America ist eine britisch-amerikanische Rockband, die Anfang der 1970er am erfolgreichsten war und deren bekannteste Hits A Horse With No Name und The Last Unicorn sein dürften.

Bunnell, Peek und Beckley, alle Sänger und Akustik-Gitarristen, gründeten bereits auf der Highschool eine Folkrock-Band namens Daze (deutsch: betäuben). Unter dem Namen America bekamen sie einen Plattenvertrag mit Warner Brothers Records. A Horse With No Name war die erste Single der Gruppe; sie erreichte Nummer 3 in England und wurde in Amerika Nummer 1. Das erste Album America kam in England auf Platz 14, in Amerika stieß es wie die Single auf die Spitzenposition vor.
Ventura Highway, die erste Single vom nächsten Album Homecoming (1972), wurde ebenfalls ein Hit. America gewann 1973 einen Grammy als Best New Artist. Homecoming war in Amerika sehr erfolgreich, in England etwas weniger.
Das dritte Album Hat Trick blieb hinter den Erwartungen zurück, doch das vierte Album Holiday (mit George Martin als Produzenten) brachte America wieder auf die Erfolgsspur.
Das nächste Album Hearts (1975) enthielt den zweiten amerikanischen Nummer-1-Hit der Band, Sister Golden Hair. Das Album Hideaway von 1976 war nicht sehr erfolgreich. Dan Peek verließ die Gruppe, das verbleibende Duo brachte in den 1970ern und 1980ern nur noch wenig beachtete Alben heraus.
1982 erfolgte ein Comeback. Mit einem wesentlichen Teil des Soundtracks zum Zeichentrickfilm „Das letzte Einhorn“ nach dem US-amerikanischen Autors Peter S. Beagle gelang ein sensationelles Comeback.
Die Gruppe America ist auch heute noch aktiv. Sie tourt mehrere Monate im Jahr überwiegend durch die Vereinigten Staaten. Zuletzt erschien z. B. eine Live-DVD mit einer Konzertaufzeichnung. Dan Peek wurde zum wiedergeborenen Christen und veröffentlichte einige Alben mit zeitgenössischer christlicher Musik.
Nachdem es um die Band in den 80er und 90er Jahren etwas ruhiger wurde, erschien Anfang 2007 das sechzehnte Studioalbum „Here and Now“ auf SonyBMG's neuem Burgundy Records Label. Unter Mitwirkung bekannter Gastmusiker wie Ryan Adams und Ben Kweller entstanden zwölf Songs, die von Kritikern wie auch von der Fangemeinde positiv aufgenommen wurden. Um ein möglichst breites Publikum zu erreichen, entschied man, dem Album eine Bonus-CD mit einem aktuellen Live-Mitschnitt beizufügen: Innerhalb der Reihe „XM's Then Again“ des amerikanischen Senders XM Radio wurde hierfür das komplette „History: America's Greatest Hits“ Album live gespielt.
Quelle: Wikipedia

ALBEN (AUSWAHL):

1971 AMERICA
Riverside
Sandman
Three Roses
Children
A Horse With No Name
Here
I Need You
Rainy Day
Never Found the Time
Clarice
Donkey Jaw
Pigeon Song

1972 HOMECOMING
Ventura Highway
To Each His Own
Don't Cross the River
Moon Song
Only In Your Heart
Till the Sun Comes Up Again
Cornwall Blank
Head and Heart
California Revisited
Saturn Nights

1973 HAT TRICK
1 Muskrat Love
2 Wind Wave (Album Version)
3 She's Gonna Let You Down (Album Version)
4 Rainbow Song (Album Version)
5 Submarine Ladies (Album Version)
6 It's Life (Album Version)
7 Hat Trick (Album Version)
8 Molten Love (Album Version)
9 Green Monkey (Album Version)
10 Willow Tree Lullaby (Album Version)
11 Goodbye (Album Version)

1974 HOLIDAY
1 Miniature (Instrumental)
2 Tin Man (Album Version)
3 Another Try (Album Version)
4 Lonely People (Album Version)
5 Glad To See You (Album Version)
6 Mad Dog (Album Version)
7 Hollywood (Album Version)
8 Baby It's Up To You (Album Version)
9 You (Album Version)
10 Old Man Took (Album Version)
11 What Does It Matter (Album Version)
12 In The Country (Album Version)

