Stranger in Town is the tenth studio album by American rock singer Bob Seger and his second with the Silver Bullet Band, released by Capitol Records in May 1978. As with its predecessor, the Silver Bullet Band backed Seger on about half of the songs and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section backed Seger on the other half.
The album became an instant success in the United States, being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) less than a month after the album's release, and, like its predecessor Night Moves, it would later go 6× Platinum. It was also his first album to chart in the UK, where limited editions were released on silver vinyl and in picture disc format as well as standard black vinyl.
Critical reception
The New York Times wrote that, "while [the album] reaffirms that Mr. Seger is a fine rock singer and a sometimes sensitive songwriter, it also suggests that his gifts aren't so varied or consistent as they might be."
Track listing
Notes
The Silver Bullet Band plays on side one tracks 1, 2, & 5 and on side two track 3
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section plays on side one tracks 3 & 4 and on side two tracks 1, 2, & 4
Personnel
- Bob Seger – vocals, guitar, piano
The Silver Bullet Band
- Drew Abbott – guitar
- Robyn Robbins – keyboards
- Alto Reed – saxophone
- Chris Campbell – bass guitar
- David Teegarden – drums, percussion
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
- Barry Beckett – keyboards
- Pete Carr – guitar
- Jimmy Johnson – guitar
- David Hood – bass guitar
- Roger Hawkins – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Ken Bell – guitar on "Old Time Rock & Roll"
- Glenn Frey – guitar solo on "Till It Shines"
- Don Felder – guitar solo on "Ain't Got No Money"
- Bill Payne – piano, organ on "Hollywood Nights"
- Doug Riley – piano on "Feel Like a Number" and "Brave Strangers"
- Randy McCormick – piano on "Old Time Rock & Roll"
- Howie McDonald – guitar solo on "Old Time Rock & Roll"
Background singers
:"We've Got Tonite" and "Still the Same"
- Venetta Fields – vocals, background vocals
- Clydie King – vocals, background vocals
- Sherlie Matthews – vocals, background vocals
:"Hollywood Nights"
- Julia Waters – background vocals
- Luther Waters – vocals, background vocals
- Maxine Waters – background vocals
- Oren Waters – vocals, background vocals
:"Brave Strangers"
- Brandye – vocals, background vocals
:"Old Time Rock & Roll"
- James Lavell Easley – background vocals
- Stanley Carter – background vocals
- George Jackson – vocals, background vocals
Production
- Producers: Punch Andrews, Bob Seger
- Engineers: John Arrias, Mark Calice, David Cole, Hugh Davies, Gregg Hamm, Steve Melton, George Tutko
- Mixing: Punch Andrews, John Arrias, Bob Seger
- Mastering: Wally Traugott
- Remastering: Punch Andrews, 1999
- Remastering: Robert Vosgien
- String arrangements: Jim Ed Norman
- Horn arrangements: Alto Reed
- Art direction: Roy Kohara
- Design: Ken Anderson
- Photography: Terrence Bert, Bob Siedemann
Charts
Album
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
!scope="col" style="width:14em;"|Chart (1978–79)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
|French Top Albums
|style="text-align:center;"|14
|-
|German Albums Chart
|style="text-align:center;"|28
|-
|New Zealand Top 40 Albums
|style="text-align:center;"|4
|-
|Swedish Top 60 Albums
|style="text-align:center;"|45
|-
|UK Albums Chart
|style="text-align:center;"|31
|-
|US Billboard 200
|style="text-align:center;"|4
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col" | Chart (1978)
! scope="col" | Position
|-
! scope="row" | Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
| 25
|-
! scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
| 32
|-
! scope="row"| US Billboard 200
| 45
|-
! scope="col" | Chart (1979)
! scope="col" | Position
|-
! scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
| 37
|-
! scope="row"| US Billboard 200
| 14
|-
|}
Singles
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Single
!Chart
!Position
|-
|1978
|"Still the Same"
|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|4
|-
|1978
|"Hollywood Nights"
|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|12
|-
|1978
|"We've Got Tonite"
|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|13
|-
|1979
|"Old Time Rock and Roll"
|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|28
|}