Editing Sunglasses At Night

{{Infobox song
| name        = Sunglasses at Night
| cover       = 
| alt         = 
| type        = single
| artist      = [[Corey Hart]]
| album       = [[First Offense (album)|First Offense]]
| released    = {{Start date|1984|6|1}}
| recorded    = 1983–1984
| studio      = Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec
| genre       = [[Synth-pop]], [[New Wave music|new wave]], [[pop rock]]
| length      = 4:07
| label       = [[EMI America Records|EMI America]]
| writer      = Corey Hart
| producer    = [[Jon Astley]], [[Phil Chapman]]
| chronology  = [[Corey Hart]] singles
| prev_title  = 
| prev_year   = 
| next_title  = [[It Ain't Enough]]
| next_year   = 1984
}}

"'''Sunglasses at Night'''" is a [[synth-pop]] and [[new wave music|new wave]] song by Canadian singer-songwriter [[Corey Hart]], released in 1984 as the lead single from his debut album ''[[First Offense (album)|First Offense]]''. The song became an international hit, reaching number seven on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] in the United States and topping charts in Canada. It remains Hart's signature song and one of the defining tracks of 1980s pop music.

==Background and writing==
Hart wrote "Sunglasses at Night" in the early 1980s while he was an aspiring musician working to secure a record deal. The song was inspired by Hart's observations of style, identity, and the performative nature of self-image. The protagonist of the song wears sunglasses at night as a symbol of attitude, detachment, and cool — traits that resonated strongly with the youth culture of the era.

The track was recorded at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, [[Quebec]], a renowned Canadian recording facility that also hosted sessions by artists such as [[The Police]] and [[Rush (band)|Rush]]. Producers [[Jon Astley]] and [[Phil Chapman]] shaped the song's polished, synthesizer-driven sound that became emblematic of mid-1980s pop production.

==Music and lyrics==
The song features a driving [[synthesizer]] riff, punchy drum machine patterns, and Hart's melodic vocal delivery. Musically, it draws heavily from [[synth-pop]] and [[new wave music|new wave]] conventions of the time, incorporating layered keyboards and a propulsive beat.

Lyrically, the song's narrator addresses a woman and warns her not to "switch the blade on the guy in shades," with the recurring motif of wearing sunglasses at night functioning as a metaphor for emotional guardedness, mystery, and nonconformity. The chorus is widely recognized for its catchy, singalong quality.

==Commercial performance==
Upon its release in June 1984, "Sunglasses at Night" achieved significant chart success:

* '''Canada''': Reached number one on the [[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] national singles chart.
* '''United States''': Peaked at number seven on the [[Billboard Hot 100]], making it one of the biggest Canadian crossover hits of 1984.
* '''United Kingdom''': Charted within the top 40, extending Hart's international profile.
* '''Australia and Europe''': The song received substantial [[airplay]] and charted in several additional markets.

The single's success propelled ''First Offense'' to [[platinum]] status in both Canada and the United States.

==Music video==
The music video for "Sunglasses at Night" was directed in the style typical of early [[MTV]] productions, featuring Corey Hart prominently wearing his now-iconic sunglasses. The video received heavy rotation on [[MTV]] and [[MuchMusic]], significantly boosting the song's popularity and cementing the image of Hart wearing sunglasses as a cultural touchstone of the decade.

The video's aesthetic — dark, stylish, and slightly mysterious — aligned well with the new wave visual sensibility that dominated music television in the mid-1980s.

==Legacy and cultural impact==
"Sunglasses at Night" has endured as a [[1980s in music|1980s]] pop classic and a staple of decade-themed compilations and nostalgia playlists. Its influence can be traced in several areas:

* The song is frequently cited in discussions of [[synth-pop]] and new wave music from the era.
* It has been featured in numerous [[film]]s, [[television]] shows, and [[advertising]] campaigns seeking to evoke the style and sound of the 1980s.
* The phrase "sunglasses at night" entered popular culture as shorthand for a particular kind of performative coolness.
* Canadian rock band [[Tegan and Sara]] and other artists have cited the song's melodic construction as an influence.

In 2016, the song was referenced and partially interpolated in a viral internet meme cycle, introducing it to a new generation of listeners.

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline        = 7" Single (EMI America, 1984)
| title1          = Sunglasses at Night
| length1         = 4:07
| title2          = <nowiki>[B-side]</nowiki> Sunglasses at Night (Instrumental)
| length2         = 4:07
}}

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col" | Chart (1984)
! scope="col" | Peak<br/>position
|-
! scope="row" | Canada ([[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] Top Singles)
| 1
|-
! scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100]]
| 7
|-
! scope="row" | US [[Billboard magazine|Billboard]] Mainstream Rock Tracks
| 14
|-
! scope="row" | Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])
| 38
|-
! scope="row" | UK [[Singles Chart]]
| 30
|}

==Certifications==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Region
! scope="col" | Certification
! scope="col" | Certified units/sales
|-
| Canada ([[Music Canada]])
| Platinum
| 80,000{{sup|†}}
|-
| United States ([[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]])
| Gold
| 500,000{{sup|‡}}
|}
{{certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|accessdate=2024}}

==Personnel==
* '''Corey Hart''' – vocals, acoustic guitar
* '''Jon Astley''' – production, mixing
* '''Phil Chapman''' – production, engineering
* Additional session musicians – synthesizers, bass, drums

==See also==
* [[Corey Hart discography]]
* [[First Offense (album)]]
* [[New wave music]]
* [[1980s in music]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.coreyhart.com Official Corey Hart website]
* {{YouTube|id=X2LTL8KgKv8|title="Sunglasses at Night" music video}}

{{Corey Hart}}
{{1984 in music}}

[[Category:1984 singles]]
[[Category:Corey Hart songs]]
[[Category:EMI America Records singles]]
[[Category:New wave songs]]
[[Category:Synth-pop songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Corey Hart]]
[[Category:Number-one singles in Canada]]
[[Category:Music videos directed by]]
[[Category:Canadian pop songs]]