Every Journey and Steve Perry album ranked from worst to best

From stadium-filling rock to the ultimate lighter-waving ballads, AOR titans Journey and their various frontmen have done it all

Journey group shot

They are one of the biggest rock bands of all time, and their most famous song is the best-selling digital track from the 20th century. But for Journey, global stardom might never have happened if not for a hard-hitting ultimatum from their record company back in 1977. As the band’s original drummer Aynsley Dunbar recalled: “We were told: ‘Get a singer, get some hit songs or you’re off the label.’”

At that time, the San Francisco-based band had made three albums for Columbia Records, and all three had stiffed. Guitarist Neal Schon and vocalist/keyboard player Gregg Rolie had previously played in Santana , but Journey’s early music, mixing Santana-style jazz fusion and progressive rock, was a hard sell, and Rolie’s voice wasn’t the strongest.

Everything changed when Steve Perry joined the band after they’d tried out another singer, Robert Fleischman. With a richly expressive voice, Perry could hit high notes that other singers could only dream of. His first album with the band, 1978’s  Infinity , reinvented Journey as a mainstream rock act. The album promptly went platinum, and from there, the only way was up.

In the 80s, Journey became one of the biggest bands in America, with the Holy Trinity of AOR albums:  Escape ,  Frontiers  and  Raised On Radio . Perry also had a huge hit in 1984 with his first solo album, Street Talk . But the pressures of fame led Perry to quit the band in 1987, leaving Journey on hiatus until his return in 1995. And when he quit again two years later, he was gone for good.

How to replace the irreplaceable? Journey survived by finding the best Steve Perry impersonators on the planet. They made two albums in the early 2000s with Steve Augeri, formerly the singer in cult AOR band Tall Stories. And in 2007, when Journey’s classic hit  Don ’ t Stop   Believin ’  was featured in The Sopranos - making the song more famous than ever before, and putting the band’s name back in the spotlight - they unveiled a new singer who had been discovered via YouTube.

Filipino Arnel Pineda’s performance of Journey songs in covers band The Zoo was enough to secure him his dream job. He sounds uncannily like Steve Perry, and has now made three albums with Journey, including Freedom , released in 2022.

Perry, meanwhile, had withdrawn from public view for many years after leaving the band. But in 2018 he made a comeback with a solo album Traces , his first full-length recording since Journey’s Trial By Fire back in 1996. And if something had been lost over time - the power he’d had in his youth - it was still, unmistakably, the voice that made Journey the greatest AOR band of them all…

Alt

18. Journey: Look Into The Future (Columbia, 1976)

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

In the credits to Journey’s 1979 album  Evolution , the band stated, gratefully: “Columbia Records stands alone in the field of developing new artists.” The company’s ‘tough love’ approach certainly worked for Journey, who couldn’t buy a hit record until Columbia ordered them to find a proper singer and write some tunes.

Tellingly, the catchiest number on Look   Into The Future, the band’s second album, is a cover of The Beatles ’ It’s All Too Much . The other tracks run like a loose jam session, veering from prog to psychedelia, jazz to heavy rock. Despite the album’s title, the sound is stuck in the 60s.

Buy from Amazon

17. Journey: Eclipse (Frontiers, 2011)

Journey got off to a strong start with Arnel Pineda on 2008’s million-selling Revelation, but the follow-up was an outright flop.  Eclipse was by design a heavy, guitar-focused album. As keyboard player Jonathan Cain said: “If people want to hear ballads, they can certainly find them on other records.”

But aside from the opening track, the mighty anthem City Of Hope , there is nothing on this album with the melodic power of a classic Journey banger like Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) . It’s all so much hot air. And if this album’s ballads slipped Cain’s mind, it’s hardly surprising.

16. Journey: Journey (Columbia, 1975)

“A strong beginning” said Rolling Stone magazine of Journey’s debut album. It certainly sounded as if some strong stuff was being smoked when they recorded it. With two former members of Santana in Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie, and an accomplished drummer, Englishman Aynsley Dunbar, who had played for John Mayall , Jeff Beck and Frank Zappa , this was a new band with an impressive pedigree. 

Their musicianship dazzled on the instrumentals Kohoutek and Topaz, the latter written by rhythm guitarist George Tickner, who left the group after this album. But all that jazz-rock fusion showboating wears thin over 35 minutes.

15. Journey: Next (Columbia, 1977)

The band’s third album was the last before Steve Perry joined, and in its opening track from there was a hint of what was to come. Spaceman was a simple ballad, although Perry would never have sung, as Gregg Rolie did, “ I’m a cosmopolitan, right-handed wingless man .”

Another significant track was Hustler , as Journey moved towards a more straightforward hard rock sound, with shades of Deep Purple . And as the band’s first phase ended, they delivered the most bizarre song they ever recorded - People , a trippy number with Schon playing spaced-out licks and Rolie singing like John Lennon .

14. Steve Perry: Traces (Fantasy, 2018) 

“I know it’s been a long time comin’,” Perry sang in the first line of the opening song, No Erasin’ . No shit. The release of Traces came 24 years after his previous solo album, and 22 years since his Journey swan song Trial By Fire .

Perry’s comeback, at the age of 69, was greeted as the AOR equivalent of the Resurrection, and amid such hysteria, Traces proved underwhelming, its blend of soft rock, pop and soul drifting into blandness here and there. But in No Erasin’ , the old magic was still there in what may be the last great song he’ll ever sing.

13. Journey: Generations (Sanctuary, 2005)

Singer Steve Augeri’s first album with Journey, 2001’s Arrival , was the best they ever made without Steve Perry. The follow-up, Generations , also had its moments - notably Faith In The Heartland and The Place In Your Heart , both of which were re-recorded with Arnel Pineda on 2008’s Revelation .

But in 2006 Augeri was out of the band. A serious throat infection had damaged his voice, and he was dismissed amid rumours that he had lip-synced on stage. His exit may have been ignominious, but Augeri’s contribution to Journey’s legacy should not be underestimated.

12. Journey: Freedom (BMG, 2022)

On Journey’s first album in more than a decade, only Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain remain from the band’s glory days. What’s more, two key contributors to this album - bassist Randy Jackson and drummer/songwriter/co-producer Narada Michael Walden - have since departed.

But as our own Geoff Barton stated: “ Freedom  passes the  Classic Rock  AOR test with flying colours.” The opening song Together We Run is quintessential Journey, and the epic Beautiful As You Are delivers a grand finale. And as Schon told Classic Rock , there is more to come. “As long as I’m here,” he said, “we’re gonna keep creating.”

11. Journey: Revelation (Frontiers, 2008) 

Lightning can strike twice. In 2005, Foreigner found in Kelly Hansen a singer whose voice was a close match for that of the great Lou Gramm. And two years later, Journey discovered a young Filipino guy who could sing like Steve Perry.

It was a big ask for Arnel Pineda to make the giant leap from Journey covers band to the real thing, but he performed heroically on the aptly named Revelation - from the triumphant anthem Never Walk Away to the beautiful ballad Turn Down The World Tonight . Revelation became the band’s first million seller without Perry. For Pineda, there was surely no greater vindication.

10. Steve Perry: For The Love Of Strange Medicine (Columbia, 1994)

Perry’s first solo album Street Talk was a huge hit in 1984. Ten years later, his second solo record reached the US top 20 but failed to make much of an impact in a world dominated by alternative rock.

For The Love Of   Strange Medicine  had some fine songs - the dynamic opening one-to punch of You Better Wait and Young Hearts Forever , and the epic title track. But the ballads were unremarkable, and the album, as a whole, was somewhat overwrought and overproduced. Within two years, Perry’s return to Journey yielded the comeback album Trial By Fire . But the reunion wouldn’t last.

9. Journey: Trial By Fire (Columbia, 1996)

The second coming of Steve Perry ended in disappointment. With the definitive Escape -era line-up reunited, Journey should have delivered a great album. They managed only half that. On opener  Message Of Love  and the ready-made wedding song  When You Love A Woman , Journey achieved something close to peak form. 

But the big rock epics,  Castles Burning  and  Can ’ t Tame The Lion , were all bluster. Trial By Fire  hit No.3 in the US, but the band’s comeback tour was aborted after Perry injured his hip in a hiking accident. Tragically, he never sang for Journey again.

8. Journey: Arrival (Columbia, 2001)

They were big shoes to fill, but New Yorker Steve Augeri proved a more than capable replacement for Steve Perry in Journey. With the new singer performing at such a high level, Arrival was the band’s best album since Raised On Radio .

Four tracks came right out of the top drawer: powerful opener Higher Place , one of several songs on the album co-written with Night Ranger’s Jack Blades; Signs Of Life , an anthem for the brokenhearted; and two majestic ballads,  All   The Way  and  Loved By You. Augeri had passed the test. And Journey had proved there was life after Steve Perry.

7. Journey: Departure (Columbia, 1980)

At the dawn of the 80s, Journey still sounded, and looked, somewhat dated. Van Halen ’s  Women   And   Children First  was released in the same month as  Departure  – March 1980. But where Van Halen sounded like the future, with the image to match, Journey were stuck in the 70s. 

But no matter, a great song will always hit the spot, however old-fashioned the delivery. And there are many on Departure, including the jubilant  Any Way You Want It . Departure  was aptly titled. With Gregg Rolie set to quit, this was the last hurrah of the old Journey. Within a year the flares were gone and Journey were setting the template for 80s arena rock.

6. Journey: Evolution (Columbia, 1979)

Steve Perry’s pain was Journey’s gain. The band’s first Top 20 single,  Lovin ’ ,   Touchin ’ , Squeezin ’, was written after the singer saw his girlfriend kissing another guy. Perry described the song as “love justice”, but it was the sweetest kind of revenge; with its slinky blues groove and a killer ‘ na-na-na ’ coda, the song became a genuine rock standard.

Parent album  Evolution  was the second of two that Journey recorded with producer Roy Thomas Baker, whose previous clients Queen are echoed in the knowingly titled pomp-rock fanfare  Majestic . Also featured here is  Daydream , a long-forgotten masterpiece.

5. Journey: Infinity (Columbia, 1978)

Steve Perry was not a unanimous choice as Journey’s new singer. But when Perry presented the bluesy  Lights  to the band, everyone sensed the possibilities. Tellingly,  Lights  was chosen as  Infinity ’s opening track – an introduction to the new Journey – and it remains one of the band’s best-loved songs, as does this album’s  Wheel In The Sky .

Under pressure from Columbia Records, who’d done their bit by hiring Queen’s producer Roy Thomas Baker, the refocused Journey delivered their first set of accessible mainstream rock songs. The payoff was instant.

4. Steve Perry: Street Talk (Columbia, 1984) 

The dreaded solo album signals the end for many a band. Steve Perry returned to Journey after making  Street Talk , but the balance of power had shifted; Perry would remodel Journey’s music on this album’s soul-influenced soft rock.

Perry relished the freedom of a solo project, crafting slick adult pop songs inspired by vintage soul music:  I Believe  a Motown tribute,  Captured By The Moment  mourning Sam Cooke and other lost heroes. The single Oh Sherrie hit number three on the US chart, powering Street Talk  to platinum status. The album is widely acknowledged as an AOR classic.

3. Journey: Raised On Radio (Columbia, 1986)

With Steve Perry heartbroken by his mother’s terminal illness, and bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith leaving due to “creative differences”, 1985 was Journey’s annus horribilis. But out of turmoil came the last classic Journey album.

After Perry’s solo debut  Street Talk  went platinum, the singer took control of the group. Neal Schon was sidelined as Perry’s pop and soul influences prevailed. Raised On Radio  was recorded three times before Perry was satisfied. But every nickel and dime they spent is audible in the deluxe soft rock of  Girl Can ’ t Help It  and  I ’ ll Be Alright Without You .

2. Journey: Frontiers (Columbia, 1983)

After the huge success of 1981’s Escape , Journey hit another home run with Frontiers . The album reached No.2 in the US and included two classic hits:  Separate Ways (Worlds   Apart) , one of the heaviest and most emotive tracks the band have ever recorded, and  Faithfully , the greatest power ballad of all time.

Journey never rocked harder than on  Frontiers , with Neal Schon really ripping on  Edge Of The Blade  and  Rubicon . The album would have been even better if  Ask The Lonely  and  Only The Young , two brilliant tracks, hadn’t been dropped in favour of  Troubled Child  and  Back Talk  the latter a real stinker. (The two discarded songs appeared on the album’s 2006 reissue.)

1. Journey: Escape (Columbia, 1981)

The greatest AOR album of all time, Journey’s first US No.1 made them stadium-filling superstars. And pivotal to its success was their new keyboard player: Jonathan Cain co-wrote every song on  Escape . “What changed about Journey,” Cain said, “is that I started writing about the people that cared about the band.” 

Don ’ t   Stop Believin ’, an evocative tale of ‘ streetlight people, living just to find emotion ’, became an American classic.  Open   Arms  – rejected by his previous band The Babys – was a monster hit. With nine million copies now sold,  Escape  is Journey’s definitive statement.

Classic Rock Newsletter

Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

Freelance writer for Classic Rock since 2005, Paul Elliott has worked for leading music titles since 1985, including Sounds, Kerrang!, MOJO and Q . He is the author of several books including the first biography of Guns N’ Roses and the autobiography of bodyguard-to-the-stars Danny Francis. He has written liner notes for classic album reissues by artists such as Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Kiss, and currently works as content editor for Total Guitar . He lives in Bath - of which David Coverdale recently said: “How very Roman of you!”

