1985 Aretha Franklin – Who’s Zooming Who

Who’s Zoomin’ Who? is the thirtieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released by Arista Records on July 9, 1985 in the United States. A breakaway from the Luther Vandross–produced adult contemporary sound of her previous albums Jump to It (1982) and Get It Right (1983), Franklin worked with producer Narada Michael Walden on the majority of the album, envisioning “a record with a younger sound to it.” As a result, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? contains influences of several popular mid–1980s genres, including dance pop, synth-pop, and contemporary R&B as well as pop songs with crossover appeal.

Released to praising reviews, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? became Franklin’s highest-charting album since Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and her first and only studio album to earn a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with over one million copies physically distributed. A top ten entry in New Zealand and Sweden, the album also went platinum in Canada and reached silver status in the United Kingdom. “Freeway of Love”, the album’s lead single, proved both a commercial success, as well as a career achievement for Franklin, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance while holding the number-one position on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five consecutive weeks.