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National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaNational Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive

Physical music video by Olivia Newton-John

1981

Physical music video by Olivia Newton-John

1981

  • NFSA ID7RP0AJA7
  • TypeTelevision
  • MediumMoving Image
  • FormSeries
  • GenresPopular music
  • Year1981

Even before she made the role of Sandy in Grease (1978) iconic, with a soundtrack that became one of the best-selling in history, Olivia Newton-John had achieved international fame with her 1974 and 1975 albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know and Have You Never Been Mellow. Newton-John's success peaked with the release of Physical and this music video. A bold, catchy track that redefined her image and left a lasting mark on pop culture, the video – set in a gym and featuring Olivia in a leotard, spandex and a headband – became a symbol of the decade and ignited a global fitness and fashion trend.

MTV began in the US the same year, a sign that music videos were becoming as influential as the songs they showcased. Physical was a visual hit, with a cheeky video that put a different spin on the meaning of the title. The song's sexually suggestive lyrics defied Newton-John's clean-cut image, but the risk paid off. The song spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard chart, becoming the top-selling single of the 1980s. 'Physical' helped bring the look and energy of aerobics into mainstream music and style. The groundbreaking music video earned Olivia a Grammy and secured her legacy as a pop icon.

Even before she made the role of Sandy in Grease (1978) iconic, with a soundtrack that became one of the best-selling in history, Olivia Newton-John had achieved international fame with her 1974 and 1975 albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know and Have You Never Been Mellow. Newton-John's success peaked with the release of Physical and this music video. A bold, catchy track that redefined her image and left a lasting mark on pop culture, the video – set in a gym and featuring Olivia in a leotard, spandex and a headband – became a symbol of the decade and ignited a global fitness and fashion trend.

MTV began in the US the same year, a sign that music videos were becoming as influential as the songs they showcased. Physical was a visual hit, with a cheeky video that put a different spin on the meaning of the title. The song's sexually suggestive lyrics defied Newton-John's clean-cut image, but the risk paid off. The song spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard chart, becoming the top-selling single of the 1980s. 'Physical' helped bring the look and energy of aerobics into mainstream music and style. The groundbreaking music video earned Olivia a Grammy and secured her legacy as a pop icon.

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