“He got me in a headlock and started punching me. We just went at it”: the explosive story of Dokken, the hard rock band that tore itself apart

“Look at the scene in Los Angeles. How on earth can you call any of those bands heavy metal?”: how Manowar delivered death to false metal with Hail To England

Watch this world record attempt at creating the biggest 'wall of death' ever

Most Popular

journey best albums ranked

Top 10 Journey Albums

Journey Albums

Photo: Matt Becker, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Journey albums list looks at one of the most popular rock and roll bands of all time. Journey arrived on the scene in 1975 with their Columbia Records debut entitled Journey. At the time, the band consisted of founding member Gregg Rolie on lead vocals and keyboards, Neal Schon on lead guitar, George Tickner on rhythm guitar, Ross Valory on bass and Ansley Dunbar on drums. The band would go through many changes over the years with Neal Schon being the only consistent member from day one. The band’s early Progressive roots changed instantly the moment lead singer Steve Perry join the band on their fourth album entitled Infinity in 1978. Journey would have an amazing run of huge big selling commercial albums albums from 1978 to 1986. At the time they were one of the biggest bands in the world. Their song “ Don’t Stop Believing,” which was released on the Escape album remains one of the biggest classic rock songs of all time, a feat helped by the inclusion of the song in the final scene of The Sopranos final episode.

A big change in Journey came when Steve Perry left the band to retire and was replaced by Steve Augeri. The new lead singer’s first album with The Journey was released in 2000 entitled Arrival . Since then, every Journey album has featured Steve Augeri on lead vocals. Our top ten Journey albums list takes a look at our favorite Journey albums and their biggest sellers.

# 10 – Trial By Fire

journey best albums ranked

We open up our top 10 Journey albums with the band’s 1996 LP Trial By Fire . This was somewhere between a comeback and a reunion album for the classic Journey lineup of the early 80s that consisted of Steve Perry , Neal Schon, Ross Valory, Jonathan Cain and the great Steve Smith. It also became the final Journey album to feature Steve Perry and Steve Smith. While it’s not their best album featuring our favorite Journey lineup, we will take any Journey record that featured Steve Perry on vocals

# 9 – Look into the Future

journey best albums ranked

At number nine on our top 10 Journey albums list is the Journey album Look In The Future . The album was released in 1976. It was the band’s second studio release. The album began the transformation from Journey’s progressive sound that was found on their debut album as they settled into a more pop rock oriented sound. Yet, it was still an incredible musical adventure via a lineup of all star rock and roll musicians including  Gregg Rolie on vocals and keyboards, Neal Schon on guitar, Ross Valory on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on drums.

# 8 – Eclipse

journey best albums ranked

We skip many years ahead on our Journey albums list to the group’s most recent album released in 2011 entitled Eclipse . This is a hard rocking album that features the guitar work of Neal Schon in a more dominant fashion than ever before on a Journey record – and we love it. The album’s opening track “City Of Hope,” almost sounds like a U2 cut in the beginning. It’s a shame this album faded from existence pretty quickly. This is a really good Journey album that we highly recommend that you probably don’t have in your collection. The album featured Arnel Pineda on lead vocals, Neal Schon on guitars, Jonathan Cain on keyboards, Ross Valory on bass and Deen Castronovo on drums. The Eclipse album was released in 2011.

# 7 – Next

journey best albums ranked

Next on our top 10 Journey albums list is the album Next . Sorry we couldn’t resist. The album was released in 1977. It stands as Journeys third studio album. At the time Gregg Rolie was the band’s lead singer. The Next album would be Greg Rolie’s last Journey album and the band’s sound would change dramatically on a next record with the addition of Steve Perry as lead vocalist. Before Steve Perry joined Journey vocalist Roberts Fleischman joined the band and performed with them in concert and also served as a songwriter for the band. Despite Greg Rolie’s limited vocal abilities the album had some great tunes on it including the single “Spaceman.” The musicianship between the four is what made us place this one at seven. The band was on fire at time on this recording. Check out the great progressive rock sounding instrumental “Nickel and Dime.”

# 6 – Raised on Radio

journey best albums ranked

Journeys Raised on Radio album was a much better album than most people gave it credit for. The album served as the to follow up to there incredible record titled Frontiers in 1983. It took Journey three years to release the Raised on Radio album. The album was released in the spring of 1986. At the time Journey had just become a  trio of Steve Perry, Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain as bassist Ross Valory and the great drummer Steve Smith were actually fired from Journey. Session musicians were used instead on the record to replace Smith and Valory. Still, there were many great songs released on the album including the lead single “Be Good To Yourself.” Other standout tracks included the songs “Girl Can’t Help It, I’ll be alright Without You, The Eyes Of a Woman, and Suzanne.”

# 5 – Evolution

journey best albums ranked

The second half of our top 10 Journey albums list starts presents the Big 5. These next five albums were Journey’s most successful records from both a commercial and artistic standpoint. At number five on our list is Journey’s actual fifth studio album entitled Evolution . This was Steve Smith’s first album. The album featured the huge hit “Loving, Touching, Squeezing.” The song became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 16. The song was written by Steve Perry . Journey’s lead singer Steve Perry actually received writing credit on every song on the album.  Evolution was the second album to feature Steve Perry on vocals. The Evolution album was released in 1979.

# 4 – Departure

journey best albums ranked

Journey’s Departure album was released in 1980. The album still featured the core five of Steve Perry on lead vocals, Neal Schon on guitar, Greg Rolie on keys, Ross Valory on bass and Steve Smith on drums. The album was released in the winter of 1980. It was the band’s sixth studio album and third with Steve Perry . Departure would become the band highest charting album of their career at the time. It was the first Journey album to break into the Billboard Top 200 album’s Top 10 as it peaked at number eight. The album produced two big time singles in the songs “Any Way You Want It,” and “Walks Like A Lady.”

# 3 – Infinity

journey best albums ranked

The Infinity album was the first journey record to feature Steve Perry as the new lead vocalist. Columbia Records heavily promoted the album Aand the fact that Journey had this incredibly gifted new vocalist. This was Journey’s fourth studio album. It was released at the start of 1978. Infinity is an amazing record. The first single “Wheel In the Sky,” was one of those great driving a rock and roll songs that crossed the genres of pop music and rock and roll music so perfectly. The album’s opening track entitled “Lights,” had this incredibly deep genuine feel to the music that made us all instantly fall in love with the voice of Steve Perry. For many of us, this was our first Journey album.

# 2 – Frontiers

journey best albums ranked

I love this album. When it was first released I could not stop playing it on cassette tape in my car every single day. I could not believe how good this album sounded. The synthesizers on “Separate Ways,” just engulfed you while Steve Perry’s voice just blew right through the speakers right into your face, into your heart, sending chills through your body. What an amazing song. Everyone in the band was on fire on this song. Steve Smith’s drums thundering viciously throughout the whole entire song. Jonathan Cain’s keyboard work was out of this world, Neal Schon’s guitar was smoking, and Ross Valory just keep it all together. The album’s next track “Send Her My Love,” was the perfect answer to the album’s scorching opener. The songs “Chain Reaction,” “After the Fall Play,” and the beautiful Jonathan Cain penned ballad “Faithfully,” closed out an amazing side one. If side two had been just a little bit stronger, this would have been our number one album.

# 1 – Escape

Journey Albums

We close out our top 10 Journey albums list with Journey’s phenomenal album Escape . The album was released in 1981. The Escape album featured the arrival of keyboardist Jonathan Cain who co-wrote every song on the album. Not enough has been written about the importance of the arrival of Jonathan Cain. The addition of Jonathan Cain to Journey fueled the Escape album to become their biggest selling studio album of all time. There’s no doubt about it when you just look at the sales.

Five big singles were released from the album including the legendary song “Don’t Stop Believing.” The album’s lead-off single “Who’s Crying Now,” was released in July of 1981. “Don’t Stop Believing,” was released in October of 1981. “Open Arms,” was released in January of 1982, “Still They Ride,” was released in May of 1982, and the final single the rocking “Stone In Love,” was released in October 1982. Just about every song on the album was written by Jonathan Cain Steve Perry and Neal Schon.  Three of the five singles became top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Everyone in the world knew who Journey was in 1981.

Top 10 Journey Albums article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021

Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business or any organizations is allowed to republish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. 

DMCA.com Protection Status

DON’T MISS A BEAT

Be the first to know when a new article is published

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

journey best albums ranked

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Related Posts

Chick Corea Elektric Band Albums Ranked

Chick Corea Elektric Band Albums Ranked

1991’s Best Rock Albums

1991’s Best Rock Albums

Top 10 Jethro Tull Albums

Top 10 Jethro Tull Albums

1972’s Best Classic Rock Albums

1972’s Best Classic Rock Albums

Best Rock Albums Of 2013

Best Rock Albums Of 2013

Our 10 Favorite Paul Simon Albums In Order

Our 10 Favorite Paul Simon Albums In Order

About the author.

Avatar

Brian Kachejian

Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.

Add Comment Cancel Reply

 Yes, add me to your mailing list

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

10 Most Overplayed Songs In Rock Music

Top Journey Albums Ranked: From ‘Frontiers’ to ‘Eclipse’

December 6, 2023

By: Michael's Melodies

Ready for Your Next Show? Buy Concert Tickets Now!

As a die-hard Journey fan, I’ve spun every record from their self-titled debut to the latest hits. Their music has been the soundtrack to countless road trips and life milestones. But let’s face it, some albums outshine others. I’m diving deep into their discography to bring you the ultimate ranking of Journey’s albums.

From the soaring vocals of Steve Perry to the iconic riffs of Neal Schon, each album tells a story. I’ll guide you through the highs and lows, the chart-toppers and the hidden gems. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a curious newcomer, you’re in for a ride through rock history.

Get ready to find out which albums stand the test of time and which are better left as a memory. It’s time to embark on a journey through Journey’s albums, ranked from the must-haves to the might-have-missed. Strap in and let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Journey’s Albums Ranked

As I delve into Journey’s discography, it’s important to recognize that this iconic band shares the rock pantheon with fellow legends like Foreigner , REO Speedwagon , and Styx . These artists epitomize the same era of soaring anthems and power ballads that resonate to this day.

Kicking off our ranking, Escape undeniably holds its place at the pinnacle. The 1981 masterpiece is as much a staple in rock history as it is in my heart. With chart-topping hits like “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms,” this album’s universal appeal is unquestionable. It isn’t just an album; it’s a time capsule of musical brilliance that turned Journey into household names.

Not far behind is the illustrious Frontiers , set in motion by the juggernaut “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).” Its synthesizer-driven tracks mixed with memorable guitar riffs made this 1983 release a close contender for the top spot. The album didn’t just ride the coattails of its predecessor; it cemented Journey’s sound for the decades to follow.

However, every list has its underdog, and Trial by Fire is precisely that. Although it didn’t scale the heights reached by its 80s counterparts, this 1996 comeback album harbors gems like “When You Love a Woman.” For many fans, it’s a poignant reminder of the band’s versatility and their ability to evolve with the times.

It’s fascinating to track the evolution of Journey’s sound through these albums. As hits came and went, the band’s core identity—a blend of Neal Schon’s searing guitar work, Jonathan Cain’s signature keys, and the unforgettable vocals first of Steve Perry and later of Arnel Pineda—remained resilient.

Evidently, Journey’s influence stretches wide, and pinning down their finest work is like capturing lightning in a bottle. Each record encapsulates a unique set of memories for fans, and that’s why they’re more than just albums—they’re the milestones of rock’s journey.

Introduction to Journey’s Discography

Before diving into the depths of Journey’s diverse album offerings, it’s important to understand the sheer impact this band has had on rock music. From power ballads that defined an era to anthems that still echo in stadiums, Journey’s discography is a treasure trove for both die-hard fans and casual listeners. With Steve Perry’s unmistakable voice and Neal Schon’s masterful guitar licks, the band created a signature sound that resonates with generations.

Journey’s story is not just about chart-toppers; it’s also about their profound influence on numerous bands that followed. Similar artists include Boston , Styx , and Foreigner , each weaving their unique threads into the tapestry of classic rock. Yet, even among these titans, Journey stands out for their compelling storytelling through music. From soulful love songs to rousing rock tracks, their range is as vast as their influence.

Tracing their evolution, the albums showcase the refinement of sound and experimentation with various stylistic elements. “Infinity” unlocked a new level of acclaim for the band, while “Departure” mirrored the musical shifts happening in their journey. Each album narrates a part of their legacy—from the ambitious “Raised on Radio” to the reflective “Eclipse.” Whether it was the raw energy of early works or the polished production of their later albums, there’s no denying Journey’s place in rock history.

The beauty of Journey’s discography lies in the personal connection that listeners have with the albums. While some may prefer the visceral intensity of “Evolution,” others find comfort in the poignant melodies of “Revelation.” What remains constant is that each album conjures a unique mood, a distinct feeling, and for many, a flood of memories. With this in mind, let’s continue our exploration of Journey’s expansive catalog.

Ranking Criteria for Journey’s Albums

When I tackle the mammoth task of ranking Journey’s albums, it’s essential to set clear criteria that consider a wide array of factors. The criteria allow me to provide a fair assessment that resonates with both long-time aficionados and new listeners discovering the band’s legendary sound that echoes the vibes of Boston, Styx, and Foreigner.

Musical Influence and Legacy : One of the first aspects I delve into is the album’s impact on the music scene. Did it break ground or influence the direction of rock during its time? Albums that left a lasting imprint on rock culture or inspired other musicians earn extra points.

