At the time of the album's release, the Human League had reached the nadir of a decline in popularity following the success of Dare nine years prior; this fall from grace was reflected in the song "The Stars Are Going Out," in which the band reflects upon their loss of fame and its impact on them.
When the album came out, the Human League had hit rock bottom after the massive success of "Dare" nine years earlier; the song "The Stars Are Going Out" captured this decline in popularity and reflected on how it impacted the band.