"Listen to Your Heart" was a 1983 single for singer Diane Richards. It became a hit for her that year, registering on the Cash Box and Billboard charts.
Background "Listen to Your Heart" was written by Billy Livsey and Frank Musker.MusicVF.com - Songs written by Billy Livsey, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, Diane Richards 3. 1983 Listen to Your Heart by Diane Richards
The song was recorded by 26-year-old Diane Richards who was new to this side of the music business in spite of having worked in radio and having appeared in Annie hall and Mahogany. The producers and arrangers on the recording were Butch Barbella and Nick Monroe. Richards' own view of her recording was that it was melodic and relaxing, not an aggressive type of song. The song appears on an album of the same name.Billboard, April 2, 1983 - Page 20, Radio, New On The Charts, Diane Richards
The single was released on Zoo York,MusicVF.com - Songs written by Billy Livsey, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, Diane Richards 3. 1983 Listen to Your Heart by Diane Richards while a 12" version of the single was also released.Billboard, April 16, 1983 - Page 1 (Front cover), Bulleting its way to the top of the Black Singles Chart is "Listen To You Heart
Reception As one of the Top Single Picks, "Listen to Your Heart" was a recommended single in the Pop section of the 12 February issue of Billboard.Billboard, February 12, 1983 - Page 59 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Pop, recommended, DIANE RICHARDS- Listen To Your Heart (3:22)
In an article about Diane Richards that appeared in the 2 April 1983 issue of Billboard, "Listen to Your Heart" was referred to as a promising effort.Billboard, April 2, 1983 - Page 20, Radio, New On The Charts, Diane Richards
Airplay in Cash Box magazine's 26 February 1983 issue, "Listen to Your Heart" was no. 2 on the Black Contemporary Most Added Singles list.Cash Box, February 26, 1983 - Page 27 Black Contemporary, Most Added Singles, 2. Listen to Your Heart - Diane Richards - Zoo York
The single was mentioned in the Out Of The Box section of the 9 April issue of Billboard. The writer said that "Listen to Your Heart" had made real cross-over headway and with the proper director she could go a long way. However, the editor wrote that the song wasn't the sort of ballad that kept adult listenership.Billboard, April 9, 1983 - Page 12 Out Of The Box, BLACK /URBAN
Jimmy (Goodtime) Milner of WAWA in Milwaukee felt that the single was going all the way, saying, "flavor is in and this summertime groove is what's happening".Billboard, July 2, 1983 - Page 16 Out Of The Box, BLACK /URBAN
Charts On the week of 11 February, Diane Richards' single was added to the playlist of WWDM in Sumpter and KDIA on Oakland.Radio & Records, Issue Number 470 February 11, 1983 - Page 42 Black Radio, Regionalized Adds & Hots, South, WWDM/Sumpter Barbera Taylor, Diane Richards; West, KDIA Oakland/Jeff Harrison, Diane Richards
On the week of 26 February, "Listen to Your Heart" made its debut at no. 77 in the Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles chart.Cash Box, February 26, 1983 - Page 26 Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles February 26. 1983 78, 2/19 -, Weeks On Chart 1 On the week of 7 May and in its eleventh week, the single peaked at no. 29.Cash Box, May 7, 1983 - Page 34 Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles May 7, 1983 29, 4/30 32, Weeks On Chart 11 It held that position for one more week.Cash Box, May 14, 1983 - Page 32 Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles May 14, 1983 29, 5/7 29, Weeks On Chart 12Cash Box, May 21, 1983 - Page 30 Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles May 21, 1983 30, 5/14 29, Weeks On Chart 13 Having been in the chart for seventeen weeks, the single's last entry was at no. 99 on the week of 18 June.Cash Box, June 18, 1983 - Page 26 Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles June 18, 1983 99, 5/11 95, Weeks On Chart 17
On the week of 2 April, "Listen to Your Heart" jumped to no. 58 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart.Billboard, April 2, 1983 - Page 20, Radio, New On The Charts, Diane Richards It made it to no. 44 in the Billboard chart.MusicVF.com - Songs written by Billy Livsey, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, Diane Richards 3. 1983 Listen to Your Heart by Diane Richards
Accolades The single won Diane Richards an award. She came first in the Cash Box 1983 Black Contemporary Singles Awards New Female section.Cash Box, December 31, 1983 - Page 58 Singles Awards, New Female, 1. Diane Richards • Zoo York
References
External links Discogs - Diane Richards – Listen To Your Heart nick j-blast music channel, Aug 21, 2015 - Diane Richards - Listen To Your Heart (Morales & Munzibai Mix)