Commercial Success and Chart Performance : Sales and chart positions are telling indicators of how well an album was received by the masses. I consider peak chart positions, platinum certifications, and overall sales figures which reflect the album’s popularity.

Critical Reception : Reviews from reputable music critics and publications are evaluated to gauge the professional reception of each album. Journey’s work spanned decades, so I also look at how opinions might have evolved over time.

Cohesiveness and Songwriting Quality : A great album tells a story from start to finish with seamlessly connected tracks. I listen for strong lyrical content and compelling musical arrangements that showcase Journey’s versatility.

Fan Favorites and Cultural Impact : Lastly, I take into account the tracks that became anthems and how they integrated into pop culture. Songs that became mainstays on the radio, at sporting events, or in films add value to an album’s overall standing.

Each album has its charm and die-hard fans might argue for their personal favorites. However, these criteria assure that the ranking isn’t just based on personal bias but on a balanced view of Journey’s discography. Now, let’s continue with the albums that define an era, shake emotions, and have us singing along every time they play.

The Self-Titled Debut: A Journey Begins

When assessing Journey’s albums, it’s imperative to start where it all began. Journey’s self-titled debut album was released in 1975, marking the band’s entry into the rock sphere. Unlike their later work that soared through the charts, this album featured a more experimental sound, planting the seeds for the classic Journey sound we know and love.

Rooted in Progressive Rock , the album showcased instrumental prowess that mirrored the early works of bands like Yes and Genesis. Despite not achieving monumental commercial success, it was clear that the group had potential. Songs like “Of a Lifetime” and “To Play Some Music” laid the groundwork for what would become hallmark features of their style: soaring vocals and intricate melodies.

Though they may not have had a hit single from this album, the musicianship cannot be understated. The album is peppered with extended solos and complex arrangements, elements that would become scarce as Journey’s sound evolved. It also presented Neal Schon’s extraordinary guitar work, which would become one of the defining characteristics of Journey’s music.

Commercially, the debut didn’t make a huge impact. However, considering Journey’s considerable influence on bands such as Survivor, Boston, and REO Speedwagon, it’s important to recognize this album’s role in shaping their early sound. It was here that the fusion of rock and melody began, a blend that would define their most successful albums.

Analyzing the album’s critical reception reveals mixed reviews. Some praised the band’s technical skill, while others desired more memorable hooks. Yet, what can’t be overlooked is how this initial release set the trajectory for a band that would become synonymous with anthemic rock.

The debut album’s significance lies not in towering sales figures or ubiquitous radio play, but in its musical experimentation and the foundation it laid for future success. As I continue to explore the Journey discography, it’s evident that this starting point was crucial for the explosive achievements that were yet to come.

Escape: The Peak of Journey’s Popularity

When talking about Journey’s rise to stardom, one album stands as the cornerstone of their unparalleled success: Escape . Released in 1981, this album was a tour de force in the rock genre, catapulting Journey to the zenith of their popularity. Escape’s sonic landscape was a masterful blend of anthemic rock tunes and soul-stirring ballads, resonating with an audience far beyond their core fan base.

The album’s lead single, “Don’t Stop Believin'” , became an immediate radio staple and a cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire listeners today. This iconic track, along with “Who’s Crying Now” and “Open Arms” , solidified Journey’s place in the annals of rock history. These songs offered an emotional depth and musical sophistication that set them apart from other bands of the era.

Escape’s commercial success was staggering. It reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart and maintained a presence on the charts for an impressive 52 weeks. Let’s gaze at the numbers:

The album’s impact on the music scene was undeniable. Like contemporaries Boston and REO Speedwagon, Journey crafted a sound that was both accessible and musically intricate. Their influence also rubbed off on bands such as Survivor and Toto, inspiring a wave of melodic rock anthems that dominated the airwaves during the 80s.

Critically, while opinions varied, the consensus acknowledged the craftsmanship behind Escape. It exemplified the era’s convergence of rock riffs and catchy pop hooks—a formula that many artists have tried to emulate since.

Escape’s success didn’t just emerge from brilliant marketing or a fluke in taste. It was the culmination of the band members’ hard-earned musicianship and songwriting panache. Every track showcased their ability to craft songs that were both arena-rock ready and suited for a solitary night with a pair of headphones.

In retrospect, Escape was more than an album for Journey—it was a defining moment that demonstrated their musical adaptability and resilience in an unpredictable industry. It served as a beacon for rock enthusiasts then and continues to do so even in the modern musical landscape.

Frontiers: The Evolution of Journey’s Sound

As we continue to explore Journey’s albums, it’s impossible not to spotlight Frontiers , an album that not only followed the massive success of Escape but also marked a significant progression in the band’s musical journey. Released in 1983, Frontiers managed to maintain the band’s momentum in the rock arena, further refining their signature sound.

When I first heard Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) , the album’s opening track, it was evident that Journey had perfected their use of synthesizers, integrating them seamlessly with Neal Schon’s powerful guitar riffs. And it wasn’t just the instrumentation that evolved; Steve Perry’s vocal performance throughout Frontiers demonstrated an impressive range, from high-energy rock anthems to emotive power ballads.

Commercial Success and Chart Performance

Although Frontiers didn’t reach the same peak as Escape on the Billboard 200, landing at number 2, it remained a formidable force in the charts. The UK Albums Chart hailed it at the number 6 spot, cementing the album’s global appeal. With hits like Faithfully and After the Fall , Frontiers holds its ground as a monument of 80’s rock, resonating with the fervor of fans across the world.

Sonically Sophisticated Influences

What set Frontiers apart was its ability to capture the spirit of its era while embracing the band’s rock roots. This sophisticated blend was a testament to Journey’s adaptability, something that contemporary bands like Toto, REO Speedwagon, and Survivor recognized and aspired to in their own music. With Frontiers , Journey showed how a band could evolve without losing the essence that made them stand out.

As I delve deeper into the grooves of Frontiers , I can’t help but acknowledge the album’s role in showcasing Journey’s versatility. They wove together tracks that could bring an arena to its feet and others that could softly echo through a quiet room, allowing listeners to witness the dynamic range of ballads and up-tempo rockers that define so much of their storied career.

Raised on Radio: Journey’s Final Album with Steve Perry

Released in 1986, “Raised on Radio” marked the definitive end of an era for Journey. This album was Steve Perry’s swansong with the band , and it resonated with the polished production that was synonymous with the 80s sound. What made this collection of songs stand out wasn’t just the emotive power of Perry’s voice but also the unmistakable synergy the band possessed.

“Raised on Radio” was borne out of transition and turmoil —bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith were out of the picture during the recording process. This shakeup in the lineup led to a different feel for the album, with session musicians stepping in to fill the void. The change was evident in the music, and while the album soared to No. 4 on the Billboard 200, some fans felt it lacked the distinctive classic Journey allure.

Yet, this body of work had its fair share of hits. Tracks like “Be Good to Yourself” and “I’ll Be Alright Without You” captured the essence of Journey’s core sound—a blend of heartfelt lyrics and compelling melodies . The singles from “Raised on Radio” performed well, cementing the album’s place in the top ranks of classic rock discography.

Legacy and Influence

Journey’s story of resilience and reinvention throughout the years is mirrored in the works of similar artists who’ve navigated the evolving landscapes of rock. Bands such as Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, and Styx drew from similar wells of inspiration to evolve their sounds while maintaining a connection to their roots. These bands found unique ways to stay relevant and influence generations of musicians to come.

The impact of “Raised on Radio” extended beyond its initial release; the album’s tracks remain in rotation on classic rock stations to this day, underscoring the enduring legacy of Journey’s music. Despite the departure of Perry after this album, the band’s journey didn’t end here. Their evolution continued as they embraced new members and explored new musical territories. The 1986 release showcased Journey’s versatility, not just in their ability to craft hit songs but also in how they navigated the changes within the band and the music industry.

Trial by Fire: Journey’s Comeback

After a period of hiatus and solo ventures, Journey made a striking return to the music scene with the release of “Trial by Fire” in 1996. This album was a momentous occasion—it marked the reunion of most of the “Escape” and “Frontiers” era lineup, including Steve Perry, whose voice had once again become the hallmark of the band.

“Trial by Fire” was more than just a nostalgic throwback; it represented a matured sound and a reflective outlook, with lyrics that delved into themes of love, loss, and rebirth. Tracks like “When You Love a Woman,” which landed in Billboard’s top 20 and earned a Grammy nomination, exemplified the band’s ability to evolve while keeping their emotive core intact. The album climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard 200, demonstrating not only the loyalty of their fanbase but also their relevance in a musical landscape that had dramatically changed since their last group effort.

The band’s influences—groups like Toto, Foreigner, and Boston—can be heard within the sophisticated melodies and complex harmonies of “Trial by Fire.” It was clear that Journey hadn’t lost their touch; they had refined it. The synergy between Perry’s poignant vocal delivery and Neal Schon’s evocative guitar work was as powerful as ever, resonating with listeners who had followed their journey since the late 70s.

Although the expectations were sky-high after such a prolonged separation, “Trial by Fire” stood its ground as a testament to Journey’s enduring chemistry and their skill at navigating the shifting tides of rock music. Through a stirring blend of power ballads and rock anthems, they captured the hearts of a new generation while retaining the essence that brought them initial fame. The success of “Trial by Fire” suggested that there was still much fuel left in the band’s creative tank and that their musical odyssey was far from over.

Revelation: The Arrival of Arnel Pineda

In 2008, Journey once again shook up the rock world with their fourteenth studio album, “Revelation” . This significant release marked the debut of Arnel Pineda, the astounding vocalist discovered on YouTube who boasted a voice reminiscing of the legendary Steve Perry. With Pineda at the helm, “Revelation” was a two-disc album offering a mix of new material and re-recorded classics tailored to Pineda’s dynamic vocal range.

Fans and critics alike were skeptical about whether a band that had so deeply imprinted its mark, much like similar artists REO Speedwagon and Foreigner , could usher in a new era with a virtually unknown frontman. But “Revelation” put those concerns to rest as it soared to No. 5 on the Billboard 200, making it clear that Journey’s penchant for crafting memorable rock anthems hadn’t waned.

The album’s success wasn’t just commercial; it represented a resurgence in artistic creativity for the band. Known for their amalgamation of ballads and rock hits, tracks like “Never Walk Away” and “After All These Years” continued to resonate with listeners who found familiar comfort in Journey’s trademark sound. Not only did “Revelation” please long-time fans, but it also helped to expand their audience, drawing comparisons to contemporaries such as Styx , who also enjoyed a rejuvenation during this period.

Disc Two of “Revelation” was a definitive statement from the band, as they reinterpreted their own past with Pineda’s fresh yet nostalgic voice. This bold move underlined Journey’s confidence in their new member and their commitment to evolving while honoring their roots.

Charting a new path with Pineda, Journey proved that their musical journey was indeed alive, adapting to the unfolding era with unmistakable vigor. “Revelation” wasn’t just a title; it was a testament to the band’s enduring allure, reminding us that the right voice could indeed breathe new life into a rock legacy that many believed had seen its heyday.

Eclipse: A New Era for Journey

After their resurgence with “Revelation,” Journey didn’t rest on their laurels. In 2011, they released “Eclipse,” an album that can be seen as a watershed moment for the band. Arnel Pineda continued to front the band with enthusiasm and a voice that echoed the classic Journey sound even as the group branched into new musical territories. Unlike its predecessors, “Eclipse” showcased a heavier sound and more profound lyrics, indicative of the band’s evolution.

Producing the album was Kevin Shirley, known for his work with Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden , which, interestingly enough, influenced the notable change in direction. The band seemed to be moving away from radio-friendly singles to focus on themed compositions and a fully-fledged album experience. In doing so, Journey maintained the core elements of their sound, aligning them with the expectations of contemporary audiences.

The reception of “Eclipse” was polarizing among critics but generally positive among the fanbase. True Journey enthusiasts appreciated the band’s willingness to innovate, drawing parallels with artists who have traversed similar paths, like Foreigner and Styx . Sales figures were respectable, with the album peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.

Tracks like “Chain of Love” and “Tantra” became fan favorites, reiterating that Journey’s musical journey was far from static. Their ability to adapt and embrace change while still thrilling listeners is a testament to their artistry. Whether playing to a stadium-packed audience or through headphones of a solitary listener, Journey’s “Eclipse” reinforces the band’s place in the rock pantheon.

A Departure from the Classic Sound: Albums that Missed the Mark

When a band veers from its trademark sound, the result can be groundbreaking or, in certain cases, a little underwhelming. For Journey, not all albums hit the high notes that classics like “Escape” and “Frontiers” did. Here, I’ll take a closer look at the albums that perhaps missed the mark in capturing that quintessential Journey essence.

“Trial by Fire” saw Journey’s reunion with high hopes, yet the albums that followed couldn’t quite maintain that momentum. “Arrival” in 2001, for instance, introduced fans to Steve Augeri’s vocals, but the album failed to resonate like its predecessors. Though “Arrival” charted within the Top 100, peaking at No. 56 on the Billboard 200, it lacked the anthemic hits that marked Journey’s peak creativity. This left some fans feeling like they received a watered-down version of the band’s classic vibe, akin to the experience of listening to other key artists of the era such as Boston or Styx.

The 2005 release “Generations” felt like a conflicting blend of the past and present. Journey tried to pay homage to their heritage while attempting to appeal to a new generation. Unfortunately, “Generations” didn’t quite capture the legacy of Journey’s golden days. It missed out on the Billboard 200 altogether—a first for the band since the 1970s. The album felt like it was chasing trends rather than setting them—a stark contrast to genre-defining peers like Foreigner.