1975 HEARTS
1 Daisy Jane (Album Version)
2 Half A Man (Album Version)
3 Midnight (Album Version)
4 Bell Tree (Album Version)
5 Old Virginia (Album Version)
6 People In The Valley (Album Version)
7 Company (Album Version)
8 Woman Tonight (Album Version)
9 The Story Of A Teenager (Album Version)
10 Sister Golden Hair [Album Version]
11 Tomorrow (Album Version)
12 Seasons (Album Version)

1976 HIDEAWAY
Lovely Night
Amber Cascades
Don't Let It Get You Down
Can't You See
Watership Down
She's Beside You
Hideaway Part I
She's A Liar
Letter
Today's The Day
Jet Boy Blue
Who Loves You
Hideaway Part II

1977 HARBOR
God Of The Sun
Slow Down
Don't Cry Baby
Now She's Gone
Political Poachers
Sarah
Sergeant Darkness
Are You There
These Brown Eyes
Monster
Hurricane
Down To The Water

1977 AMERICA LIVE
Tin Man
Muskrat Love
I Need You
Old Man Took
Daisy Jane
Company
Hollywood
Sergeant Darkness
Amber Cascades
To Each His Own
Another Try
Ventura Highway
Sister Golden Hair
A Horse With No Name
Purchase from Amazon.com

1979 SILENT LETTER
Only Game In Town
All Around
Tall Treasures
1960
And Forever
Foolin'
All Night
No Fortune
All My Life
One Morning
High In The City

1980 ALIBI
Survival
Might Be Your Love
Catch That Train
You Could've Been The One
I Don't Believe In Miracles
I Do Believe In You
Hangover
Right Back To Me
Coastline
Valentine
One In A Million

1982 VIEW FROM THE GROUND
You Can Do Magic
Never Be Lonely
You Girl
Inspector Mills
Love On The Vine
Desperate Love
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
Jody
Sometimes Lovers
Even The Score

1982 THE LAST UNICORN (SOUNDTRACK)
The Last Unicorn
Man's Road
In The Sea
Now That I'm A Woman
That's All I've Got To Say
The Last Unicorn Part 2 (Reprisal #1)
Forest Awakens (Instrumental)
Red Soup (Instrumental)
Red Bull Attacks (Instrumental)
The Cat (Instrumental)
The Tree (Instrumental)
Haggard's Unicorns (Instrumental)
Bull-Unicorn-Woman (Instrumental)
Unicorns In The Sea (Instrumental)
Unicorn And Lear (Instrumental/Reprisal #2)

1983 YOUR MOVE
My Kinda Woman
She's A Runaway
Cast The Spirit
Love's Worn Out Again
The Border
Your Move
Honey
My Dear
Tonight Is For Dreamers
Don't Let Me Be Lonely
Someday Woman
French Import CD Bonus Tracks
The Last Unicorn
Man's Road
In The Sea

1984 PERSPECTIVE
We Got All Night
See How The Love Goes
Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby
Special Girl
5th Avenue
(It's Like You) Never Left At All
Stereo
Lady With A Bluebird
Cinderella
Unconditional Love
Fallin' Off The World

1985 IN CONCERT
Tin Man
I Need You
The Border
Sister Golden Hair
Company
You Can Do Magic
Ventura Highway
Daisy Jane
Horse With No Name
Survival

1990 THE VERY BEST OF
Inspector Mills
She's A Runaway
Foolin'
Sister Golden Hair
My Kinda Woman
Only In Your Heart
Ventura Highway
Don't Cross the River
Tin Man
Lonely People
The Border
Desperate Love
Cast The Spirit
A Horse With No Name
I Need You
Daisy Jane
Muskrat Love
You Girl
Sandman
Jody
Survival
Right Back To Me
We Got All Night
Woman Tonight
Your Move
You Can Do Magic

1991 MORE GREATEST HITS
Nothing's So Far Away (As Yesterday)
On Target
Hell's On Fire
The Farm
You Can Do Magic
Hollywood
Another Try
Old Man Took
Today's The Day
Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby
Survival
Everyone I Meet Is From California
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
Cornwall Blank
To Each His Own
The Border

1992 VENTURA HIGHWAY & OTHER FAVORITES
Ventura Highway (Live)
You Could've Been The One
I Need You (Live)
All Around
All My Life
You Can Do Magic (Live)
Only Game In Town
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
The Border (Live)
Cast The Spirit

