Grace Jones‘ first compilation album “Island Life” released in December 3, 1985, has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. The album which encompasses her first nine years of recording from 1977 to 1985 (excluding songs from “Muse.”)is considered one of her best-selling works. It is Jones’ fourth album to reach the milestone.
In 1996, a re-release called “Island Life 2” was issued in France, containing four additional tracks.
The album cover of “Island Life” which landed at No. 27 on Billboard’s The 100 Best Album Covers of All Time, features a partially nude Grace Jones, designed by her then-boyfriend Jean-Paul Goude, contributing significantly to her international icon status. Celebrities, including Amber Rose, have emulated Jones’ iconic poses for their own publicity.
In 2009, Rose’s Complex Magazine shoot, styled by Kanye West, drew Jones’ attention. Regarding the shoot, she remarked, “Kanye has been ripping off stuff from me and Jean-Paul Goude for a long time, so it was no surprise to me.” Jones describes her original images by Jean-Paul as playful, refuting claims of racism and instead seeing them as Goude’s way of elevating her.
Promotion for “Island Life” was through re-releases of singles from Jones’ previous albums, such as “Pull Up to the Bumper” and “Love Is the Drug.”
“Island Life” reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and topping the chart in New Zealand. It also peaked at number 161 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
The track listing includes various producers for different tracks, with notable contributions from Tom Moulton, Trevor Horn, and Mark Pistel among others.
In Australia, “Island Life” received a Gold certification from ARIA, for sales of 35,000 units. It also earned Gold in the UK for 100,000 and 25,000 units respectively. While in New Zealand, “Island Life” achieved Platinum status for sales of 15,000 units.
