Whiplash Smile  by Billy Idol

Three years after the great success of Rebel Yell, Billy Idol returns in 1986 with his third studio album, Whiplash Smile. The musical style remains almost the same as that of his previous album, a little new wave, a little hard rock, synthesizers, and many dance-rock compositions.

The first single from the album was To Be A Lover, a cover of a song first sung by William Bell in late 1968. It was followed by Don't Need A Gun and Sweet Sixteen. In Australia and New Zealand, there was one more single, the single of Soul Standing By.

Whiplash Smile theoretically moved at the same heights as its predecessor as it reached No. 6 on the Billboard, just like Rebel Yell. The big difference was in the United Kingdom, where it entered the Top 10 reaching No. 8, something Billy Idol was never able to replicate. The total worldwide sales of the album have exceeded 1,700,000.