Editing Scorpions (band) (section)

===Commercial success (1978–1992)===
Following the addition of Jabs, Scorpions left RCA for [[Mercury Records]] in the United States and [[EMI Records]] worldwide to record their next album ''[[Lovedrive]]'' (1979). Just weeks after quitting UFO, Michael Schenker returned to the group for a short period during the recordings for the album. This gave the band three guitarists. ''Lovedrive'' was an album that some critics consider to be the pinnacle of their career.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17523|pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic review of the album|access-date= 18 May 2007|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Containing such fan favourites as "Loving You Sunday Morning", "Always Somewhere", "Holiday" and the instrumental "Coast to Coast", it firmly cemented the "Scorpions formula" of hard rock songs mixed with melodic ballads. Although it had been widely believed for decades that Michael Schenker's contribution to the record was only limited to three songs, he vehemently maintained he appeared on the whole album during an interview with satellite radio host [[Eddie Trunk]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHreGTAqLZo&t=18m17s| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902021001/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHreGTAqLZo&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=2019-09-02|title=YouTube|website=Youtube.com}}</ref> The album's provocative artwork was named "Best album sleeve of 1979" by [[Playboy|''Playboy'' magazine]], yet ultimately changed for American release. ''Lovedrive'' reached No.&nbsp;55 on the US charts, demonstrating that the band was gathering an international following. After the completion and release of the album the band decided to retain Michael in the band, forcing Jabs to leave. However, in April 1979, during their tour in France, Michael quit again and Jabs was brought in permanently to replace him.

In 1980, the band released ''[[Animal Magnetism (Scorpions album)|Animal Magnetism]]'', again with a provocative cover this time showing a girl kneeling and a Doberman Pinscher sitting in front of a man. ''Animal Magnetism'' contained classics such as "[[The Zoo (Scorpions song)|The Zoo]]" and "Make It Real". Soon after the album's release, Meine began experiencing throat problems. He required surgery on his vocal cords and doubts were raised{{by whom|date=February 2018}} about whether he would ever sing again.

Meanwhile, the band began working on their next album, ''[[Blackout (Scorpions album)|Blackout]]'' in 1981. A then-unknown [[Don Dokken]] was brought in to provide guide and backing vocals, while Meine recovered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012035057/http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/interviews01/don_dokken_interview.htm|title=Classic Rock Revisited your online source for Rock and Metal fans|archive-date=12 October 2007|website=Classicrockrevisited.com|access-date=2 October 2019}}</ref> Meine's voice eventually healed completely and he was able to finish recording the album. ''Blackout'' was released in 1982 and quickly became the band's best selling album to date, eventually going platinum. Meine's voice showed no signs of weakness and reviews for the album were positive. ''Blackout'' spawned two singles: "[[No One Like You]]" and "[[Can't Live Without You (Scorpions song)|Can't Live Without You]]".

Gaining in popularity from the success of ''Blackout'', the Scorpions performed to over 375,000 fans on Day 2 at the three-day [[US Festival]] concert held in San Bernardino, California during Memorial Day Weekend of 1983. The concert was aired live on MTV, giving the band wide exposure in a live show.

The 1984 album ''[[Love at First Sting]]'' cemented the Scorpions' status as an internationally popular band. Propelled by the single "[[Rock You Like a Hurricane]]", ''Love at First Sting'' climbed the charts and went double platinum in the USA a few months after its release.

[[MTV]] gave the album's videos "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "I'm Leaving You", "Big City Nights", and the [[power ballad]] "[[Still Loving You]]" significant airplay, greatly contributing to the album's success. The channel even supplied Scorpions with the nickname "The Ambassadors of Rock", to the chagrin of industry insiders who recognized the executive influence behind the scenes. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine named them "The Heroes of Heavy Metal".

The band toured extensively behind ''Love at First Sting'' and released their second live album, ''[[World Wide Live]]'' in 1985. Recorded over a year-long world tour and released at the height of their popularity, the album was another success for the band, peaking at No.&nbsp;14 in the charts in the US and at No.&nbsp;18 in the UK.

After their extensive world tours, the band finally returned to the studio, to record ''[[Savage Amusement]]''. Released in 1988, four years after their previous studio album, ''Savage Amusement'' represented a more polished and mature sound similar to the style [[Def Leppard]] had found success with. The album sold well but was considered somewhat of a critical disappointment. However, British rock and metal magazine ''[[Kerrang!]]'' did award the album five K's out of five.

On the ''Savage Amusement'' tour in 1988, the Scorpions became only the second Western group (not American) to play in the [[Soviet Union]]. [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] had performed in the country earlier in December 1987, in [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]]. The following year the band returned to perform at the [[Moscow Music Peace Festival]]. As a result, the Scorpions developed an extended Russian fan base and still return to perform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/Scorpions-Nov2003.htm |title=Scorpions Interview with Klaus Meine |website=Metal-rules.com |access-date=23 April 2014}}</ref> Also in 1989, Scorpions released the compilation album ''[[Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads]]'', which, in addition to the band's hits from 1979 to 1988, included several rare or previously unreleased tracks: "Hey You", from the ''Lovedrive'' sessions; a remixed version of "Is There Anybody There?"; and a cover of [[the Who]]'s "[[I Can't Explain]]", which was also included on that same year's ''[[Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell]]'' charity compilation album. This is the band's only compilation album, to be certified platinum in the United States.<ref name="RIAA"/>

Wishing to distance themselves from the ''Savage Amusement'' style, the band parted ways with their long-time producer and "Sixth Scorpion", [[Dieter Dierks]], replacing him with [[Keith Olsen]] when they returned to the studio in 1990. ''[[Crazy World (Scorpions album)|Crazy World]]'' was released that year and displayed a less polished sound. The album was propelled in large part by the massive success of the ballad "[[Wind of Change (Scorpions song)|Wind of Change]]". The song muses on the socio-political changes that were occurring in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world at the end of the [[Cold War]]. ''Crazy World'' remains the band's last album, to receive gold or platinum certification in the United States.<ref name="RIAA"/> On 21 July 1990, they joined many other guests for [[Roger Waters]]' [[The Wall Concert in Berlin|massive performance]] of ''[[The Wall]]'' in Berlin. Scorpions performed both versions of "[[In the Flesh (Pink Floyd song)|In the Flesh]]" from ''The Wall''.

After the ''Crazy World'' tour, the band's long-serving bassist Francis Buchholz, left the group.