaries while still finding commercial success.

It's hard to talk about '80s music without mentioning Kim Carnes. Her signature hits like Bette Davis Eyes and Voyeur not only dominated radio airwaves but also became staples of pop culture. But beyond the catchy hooks and pop sensibility lies an artist who continually experimented with her sound, diving into more musically adventurous territories that divided critics and fans alike. In this blog post, we'll delve into both sides of Kim Carnes' career and see how she managed to straddle the line between commercial success and creative innovation.

Kim Carnes' debut self-titled album in 1975 was a relatively straightforward affair dominated by soft rock and country influences. It wasn't until her seventh album, Mistaken Identity, in 1981 that she broke into the mainstream with her smash hit Bette Davis Eyes. The song's synth-pop sound, combined with Carnes' sultry vocals and the mysterious lyrics, turned it into an instant classic. However, the success of Bette Davis Eyes also led some to pigeonhole Carnes as a one-hit wonder, a label that she actively fought against in her subsequent albums.

One of those albums was Café Racers in 1983, which marked a significant departure from her previous works. Marrying her love for rockabilly with drum machines and synths, the album was a more adventurous and darker effort, as evidenced by tracks like Invisible Hands and You Make My Heart Beat Faster (And That's All That Matters). While Café Racers wasn't a commercial success, it garnered critical acclaim and showcased Carnes' willingness to experiment with her sound.

This experimentation continued with Carnes' next album, Voyeur, released in 1982. The title track and the album's lead single was a haunting ballad about a stalker in search of his prey, with Carnes' distinctive rasp adding to the song's intensity. Other standout tracks on Voyeur include the upbeat Does It Make You Remember and the mesmerizing Looker. However, the album's darker themes and unconventional approach drew mixed reviews from critics and fans who preferred her more straightforward pop hits.

It was 1985's Barking at Airplanes that reunited Carnes with a more commercial sound. The album's lead single, (Crazy in the Night) Barking at Airplanes, returned her to the top 40 charts, while the ballad Abadabadango showcased her knack for crafting emotional and relatable songs. The album's production was still slick and polished, but Carnes managed to infuse her own personality and musical quirks into the mix.

Kim Carnes may be best known for Bette Davis Eyes, but her career goes far beyond that single hit. The trajectory of her discography shows an artist who never shied away from taking risks, even when it could potentially alienate her audience. Whether she was experimenting with rockabilly, synthesizers, or darker themes, Carnes always managed to showcase her unique voice and musical sensibilities. While not every album was a commercial or critical success, each one represents a snapshot of an artist confidently straddling the line between pop and innovation. It's this fearless approach that makes Kim Carnes an enduring figure in '80s pop music and beyond.