Olivia Newton-John, The #7 Female Artist of the Rock Era*

Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England.  When Olivia was five, she moved with her family to Melbourne, Australia.  Newton-John formed an all-girl group, Sol Four, when she was fourteen--the group performed often in a coffee shop which was owned by her brother-in-law.  Soon, Olivia became a regular on local radio and television shows, including The Happy Show and Go Show, meeting future producer John Farrar and future duet partner Pat Carroll on the latter. 

Newton-John won a talent contest on the television show Sing, Sing, Sing, and won a trip to Britain.  There, she recorded the single "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" on Decca Records in 1966.  She was homesick for Australia, but improved when Carroll also moved to the U.K.  Pat and Olivia formed a duo and performed in European nightclubs.

When Carroll went back to Australia, Newton-John joined the group Toomorrow (correct spelling), formed by producer Don Kirshner.  The group starred in a science fiction musical and recorded the accompanying soundtrack album, but neither venture was successful and Toomorrow split up.

In 1971, Newton-John released her debut solo album If Not For You.  The Bob Dylan-penned title track became a #1 Adult hit and much underrated #25 Popular hit in the United States, and #3 in Canada and #7 in Australia.

"Banks Of The Ohio" became a Top 10 hit in the U.K. and #1 in Australia, as Olivia was already building up a fan base in Britain, having been named Best British Female Vocalist two years in a row by the magazine Record Mirror.  Newton-John appeared often on Cliff Richard's weekly television show and starred with him in the television movie The Case.

The follow-up album, Olivia, was a flop, but in 1973, she released her third album Let Me Be There.  The title song was a multi-format hit, reaching #3 on the Adult chart, #7 on the Country chart and #6 overall, while reaching #2 in Canada and #11 in Australia. 

Newton-John won a Grammy Award for Best Country Female Vocal Performance and American Music Awards for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album.  She also picked up a Billboard Music Award for Top Pop Singles Artist (Female).

Let Me Be There became Olivia's first Gold album.  She represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and recorded six songs which were voted on by the British public.  It was the same Eurovision contest in which ABBA famously won with "Waterloo".  

Newton-John included all six songs on her new album on EMI Records, Long Live Love.  In the United States, however, the six Eurovision songs were replaced by four country-oriented songs, and released as the album If You Love Me, Let Me Know.  It was a shrewd move, for the U.S. album far performed its counterpart (Long Live Love only reached #40 in the U.K., while the latter was a #1 album in both the United States and Canada.)  

The title song was another across-the-board winner, achieving #2 status on both the Easy Listening and Country charts and #5 overall in the United States, a #1 Adult, Country and #3 Popular hit in Canada, and #1 in Australia.

Newton-John had been moderately successful to this point.  Her next release floored the public and made her a star.  "I Honestly Love You" topped the Adult charts for three weeks, was her first overall #1, swept all three major charts in Canada, and went all the way in Australia as well.  Newton-John and Barbra Streisand shared the People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Musical Performer. 

Olivia came home with Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single, and won a Billboard Award for Top Pop Albums Artist (Female).

Newton-John moved to the United States in preparation for her next album.  In 1975, she released Have You Never Been Mellow.  The title song, written by Farrar, became another monster hit for Olivia, #1 on both the Adult and Popular charts and #3 Country in the U.S., gave her a second consecutive Triple #1 (Adult, Country, and Pop) in Canada, and #7 in New Zealand and #10 in Australia.  Newton-John was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

It was rare for anyone to be popular with the three main audiences that make up the music market, but Newton-John excelled at it.  "Please Mr. Please" hit #1 on the Adult chart for three weeks, #5 Country, and #3 overall in the United States, and scored another Triple #1 in Canada, and a #7 hit in New Zealand.

Olivia won American Music Awards for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album ("Pop" of course stands for Popular, and Rock has been the dominant Popular music format since the Rock Era began.), and Favorite Female Country Artist.  She was also nominated for Favorite Country Album.  Newton-John also came home with the Billboard Award for Top Adult Contemporary Artist.

