Chris Rea (March 1951 – December 2025) remains one of the most distinctive and enduring voices in classic rock, and a cornerstone of the sound we proudly broadcast on K-SUN CLASSICS. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, Rea built a catalog defined by restraint, atmosphere, and an unmistakable blend of blues, rock, and road-worn storytelling.
Rea first gained international attention with Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (1978), featuring the hit “Fool (If You Think It’s Over).” While that early success leaned toward soft rock, his true artistic identity emerged in the 1980s with albums such as Water Sign (1983), Shamrock Diaries (1985), and On the Beach (1986). These records introduced the elements that would define his sound: smoky guitar lines, mid-tempo grooves, and lyrics steeped in distance, memory, and travel.
The late 1980s and early 1990s marked Rea’s commercial and creative peak. The Road to Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991) are widely regarded as career highlights, producing enduring tracks like “Road to Hell,” “Texas,” and “Looking for the Summer.” These songs exemplify Rea’s gift for simplicity—minimalist arrangements that allow melody, mood, and narrative to carry the weight.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Rea turned increasingly toward the blues, releasing ambitious projects such as Blue Guitars (2005), a box set exploring multiple blues styles with remarkable depth and authenticity. Even later works retained his signature feel: reflective, grounded, and timeless.
Chris Rea’s discography is not about trends or excess. It is about consistency, craftsmanship, and songs built for long roads and late nights—exactly why his music continues to resonate with K-SUN CLASSICS listeners around the world.
Chris Rea – Studio Discography
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1978 – Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?
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1979 – Deltics
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1980 – Tennis
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1981 – Chris Rea
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1983 – Water Sign
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1984 – Wired to the Moon
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1985 – Shamrock Diaries
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1986 – On the Beach
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1987 – Dancing with Strangers
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1989 – The Road to Hell
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1991 – Auberge
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1993 – The Silencing
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1994 – Espresso Logic
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1996 – La Passione
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1998 – The Blue Café
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2000 – King of the Beach
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2002 – Dancing Down the Stony Road
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2003 – Road Songs for Lovers
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2004 – Stony Road
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2005 – Blue Guitars (11-disc blues collection)
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2008 – The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes
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2009 – Still So Far to Go: The Best of Chris Rea (includes new material)
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2011 – Santo Spirito Blues
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2014 – The Road to Hell & Back
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2017 – Road Songs for Lovers
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2019 – One Fine Day