In my assessment, what these albums lacked wasn’t just the magic touch of former frontman Steve Perry; they were missing that hit-making formula—a combination of soaring guitar solos, memorable hooks, and lyrics that spoke to the heart. Even with their attempt to evolve and adapt, Journey’s significance in rock history couldn’t be tarnished. It’s clear that these albums were necessary steps in the band’s journey, much like the experimental phases experienced by many rock icons.

Conclusion: The Journey Continues

Ranking Journey’s albums has been a trip down memory lane, showcasing the band’s remarkable ability to evolve with the times. They’ve had their highs and lows, but what’s undeniable is their place in the annals of rock history. Albums like “Frontiers” and “Raised on Radio” remind me why they’re legends, while “Trial by Fire” and “Revelation” prove their timeless appeal. “Eclipse” further cements their adaptability, presenting a band that’s unafraid to explore new soundscapes. Even when they missed the mark, Journey’s spirit never wavered. They’ve crafted a legacy that’s as enduring as their music, and for fans and newcomers alike, the journey is far from over.

Share this:

journey best albums ranked

If My Records Could Talk

A stroll down memory lane through my music collection

If My Records Could Talk

They Are More Than “Don’t Stop Believin'”: My Ranking of Journey’s Albums

9.8 Journey1980

Back in the Spring of 1980, I saw Journey with their special guest The Babys in concert. At the time, I liked Journey, especially their hits like “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”, “Lights” and “Just the Same Way”. But, at that time, I like The Babys even more. The Babys were running on the momentum of two Top 10 hits, “Every Time I Think of You” and “Isn’t It Time”, along with some album cuts like “Head First”, “Back on My Feet Again” and “Midnight Rendezvous”.

However, upon the completion of the concert, I was a Journey fan. The band was solid, with spectacular guitar pyrotechnics. But, the true star of Journey’s performance was lead singer Steve Perry. His vocals were so pure and strong, with very little enhancements used. The former turkey farmer was Journey’s secret weapon.

Perry joined the band on their fourth album. Before Perry, Journey was something of a jazz-rock fusion band that had a touch of blues. But, when the San Francisco band added Perry to the line-up, the band’s sound turned toward an album oriented hard rock sound that was popular in the late-70s and early-80s. As a matter of fact, Journey is the best example of this sound. Because of that, they have rightfully been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just this past spring.

So, I bring to everyone, including the ladies to join me as I rank all fourteen Journey albums from weakest to best.

9.8 14.Trial by Fire

14. Trial by Fire (1996). This short-lived reunion between the band and Perry. Unfortunately, the songs were weak and sounded as if everyone was just going through the motions. This is a total sleep-fest.

13. Journey (1975). Did you know that guitarist Neil Schon and original keyboardist Greg Rolie were members of Santana when they left to create Journey with bassist Ross Valory, guitarist George Tickner (who left quickly) and drummer Prairie Prince (who left to join the Tubes and replaced by Aynsley Dunbar). And the name Journey? They got it from a radio contest. The album was just a tentative jazz-fusion mess.

12. Look into the Future (1976). This was the sophomore release of a nondescript jazz-fusion band.

9.8 11.Generations

11. Generations (2005). This was the second album for Steve Perry-soundalike Steve Augeri, who could do yeoman’s work in concert covering Perry’s songs, but lacked Perry’s soulfulness. And, this albums sounds like the Augeri experiment was ending.

10. Arrival (2001). This was Augeri’s first album as the lead singer, and the album displayed his promise. But, his shortcoming were soon to be exposed on tour.

9. Eclipse (2011). This is guitarist Neil Schon’s album. His guitar is fiery and lively. It also exposed Perry’s second replacement, Arnel Pineda’s second album. Unfortunately, the album exposed Pineda’s lack of soul in his voice that made Perry such a unique singer.

8. Next (1977). This was the best album of the original vision of Journey. But, since it was not a big seller, the label was able to push the band to hire a lead singer, which lead to their greatest decision – Steve Perry.

9.8 7.Revelation

7. Revelation (2008). Neil Schon discovered Arnel Pineda singing Journey songs on YouTube. That video influenced Schon to travel to the Philippines to offer Pineda the lead singing job. What Pineda gave Journey was another karaoke singer who could replicate Perry voice in concert. Unfortunately, the band made him record all of Perry’s hits, which was a bad move because it exposed Pineda’s vocal weaknesses.

9.8 6.Raised on Radio

6. Raised on Radio (1986). By 1986, Journey was one of the most successful bands in the world. They had many hit songs, albums, tours and pinball machines. Unfortunately, drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory left the band due to the stress of the charging train. So, Journey, knocked down to a trio, records a soft rock album that lacked the hard rock beauty of Journey’s finest albums and really sounded like a follow-up to Steve Perry’s first solo album. Outside of the hits, this album was the last gasp of a once great band.

9.8 5.Frontiers

5. Frontiers (1983). This may have been the band’s finest commercial moment, but the cracks were being to sound, especially on the second side of the album. The hit songs were great, but they were surrounded by some real clunkers.

9.8 4.Infinity

4. Infinity (1978). Here is the debut of Steve Perry and a total change in the futures of Journey. This represents the last appearance of drummer Aynsley Dunbar. But, the formula for success was in place.

9.8 3.Departure

3. Departure (1980). This album is Journey’s most underrated album. They are just beginning to hit their stride as a band. This album includes “Anyway You Want It” and a great blues song that was a minor hit called “Walks like a Lady”.

9.8 2.Evolution

2. Evolution (1979). The album is known for “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”, but it showcases how a band can become more solid by replacing a virtuoso drummer in Dunbar with a solid, workman-like drummer in Steve Smith. This album is the last appearance of Greg Rolie, who will be replaced by the keyboard player from The Babys who opened for Journey on the Departure tour. Jonathan Cain. Once Cain joins, the band will be able to smooth the rough edges to become pop-rock gods.

9.8 1.Escape

1. Escape (1981). This is the breakthrough album, and the band’s first number one album. Jonathan Cain joined the band and helped shaped the songs with a pop savvy. Now, Journey’s version of soul-based hard rock will take over the world. This was the perfect line-up to complete the vision that Neil Schon had when he left Santana nearly a decade earlier. And, this album has more than the ubiquitous “Don’t Stop Believin'”. The hits also included “Who’s Cryin’ Now”, “Stone in Love” and the number one hit “Open Arms”. This album made Journey a household name. This is a classic AOR album.

I am certain that this list surprised no one. But, I do wanted to honor this band and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

With that said, have a great weekend!

Share this:

' src=

Author: ifmyalbumscouldtalk

I am just a long-time music fan who used to be a high school science teacher and a varsity coach of several high school athletic teams. Before that, I worked as a medical technologist at three hospitals in their labs, mainly as a microbiologist. I am retired/disabled (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome), and this is my attempt to remain a human. Additionally, I am a serious vinyl aficionado, with a CD addiction and a love of reading about rock history. Finally, I am a fan of Prince, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Hall & Oates, Springsteen, Paul Weller & his bands and Power Pop music. View all posts by ifmyalbumscouldtalk

Leave a comment Cancel reply

' src=

  • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
  • Subscribe Subscribed
  • Copy shortlink
  • Report this content
  • View post in Reader
  • Manage subscriptions
  • Collapse this bar

Chaospin

Ranking All of The Journey Albums

journey best albums ranked

The musical legacy of Journey has been a story of rags to riches. Recently, their 1981 hit song, “Don’t Stop Believin,” made pop culture history after being used as the soundtrack for the final episode of the popular TV series , “The Sopranos.” The band, whose original members hail from San Fransisco, was formed in 1973 and has entertained music fans with great music for more than forty years. The band has released a total of fourteen studio albums throughout their career and are one of the most celebrated American bands in history. In this article, we will rank all the fourteen Journey Albums from the worst to the very best.

14. Revelation

This album marked the arrival of Arnel Pineda as the band’s new vocalist. In this album, the band delivers some of their classic songs and new favorite songs. The album has two discs, with disc one featuring 12 new songs written by Schon and Cain. On the other hand, disc two contains new studio recordings of the band’s best songs with Arnel Pineda at their heart. Some of the great songs on disc two include well-known songs such as; “Any Way You Want It” and “Don’t Stop Believin.” What impressed me most about this album was that the band used new technology to hire their new vocalist, Arnel Pineda. Arnold Pineda, a Philippine discovered through YouTube , has some incredible vocals, similar to Steve Perry. The music in the album is easy to digest.

13. Generations

Generations was an experimental rock ‘n’ roll album that featured vocal contributions from all band members. This resulted in the ultimate departure of Steve Augeri and their worst charting album ever. The album, released in August 2005, was issued for free in most of their concerts during their Generations Tour of 2005. Although Augeri’s vocals performance stood out, most fans could not understand why the band had decided to share the lead vocal duties. According to Steve Augeri, the band’s idea to pass the mic was borrowed from Styx, following a tour with them. The album’s best track was “Faith in the Heartland,” where Steve Augeri’s vocal prowess shone through the track as he sang his heart out in every line. Unfortunately, Generations didn’t amount to much, and Steve Augeri’s departure after just two albums with the band didn’t go down well with the fans.

12. Arrival (2000)

Many early fans of the band never believed that Journey would be the same band after the departure of Steve Perry. Arrival was the first album with Steve Augeri as the lead vocalist. The album exhibits hard rock influences similar to the band’s earlier records of the 1970s and 1980s was released in 2001 in the US. The album also features a couple of ballads that were done in the style of Steve Perry. The album is quite lengthy and goes for over seventy-five minutes. Although the album was not a total disaster, it had some weak songs saved by fantastic guitar work from Neal Schon . One of the album’s decent songs is the rock ballad “Livin’ to Do,” which features above-average vocals and which are complemented by a great intro to a glorious guitar. Although the album wasn’t much of a success, it was significant since it showed that there was life after Steve Perry.

11. Eclipse

Eclipse is the band’s fourteenth studio album and the second album to feature Arnel Pineda as the lead vocalist. The album was written by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, who remained the band’s de facto leaders, although Arnel Pineda also participated in the songwriting process. The album features some up-tempo rock ballads, but it lacked what we would term as genuine Journey ballads that we had come to associate with them for so long. The album sold 21,400 copies on its first week and peaked at position 13 on the US billboard 200 charts. Despite its high charting performance in the first weeks, it quickly descended down the charts within a couple of weeks. The album generally received mixed reviews, and its lack of success proved to be a major setback for the band. As a result, the band decided to focus on live performances rather than recording new albums.

When Journey released this album, they were already destined for superstardom based on their previous two albums. However, Next suffered a major setback after only rising to position 85 on the US Billboard 200 Chart. Next was also the last album with Gregg Rolie as the lead vocalist. The album was more of rock with some blues and jazz elements. Although it was a good album, it didn’t stand out like the previous two albums. The album had a few great hits such as, “Here We Are,” which is probably Journey’s heaviest song.

9. Trial by Fire

This 1996 album was supposed to signal the return of previous successful releases such as Escape and Infinity. However, even the return of Steve Perry did little to improve the band’s creativity. The album also showed how the band members had matured with lyrics that expressed their spirituality. Trial by Fire is the only Journey album, not to be accompanied by a tour largely due to the band’s internal disputes. The album had several great songs, such as “Forever in Blue,” although it also had a couple of weak tracks, and the album’s running time was too long.

8. Look Into the Future

Journey’s second album was more of a commercial release than their debut album. Nevertheless, it still retained some sounds similar to the debut album and an experimental approach. Although the band was not at its peak musically, the album showed that creatively, they were at a very high level. The album features some impressive guitar riffs and incredibly smooth keyboard solos from Gregg Rolie. The standout song in the album is “You’re on Your Own,” which sees Gregg Rolie’s heartfelt singing take center stage.

7. Raised on Radio

In the seventh position in our countdown of the Journey albums is the band’s ninth studio album, which was released in April 1986. To date, it is the only album that does not feature Ross Valory, the founding bassist. The album had four Top 20 singles and a top ten song. Some of the tracks which performed well in the US Billboard Charts include; “Girl Can’t Help It,” which peaked at number 17, “Suzzanne,” and “Be Good to Yourself,” which peaked at position four on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was produced by Steve Perry, who gave the other band members as much creative control as they needed. Raised on Radio has been certified double platinum by the RIAA and is a decent and fun AOR album.

6. Departure

Many Journey fans will probably argue that this album should have featured much higher than the sixth position in our ranking of the greatest Journey albums. The album was released in February 1980 at a crucial time for a more mainstream sound that was arena-friendly. Just as the album’s title suggested, the band was taking a new direction and leaving some of the basic ingredients they were associated with in previous releases. It was also the last full studio album with Gregg Rolie after growing weary of life on the road. He had done the lead vocals for only one song in the album, the third track, “Somebody Soon.”

5. Evolution (1979)

By the time Journey released this Roy Thomas Baker-produced smash in 1979, it was their most successful album. In this album, the band replaced Aynsley Dunbar, the band’s drummer, with Smith. As it turned out, Aynsley Dunbar’s departure didn’t affect the band. Evolution was the most commercially successful album of the band during the ’70s. Evolution was basically a hard rock album with AOR elements. All in all, it was a good album, although it lacked good ideas. The album had some great tracks, such as the hit song “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” and “Just the Same Way,” which layered the band’s harmony vocals. The album peaked at position 20 on the US Billboard 200 with the track “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” peaking at position 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Journey is the band’s self-titled debut album which was released in 1975. By the time this album was released, the band had not yet found their signature sound. The album featured some progressive rock elements and jazz elements that mainly relied on the band members’ talents on the instruments. Not only was this debut album highly progressive, but it was also quite enjoyable and featured some great tracks, such as the album’s opening track, “Of a Lifetime.” The track features quiet and mystical Greg Rolie vocals and an electrifying guitar solo by Neal Schon towards the end. The album’s final track, “Mystery Mountain,” remains a fan favorite to this day and a great way to end their debut album.

