On 15 May 1970, the Carpenters began their meteoric rise to fame when their second album, Close To You was released by Herb Alpert's A&M Records.

The title song, a standard by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was the first of the group's six-million sellers. The brother-sister combination had formed a band in 1969 known as Spectrum, with Karen playing the drums and singing lead vocals and Richard playing the piano.

(They Long to Be) Close to You was a massive hit all over the world and ushered in an era of chart domination by the wholesome duo. With their wholesome American image and velvety harmonization, they would became one of the most popular acts of the 1970s and go on to receive three Grammys, eight gold albums, 10 gold records for singles, and a dozen top ten hits.

Other albums by the Carpenters include Offering (Ticket to Ride), Close to You, Carpenters, Song For You, Now and Then, Horizon, Kind of Hush, Passage, Christmas Portrait, Made in America, Voice of the Heart, Lovelines, and more.