Olivia scored her third Gold album with Have You Never Been Mellow, then quickly achieved a fourth with Clearly Love later in the year.  The single "Something Better To Do" gave Newton-John her fourth consecutive #1 Adult hit (#1 for three weeks) and #13 overall.

Olivia won the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist for the third consecutive year.  The next single, "Let It Shine", made it five straight #1 Adult hits, and six overall, and Newton-John now had seven consecutive Top 3 Adult smashes.

Newton-John also joined another Country Rock superstar, John Denver, on the song "Fly Away", which gave Olivia the unique opportunity to replace herself at #1 on the Adult chart (it peaked at #13 overall in both the United States and Canada.)

Newton-John continued her amazing roll with the Gold album Come on Over in 1976.  The title song topped the Adult chart again and was #23 overall in the U.S., achieved similar numbers in Canada, and went to #3 in New Zealand.

Olivia was nominated for Favorite Female Musical Performer at the People's Choice Awards.  She zoomed into the studio to record the album Don't Stop Believin' later in the year.  The title song gave her an incredible seventh straight #1 Adult hit.

Newton-John struck Gold with her sixth consecutive RIAA certified album.  The single "Every Face Tells A Story" did well on the Adult chart in both Canada (#5) and the U.S. (#6).

The fourth single from Don't Stop Believin', "Sam", returned Olivia to the top of the Adult charts in the United States and Canada.  It was already Newton-John's ninth career #1 among Adults, which of course constitute most of the world.

In 1976, Olivia hosted her first television special in the U.S., A Special Olivia Newton-John.  When her 1977 album Making a Good Thing Better broke her streak of Gold albums, Olivia and Farrar decided to change courses in her career.  At this point, Newton-John already had a place in The Top 100 Female Artists* wrapped up, but it was this shift in direction that propelled her well inside the Top 10*.

First, the record company released Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits, which became her first Platinum album and was a good "stopping point" for a compilation.

Then, Olivia landed the role of a lifetime when she starred opposite John Travolta in the blockbuster movie Grease in 1978.  She was offered the role of Sandy by producer Allan Carr at a dinner party at Helen Reddy's home.   She previewed some of the songs from the soundtrack in her network television special, Olivia, which featured guests ABBA and Andy Gibb.

Both the movie and the accompanying soundtrack album became not only two of the biggest hits of the year, but of all-time.  The soundtrack spent 12 weeks at #1 on the Album chart, and has now sold over 28 million copies (sixth best-selling soundtrack ever), while the movie was second only to the classic Jaws during its release and is now over $188 million in the United States and over $395 million worldwide.

Newton-John and Travolta paired for the album's first single, "You're The One That I Want", a #1 smash in every major country in the world.

The song became one of the biggest hits of the year, and is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.  Olivia followed that up with the ballad "Hopelessly Devoted To You", yet another member of The Top 500 Songs* club.  It went to #1 in Canada, #2 in Australia, #3 in the U.S. and #6 in New Zealand, and was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.  Olivia also was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Olivia became the second female (after Linda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two songs in the Top 5 simultaneously when John & Olivia's "Summer Nights" reached #5 on the heels of her previous hit.  The duet hit #1 in the U.K., #3 in New Zealand, #4 in Germany and Canada and #6 in Australia.

Newton-John captured a People's Choice Award for Favorite Actress, another for Favorite Female Musical Performer, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Musical.  Olivia was nominated once again for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist at the American Music Awards.  The "Grease" Soundtrack won the American Music Award for Favorite Album, and the Billboard Award for Top Soundtrack.  Grease would later win Billboard Music Awards for Top Pop Catalog Album in both 1997 and 1998.  The "Grease" Soundtrack was also nominated at the Grammy Awards for Album of the Year.

Just as the character Sandy had transformed from a goody-goody image to the spandex-clad girl at the end of the movie, Olivia transformed herself from a "mellow, Country Rock singer" to a rock performer.  It was an amazing career move.  Her next studio album, Totally Hot, became her first album to go Top 10 since 1975. 

