Page "Pat Benatar" Paragraph 16

In August 1980, Benatar released her LP, Crimes of Passion, featuring her signature song " Hit Me with Your Best Shot " along with the controversial song " Hell is for Children ", which was inspired by reading a series of articles in the New York Times about child abuse in America.

" Hit Me With Your Best Shot " ( US # 9 ) was her first single to break the US Top 10 and eventually sold more than one million copies ( at that time, gold status ) in the United States alone.

The album peaked for five consecutive weeks at US # 2 in January 1981 ( behind Yoko Ono's and John Lennon's Double Fantasy ) and eventually sold over five million copies, and a month later, Benatar won her first Grammy Award for " Best Female Rock Vocal Performance " of 1980.

Other singles released from Crimes of Passion were " Treat Me Right " ( US # 18 ) and the Rascals ' cover, " You Better Run " ( US # 42 ), which gained some later fame when it was the second music video ever played on MTV, after the Buggles ' " Video Killed the Radio Star ".

The album also featured a changed-tempo cover of Kate Bush's " Wuthering Heights ".

Nominally produced by Keith Olsen, Crimes of Passion remained on the US album charts for 93 weeks and in the top 10 for more than six months, eventually becoming her second consecutive platinum certification by the RIAA.

In October 1980, Benatar ( along with future husband Neil Giraldo ) graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

The album was certified 5x platinum in Canada, her best selling album in that country where it peaked at number 2 on the album charts.