The Romantics achieved substantial popularity in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and Australia, with their two best-charting songs "What I Like About You", peaking at #49 in the US and #2 in Australia, and "Talking in Your Sleep", reaching #3 in the US, #1 in Canada, and #14 in Australia. The two songs have since become mainstays on '80s, classic rock, AOR, and active rock radio stations. Their debut album, released on January 4, 1980, in the UK, has the distinction of being the first record to be released of that decade.
The Romantics' original lineup consisted of vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and harmonicist Wally Palmar, lead guitarist and vocalist Mike Skill, bassist and backing vocalist Rich Cole, and drummer and vocalist Jimmy Marinos. All four band members made songwriting contributions to the group, but Palmar and Skill were considered the band's primary tunesmiths. The band's first show was on Valentine's Day at My Fair Lady Club, in Detroit, opening for the New MC5 in 1977. For three years the band was on the road, playing in East Coast and Midwestern venues like Boston's Rathskeller, CBGB in New York's Bowery, Manhattan's Max's Kansas City, and Cleveland's Agora. They were subsequently signed to Nat Weiss' Nemperor record label after a show at Hurrahs, and in September 1979, the band recorded their debut self-titled album with British producer Pete Solley. The group's true record debut was the 1978 single on Spider Records, "Little White Lies" (b/w "I Can't Tell You Anything"), followed that year by the Bomp! single "Tell It to Carrie" (b/w "First in Line"). All of these were re-recorded later for the first LP.
The album sold roughly 200,000 copies and yielded the hit "What I Like About You", which reached #49 in the US, #8 in the Netherlands, and #2 in Australia, where the band was especially popular. As all four members were singers, the straightforward beat of "What I Like About You" lent the opportunity for drummer Jimmy Marinos to take the vocals.

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