Celebrating 45 Years of "King of the World" by Sheila & B. Devotion

In October 1979, Dutch girl group Luv' signed an exclusive and lucrative record deal with CNR (a label affiliated with the French company Carrere). Prior to this contract, Luv's previous label, Philips/Phonogram, had already licensed the rights for some records (including You're the Greatest Lover, Trojan Horse and With Luv') to Carrere in Germany.

Among the label mates of the ladies at Carrere was the French disco group Sheila & B. Devotion (fronted by pop singer Sheila), whose heyday coincided with Luv's glory years (1977 - 1980).

Forty-five years ago, in June 1980, the shimmering glamour of Paris collided with the funk-driven pulse of New York in a groundbreaking release that perfectly captured the cultural and musical spirit of its time. Sheila & B. Devotion unveiled King of the World, a bold fusion of disco, funk, pop, and rock, produced by the legendary Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic. The album featured two singles released ahead of its official debut: the global smash hit “Spacer” (late October 1979), which lit up dance floors around the world, and the lesser-known “King of the World” (May 1980).

Let's celebrate the 45th anniversary of this classic album.

Now, in 2025, we look back at a visionary album that not only solidified Sheila’s transformation from a French pop sweetheart to a global disco diva but also bridged continents and genres in a way that was as bold as it was timeless.

From Yé-yé Girl to Disco Queen

Before stepping into the glitter of disco, Sheila (born Annie Chancel) was a household name in France. Rising to fame in the 1960s as part of the yé-yé pop movement, she became one of France’s most enduring stars. But by the mid-1970s, Sheila, like so many artists, sought reinvention—and she found it in disco.

Teaming up with three black English-speaking dancers (Dany Mac Farlane, Freddy Stracham and Arthur Wilkins), she rebranded herself as Sheila & B. Devotion, signaling a new era. After achieving international success with the disco hits “Love Me Baby” and “Singin’ in the Rain,” Sheila & B. Devotion were poised to take their sound to the next level.

That opportunity arose when Carrere struck a deal with Chic's powerhouse producers, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, ushering in the most musically sophisticated chapter of Sheila's career.

The Chic Treatment: Rodgers & Edwards at Their Peak

By 1980, Rodgers and Edwards had already reshaped the sound of disco with Chic’s string of hits, including “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” and their work on Sister Sledge’s We Are Family. Their collaboration with Sheila was unexpected but electrifying.

Recorded in New York, King of the World brought together the legendary Chic Organization’s core session musicians, delivering the same high-gloss production, tight arrangements, and deep-pocket grooves that had become their hallmark. But this wasn’t just another Chic project—Sheila infused the record with her European elegance and cool, crystalline vocal delivery, giving the album a unique identity that set it apart from other disco-era releases.

Released during the height of the “Disco Sucks” backlash in the U.S., King of the World (1980) stood as a bold and stylish time capsule of the 1979–1980 zeitgeist. The album thematically explored the age of space exploration (“Spacer”), consumerism (“Charge Plates and Credit Cards”), and the fashion industry (“Cover Girls”), while musically blending a range of styles—from the smooth, American R&B of “Your Love Is Good” and “Don’t Go” to the more upbeat, pop-rock-inflected energy of tracks like “Mayday,” “Misery,” and the title track, “King of the World.” Its influence extended beyond the disco genre, with Nile Rodgers later revealing that King of the World was a favourite of Duran Duran, highlighting its crossover appeal and lasting artistic impact.

The album's lead single, “Spacer,” was released prior to the album on October 23, 1979, and quickly became an international smash. The track peaked in the Top 5 in France and Greece, reached the Top 10 in Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Argentina, and climbed into the Top 20 in Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, and South Africa. It also reached the Top 30 in Israel, charted in the Top 100 in Australia, and became a Top 50 club hit on the Billboard Dance chart in the U.S.

“Spacer” went on to sell over 2 million copies worldwide and has surpassed 20 million streams on Spotify, making it Sheila’s most-streamed song to date. With its celestial theme, lush string arrangements, and one of Bernard Edwards’ funkiest basslines, “Spacer” remains a disco tour de force. Sheila’s shimmering vocal performance enhances the track’s futuristic atmosphere, solidifying its place as a timeless classic that continues to fill dance floors 45 years later.

Following the success of “Spacer,” the album’s title track, “King of the World,” was also released ahead of the album as a single in May 1980. It reached #11 in France, spent 14 weeks on the French Top 100, and sold an estimated 180,000 copies there.

