Olivia Newton-John Press items

We know what makes Olivia's music lovely and special but not every reviewer saw it, there's good, bad and ugly here. We have collected these, starting with album reviews, music reviews including singles, then concert/live reviews. I've split off Grease press and Xanadu press on their own.

Album Reviews

Olivia's long career spanned a lot of change in the music press. In the early 1970s pop was more singles oriented, and reviews were written by geezers in smoke-filled rooms. Things went more album-oriented as time went by. The internet arrived in the 1990s and hugely reduced the reach and scope of the music press. I've cast the net a bit wider than reviews. This takes up the story as the old school press review faded.

Singles reviews and other music reviews

This excludes live shows which are in the live section

Possibly the first ever review of Olivia's music, her first single - Disc May 1966
If Not For You single review - Unknown January 1971
Banks of the Ohio single reviews - Unknown January 1971
Cliff Richard single review ... b side Don't Move Away, a pleasant duet with Olivia Newton-John - Reading Evening Post January 1971
Reviews of If Not For You Single - NME etc February 1971
Olivia looks as if she's heading for the charts (with single If Not For You) - Fulham And Hammersmith Chronicle February 1971
review of Bob Dylan's INFY single with the 'all too sweet sound of Olivia Newton-John' - Westminster And Pimlico News March 1971
Olivia sings Dylan, and wins - Melody Maker April 1971
If Not for You reaching #12 in the UK charts - Sydney Morning Herald April 1971
Collection of short US reviews 1971-1977 - Various May 1971
Love Song single review - Disc & Music Echo June 1971
If Not For You single review - Berwyn Life June 1971
Olivia Knows How To Get Her Man - Evening Times October 1971
Lift-off - column on up and coming artists - Look In January 1972
What Is Life review - Unknown February 1972
People in focus - pop singles - Norwegian article and pic - Fremover February 1972
Girl of the week What Is Life single - Record Mirror March 1972
Variety Of Real Talents in Paris To Piccadilly - The Daily Telegraph April 1972
Reviews of Just A Little Too Much Single - unknown August 1972
Lively Olivia - short review for Just a Little Too Much - Record Mirror August 1972
Take Me Home Country Roads reviews - unknown December 1972
Let Me Be There single review - Record Mirror June 1973
Olivia stays in country vein, Let Me Be There single reviews - unknown June 1973
US award for Livvy's Song - Hull Daily Mail March 1974
Long Live Love single review - NME March 1974
Warm Day - Music Makes My Day review - Record Mirror March 1974
If You Love Me, Let Me Know - review - Record Mirror July 1974
MCA (Canada) to handle Olivia Newton-John - Golden Star July 1974
America Honestly Loves Olivia - Evening Standard September 1974
I Honestly Love You single review - Record Mirror October 1974
First Impressions - album review - Record Mirror December 1974
Singles - Have You Never Been Mellow - Record Mirror March 1975
Parton Tribute to Olivia - Billboard April 1975
First Impressions album review - Electronics May 1975
Follow Me review - Record Mirror June 1975
It's Green on the Other Side of the Mountain (Olivia on the soundtrack) - California Aggie September 1975
Something Better To Do review - Record October 1975
Country Radio Stations Wrestle With Format Refinements Amid Chorus Of Criticism - Billboard October 1975
Come on Over single review - Record Mirror June 1976
Don't Stop Believin single review - Record Mirror September 1976
short review for Every Face Tells a Story - Record Mirror January 1977
short review for Sam - Record Mirror May 1977
Making a Good Thing Better single review - Record Mirror September 1977
review for After Dark album by Andy Gibb ft I Can't Help It single - Billboard February 1980
Olivia on Andy Gibb's After Dark album - Petaluma Argus Courier February 1980
review for I Can't Help It single with Andy Gibb - Cashbox March 1980
Will Livvy's Fans Still Honestly Love Her - Baxter Bulletin March 1986
Grease megamix review - Smash Hits December 1990
Grease The Dream mix review - Smash Hits March 1991
I Need Love review - Smash Hits June 1992
48 Original Tracks CD review - Q Magazine June 1994
Olivia's recommended album - Music Hound Lounge January 1998
Olivia Newton-John In My Own Words - Nigel Goodall Blog May 2017
Juliana Hatfield's hopeless devotion to Olivia - Yahoo Entertainment April 2018
How I Almost Got Physical with Olivia Newton-John - Nigel Goodall Blog June 2019
Olivia's First Album Revisited - Nigel Goodall Blog June 2021
Olivia's Physical At 40 - Nigel Goodall Blog November 2021
Physical 40th anniversary release review - Classic Pop January 2022
Vale ONJ - The Australian August 2022
Hopelessly Devoted To Olivia - The Tribune August 2022
Olivia's Top 10 Best Songs - The Guardian August 2022
Olivia Newton-John, Her 25 Best Country Songs - CountryUniverse.net August 2022
Obituary and Totally Hot album review from 1978- Record Collector October 2022
Greatest Hits 45th anniversary review - Retro Pop November 2022
OKCPHIL Retrospective - OKCPHIL Program November 2022
Greatest Hits Vol 2 review - Retro Pop February 2023
Just The Two Of Us review - Retro Pop June 2023
Just The Two Of Us Vol 2 review - Retro Pop November 2023
Friends For Christmas re-release - Stack December 2023