"A Little More Love" peaked at #3 in the U.S., #4 in the U.K., #5 in Canada, #7 in New Zealand and #9 in Australia.

Newton-John just missed on collecting her fourth American Music Award in the Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist (she would do that later), but still earned her 12th American Music Award nomination.  She followed that up with "Deeper Than The Night", a #4 Adult song that was a bit underrated at #11 overall.

In 1979, Newton-John was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.  Olivia performed at the Music for UNICEF Concert in 1979 for the International Year of the Child, in which proceeds went to help children around the world.

Newton-John joined Andy Gibb for the single "I Can't Help It", a #8 Adult Contemporary hit that reached #12 overall.

Olivia then starred in Hollywood Nights, her third television special.  Later, she starred in another movie musical, Xanadu, with Gene Kelly.  The film didn't do well, but its soundtrack did, going Double Platinum and producing five hits.    "Magic" became one of Olivia's biggest career hits, topping all challengers for four weeks in the U.S. and also going #1 for five weeks on the AC chart, and reaching #1 in Canada and #4 in Australia and New Zealand.  Olivia scored another Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  

The next single, "Xanadu", done with the Electric Light Orchestra, was a #1 hit in the U.K. and Germany, hit #2 on the AC chart and #8 overall in the United States, and reached #2 in Australia, #6 in Canada, and #8 in New Zealand.

Olivia then collaborated with long-time friend Cliff Richard for the Adult Contemporary smash "Suddenly" (#4), which was an underrated #20 overall.

"Suspended In Time" was another Newton-John contribution to Xanadu that was not released as a single but probably should have been.

Olivia contributed another great song to the movie--"Dancin" with the Tubes.

In 1981, Olivia was back with the album Physical.  The title song became one of the longest-running #1 songs of the Rock Era at ten weeks, and became something of a theme to an aerobics movement, and headbands became a fashion accessory outside the gym after the music video.  At the time, "Physical" tied the Rock Era record held by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life".  Besides the Popular chart, Newton-John landed on the R&B chart for the only time in her career at #28, and reached #1 in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, #4 in Germany and #7 in the U.K.

Newton-John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  "Physical" sold over two million copies and helped the album go Double Platinum. 

Olivia won her 10th American Music Award for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, and she captured Billboard Music Awards for Top Pop Singles Artist, Top Pop Singles Artist (Female), and Top Pop Single for "Physical".  She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  

Newton-John released the follow-up single, "Make A Move On Me", which became a #5 overall and #6 Adult Contemporary hit in 1982, and was #4 in Canada and #8 in Australia.

Newton-John recorded a video album that earned her a fourth Grammy Award and was aired on ABC in the special, Let's Get Physical.  Newton-John's surge in popularity led to an international tour, and the release of the Double-Platinum album Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2.  She scored another hit with a new song from that album, "Heart Attack", which shot up to #2 in Canada and #3 in the United States.  Olivia earned another Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The tour was filmed for the HBO Olivia in Concert television special in 1983, which earned Newton-John another Grammy nomination for Best Long Form Music Video.

Olivia and Travolta joined again for the movie Two of a Kind.  Although their movie wasn't successful this time, the soundtrack was, selling over one million copies.  The soundtrack contained another Newton-John hit, "Twist Of Fate", which reached #4 in Canada and Australia, and reached #5 in the U.S.  Olivia was recognized with a 12th Grammy nomination, this time in the Best Short Form Music Video category.

The Newton-John & Travolta duet from the movie, "Take A Chance", was a #3 smash on the Adult Contemporary chart.  It would be her last major hit.

Newton-John starred in two Christmas movies on television, A Mother for Christmas in 1990 and A Christmas Romance in 1994, both ratings winners.


Olivia and Pat Carroll (Farrar) founded the store Koala Blue, originally exclusively for Australian imports, but that later included a chain of women's clothing boutiques.  The store was initially successful, but eventually had to close in 1992.  Newton-John and Farrar later licensed the brand name for a line of Australian-produced wines, confections, and bed and bath products.