3. Frontiers (1983)

Although Frontiers was a great album, it quite didn’t attain the level of success that Escape and Infinity reached. The album was released in 1982 and was the last album to feature Ross Valory as the band’s bassist before the 1996 album Trial by Fire. The album offered some great tracks such as “Rubicon, “Separate Ways,” and “Troubled Child.” The album is quite similar in style to Asia’s third studio album, Astra, although this one is a little darker. Frontiers has been certified platinum six times by the RIAA and had two songs that were utilized as soundtracks for movies. The track “Ask the Lonely” was used as a soundtrack for the 1983 movie, Two of a Kind, while “Only the Young,” which hit the top ten two years after its release, was used as a soundtrack for the 1985 film, Vision Quest. The album remains the band’s highest-charting album in the UK, where it peaked at position six on the UK Albums Chart in 1983.

2. Infinity

Journey’s 1978 album, Infinity, was the first album to feature Steve Perry as the lead vocalist. The album is quite significant in the band’s catalog since it showed a real transformation in how they operated. The new sophistication which Roy Thomas Baker was at the heart of was a clear indication of how the band had sharpened its craft, launching it to multiplatinum status. The first song that Steve Perry and Neal Schon did together was “Patiently,” whose lyrics expressed the duo’s frustration at being on the road constantly while also expressing admiration for the band’s fans. Steve Perry’s addition to the band made the album more mainstream and, in the process helping the band achieve their most impressive chart success.

When this album was released 40 years ago, nobody, including the band, would believe how the album took off after its release. Escape remains the only Journey album to top the US Billboard Top 200 to this day. The album was recently certified platinum after selling more than 10 million copies across the US . The album contained some of Journey’s most timeless classics, such as the track “Don’t Stop Believin,” which has had over one billion streams on Spotify alone. Escape was the first album recorded with Jonathan Cain on the keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm guitar, and one of the critical composers of the band alongside Neal Schon and Steve Perry. The album was quite significant in the ’80s as it inspired the glam rock movement. Most of the album songs are catchy and easy to listen to, and the album is widely considered to be Journey’s greatest album.

You can also read:

  • Ranking the 10 Best Neil Young Albums of All-Time
  • Ranking All The Demi Lovato Studio Albums
  • The 10 Best Martina McBride Songs of All Time
  • Ranking All of the System of a Down Studio Albums
  • The 10 Best Daft Punk Songs of All-Time

Thomas Newman

No, do not confuse this Thomas Newman with the composer. But I'm still a music lover nonetheless. You'll catch me mostly writing articles about the artists and bands I love. Maybe some theory. Maybe some analysis. Whatever lands in the world of music is something I'm likely interested in. In particular I'm a huge fan of classic rock and the oldies. Zeppelin are among my favorites and Foghat's "Slowride" is one of my favorite tracks.

Similar Posts

Ranking All The Songs from The Hot Tub Time Machine Soundtrack

Ranking All The Songs from The Hot Tub Time Machine Soundtrack

A film about four men who travel back in time in a hot tub was never going to win an Oscar, but if you like silly, if you like funny and if you like Chevy…

Ron McGovney: “Most disgusting song METALLICA ever recorded”

Ron McGovney: “Most disgusting song METALLICA ever recorded”

Ron McGovney is the original METALLICA bassist who also talks about band history. He was a member of the play in 1982 performing as well. One of the YouTube channels recently sharing the Anti-Nowhere League’s…

The 10 Best Disturbed Songs of All-Time

The 10 Best Disturbed Songs of All-Time

Heavy metal rock band Disturbed changed its name from Brawl when the group felt the pain of some tough social issues the world faces today. It represented how they felt, and most of their lyrics…

The 10 Best Steven Curtis Chapman Songs of All Time

The 10 Best Steven Curtis Chapman Songs of All Time

Steven Curtis Chapman is a Christian Rock singer and songwriter born on November 21, 1962. The singer started his career in gospel music in the 1980s. Thanks to his 25 albums, he has won up…

The 10 Best Chris Cornell Cover Songs

The 10 Best Chris Cornell Cover Songs

Not only was Chris Cornell one of the most prolific frontmen of the 90s. He was also an incredible solo artist. He started his musical career with Soundgarden, later recognized as one of the leading…

All The Underoath Albums Ranked

All The Underoath Albums Ranked

Underoath is highly considered one of the most popular and inspiring bands of all time within the metal community from the late 90s and beyond with their extremely new take and progression within the Christian…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Music Ranked

  • Journey Albums

Journey Albums

Journey albums start off way different than where they end. The self-titled Journey album is missing that iconic voice of Steve Perry. Strangely enough, the last album they released is also missing Steve. The band Journey goes from Progressive Rock to Arena Rock over the years, and seems to finish as a touring rock group playing the greatest hits.

Let’s take a quick look in chronological order.

Journey Self Titled Album

If I randomly played this album for you, you might not have a clue that it is Journey. There are elements that sound similar to the sound in Infinity , but nothing sounds similar to Escape or later albums. I like progressive rock and/or jam-band style, so I still give these songs favorable ranks.

Album Score: 42.86%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Of a Lifetime” ****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Kohoutek” ***

Journey Look Into The Future

Look Into The Future

This album is a little of the same and similar to their self-titled debut album. The score is a little lower based on the number of tracks and 4-start songs. “On a Saturday Nite” seems like it could have been a single hit (maybe?) but not much else would be on the greatest hit setlist.

Album Score: 25%

  • Best Song on the Album: “It’s All Too Much” ****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Midnight Dreamer” ***

Journey Next

We are only one album away from the greatest – and there are some solid hits on this one. “Spaceman” is quality. The title track “Next” also rocks and seems like it could be an Infinity track. I also really enjoy “Here We Are” and it was in close contention for my favorite song on the album. The album is relatively short (38 minutes) and has more mediocre songs than great ones.

Album Score: 37.50%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Next” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Hustler” ***

Journey Infinity

Don’t be alarmed but Infinity is in my top 3 All-Time albums. Not only do I own the vinyl (original from my father’s collection), I also have a cassette, and the CD. I listened to this album on my wedding day as I put on my tux and will likely listen to this album when I am on my death bed. This album is short (37 minutes), but doesn’t have a bad song on it. “Feeling That Way/Anytime” is so underrated and would easily be the best song on any album – if it wasn’t going head to head with “Lights” and “Wheel in the Sky”. Welcome, Steve to the band!

Album Score: 600.00%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Lights” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Can Do” ****

Journey Evolution

If I realized that I was going to love Journey so much, I would have likely grabbed this album from my dad’s collection before it was sold off to a pawn shop. If this was my first introduction to Journey, I wouldn’t be mad about it. This album is full of hits and actually only drops in score because it had a few extra tracks (and they all can’t be fives). “Just the Same Way” is my sleeper song and should be my favorite – but how can you not pick “Lovin’, Touchin’ Squeezin'”?

Album Score: 500.00%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “City of the Angels” ****

Journey Departure

Departure tends to dabble more with the ’80s sound that would transform the band. “Homemade Love” sounds like an arena rock song and a little less like my favorites on the previous albums. We still get gems like “People and Places” and “Stay Awhile” but there are a lot more 3-star and 4-star songs sprinkled in.

Album Score: 342.86%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Any Way You Want It” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Homemade Love” ***

Journey Escape

It’s fair to say Escape is the album that took Journey to the next level. “Don’t Stop Believin'” is still their anthem and is likely the #1 song in the minds of everyone. The entire album is chalked full of hits. “Stone in Love” should be my favorite, but I can’t go against my true feelings. This is the start of ballads that would transform the band, but also deliver the bank trucks to their mansions.

  • Best Song on the Album: “Don’t Stop Believin'” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Dead or Alive” ****

Journey Frontiers

Journey albums are getting longer and longer – Frontiers is an hour long. We see my first 2-star review, even though we are still getting some hits. “After the Fall”, “Faithfully”, “Ask the Lonely”, and the ultimate “Separate Ways” hold this album up. But you can also notice that we aren’t producing many of those progressive rock jams any longer.

Album Score: 321.43%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Back Talk” ****

Journey Raised on Radio

Raised on Radio

Officially we are in arena rock territory. We’ve seen the best of their prog-rock, the best of the classic rock, and actually the best of the arena rock. This album has enough hits to keep it afloat, but it should be no surprise that the band wouldn’t put out another album for a decade. There weren’t really any true stinkers, but lots of so-so songs.

Album Score: 163.64%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Be Good to Yourself” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Raised on Radio” ****

Journey Trial By Fire

Trial By Fire

Here is likely my most Journey controversial take – I love this album. You can tell by the score, but I have some sentimental attachment and I also really like the songs (these feelings are likely linked). If we polled most Journey fans, they probably think this is a complete outlier. It’s the only original album made in the ’90s and has a different sound than everything else. Most of their songs get at least a one-star nostalgic bump in my mind, hence why such a great score.

Album Score: 375.00%

  • Best Song on the Album: “When You Love a Woman” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “I Can See It in Your Eyes” ***

Journey Arrival

Controversial take #2 – I also love this album. This actually was the relaunch of Journey and this iteration stayed around for a while. Steve Augeri was the lead man and the group had a more modern rock sound. It was still arena rock but was slightly different. There are several five-star songs that I know would get 4 or 3 from the common folk. That’s okay. This is my ranking – right?

Album Score: 373.33%

  • Best Song on the Album: “All the Way” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “All the Things” ***

Journey Red 13

I’m not even sure if this album counts, but I’m reviewing it. It appears this was an EP released and linked to Final Fantasy VII . I can’t say I am familiar with the exact game, but the music sounds as if it was made for a game…so I guess that’s good.

Album Score: 25.00%

  • Best Song on the Album: “I Can Breathe” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “The Time” ***

Journey Generations

Generations

Generations was the album that I started to doubt and feel like it was over. I gave my first ever 1-star in this album. I also gave far too many 2-stars than I would like. I did enjoy a few tracks, but that’s probably only because I am an uber Journey fan. I’m glad they made an album, but it was a tough lesson to learn that not everything on albums is great.

Album Score: 38.46%

  • Best Song on the Album: “Butterfly (She Flies Alone)” ****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Gone Crazy” *

Journey Revelation

Revelation was a double album, with one entire album being their classics. I only tracked the original album and was very pleased. Generations left a nasty taste in my mouth and with the addition of Arnel Pineda, it gave me faith. It also gave me Faith in the Heartland again? Super odd that they repeated a track from their last album. Guys, it wasn’t that great of a song. On the other hand, I loved “Like a Sunshower” and “After All These Years”. I must be a sappy lover.

Album Score: 245.45%

  • Best Song on the Album: “After All These Years” *****
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Wildest Dreams” ***

Journey Eclipse

This 2011 album was their last original release (as of the writing) and it was okay. There are some songs that I appreciate, but I also understand that they have enough damn hits to play for their concerts. As always, they get a bump for being one of my favorites and I likely enjoy the songs a little more than the next guy. But I also understand why this was their last original album.

Album Score: 41.67%

  • Best Song on the Album: “To Whom It May Concern”
  • Worst Song on the Album: “Human Feel”

If you would like to learn more about Journey or read my summary of the band, check out Journey .

  • About The Author
  • Latest Posts

' src=

You May Also Like

Phil Collins Albums

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

journey best albums ranked

  • Historical References In Famous Songs We Didn’t...
  • 14 Songs You Didn't Know Were About Other Celeb...
  • The Dark True Stories That Inspired 14 Famous S...
  • 14 Popular Songs That Aren't About What You Thi...
  • 10 Songs We Were Surprised Were Controversial
  • Famous Songs With Surprising Back Stories
  • 15 Love Songs You Never Realized Are Super Dark...
  • Songs That Were Total Ripoffs

The Best Journey Songs Of All Time

Jared Baly

What is Journey's biggest hit? Here are the best Journey songs of all time, ranked by fans everywhere. Journey are indisputably known as one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk the Earth, with former lead singer Steve Perry even crowned "the voice" by many industry moguls. Established in San Francisco, CA, in 1973, Journey has sold out countless concert tours worldwide throughout their five decade career. The arena rock band's legendary music and unparalleled performance style ultimately led to their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2017. Some of Journey's top songs include "Don't Stop Believin'" ( Escape , 1981), "Any Way You Want It" ( Departure , 1980), "Lights" ( Infinity , 1978), "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" ( Frontiers , 1983), and "Wheel In The Sky" ( Infinity , 1978).

From their new and latest music to their older popular songs, this Journey playlist features all of their greatest hits, according to the fans. Do your favorite Journey songs crack the top 10? Vote up the best songs by Journey, and don't forget to show their underrated tracks love as well.

