Neumann U 87

Records it appears on · 93

• I'm Not in Love

  10cc · The Original Soundtrack, 1975

  • Drums and bass-drum part · MicrophoneReportedOverhead microphones on Kevin Godley's Ludwig kit during the album's sessions.Position: overhead
• Walk This Way

  Aerosmith · Toys in the Attic, 1975

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedEngineer believes this was the microphone on the lead vocal.
  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedAlbum sessions, not stated for this song: Engineer recalls these were probably the drum overhead microphones.
• Year of the Cat

  Al Stewart · Album, 1976

  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedSnare microphone, on the top of the snare only.
• Ordinary

  Alex Warren · You'll Be Alright, Kid, 2025

  • Hammond C3 organ and piano · MicrophoneVerifiedMicrophone under the piano, alongside left and right mics and a room mic.Position: Underneath the piano
• So in to You

  Atlanta Rhythm Section · A Rock and Roll Alternative, 1977

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedAlbum sessions, not stated for this song: Mills's regular microphone for Ronnie Hammond's vocals, as the article describes his approach on these sessions.
• Let Go

  Avril Lavigne · Album, 2002

  • Lead and backing vocals · MicrophoneReportedLead vocal microphone for Lavigne's full takes in the Decoy Studios vocal room during the Matrix sessions for the album.
• Copacabana

  Barry Manilow · Even Now, 1978

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedUsed for Manilow's lead vocal, and was engineer Michael Delugg's usual choice for him.
• Rebel Yell

  Billy Idol · Album, 1984

  • Steve Stevens guitar · MicrophoneReportedThe other half of the two-microphone combination used to record Stevens's guitar amp.
• Parallel Lines

  Blondie · Album, 1978

  • Drums · MicrophoneReportedOverhead microphones on the drum kit for the Parallel Lines sessions at the Record Plant.
• Plastic Letters

  Blondie · Album, 1978

  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedEngineer believes a pair of these served as left and right overheads for the toms and cymbals.
  • Guitars · MicrophoneReportedCondenser microphone on the guitar amplifier, with a -10 dB pad in, moved further back for later overdubs.Settings: -10 dB pad inPosition: About 2 to 3 feet from the amp when tracking; 8 to 10 feet for overdubs
• Burnin'

  Bob Marley & The Wailers · Album, 1973

  • Lead and backing vocals · MicrophoneVerifiedBrown says everyone other than Marley sang through an 87 on these sessions.
• Total Eclipse of the Heart

  Bonnie Tyler · Faster Than the Speed of Night, 1983

  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedUsed as room microphones for the drums.
• Lowdown

  Boz Scaggs · Silk Degrees, 1976

  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedPerry thinks this was probably the microphone on Jeff Porcaro's snare drum.
  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedUsed as the cymbal overhead microphones.
• Born in the U.S.A.

  Bruce Springsteen · Album, 1984

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneVerifiedScott says he began by recording Springsteen's vocal with it, before later trying other microphones.
  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedRoom microphones that gave Weinberg's drums a bigger sound in the Power Station live room.Position: On large boom stands at the far end of the room, pointing up towards the ceiling
  • Organ and piano · MicrophoneReportedMicrophone on the top speaker of the Leslie.Position: On the top speaker of the Leslie
• Doo-Wops & Hooligans

  Bruno Mars · Album, 2010

  • Vocals · MicrophoneVerifiedThe studio owns a single microphone, and it is used to record the vocals on the album.
• Reckless

  Bryan Adams · Album, 1984

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedUsed for the album's less edgy lead vocals, and by his account usually the favoured choice, with the FET 47 named as the alternative. (recalled with uncertainty)
  • Drum kit · MicrophoneReportedRoom microphones for the drums, as Clearmountain best recalls.
• Glycerine

  Bush · Sixteen Stone, 1996

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedSat at the front of Rossdale's vocal chain on this recording.
  • Strings and tape · MicrophoneReportedBelieved to have been used on the viola and violin parts, per the writer's hedged statement.
• Chicago

  Chicago · Album, 1970

  • Horns and mix · MicrophoneReportedThe horn section was recorded with Guercio's favourite U67s and U87s.
• Do You Really Want to Hurt Me

  Culture Club · Kissing to Be Clever, 1982

  • Lead vocal · MicrophoneReportedNeumann U 87 used for Boy George's lead vocals on this song.
• Insane in the Brain

  Cypress Hill · Black Sunday, 1993

  • Rap vocals · MicrophoneInferredUsual practice, not stated for this record: Nicolo's preferred vocal microphone for rap at his Studio 4, the black one of three he owned, nicknamed Black Elvis.

Sources for each use are on the record’s own page.

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