Live reviews and other live related press material

If you're looking for tour programmes they are listed here

Danes loved Cliff (and Olivia) - NME April 1971
Variety Of Real Talents in Paris To Piccadilly - The Daily Telegraph April 1972
Sacha Distel Concert appearance - Bristol Post August 1972
Performing in Dundee - The Courier November 1972
Ad for Manchester concert - NME March 1973
C and W Night - Hull Daily Mail August 1973
Olivia star cabaret appearance - Hull Daily Mail September 1973
Country and Western Music Goes Over Big in Hull - Hull Daily Mail September 1973
Golden Garter nightclub appearance - The Runcorn Guardian October 1973
College sponsoring top British singer - Lewiston Morning Tribune April 1974
Trailers for Olivia opening for Charlie Rich at Allentown Fair - Evening Herald April 1974
review of Olivia's concert at the Univ of Tennessee at Martin's Pacer venue - The Pacer May 1974
Olivia Charms audience at Martin Campus - Clarksville Leaf Chronicle May 1974
Winona State College performance - Winona Daily News May 1974
ONJ featured artist in Disneyland Date Night, Anaheim on 1st June - Desert Sun May 1974
Disneyland performance - Progress Bulletin May 1974
In Concert, Olivia Newton-John, Tue 13 Aug, Vancouver - Vancouver Sun July 1974
Ad for Olivia concert on the 20th Aug 1974 at Jackson, MS - Clarion July 1974
Greek Theatre concert review - Los Angeles Times July 1974
Olivia live at the Las Vegas Hilton August 1974
Country Western Fans Ignore Rains - The Morning Call August 1974
At Circle Star - The Times August 1974
Smothers Brothers Are Back (with ONJ) - Peninsula Times Tribune August 1974
The Smothers Rediscovered (with ONJ) - San Francisco Examiner August 1974
Ad for Olivia concert on the 16th Aug 1974 at the Kentucky State Fair - The Courier Journal August 1974
Olivia Great, No Thanks To Her Friends - The Province August 1974
Ad for Olivia concert on the 23rd Aug 1974 at Six Flags, St Louis - St Louis Dispatch August 1974
Coming To Indiana State Fair advert - Indianapolis News August 1974
Six Flag 1974 appearance advert - Atlanta Constitution August 1974
Olivia set for performance at Six Flags in Texas on 30 Aug 1974 - August 1974
Fair Time in Topeka Friday - Kansas City Star September 1974
Singer To Appear At Livestock Show - Herald and Review November 1974
Singer To Appear At Phoenix Theatre - Arizona Republic December 1974
Utah State University Performance - Student Life December 1974
BYU will host Olivia in song - Daily Universe December 1974
Dogwood Festival Show - Knoxville News Sentinel December 1974
Olivia Newton-John to appear at Y - The Deseret News December 1974
BYU concert review - Daily Universe January 1975
Welsh Singer Smash Hit - Arizona Republic January 1975
Dixie National Rodeo Olivia performs - Clarion Ledger February 1975
Olivia finds time to play - The Clarion Ledger February 1975
Hirsch Coliseum, Louisiana concert - Shreveport Journal February 1975
Olivia at the Louisiana State Fair, Shreveport LA 14 Feb 1975 - The Times February 1975
Ad for Olivia live at Texas A&M university, TX, 28 Feb 1975 - The Eagle February 1975
Tickets Sold out, Oklahoma - Daily Oklahoman February 1975
Trailer for Olivia live at Eastern New Mexico uni, Clovis, NM, 2 Mar 1975 - Clovis News Journal February 1975
Review of Olivia live at Eastern New Mexico uni, Clovis, NM, 2 Mar 1975 - Clovis News Journal March 1975
Olivia wows SPAC crowd - Schenectady Gazette June 1975
Superstar Olivia wows 14,271 fans (Olivia at the Allentown Fair) - The Morning Call August 1975
Aussie singer coming to Reno (11-20 August) - Santa Cruz Sentinel August 1975
Olivia Lure Leaves 'em Limp - Ottawa Journal August 1975
State Fair Grandstand concert - Star Tribune August 1975
Beauty, integrity a hit in Vegas - LA Times October 1975
Lovely Olivia coming to Tahoe NV - Santa Cruz Sentinel October 1975
Olivia makes her nightclub debut in Las Vegas - Record Mirror October 1975
SFA Concert - Stone Fort February 1976
Ad for Olivia live at the Houston Astrodome Feb 28 and 29 - The Bellaire February 1976
