📊 Eighteen – Chart Entry: Apr. 1971

On April 24, 1971, Alice Cooper’s “Eighteen” climbed one spot to its peak position of No. 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking the band’s first Top 40 hit and a major commercial breakthrough after years of underground cult status.

The single’s steady ascent reflected growing national momentum for the group’s raw, teenage-angst sound and helped pave the way for their mainstream breakthrough with the album *Love It to Death*.

Label: Straight Records / Warner Bros.

Catalogue Number: 7449

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

Released: November 11, 1970 (US) / April 18, 1971 (UK)

📊 Key Chart Highlights

• US Billboard Hot 100 – Peak Position: 21

• First Top 40 hit for Alice Cooper

• Total weeks on chart: 13

• Stronger performance in Canada (peaked at No. 7)

• Did not chart in the UK

📊 The Story (Chart Edition)

Released in the US in late 1970 and backed with “Is It My Body,” “Eighteen” (also known as “I’m Eighteen” on the album) slowly built momentum through radio play and the band’s relentless touring. By April 24, 1971, it had reached its highest position at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Alice Cooper their first major national hit and validating the darker, harder direction they had taken on *Love It to Death*.

The song’s themes of teenage frustration and rebellion resonated strongly with American youth, particularly in the Midwest where the band had built a loyal following. While it failed to chart in the UK at the time, the single’s US success helped establish Alice Cooper as a legitimate commercial force heading into the release of future anthems like “School’s Out.”

📊 Singles

• Eighteen / Is It My Body – Straight/Warner Bros. 7449 – US – November 1970

• Eighteen / Is It My Body – Warner Bros. – UK – April 1971

📊 Context & Notes

• First Top 40 hit for Alice Cooper

• Taken from the album *Love It to Death* (March 1971)

• Marked the band’s transition from cult act to mainstream rock contenders

📊 Discography

Love It to Death – 1971

Eighteen (Single) – 1970/71

📊 Glam Flashback

A sneering teenage anthem that crashed the Top 40 and announced Alice Cooper as the voice of disaffected youth — “Eighteen” was the spark that lit the fuse for shock rock’s golden era.

#ReleaseChronicle #AliceCooper #Eighteen #ImEighteen #1971 #BillboardHot100

📊 Sources

Billboard Hot 100 archives, Discogs, Official Charts Company.

📊 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.