Olivia married Matt Lattanzi in December, 1984.  The couple had met four years earlier while filming the movie Xanadu.  Their daughter, Chloe, who today is also a singer, was born in 1986.  The couple was divorced in 1995.

Newton-John released the album Soul Kiss in 1985.  The title song only reached #20.  After a three-year break following the birth of Chloe, Olivia returned with the album The Rumour in 1988.  Unfortunately, although the album was praised by critics for dealing with issues such as AIDS, the environment, and single-parent households, Olivia didn't fit in in a music world obsessed with teen queens Tiffany and Debbie Gibson.

Newton-John attempted a comeback in 1992.  She released a great compilation, Back to Basics - The Essential Collection 1971-1992, and planned her first tour in ten years.  Shortly after the album's release, however, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing her to cancel all her plans.  She fully recovered, and became a lifelong advocate for breast cancer research and other health issues.  Today, she is a part owner of the Gaia Retreat and Spa in Byron Bay, Australia. 

Olivia has released 10 albums since, including several Christmas albums.  


Throughout her career, Newton-John has held many humanitarian causes close to her heart. She served as goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Environment Program and as national spokesperson for the Children's Health Environmental Coalition after the death of her daughter's best friend at the age of four from a rare childhood cancer.

Olivia's cancer diagnosis affected the type of music she recorded.  In 1994, she released Gaia:  One Woman's Journey about her ordeal.  It was the first album on which Newton-John wrote all the songs.  Proceeds from her 2005 album Stronger Than Before benefited breast cancer research.

In 1998, Olivia received the Cadillac Concept to the World Humanitarian Award for breast cancer research.  The following year, the Red Cross honored her with its Humanitarian Award for breast cancer and environmental charity work, and she received the Woman of the 21st Century Award from the Women's Guild of Cedar-Sinai Hospital. 

In 2000, Newton-John received the Ermenegildo Zegna International Environmental Award from the Environmental Media Association for "increasing public awareness of environmental problems", and the Green Globe Arts and Nature Award from the Rainforest Alliance for her "contribution to the preservation of rainforests".  Olivia and John Farnham performed "Dare To Dream" at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney.

In 2006, Olivia was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to the entertainment industry as a singer and actor and to the community through organizations supporting breast cancer treatment, education, training and research, and the environment".  Newton-John also received a Humanitarian Award from Decatur Memorial Hospital in Illinois for her breast cancer awareness work.

In 2007, Newton-John received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American-Australian Association and a Valor Award from the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia for raising funds for cancer research.

In 2008, Newton-John raised money to build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.  She led a three-week, 228 kilometer walk along the Great Wall of China, joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors throughout.  She also received the Marianne Williamson Founder's Award from Project Angel Food for her commitment to breast cancer awareness.    

Olivia released the concert DVD, Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony:  Live at the Sydney Opera House, as well as the CD Olivia's Live Hits in 2008.

In June, Newton-John married John Easterling, founder and president of Amazon Herb Company.

Olivia has appeared in sitcoms such as Murphy Brown, Glee, Bette, and Ned and Stacey.  In 2011, Newton-John starred in the comedy A Few Best Men. 

Newton-John continues to tour.  In 2012, she did a tour of Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.  Last year, she toured Australia, the U.K. and the United States.

In 2012, Olivia was given the National Trust of Australia Award, and named a National Living Treasure of Australia.

With more than 100 million albums sold, Newton-John's successes include four Grammy Awards, numerous Country Music, American Music, and People's Choice Awards, 10 #1 hits including "Physical," which topped the charts for 10 consecutive weeks and was listed in Billboard magazine's Top 100 Songs of All Time; and over 15 Top 10 singles.

At one time, Olivia was as high as #3 in this ranking and was still #4 until a trio of phenomenon's (Madonna, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) landed on the scene in the latter half of the 20th century.  But her amazing talent, versatility and ability to jump from genre to genre without missing a beat have ensured Newton-John a spot in the all-time Top 10 for many years.