1994 HOURGLASS
Young Moon
Hope
Sleeper Train
Mirror To Mirror
Garden Of Peace
Call Of The Wild
Whole Wide World
Close To The Wind
Greenhouse
Ports-Of-Call
Everyone I Meet Is From California
You Can Do Magic

1995 IN CONCERT (KING BISCUIT)
Tin Man
Old Man Took
Daisy Jane
Love On the Vine
Ventura Highway
I Need You
Inspector Mills
California Dreamin'
Never Be Lonely
You Can Do Magic
Sandman
Here
Sister Golden Hair
Horse With No Name

1996 YOU CAN DO MAGIC
You Can Do Magic
Never Be Lonely
You Girl
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
Inspector Mills
Love On The Vine
Desperate Love
Jody
Sometimes Lovers
Even the Score
Tin Man (Live)
A Horse With No Name (Live)
I Need You (Live)
Sister Golden Hair (Live)
Ventura Highway (Live)
Daisy Jane (Live)

1996 PREMIUM GOLD COLLECTION
You Can Do Magic
The Border
The Last Unicorn
All My Life
Survival
Tall Treasures
One Morning
Honey
My Dear
One In A Million
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
We Got All Night
Lady With A Bluebird
Only Game In Town
Ventura Highway (Live)
Daisy Jane (Live)
I Need You (Live)
Tin Man (Live)
Sister Golden Hair (Live)
Horse With No Name (Live)

1998 HUMAN NATURE
From A Moving Train
Wednesday Morning
Town And Country
Moment To Moment
Hidden Talent
Wheels Are Turning
World Alone
Overwhelming World Suite
(Overwhelming World - Come Back - Barstow)
Pages
Hot Town
Whispering
Oloololo

1998 A HORSE WITH O NAME
A Horse With No Name
Daisy Jane
Don't Cross the River
I Need You
Lonely People
Only In Your Heart
Right Before Your Eyes ("Rudolph Valentino")
Sandman
Sister Golden Hair
The Border
Tin Man
Ventura Highway
You Can Do Magic

2000 LIVE
Tin Man
Ventura Highway
I Need You
California Dreamin'
Sandman
Daisy Jane
Never Be Lonely
You Can Do Magic
Sister Golden Hair
Horse With No Name

2001 HITS YOU REMEMBER LIVE
Tin Man
Ventura Highway
I Need You
California Dreamin'
Sandman
Daisy Jane
Never Be Lonely
You Can Do Magic
Sister Golden Hair
Horse With No Name

2001 THE DEFINITIVE AMERICA
A Horse With No Name
I Need You
Sandman
Ventura Highway
Don't Cross the River
To Each His Own
Only In Your Heart
Muskrat Love
Rainbow Song
She's Gonna Let You Down (single edit)
Tin Man
Lonely People
Sister Golden Hair
Daisy Jane
Woman Tonight
Today's The Day
Amber Cascades
God Of The Sun
Political Poachers
Survival
The Last Unicorn
You Can Do Magic
The Border

2002 HOLIDAY HARMONY
Winter Wonderland
Let It Snow
White Christmas
A Christmas To Remember
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Sleigh Ride
Silver Bells
Christmas in California
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Winter Holidays
Frosty The Snowman
Silent Night
The First Noel

2002 THE GRAND CAYMAN CONCERT
Riverside
Ventura Highway
Daisy Jane
Wind Wave
Another Try
Three Roses
I Need You
Baby It's Up to You
Pigeon Song
All My Life
Tin Man
To Each His Own
Only In Your Heart
Sandman
Sister Golden Hair
A Horse With No Name

2004 A HORSE WITH NO NAME AND OTHER HITS
A Horse With No Name
I Need You
Only In Your Heart
Tin Man
Lonely People
Sister Golden Hair
Don't Cross the River
Daisy Jane
Amber Cascades
Ventura Highway

2007 HERE & NOW
1 Chasing The Rainbow
2 Indian Summer
3 One Chance
4 Golden
5 Always Love
6 Ride On
7 Love & Leaving
8 Look At Me Now
9 This Time
10 Work To Do
11 All I Think About Is You
12 Walk In The Woods
13 Glass King
13 Paradise
14 Ventura Highway
15 Only in Your Heart
16 Sandman
17 A Horse With No Name
18 Don't Cross The River
19 Daisy Jane
20 I Need You
21 Tin Man
22 Muskrat Love
23 Woman Tonight
24 Lonely People
25 Sister Golden Hair