Faithfully

Best Lyrics:

And being apart ain't easy on this love affair Two strangers learn to fall in love again I get the joy of rediscovering you Oh girl, you stand by me I'm forever yours, faithfully

Don't Stop Believin'

Don't Stop Believin'

Strangers waiting Up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night Streetlights, people Living just to find emotion Hiding somewhere in the night

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Someday, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways

If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways

Stone in Love

Stone in Love

In the heat with a blue jean girl Burning love comes once in a lifetime She found me singing by the rail road tracks Took me home, we danced by the moonlight

Those summer nights are calling Stone in love Can't help myself, I'm falling

Feeling That Way

Feeling That Way

Opened my eyes to a new kind of way All the good times that you saved Are you feeling You feeling that way too Or am I just Am I just a fool

Lights

When the lights go down in the City And the sun shines on the bay Ooh, I wanna be there in my City, oh Oh, oh, oh

Send Her My Love

Send Her My Love

Callin' out your name I'm dreamin' Reflections of a face I'm seein' It's her voice That keeps on haunting me

Send her, send her my love Roses never fade Memories remain

Wheel in the Sky

Wheel in the Sky

Winter is here again, oh lord Haven't been home in a year or more I hope she holds on a little longer Sent a letter on a long summer day Made of silver, not of clay I've been runnin' down this dusty road

Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin' I don't know where I'll be tomorrow

Any Way You Want It

Any Way You Want It

She said, any way you want it That's the way you need it Any way you want it

I was alone I never knew What good love could do Ooh, then we touched Then we sang About the lovin' things

Still They Ride

Still They Ride

Spinning 'round, in a spell It's hard to leave this carousel 'Round and 'round And 'round and 'round

Still they ride, on wheels of fire They rule the night Still they ride, the strong will survive Chasing thunder

Who's Crying Now

Who's Crying Now

One love, feeds the fire One heart, burns desire I wonder who's crying now? Two hearts, born to run Who'll be the lonely one? I wonder who's crying now?

Girl Can't Help It

Girl Can't Help It

If he could hold her, so close in his arms again If she could show him The letter her heart forgot to send why They're livin' dreams on their own Ooh they'll never stop running

The girl can't help it, she needs more He hasn't found what he's lookin' for They're still standing in the rain He can't help it, and she's just that way

Only the Young

Only the Young

Shadows of a golden age A generation waits for dawn Brave carry on Bold and the strong

Only the young can say They're free to fly away Sharing the same desire Burnin' like wildfire

Ask The Lonely

Ask The Lonely

You've got some fascination With you high expectations This love is your obsession Your heart, your past possession Let down your defenses Won't be up to the one who cares

Touchin', Lovin', Squeezin'

Touchin', Lovin', Squeezin'

It won't be long, yes, till you're alone When your lover, oh, he hasn't come home 'Cause he's lovin' who he's touchin', he's squeezin' another

He's tearin' you apart Ooh, every day, every day

Just The Same Way

Just The Same Way

Take a chance now the timing's right. You're free to leave the key to my life. Stay with me. Won't you stay the night, In the mornin' feelin' fine, yeah.

That's the same way you love me. 

Be Good To Yourself

Be Good To Yourself

Runnin' out of self-control Gettin' close to an overload Up against a no win situation Shoulder to shoulder, push and shove I'm hangin' up my boxin' gloves I'm ready for a long vacation

Be good to yourself when, nobody else will Oh be good to yourself You're walkin' a high-wire, caught in a crossfire

I'll Be Alright Without You

I'll Be Alright Without You

I'll be alright without you Oh love's an empty face, I can't replace (You don't need it) People wonderin' why we broke apart The great pretender here I go again These things I do (It's all because of you) I'll keep holdin' but I'll try (Try not to think of you)

Mother, Father

Mother, Father

Through bitter tears And wounded years, those ties Of blood were strong So much to say, those yesterdays So now don't you turn away.

Hey, mother, father, sister Hey, come back, tryin', believein' Hey, mother, father, dreamer

When You Love A Woman

When You Love A Woman

When you love a woman You see your world inside her eyes When you love a woman (Well) You know she's standing by your side A joy that lasts forever There's a band of gold that shines Waiting somewhere, oh, yeah

The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)

The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)

So I will tell you this, Our love is in a fix. Just what more can I do. When I'm hopelessly in love with you?

Suzanne

I see your face at the movies I hear your voice on the radio You're making love on the silver screen I want you more than you will ever know Temptation...Infatuation

Suzanne, don't walk away

After The Fall

After The Fall

But a head strong stubborn man Only works it out the best he can Valentines he never sent There's not enough time he's a working man

Can't stop falling Heartaches calling Finds you after the fall

Why Can't This Night Go On Forever

Why Can't This Night Go On Forever

Lost in twilight, the memories Precious moments, you and me We've been old friends, all through the years Picture postcards, sharing tears

What's in our hearts, there's never time, to say Need you tonight, lover don't fade away I've seen your city lights As I walk away Why can't this night...go on forever

After All These Years

After All These Years

A faded wedding photograph You and me in our first dance Our eyes are closed We're lost in one sweet embrace Since those days the world has changed But our love remains the same God knows we've had our share of saving grace

Where Were You

Where Were You

I didn't know what the hell was goin' on, Someday you're gonna break. So don't try to get yourself straight, You're just a little too late.

  • Classic Rock

Historical References In Famous Songs We Didn’t...

an image, when javascript is unavailable

  • Manage Account

Journey’s 10 Best Songs

Sure, "Don't Stop Believin'" -- but there's a whole lot more.

By Gary Graff

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share to Flipboard
  • Share on Pinterest
  • + additional share options added
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Whats App
  • Send an Email
  • Print this article
  • Post a Comment

Journey

Though it arrives amidst lawsuits , social media sniping and infighting, Journey is turning 50 this year.

During that half century, the group has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, logging 11 platinum-or-better albums (including Diamond certifications for 1981’s Escape and 1988’s Greatest Hits) , earning eight top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and 25 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s also been a reliable ticket-selling act for most of its career, and in 2017, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Journey’s is the story of eras. When the group originally formed in San Francisco in 1973, original manager Herbie Herbert helped bring together guitarist Neal Schon and keyboard player/vocalist Gregg Rolie from Santana, bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner from Frumious Bandersnatch and drummer Prairie Prince from The Tubes. Prince would be replaced by David Bowie/Frank Zappa skins man Aynsley Dunbar, while Tickner would leave after Journey’s self-titled first album in 1975. The remaining quartet recorded two more albums before Steve Perry came on board for 1978’s Infinity, which began the band’s run of multi-platinum smashes — also marking the first appearance of Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse’s iconic scarab logo for the band. Dunbar was replaced by Steve Smith for 1979’s Evolution , and Rolie would leave in 1980 with Jonathan Cain of The Babys joining to help elevate the band to even greater fortunes on Escape and Frontiers .

The palette has been diverse, but there are common elements among Journey’s best songs — sturdy melodies and sing-along choruses, usually leading into one of Schon’s majestic guitar solos. But within that mold there’s also been plenty of invention and clever arrangements that have never been as formulaic as some of the band’s detractors (particularly during their early ‘80s heyday) would have you believe.

Journey has gone through its fair share of lineups, with singer Arnel Pineda on board since 2007 — the longest continuous tenure of any Journey frontman. The group released Freedom , it’s first new studio album in 11 years, in 2022, and despite the current legal fractures (which you can read about in detail here ), still they ride, as the Escape track says — and may they keep on runnin’ for a long time.

With all that in mind, here are our picks for Journey’s 10 best songs — not all of which come from the biggest hits.

"Someday Soon" ( Departure , 1980)

This album track from Rolie’s finally studio effort with the band is a hypnotic tone poem, with a ringing, cushy ambience and a hippie kind of optimism – not to mention the best give-and-take Perry and Rolie achieved during their time together in the band. It’s of course been eclipsed by Journey’s myriad hits (“Any Way You Want It” is the enduring top 40 Hot 100 hit from Departure ), but it’s a gem worthy of discovery.  Listen here.

"Escape" ( Escape , 1981)

The title track from Journey’s Billboard 200-topping studio album straddled the hard rock/pomp attack of the group’s mid-‘70s output with the melodic sensibility of the Perry-Cain axis. Its five-minute length provides room for the arrangement to stretch out and flow from one song part to the next, with a crunch that was part of Journey’s palette at the time. Listen here.

"Of a Lifetime" ( Journey , 1975)

The Journey of 1973-77 was certainly a different creature than the hitmaking colossus so many know and love. The group’s initial lineups flexed instrumental muscles, smoothly knitting together a number of styles more interested in the journey (ba- dum ) than any commercial destination. The first track from its first album is a prototype, leaning into blues, psychedelic rock and a touch of Latin, with the first of what would become many standout Schon solos, and a tuneful sturdiness delivered by Rolie’s soulful vocal. Listen here.

"Faithfully" (Frontiers , 1983)

Journey "Faithfully"

The melody of this top 20 Hot 100 hit came to Cain in a dream on a tour bus, and his paean to the struggle between home and the road was written in a half-hour. The result was a swoon-inducing ballad tailor-made for a sea of lighters (back then) and cellphone flashlights (now), capturing one of Perry’s best recorded performances and one of Schon’s most inspired solos. One of its great side stories is that Prince contacted Cain after he wrote “Purple Rain,” concerned that it might be too similar to “Faithfully.” Cain determined it wasn’t, but joked to Billboard that, “After seeing what it became, I should have asked for a couple of points….”

"Ask the Lonely" (single, 1983)

Recorded for Frontiers , this one wound up in the romcom Two of a Kind (starring the Grease duo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) and rocked its way to No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Like “Only the Young,” which wound up in Vision Quest two years later, it showed that Journey was on roll – and well-suited for big soundtrack moments. Listen here.

"Who's Crying Now" ( Escape, 1981)

The best of Journey’s swoon songs — started by Perry while driving into Los Angeles and finished with Cain — has a subtlety and dynamic build that sets it apart from the many others of its ilk they’d create. The verse slips into the chorus with a soulful ease, and Schon’s guitar accents deftly build up to his searing solo at the end. The Escape single reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. Listen here.

"Feeling That Way" ( Infinity , 1978)

If fans at the time wondered how Steve Perry and Gregg Rolie would co-exist, this was the answer — an ebb-and-flow tradeoff that proved they could complement each other as lead singers as well as harmonize smoothly together (first evidenced by Infinity ‘s lead track “Lights”). Its medley-like pairing with the next track, “Anytime,” was gravy that would become a motif on the next few Journey albums. Listen here.

"Just the Same Way" ( Evolution , 1979)

Journey’s fifth album had a punchier sound than Infinity — though they shared producer Roy Thomas Baker — which worked to the benefit of the album’s first single. Led by Rolie’s piano and muscular lead vocal, with Perry responding on the choruses and bridge, it reached No. 58 on the Hot 100 in 1979. In a perfect world this would have been as big as anything from Escape or Frontiers, but it’s still a convincing introduction to the Rolie era of the band. Listen here.

"Don't Stop Believin'" ( Escape , 1981)

Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" (Live 1981: Escape Tour - 2022 HD Remaster)

More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement and plays at virtually every sporting event around the world don’t lie — this one is Journey’s pinnacle of success. Created during a rehearsal at the group’s warehouse HQ in Oakland, Calif., it gave us the “streetlight people” of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip and put the non-existent South Detroit on the map. And it saves the chorus for the song’s end, after the guitar solo. A cross-generational hit? Believe it, gleefully.

"Stone in Love" ( Escape , 1981)

Schon reportedly called this “Stoned in Love” when he wrote the riff, and it’s certainly an addictive track that’s the best roll-down-the-windows-and-crank-it-up Journey fix you could ask for — not to mention a frequent show opener. A No. 13 Mainstream Rock Airplay hit in 1981, the song is practically a deep cut today. But its anthemic chorus is a spirit-lifter and the dynamic breakdown that segues into the song-closing guitar solo harks back to the ambitious musicality of the first few albums. “Stone” is a gem that still shines bright. Listen here.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

  • Billboard Hot 100™
  • Billboard 200™
  • Hits Of The World™
  • TikTok Billboard Top 50
  • Songs Of The Summer
  • Song Breaker
  • Year-End Charts
  • Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

  • R&B/Hip-Hop

Videos Expand videos menu

Culture expand culture menu, media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

  • Business News
  • Record Labels
  • View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

  • Songwriters & Producers
  • Artist Index
  • Royalty Calculator
  • Market Watch
  • Industry Events Calendar

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

  • Cultura y Entretenimiento

Get Up Anthems by Tres Expand get-up-anthems-by-tres menu

Honda music expand honda-music menu.

Quantcast

The 10 Best-Selling Albums Of Journey, Ranked

4

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Pirate of the Caribbean Cast Net Worth: A Treasure Map to The Pirates' Fortunes

Suit cast net worth, ranked from lowest to highest., mrbeast net worth: how the youtube sensation turns views into millions, quick links, the essential journey (2001), trial by fire (1996), captured (1981), raised on radio (1986), departure (1980), infinity (1978), evolution (1979), frontiers (1983), escape (1980), greatest hits (1988).

Former Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch members came together to establish one of the most renowned American rock group Journey in 1973 in San Francisco. Journey's musical heritage is a triumph from obscurity to fame. Don't Stop Believin, their 1981 smash song, became part of pop culture history when it served as the theme song for The Sopranos, a famous TV show. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 48 million albums in the US, ranking them as the 25th best-selling band.

The band enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and later regrouped with various lead singers, including Arnel Pineda, as a lead since December 2007.They are among the best-selling bands in history, thanks to their 100 million recordings sold worldwide. The band is on VH1's list of the 100 greatest artists ever, as it comes in at number 96. The top 10 Journey albums, according to sales, are listed below.