After the album’s release, “Your Love Is Good” came out especially for clubs and discos in the United States. It made a modest impact, peaking at #75 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, where it remained for three weeks in the autumn of 1980. Infused with warmth, optimism, and classic Chic funk, the track highlighted the record’s musical sophistication and genre-blending polish.

Advertisement for King Of The World (1980)

Original tracklisting (1980)

All tracks written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers

1. Spacer 6:15

2. Mayday 3:44

3. Charge Plates And Credit Cards 4:26

4. Misery 3:02

5. King Of The World 4:37

6. Cover Girls 3:17

7. Your Love Is Good 4:50

8. Don't Go

   
   

   Click here to explore all editions of King of the World around the world!

Credits

Personel:

Sheila – lead vocals

Alfa Anderson – backing vocals

Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals

Luci Martin – backing vocals

Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals

Bernard Edwards – bass guitar

Tony Thompson – drums

Nile Rodgers – guitar

Andrew Barrett (Schwartz) – piano

Raymond Jones – keyboards, Fender Rhodes

Sammy Figueroa – percussion

Cheryl Hong (The Chic Strings) – strings

Karen Milne (The Chic Strings) – strings

Marianne Carroll (The Chic Strings) – strings

Gene Orloff – concert master

Kris Bryant – lights producer, intern

Production

All songs produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards for the CHIC Organization Ltd.

Bob Clearmountain - sound engineer

Bill Scheniman - engineer

Larry Alexander - engineer

Joe Gastwirt - mastering

John Shaw - photography

Recorded & mixed at Power Station Studio, New York

Album's Back cover

Critical reception

Billboard magazine, often regarded as the bible of the American music industry, spotlighted King of the World in its June 21, 1980, issue, featuring the iconic album in its “Recommended LPs” section.

Billboard magazine - June 21, 1980

Click here to read the publication online

Commercial performance

As a manufactured disco-pop group aimed primarily at young audiences, Sheila & B. Devotion experienced greater success on the singles charts than on album charts—an outcome that mirrored the popularity of 7-inch singles among youth during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Their album King of the World sold approximately 70,000 copies in France and 50,000 in Italy. It peaked at number 21 on the Walloon album charts (covering the French-speaking region of Belgium) on June 27, 1980, and remained on the chart for three weeks.

Reissues

King of the World was first released on compact disc in 1996 by both East-West Music and Rhino Records. A remastered edition was issued by Warner Music France in 2006, featuring bonus tracks that included remixes dating back to 1992. The unreleased US promo version of "Your Love Is Good," whose instrumental can also be found on an outtake from Chic's 2010 box set "The Chic Organization" (there was also an alternate version that featured a piano break in place of the Chic guitar riffs).

An 18-CD box set of all Sheila's recordings was released in 2006, featuring a new remix of "Spacer" among its contents. The "Freak Out - Respect to CHIC" remix used the original instrumental and vocal tracks. Sheila re-recorded "Spacer" only once in 1998, and six remixes were released.

The original American tapes were digitally remastered for the first time and released on a deluxe edition in October 2008 by Warner Music France. It included a 32-page booklet with exclusive interviews of Sheila and Nile Rodgers and unknown out-takes from the recording sessions.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this legendary album, Warner Music France reissued it in three formats on June 27, 2020: a 2LP+2CD+1DVD Collector's Edition, a 2CD Deluxe edition, and a red vinyl edition. In addition to the eight original album tracks digitally remastered, the 2020 reissue of King Of The World included exclusive remixes by Tom Moulton, Dimitri From Paris, Fred Falke, Young Pulse and Monsieur Willy as well as studio outtakes previously unreleased.

The album is also available on the major online platforms (including Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music).

Legacy

At 79, Sheila remains active in music and frequently reflects on her storied career. In interviews, she credits King of the World as one of her proudest achievements, and fans agree. It's not just a disco album—it’s a symbol of transformation, resilience, and the art of reinvention.

At 45, it continues to captivate new generations while reminding us of an era where boundaries blurred, dance ruled, and stars like Sheila dared to dream bigger, bolder, and brighter.

So here’s to King of the World—still reigning, still dancing, and still royal after all these years.

Source: Luv' weblog archives, Ondit blog, Discogs, Wikipedia, 45cat, YouTube, sheilacharts.blogspot.com...