Agents of Fortune

Studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Released

May 21, 1976

Recorded

1975–76

Studio

The Record Plant, New York City

Genre

Hard rock, Rock, Progressive rock

Length

36:18

Label

Columbia

Producer

Blue Öyster Cult chronology

On Your Feet or on Your Knees
(1975)

Agents of Fortune
(1976)

Spectres
(1977)

Singles from Agents of Fortune

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" / "Tattoo Vampire"
Released: June 1976
"Debbie Denise" / "This Ain't the Summer of Love"
Released: 1976

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	B+^[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	10/10^[3]
Rolling Stone	(very favorable)^[4]

Agents of Fortune is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, originally released in a gatefold sleeve LP in 1976 through Columbia Records.

The platinum-selling album peaked at No. 29 on the United States Billboard 200 chart,^[5] while the single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart,^[6] making it Blue Öyster Cult's biggest hit.

The band also became a larger concert attraction at this time—largely based on not only their stageshow, but aided by the airplay of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," which to this day is a staple of FM rock station playlists. Concert venues became larger, the show became more intricate and BÖC was reaching its commercial peak on the tour circuit.

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"This Ain't the Summer of Love"	Albert Bouchard, Murray Krugman, Don Waller	Eric Bloom	2:21
2.	"True Confessions"	Allen Lanier	Lanier	2:57
3.	"(Don't Fear) The Reaper"	Donald Roeser	Roeser	5:08
4.	"E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)"	Roeser, Sandy Pearlman	Bloom	3:43
5.	"The Revenge of Vera Gemini"	A. Bouchard, Patti Smith	A. Bouchard, Smith	3:52

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
6.	"Sinful Love"	A. Bouchard, Helen Wheels	A. Bouchard	3:29
7.	"Tattoo Vampire"	A. Bouchard, Wheels	Bloom	2:41
8.	"Morning Final"	Joe Bouchard	J. Bouchard	4:30
9.	"Tenderloin"	Lanier	Bloom	3:40
10.	"Debbie Denise"	A. Bouchard, Smith	A. Bouchard	4:13
Total length:				36:35

2001 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Fire of Unknown Origin" (original version)	Bloom, A. Bouchard, J. Bouchard, Roeser, Smith	3:30
12.	"Sally" (demo version)	A. Bouchard	2:40
13.	"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (demo version)	Roeser	6:20
14.	"Dance the Night Away" (demo version)	Lanier, Jim Carroll	2:37
Total length:			15:07

Personnel

Band members

Eric Bloom – guitar, percussion, vocals
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – guitar, synthesizer, percussion, vocals
Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals
Joe Bouchard – bass, piano, vocals
Albert Bouchard – drums, acoustic guitar, percussion, harmonica, vocals

Additional musicians

Patti Smith – vocals on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini"
Randy Brecker – horns
Michael Brecker – horns
David Lucas – vocals, keyboards, percussion

Production

David Lucas , Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman,
Shelly Yakus, Andy Abrams – engineers
Tony Stevens – mastering
John Berg, Andy Engel – design
Lynn Curlee – paintings

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1976	Billboard 200 (United States)	29^[5]
	UK Albums Chart	26^[7]
	RPM100 Albums (Canada)	28^[8]
	Swedish Albums Chart	10^[9]

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1976	"(Don't Fear) The Reaper"	Billboard Hot 100 (United States)^[6]	12^[6]
1976		RPM Top 100 Singles (Canada)	7^[10]
1978		UK Singles Chart	16^[7]

Sales certifications

Year	Country	Organization	Sales
1977	Canada	CRIA	Gold (50,000+)^[11]
1978	U.S.	RIAA	Platinum (1,000,000+)^[12]

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
The Village Voice	U.S.	The 1976 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll^[13]	1976	10
NME	UK	Albums of the Year^[14]	1976	6
Dave Marsh & Kevin Stein	U.S.	The Best of the Album Chartmakers by Year: 1976^[15]	1981	12
Kerrang!	UK	The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time^[14]	1989	62
Q	UK	The Greatest Classic Rock Albums Ever!^[16]	2004	No order

References

↑ Jurek, Thom. "Blue Öyster Cult Agents of Fortune review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumers Guide Reviews: Agents of Fortune". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
↑ Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1894959025.
↑ Tucker, Ken (15 July 1976). "Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-10-12. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
1 2 "Agents of Fortune Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
1 2 3 "Agents of Fortune Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
1 2 "Blue Oyster Cult Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 23, No. 5, October 30, 1976". Library and Archives Canada. 30 October 1976. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
↑ "Blue Öyster Cult – Agents of Fortune (Album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
↑ "Top Singles - Volume 26, No. 7, November 13, 1976". Library and Archives Canada. 13 November 1976. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
↑ "Gold Platinum Database - Title: Fire of Unknown Origin". Music Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
↑ "RIAA Searchable Database - search for Agents of Fortune". RIAA. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
↑ "The 1976 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
1 2 "Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
↑ "The Dave Marsh Lists". Book Of Rock Lists - Albums Of The Year: 1976. Rocklist.net. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
↑ "Q Lists: Q Special Edition – The Greatest Classic Rock Albums Ever !". Q. Rocklist.net. Retrieved 2012-03-30.

Blue Öyster Cult

Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser Eric Bloom Richie Castellano Jules Radino Kasim Sulton Allen Lanier Albert Bouchard Andrew Winters Les Braunstein Joe Bouchard Rick Downey Jimmy Wilcox Tommy Zvoncheck Jon Rogers Ron Riddle Chuck Burgi John Miceli Greg Smith Danny Miranda John O'Reilly Bobby Rondinelli Rudy Sarzo

Studio albums	Blue Öyster Cult Tyranny and Mutation Secret Treaties Agents of Fortune Spectres Mirrors Cultösaurus Erectus Fire of Unknown Origin The Revölution by Night Club Ninja Imaginos Cult Classic Heaven Forbid Curse of the Hidden Mirror

Live albums	On Your Feet or on Your Knees Some Enchanted Evening Extraterrestrial Live Live 1976 A Long Day's Night

Compilation albums	Career of Evil: The Metal Years On Flame with Rock and Roll Workshop of the Telescopes Don't Fear the Reaper: The Best of Blue Öyster Cult The Essential Blue Öyster Cult

Soundtracks	Bad Channels

Singles	"This Ain't the Summer of Love" "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" "Godzilla" "Black Blade" "Burnin' for You" "Astronomy"

Videos	Black and Blue Live 1976 A Long Day's Night Some OTHER Enchanted Evening

Lyricists	Sandy Pearlman Richard Meltzer Patti Smith Michael Moorcock John Shirley

Related	Discography Brain Surgeons More cowbell St. Cecilia: The Elektra Recordings Nail You Down

Book:Blue Öyster Cult Category:Blue Öyster Cult Portal:Rock music

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