Rod Stewart - Ain’t Love A Bitch

What this video is

Released in January 1979, 'Ain't Love a Bitch' arrived during Rod Stewart's commercial zenith — the *Blondes Have More Fun* album era — at the cusp between glam-rock's waning influence and the disco-pop crossover that defined late-1970s mainstream rock. The song's autobiographical register, referencing earlier hit 'Maggie May', reflected Stewart's deliberate mythologising of his own romantic past for mass…

Why it matters

Represents the late-1970s British AOR soft-rock promo template: no narrative, no concept, purely performance-based. The single's dual chart success in the UK (#11) and US (#22) demonstrates the transnational commercial model of the era. As a Bruce Gowers production, the video connects directly to…

The director

Bruce Gowers (21 Dec 1940 – 15 Jan 2023) was a British-born television director born in West Kilbride, Scotland. He trained at the BBC and began as a cable puller, cameraman, and production manager before directing. His 1975 Queen 'Bohemian Rhapsody' video…