Ad for Olivia's March 6th St Louis MO concert - St Louis Dispatch February 1976
Concerts debut album (Come On Over, Olivia in Anaheim 23 March) - Desert Sun March 1976
Miss Newton-John captivates males (concert review) - Santa Ana Register March 1976
Trailer for Olivia's concert in Mobile AL - Pensacola News Journal April 1976
Olivia warms Pan Am center (concert review) - Prospector April 1976
Trailer for Olivia's concert in Mobile AL - Pensacola News Journal April 1976
Olivia Newton-John - crowd pleaser - Tallahassee Democrat June 1976
Ad for Olivia's four concert shows August 26th through 29 at the Greek - LA Times August 1976
Calgary Jubilee Auditorium concert - Calgary Albertan August 1976
Newton-John Comes on strong - LA Times August 1976
concert turnout a definite tribute to Olivia's talent and popularity - Edmonton Journal September 1976
Newton-John and Murray tour - RPM Weekly September 1976
Dear Olivia - I honestly love you - Honolulu Advertiser November 1976
Olivia opens April 4th to 10th (Sahara, Tahoe, NV) - Santa Cruz Sentinel March 1977
Olivia shimmies and shakes - Las Vegas Sports Forum March 1977
Selection and arrangements key to Olivia's success - Herald Examiner March 1977
Olivia In Lake Tahoe - Melody Maker April 1977
Hartford Civic Centre, CT concert advert - Hartford Courant April 1977
Ad in the New York Times for Olivia's concert at the Met - New York Times April 1977
Olivia Making Atlanta Home During Tour - Atlanta Constitution April 1977
Riviera Hotel Las Vegas - Billboard April 1977
Olivia Making Atlanta Home During Tour - Danville Register April 1977
Aussie from Nashville wins all the hearts - Richmond News Leader May 1977
Big Apple Loves Olivia - Daily News May 1977
We Love Ya Olivia - Daily News May 1977
Olivia Newton-John Conveys Her Niceness - New York Times May 1977
Movie Dream - Time May 1977
Olivia with other stars at Silver Jubilee - Record Mirror June 1977
Olivia at Sahara Tahoe, Stateline NV Mar 24 through April 2 - Santa Cruz Sentinel March 1978
Olivia and Labi Siffre - Hamburger Abendblatt November 1978
Olivia on tour - Das Freizeit Magazin, January 2 1979 December 1978
Olivia to perform at Royal Command Concert - San Bernadino Sun May 1980
World's Top Stars Join Olivia - TV Week May 1980
Holmdel Physical concert review - Central New Jersey Home August 1982
Never A Dull moment As Newton-John Sings - Detroit Free Press August 1982
Cellars by starlight August 1982
Olivia Gets Physical - Middle Tennessee State University September 1982
Erwin Centre, TX Physical concert review - Austin American Statesman September 1982
Charlotte Coliseum, NC Physical concert reviews - Charlotte Newspapers September 1982
Olivia makes a good impression - The Pittsburgh Press September 1982
Olivia Lights Up The Arena - Pittsburgh Post Gazette September 1982
Newton-John, Scott have tight program - Lexington Herald Leader September 1982
University of Illinois concert review - Bradley Scout September 1982
Olivia's home base is Nashville during tour - Times Daily September 1982
trailer for Olivia live at UCDavis 3rd Oct 1982 - California Aggie October 1982
Olivia wows 'em - California Aggie October 1982
Olivia a little late but luscious - The Deseret News October 1982
Olivia Newton-John Stages Slick Concert - Arizona Republic October 1982
Olivia and John Travolta together again - Garbo November 1982
Chicago Review September 1999
Concert Review Abravanel Hall - Deseret News August 2004
Sri Lanka review and interview - Sunday Times, Sri Lanka April 2012
Olivia Heads to Fantasy Spring Resort Casino - Entertainment Review September 2012
Celtic Connections 2017 review - Revival January 2017
Celtic Connections folk festival review - The Guardian January 2017
Celtic Connections 2017 - Music Footnotes January 2017
Olivia's Chilean concert - Publimetro February 2017
Still the One That You Want - Steel Notes magazine June 2017
Phenomenal Women, Men, Community - Heart to Heart May 2018
How I Almost Got Physical with Olivia Newton-John - Nigel Goodall Blog June 2019
Old School - MTSU anniversary issue August 2022
OKCPHIL Retrospective - OKCPHIL Program November 2022