Studio Album · No. 9
Afterburner Songwriting Credits by ZZ Top
Produced by Bill Ham · Engineered by Joe Hardy, Bob Ludwig
Warner Bros.
Pop RockSynth-rockHard Rock
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether ZZ Top carries a lyricist or composer credit.
10 trackswritten by ZZ Top
0 tracksoutside writers
ZZ Top's roles on this album
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
10
Tracks
3
Lyricists
1
Producers
300,000
Worldwide Copies Sold
1985
Released
Data Insight
All ten tracks are the three-way split, unchanged from the record before it. Four of them reached the Hot 100, which no other ZZ Top album managed.
The 1985 follow-up to Eliminator, the band's highest-charting album in the US and the one that leaned hardest on synthesizers.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 8 contributors
More from ZZ Top
1971
100%
ZZ Top's First Album
London
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1972
100%
Rio Grande Mud
London
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1973
100%
Tres Hombres
London
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1975
89%
Fandango!
London
9 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1976
100%
Tejas
London
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1979
80%
Degüello
Warner Bros.
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1981
100%
El Loco
Warner Bros.
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1983
100%
Eliminator
Warner Bros.
11 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1990
100%
Recycler
Warner Bros.
10 tracksProd. Bill Ham
1994
100%
Antenna
RCA
11 tracksProd. Billy Gibbons
1996
100%
Rhythmeen
RCA
12 tracksProd. Billy Gibbons
1999
92%
XXX
RCA
13 tracksProd. Billy Gibbons
2003
94%
Mescalero
RCA
16 tracksProd. Billy Gibbons
2012
100%
La Futura
American Recordings
10 tracksProd. Rick Rubin
Frequently Asked Questions Afterburner
Who wrote the songs on Afterburner?
Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, credited together on all ten tracks.
How high did the singles chart?
"Sleeping Bag" reached number 8 on the Hot 100, "Stages" number 21, "Rough Boy" number 22 and "Velcro Fly" number 35.
How high did the album chart?
Number 4 on the Billboard 200, the band's highest US placing.
How did it sell?
In the UK it was certified Gold (100,000 units) in 1985. In 1990, it was certified Platinum (300,000 units).
Who produced it?
Bill Ham, with Joe Hardy engineering and Bob Ludwig mastering.
Did it win an award?
"Rough Boy" won Best Art Direction at the MTV Video Music Awards.
How long is the album?
37:02 across ten tracks.