RELATED:  The Net Worth Of Pink Floyd's Band Members, Ranked

The rock band Journey has released a collection of songs called The Essential Journey. It was released on October 16, 2001, and it's a compilation CD from Sony BMG's Essential line. A total of 1,148,000 units were sold. Most of Journey's major and minor hits charted on the Billboard Hot 100 are present on the album. It excludes Journey albums released before and after Steve Perry joined the band, focusing only on music made between 1978's Infinity and 1996's Trial by Fire. The Greatest Hits album is on the first disc, with minor alterations to the track listing.

The American rock band Journey's tenth studio album is titled Trial by Fire. There have been 1,150,000 sales worldwide. The release of the album's October 22, 1996, was the first time the original 1980s band had collaborated since 1983's Frontiers. Kevin Shirley continues to produce the band's albums, produced Trial by Fire. The final album featured vocalist Steve Perry and drummer Steve Smith and was the first to feature bassist Ross Valory since Frontiers.

Journey's first live album is titled Captured. 2,003,320 sales have been noted for it. It was made available on the Columbia Records label on January 30, 1981. The album sold two million copies and became one of the highest selling albums of the band. The album peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 albums list. The band's 1980 Departure tour is when this album was created. The first through fourth tracks come from a performance captured on August 8, 1980, at The Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tracks 5 and Track 6 were taken from the final version of the tour, which took place on October 13 in Koseinenkin Hall in Shinjyuku, Tokyo, Japan, while tracks 7 through 16 were taken from two performances at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, on August 4 and 5, 1980.

The American rock band Journey's ninth studio album, Raised on Radio, was published by Columbia Records in April 1986. 2,218,190 sales have been made. Ross Valory, the band's original bassist, is replaced on this album for the first time by session bassists Randy Jackson and Bob Glaub. A few tracks were supplied by the drummer Steve Smith, who was later replaced by Larrie Londin and Mike Baird. Girl Can't Help It on No. 17, I'll Be Alright Without You on No. 14, and Suzanne on No. 17are three of the album's top 20 US singles.

The American rock band Journey's sixth studio album is titled Departure, issued by Columbia Records on March 23, 1980. It sold 3,012,510 albums in total. Journey's highest-charting album up to that moment was Departure, which peaked at No. 8 and marked their first entry into the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album rankings. The album's opening track and full 25 songs are Any Way You Want It. The songs were made in a live studio, which gave the album a more gritty feel. The band entered The Automatt studio with 19 tracks, which they eventually cut down to 12.

The fourth studio album by Journey, Infinity, was made available by Columbia Records in January 1978. 3,050,000 albums were sold in total. It was the group's debut album with Steve Perry as the lead vocalist and its final one with drummer Aynsley Dunbar. Journey, looking for a better lead vocalist, briefly hired Robert Fleischman and even made some recordings with him. One of those tracks, For You,was later featured on the Time3 compilation album and Fleischman's solo album Perfect Stranger. Due to management and artistic conflicts, Fleischman was quickly replaced by Steve Perry. Fleischman would eventually return as the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion's first singer.

American rock band Journey's Evolution released their fifth studio album in April 1979 on Columbia Records. 3,052,920 albums were sold in total. Steve Smith, the band's talented drummer , appears on it for the first time. At the time, it was the band's most popular album and peaked at No. 20 on the US Billboard 200 chart. In the US, three million copies have been sold. Roy Thomas Baker, best known for his work with Queen, was still on board as producer, but drummer Aynsley Dunbar was swapped out for Smith, a former Ronnie Montrose's group member.

The eighth studio album of the American rock group , entitled Frontiers, was published by Columbia Records in February 1983. 10,000,000 albums were sold. Before 1996's Trial by Fire, this was the group's last album to feature bassist Ross Valory. Four top 40 singles from the album, including After the Fallon No. 23, Send Her My LoveonNo. 23, Faithfullyon No. 12, and Separate Ways Worlds Aparton No. 8, as well as a rock radio smash in Chain Reaction, helped the album reach No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The seventh studio album, Escape, spelled E5C4P3 on the album cover, was released on July 17, 1981. 10,411,540 albums were sold in total. It was number one on the American Billboard 200 chart and includes the rock radio classic Stone in Love and four top-ten Billboard Hot 100 singles : Don't Stop Believin, Who's Crying Now, Still They Ride, and Open Arms. The band's most excellent studio album and the second-most successful album overall.

The American rock band Journey's compilation CD Greatest Hits was first made available in 1988 by Columbia Records and had been the best-selling album among their albums. The band's best-selling career CD sold 25,000,000 copies and spent 721 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart, more than any other compilation album except Bob Marley and the Wailers' Legend. It has also spent 1,361 weeks on the Billboard Catalog Albums chart as of July 19, 2022.

READ NEXT:  Numbers Don't Lie: The Highest-Grossing Albums Of Shakira, Ranked

Sources: Best Selling Albums , Classic Rock History , Ranker

  • The Rich & Powerful

Journey (studio album) by Journey

  • Bestography
  • Your feedback

Album

Journey bestography

Journey is ranked 9th best out of 24 albums by Journey on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Journey is Escape which is ranked number 1822 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 925.

Upcoming concerts

journey best albums ranked

Listen to Journey on YouTube

Journey track list.

Track ratings

  • Related links:
  • Top tracks by Journey
  • Top tracks of the 1970s
  • Top tracks of 1975

Journey rankings

  • Overall charts
  • Decade charts
  • Year charts
  • Custom charts
  • All recognised charts
  • All member charts

All 20 charts that this album appears in:

journey best albums ranked

You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Journey collection

Showing all 19 members who have this album in their collection

journey best albums ranked

Journey ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 53 ratings for this album.

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation). (*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings) This album has a Bayesian average rating of 66.3/100, a mean average of 64.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 65.1/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.5.

  • Top albums of the 1970s
  • Top albums of 1975

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

Journey favourites

Showing all 1 members who have added this album as a favourite

journey best albums ranked

Journey comments

Showing all 4 comments | Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First | Longest Comments First (Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile )

Great hard/progressive rock. 1975 and long before the band nosedived into commercial inanity around 78/79.
Not what most people think of as Journey without Steve Perry. A pretty average debut.
Well, I'd like to expand on that comment...The album itself is kind of jammy and wanky in a bad way, but the guitar in Once in a Lifetime is mesmerizing and I still listen to it once in a lifeti-while, I mean.
When Journey was actually pretty good!

Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for Journey

Amazon

  • Use the iTunes, Amazon or eBay buttons to safely buy this item from one of the world's top online stores.

Return of Rock

The Best of New and Emerging Rock Music

Return of Rock

Journey Songs Ranked

Journey  is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973, composed of former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987 when Steve Perry was the lead vocalist. During that period, the band released a series of hit songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981), which in 2009 became the top-selling track in iTunes history among songs not released in the 21st century.  Its parent studio album, Escape, the band’s seventh and most successful, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, “Open Arms”. Its 1983 follow-up album, Frontiers, was almost as successful in the United States, reaching No. 2 and spawning several successful singles; it broadened the band’s appeal in the United Kingdom, where it reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart. Journey enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and later regrouped with a series of lead singers including Arnel Pineda as a lead since December 2007. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 48 million albums in the U.S., making them the 25th best-selling band. Their worldwide sales have reached nearly 100 million records globally, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time. A 2005 USA Today opinion poll named Journey the fifth-best U.S. rock band in history.  Their songs have become arena rock staples and are still played on rock radio stations across the world. Journey ranks No. 96 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Here are all Journey’s songs ranked.

Don’t miss out on one of the world’s best-selling bands, Journey. Click below and listen to the timeless songs from one of the world’s best rock bands.

20. Escape (Escape, 1981)

“It’s one of the more creative and powerful, musically complex in a great way, rock songs ever, filled with a youthful, optimistic energy and joy at taking on life, head-on. The song has everything, and it’s not another stupid rock song about sex.”

19. Still They Ride (Escape, 1981)

“Outstanding song. It just always puts me in a good mood. I don’t know what it is about it, but it should be much much higher on the list.”

18. After All These Years (Revelation, 2008)

“A song of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Amazing new song that touch everyone’s heart and soul. What a beautiful song with passion on long lasting love.”

journey best albums ranked

17. Chain Reaction (Frontiers, 1983)

“Really like Chain Reaction, also, and think it’s too far down on the list. It’s hard driving and unusual, in the “love gone south” vein of songs, that lyric, “Love’s a viper, steals your soul” a deep expression of negative aspects of what a relationship not going right can do to a person, which the emptiness of the “What now? ” sort of theme expresses. It’s a sophisticated view, for a thinking, adult person, and the music a perfect match. Whatever people say, complaining of Journey being, as if, a corporate rock band, you can argue against their musical sophistication and tight quality of presentation, polish lacking in many, many other bands. Whatever Journey did, they did it well, like the song or not.”

See more: Journey Albums Ranked

16. Ask the Lonely (Frontiers, 1983)

“This song exhibit the best guitar solo and of the best choirs melody of Journey repertory with Steve Perry as lead vocal.”

15. I’ll Be Alright Without You (Raised on Radio, 1986)

“The bass line in this song is so classy and orgasmic. Props to Ross on this one, the bass really sets the mood. Amazing song.. One of my favorites.. If not the best journey song ever

journey best albums ranked

14. Stone in Love (Escape, 1981)

“Awesome lead vocals by Perry, backed up by wonderful harmonies. But this song is all Neal Schon. Classic throaty guitar riff throughout with a soaring guitar solo outro. This song is very nearly the hallmark of Journey.”

13. Girl Can’t Help It (Raised on Radio, 1986)

“This song is underrated! The music, lyrics, and vocals are all so perfect. Steve Perry truly has a “golden voice” and this song showcases his immense talent. And, as an interesting sidebar, Randy Jackson (from American Idol fame) played bass and sang back-up vocals for this song – laugh out loud.”

12. Be Good to Yourself (Raised on Radio, 1986)

“Totally 80s rock journey has changed throughout the years (the style) I love it all. Excellent intro, amazing guitar solo, awesome lyrics, gets you hyper. Great song to listen to on a sunny day”

journey best albums ranked

11. Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’ (Evolution, 1979)

“Powerful drum/bass to begin, major lead guitar/vocals in the middle, and pure awesome taunting at the the end. The na-nas in this song actually aren’t just there for fun.”

10. Who’s Crying Now (Escape, 1981)

“I’m a true music conoseur and a metal listener but this song has got to be one of, or if not the greatest song of all time, right up there with my most beloved metal songs.”

9. Only the Young (Frontiers, 1983)

“There are many songs from journey that don’t get the recognition they should, not just the music, but the lyrics The group stand alone in expertise in their field. How I wish I could play half as well as any of them, especially Neil Schon,”

journey best albums ranked

8. Send Her My Love (Frontiers, 1983)

“Truthfully, I haven’t heard this song in a long time (if at all), but the title is conveying “this is a song like Faithfully”. I’m making a mental note to pull these up on YouTube.”

7. Lights (Infinity, 1978)

“This is by far their best song, no question about it. It is way better than Don’t Stop Believing and honestly just a perfect song overall. The part at 1:07 is just amazing.”

See more: Jethro Tull Albums Ranked

6. Open Arms (Escape, 1981)

“Open Arms captures Journey at it’s best. Cain stays just enough in the background, Perry shows his power without pushing and if you saw it live, it shows why Perry and Schon were so good together. Beautiful!”

journey best albums ranked

5. Wheel in the Sky (Infinity, 1978)

“Steve’s voice in this songs is crystal! This is right when he joined the band and when his voice was virgin perfect! Great lyrics too! I like his voice best when he sang faithfully when it was seasoned a bit more and more manly, but either way this guy truly has a voice that is a gift from god for all of us to hear. I think he is the best singer in the world, no kidding!”

4. Any Way You Want It (Departure, 1980)

“This was the first Journey song I listened to, I loved the kind of immediate start, the guitar riffs and solo, and Steve Perry is just great in this song.

3. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Frontiers, 1983)

“This is one of those songs I love turning way up and rolling down my windows and I will have young and old singing with me. Seriously, it has happened so many times. Journey is my all time favorite band and I listen to their cd’s ever single day and never get sick of any of their music. If Steve didn’t sing I don’t think I would listen to it because his voice truly made that band! I miss you Steve!”

journey best albums ranked

2. Faithfully (Frontiers, 1983)

“The most heartfelt song ever written. This is definitely my favorite song on earth. This song is one of those songs that starts out slow and then has that amazing climax at the end, which not many songs have. It literally tears my heart out and I want to cry every time I hear it, but in a good way. Perry is the best singer in the world and the way he holds a tune for as long as he does and hits the notes at the perfect pitch is definitely god given! I wish he was still singing. Nobody can match him ever!”

1. Don’t Stop Believin’ (Escape, 1981)

“Absolutely! This is not only the best Journey song but one of the top 10 rock songs ever! Every time this song comes on people of all walks and music tastes stop and start blaring this song out! Any song that can do that has elevated itself to music supremacy.”
  • Album Art (2)
  • All Time Rankings (119)
  • Alt Rock (488)
  • Blues (160)
  • Blues Rock (429)
  • Country (377)
  • Glam Metal (129)
  • Grunge (128)
  • Hard Rock (741)
  • House (160)
  • Indie Rock (150)
  • K Pop (274)
  • Live Music (15)
  • Metal (526)
  • Movie Sountdracks (10)
  • New Wave (206)
  • Pop (1,378)
  • Prog Rock (255)
  • Reviews (92)
  • Rock n' Roll (158)
  • Shock Rock (13)
  • Soft Rock (229)
  • Techno (16)
  • Uncategorized (115)
  • Yearly Rankings (59)

Amazon Disclosure

Returnofrock is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com..

