1979's "No. 1 in Heaven" saw Sparks fully embrace the burgeoning synth-pop movement, crafting a dramatic, Euro-disco-indebted soundscape that alienated some fans while presaging their later electronic explorations.
- Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte produced the album, having recently helmed Donna Summer's string of disco hits.
- The album's title track, "The Number One Song in Heaven," was released as a single and reached number 2 in the UK dance charts.
- Upon its release, "No. 1 in Heaven" divided critical opinion, with some praising its innovative electronic direction and others lamenting the perceived loss of their earlier rock-based sound.
Brothers Ron and Russell Mael formed Sparks in Los Angeles in 1968. They later relocated to the UK, achieving significant chart success and critical attention with their distinctive operatic, vaudevillian, and art-rock-influenced pop. "No. 1 in Heaven," released in 1979, marked a significant stylistic departure for Sparks, finding them embracing a purely electronic, synth-pop sound.
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