New Values is the third studio album by American musician Iggy Pop. It was released in April 1979 by record label Arista.

Background

New Values was Pop's first record for Arista and the first collaboration by Pop and James Williamson since Kill City. The album also reunited Pop and Williamson with multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston, who had played live piano for The Stooges on Metallic K.O. and Kill City.

Recording and release

Although guitar was played by Williamson on "Don't Look Down", Scott Thurston played guitar on all other tracks, with Williamson concentrating on production. Likewise, although one of the songs was written by Pop and Williamson, five tracks were collaborations between Pop and Thurston. New Values was released in 1979 by record label Arista. Although well-received critically, the album was not a commercial success, only reaching number 180 in the US Billboard 200 chart. Videos were made for "I'm Bored" and "Five Foot One".

Critical reception

New Values was well received by critics. Writing in NME at the time of the album's release, Paul Morley wrote that New Values "conclusively endorses Osterberg as thinker and Iggy as performer, and the relationship is positive and proud." The New York Times considered New Values to be "bland" compared to the earlier David Bowie-produced albums. Charlotte Robinson of PopMatters wrote that the album's "delicate balancing act of tough with tender, rebellion with contentment, sincerity with humor, cocksure wailing with nuanced balladeering ... makes the album a winner".

Legacy

David Bowie later covered "Don't Look Down" on his album Tonight (1984) and used it for the opening and closing titles of his short film Jazzin' for Blue Jean. Pixies frontman Frank Black cited New Values as one of his favorite albums. "The Endless Sea" was covered by the Australian psychedelic rock band the Church on their 1999 covers album A Box of Birds and Cat Power on her 2022 album Covers. It was also featured on the soundtrack of the 1986 film Dogs in Space, starring Michael Hutchence.

Track listing

Personnel

Technical

Charts