  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • More Networks
  • Top 15 '80s Aerosmith Songs
  • Eagles Add More Concerts
  • Bill Wyman's New Album
  • Songs Journey Hasn't Played
  • Elton John Played on Hollies Hit
  • New Dennis DeYoung Interview

Ultimate Classic Rock

Top 10 Journey Songs

The top Journey songs demonstrate quite clearly how the band, one of the early progenitors of what rock critics like to dismiss as "arena rock," achieved such popularity in the '70s and '80s.

Journey were undoubtedly ahead of their time in terms of PR, and especially in terms of professionalizing their live shows, pioneering elements of live production that are standard procedure today. But while the group took a great deal of flack for the skill with which they were marketed, it is the music they created – an interesting blend of guitar-driven hard rock and vocal-oriented pop – that has endured across the decades, connecting with several subsequent generations.

The group's earliest musical origins featured an elaborate mix of rock and progressive fusion, but it wasn't until they later shifted in a more commercial direction that they began their long, slow climb to superstardom. Though they were often critically derided, Journey's best work boasted a level of instrumental and vocal ability far beyond that of most of their peers and covered a wide array of styles – as you'll see in our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs.

"Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin'"

Steve Perry reportedly drew inspiration from one of his biggest influences, Sam Cooke, for this track from Journey's fifth album. The singer borrowed from " Nothing Can Change This Love " for the song, which struck a perfect balance between his soulful pop vocals and Neal Schon 's heavy rock guitars to become the group's first Top 20 hit, reaching No. 16 and helping Evolution to become a triple-platinum hit.

"Stone In Love"

This hard rock track from Journey's seventh studio album helped introduce the writing talents of newcomer keyboardist Jonathan Cain , who wrote the song with Perry and Schon. The song's infectious marriage of heavy riffing, blazing guitar solos and an alluring melody – all topped off by an undeniable Steve Perry vocal performance – helped it became a rock radio staple, easily earning its spot in our Top 10 Journey Songs.

Perry wasted no time making himself at home as a writer after he joined for Journey's fourth album. This soulful rock track pairs a Schon riff with a lyric Perry had originally written about Los Angeles, which he changed to fit after joining the San Francisco-based Journey. "Lights" originally charted at just No. 68, but went on to become a rock radio staple and an important part of Journey's live shows.

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

Another in a long string of Journey classics penned by the duo of Cain and Perry, this song came together in a backstage writing session in which the singer was playing bass and the keyboardist was playing guitar. It marries Perry's Motown influence with hard rock for a track that hit No. 8 in the Mainstream Rock chart and has become an all-time classic rock track. The single release was accompanied by a much-lampooned video in which the band members mime to the track without their actual instruments.

"Feeling That Way"

"Feeling That Way" was initially an instrumental titled "Velvet Curtain," written by keyboardist Gregg Rolie with drummer Aynsley Dunbar before he added words and re-titled it "Please Let Me Stay." It wasn't until Perry joined Journey and wrote some additional material that the band recorded the track. He and Rolie shared the lead vocal duties on this song, which is almost always paired with " Anytime " both on the radio and in concert.

"Wheel in the Sky"

One of the earliest Journey songs to find traction at rock radio, "Wheel in the Sky" began as a poem titled "Wheels in My Mind" by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory. When singer Robert Fleischman heard it, he appropriated it for a lyric that was juxtaposed against a hard rock riff from Schon. When Journey brought in Steve Perry to replace Fleischman, he put his signature vocal stamp on the track, undeniably making it one of the Top 10 Journey Songs

"Open Arms"

Cain had originally pitched the melody idea for "Open Arms" when he was a member of the Babys , but singer John Waite reportedly shot it down as too sentimental. Once he and Perry completed the song, their Journey bandmates didn't feel too differently – particularly Schon, who felt the song too light for the group. Despite the opposition, the group recorded and released the track, which held the No. 2 spot in the Billboard chart for six consecutive weeks and has become a cultural touchstone.

"Any Way You Want It"

Co-written by Perry and Schon, this track was heavily influenced by Thin Lizzy front man Phil Lynott , who was sharing in a rhyme scheme exercise with the two backstage while the bands were touring together. Recorded closer to a "live in the studio" environment, Departure featured an edgier sound than previous Journey records, and the track is a perfect example of that, propelled by Schon's fleet-fingered solos and Perry's high-octane vocal performance.

"Faithfully"

Cain wrote the wistful piano-based ballad "Faithfully" about the challenges of being on the road while trying to maintain a life with his wife at home. The song's universal sentiment and melodic structure struck such a chord with fans that it landed at No. 12 in the Billboard chart, and it has since gone on to become one of Journey's most recognizable and enduring songs. Ironically, the song has far outlasted the marriage it was written to commemorate, which ended in divorce in 1987.

"Don't Stop Believin'"

"Don't Stop Believin'" not only tops our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs, it came in at No. 13 in our overall poll of the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs, and it is the best-selling catalog track of the digital music era, having sold more than 5 million digital tracks. Written by Cain, Perry and Schon, the song's multi-generational attraction lies partly in its inspirational message and partly in its arrangement, which appeals equally to fans of hard rock and vocal-oriented pop.

The Best Song From Every Journey Album

See Neal Schon Among Rock’s Forgotten Supergroups

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Top 10 Songs Journey Hasn’t Played Yet in 2024

IMAGES

  1. Journey Albums Ranked Worst to Best

    journey best albums ranked

  2. The 10 Best-Selling Albums Of Journey, Ranked

    journey best albums ranked

  3. Journey Albums Ranked From Worst to Best (including Freedom)

    journey best albums ranked

  4. List of All Top Journey Albums, Ranked

    journey best albums ranked

  5. Journey Albums

    journey best albums ranked

  6. Journey Albums

    journey best albums ranked

VIDEO

  1. Kodak Black's WORST To BEST Studio Albums Ranked

  2. Journey Greatest Hits

  3. Journey Greatest Hits

  4. Journey Ranked: Worst to Best Albums

  5. Best of Journey🎸

  6. The Best of Journey with Lyrics/ 10 Songs/ Top Hit Songs of All Time

COMMENTS

  1. Journey Albums Ranked Worst to Best

    The latter was a Top 10 hit on the adult contemporary chart. (DeRiso) Columbia. 14. Dream, After Dream (1980) Gregg Rolie's studio work with Journey ended with 1980's first-ever Top 10 hit ...

  2. Every Journey and Steve Perry album ranked from worst to best

    Buy from Amazon. 8. Journey: Arrival (Columbia, 2001) They were big shoes to fill, but New Yorker Steve Augeri proved a more than capable replacement for Steve Perry in Journey. With the new singer performing at such a high level, Arrival was the band's best album since Raised On Radio.

  3. The Best Journey Albums, Ranked By Fans

    One of the biggest bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Journey is considered one of the best rock bands of all time. List of the best Journey albums, including pictures of the album covers when available. This Journey discography is ranked from best to worst, so the top Journey albums can be found at the top of the list.

  4. Journey : Best Ever Albums

    Journey from United States. The top ranked albums by Journey are Escape, Infinity and Frontiers. The top rated tracks by Journey are Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Don't Stop Believin', Open Arms, Don't Stop Believin' and Any Way You Want It. This artist appears in 621 charts and has received 7 comments and 51 ratings from BestEverAlbums.com site members.

  5. Top 10 Journey Albums

    Our Top 10 Journey albums list looks at one of the most popular rock and roll bands of all time. Journey arrived on the scene in 1975 with their Columbia Records debut entitled Journey. At the time, the band consisted of founding member Gregg Rolie on lead vocals and keyboards, Neal Schon on lead guitar, George Tickner on rhythm guitar, Ross Valory on bass and Ansley Dunbar on drums.

  6. Journey Albums Ranked

    Journey Albums Ranked. Journey is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973, composed of former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987 when Steve Perry was the lead vocalist. During that period, the band released a ...

  7. Top Journey Albums Ranked: From 'Frontiers' to 'Eclipse'

    Escape: The Peak of Journey's Popularity. When talking about Journey's rise to stardom, one album stands as the cornerstone of their unparalleled success: Escape. Released in 1981, this album was a tour de force in the rock genre, catapulting Journey to the zenith of their popularity.

  8. They Are More Than "Don't Stop Believin'": My Ranking of Journey's Albums

    So, I bring to everyone, including the ladies to join me as I rank all fourteen Journey albums from weakest to best. 14. Trial by Fire (1996). This short-lived reunion between the band and Perry. Unfortunately, the songs were weak and sounded as if everyone was just going through the motions. This is a total sleep-fest. 13. Journey (1975). Did ...

  9. Ranking All of The Journey Albums

    Most of the album songs are catchy and easy to listen to, and the album is widely considered to be Journey's greatest album. You can also read: Ranking the 10 Best Neil Young Albums of All-Time; Ranking All The Demi Lovato Studio Albums; The 10 Best Martina McBride Songs of All Time; Ranking All of the System of a Down Studio Albums

  10. JOURNEY albums ranked from "worst" to "best"

    Infinity (1978) 5/5. 5/5. ADVERTISEMENT. JOURNEY albums ranked from "worst" to "best". Author: AgentD93.

  11. Every JOURNEY Album Ranked Worst To Best

    10. Journey. This is their debut album from 1975. It's very different from their late 70's and 80's music. Also the song Cookie Duster is great. You wouldn't expect much from a song with that name. This is their debut album from 1975. It's very different from their late 70's and 80's music.

  12. Journey Albums: songs, discography, biography, and listening guide

    It debuted at number five on the Billboard charts and remained at top 20 for six weeks. The addition of Pineda was documented in the 2012 documentary . Journey discography and songs: Music profile for Journey, formed February 1973. Genres: AOR, Hard Rock, Pop Rock. Albums include Escape, Frontiers, and Infinity.

  13. Journey Albums

    This album has enough hits to keep it afloat, but it should be no surprise that the band wouldn't put out another album for a decade. There weren't really any true stinkers, but lots of so-so songs. Album Score: 163.64%. Best Song on the Album: "Be Good to Yourself" *****. Worst Song on the Album: "Raised on Radio" ****.

  14. The Best Song From Every Journey Album

    One of four Top 40 hits found on this album, the lonesome No. 23 anthem "Send Her My Love" is notable for an ambient turn by Schon (he used a high-end Lexicon 480L echo unit) and perhaps the most ...

  15. Journey Solo Albums Ranked Worst to Best

    The following list of Journey Solo Albums Ranked Worst to Best includes only rock records, however, so that leaves aside more jazz- or new age-inflected items by Cain (1997's Body Language, 2001's ...

  16. The 25+ Best Journey Songs Of All Time, Ranked By Fans

    What is Journey's biggest hit? Here are the best Journey songs of all time, ranked by fans everywhere. Journey are indisputably known as one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk the Earth, with former lead singer Steve Perry even crowned "the voice" by many industry moguls. Established in San Francisco, CA, in 1973, Journey has sold out countless concert tours worldwide throughout their ...

  17. Best Journey Songs: 10 Classic Rock Hits

    Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" (Live 1981: Escape Tour - 2022 HD Remaster) Photo : Courtesy Photo. More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement ...

  18. All 173 Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best

    Keep scrolling as we count them all down on the following list of All 173 Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best. No. 173. "Back Talk" from 'Frontiers' (1983) This song almost single-handedly kept ...

  19. The 10 Best-Selling Albums Of Journey, Ranked

    According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 48 million albums in the US, ranking them as the 25th best-selling band. The band enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and later regrouped with various lead singers, including Arnel Pineda, as a lead since December 2007.They are among the best-selling bands in ...

  20. Journey (studio album) by Journey : Best Ever Albums

    Journey is a music album by Journey released in 1975. Journey is ranked 29,591st in the overall chart, 3,325th in the 1970s, and 326th in the year 1975. This album appears in 19 charts and has received 4 comments and 52 ratings from BestEverAlbums.com site members. BestEverAlbums.com provides a whole host of statistics, and allows you to rate, rank and comment on your favourite albums, artists ...

  21. Journey Songs Ranked

    See more: Journey Albums Ranked. 16. Ask the Lonely (Frontiers, 1983) "This song exhibit the best guitar solo and of the best choirs melody of Journey repertory with Steve Perry as lead vocal." ... This is not only the best Journey song but one of the top 10 rock songs ever! Every time this song comes on people of all walks and music tastes ...

  22. Ranking All 81 Steve Perry Journey Songs

    10. 'Freedom' (2022) On Freedom, their first album in 11 years, Journey sounded pretty much like you expect them to: tuneful, familiar and safe. Singer Arnel Pineda, with the band since 2007, was ...

  23. The Best Albums of 2024 So Far (at Midyear)

    Geffen #17: 88 Orquídeas (Geffen) by Kali Uchis. Returning to Spanish-language lyrics for the first time since 2020's Sin Miedo (Del Amor y Otros Demonios), Kali Uchis scored the best reviews of her career for this fourth album overall. "Orquídeas is a masterful ode to Uchis' ancestral roots. A project that artfully skywalks across a variety of Latin genres, including dembow, bolero, salsa ...

  24. Aaron Frazer's New Album Goes Deep

    Frazer has delivered a break-up album that effortlessly moves through cinematic soul, street-soul, Rumours-esque soft rock, Latin tropicalia, and lo-fi gospel, while never losing a cohesive thread ...

  25. Top 10 Journey Songs

    Next: Journey Albums Ranked Worst to Best. Filed Under: Journey. Categories: Lists, Original Features. More From Ultimate Classic Rock. Top 10 Songs Journey Hasn't Played Yet in 2024.