Entertainment
Billboard retrospectives look back at 40th anniversary of Run-D.M.C.'s 'Raising Hell'
The 1986 record became the first rap album to enter the top 10 on the Billboard 200, driven by its crossover single 'Walk This Way.'
The short version
- Run-D.M.C.'s third studio album, Raising Hell, released in 1986, marked a landmark commercial breakthrough for hip-hop music.
- Driven by the crossover single 'Walk This Way' featuring Aerosmith, Raising Hell became the first rap record to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 3.
- The album's success provided massive exposure for independent label Profile Records and tour opener the Beastie Boys.
Key facts
- Profile Records chief Cory Robbins reported that preorders for Raising Hell exceeded 500,000 units prior to its release in 1986.[Billboard]
- Raising Hell peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, making it the first rap album to crack the chart's top 10.[Billboard]
- Retail and tour data from June 1986 indicated that the group's audience was two-thirds male, with ages ranging primarily from under 15 to 23.[Billboard]
- The single 'Walk This Way' garnered significant airplay on top 40 radio, entering the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.[Billboard]