journey 1983 songs

Frontiers (2023 Remaster)

February 1, 1983 10 Songs, 43 minutes ℗ 1983 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Music Videos

More by journey, featured on.

Apple Music Classic Rock

Apple Music ’80s

Apple Music Fitness

Apple Music Romance

You Might Also Like

Steve Perry

Stevie Nicks

Bad English

Africa, Middle East, and India

• Côte d’Ivoire
• Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The
• Guinea-Bissau
• Niger (English)
• Congo, Republic of
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Tanzania, United Republic Of
• Turkmenistan
• United Arab Emirates

Asia Pacific

• Indonesia (English)
• Lao People's Democratic Republic
• Malaysia (English)
• Micronesia, Federated States of
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Solomon Islands
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• France (Français)
• Deutschland
• Luxembourg (English)
• Moldova, Republic Of
• North Macedonia
• Portugal (Português)
• Türkiye (English)
• United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina (Español)
• Bolivia (Español)
• Virgin Islands, British
• Cayman Islands
• Chile (Español)
• Colombia (Español)
• Costa Rica (Español)
• República Dominicana
• Ecuador (Español)
• El Salvador (Español)
• Guatemala (Español)
• Honduras (Español)
• Nicaragua (Español)
• Paraguay (Español)
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• St. Vincent and The Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos
• Uruguay (English)
• Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

• Canada (English)
• Canada (Français)
• United States
• Estados Unidos (Español México)
• الولايات المتحدة
• États-Unis (Français France)
• Estados Unidos (Português Brasil)
• 美國 (繁體中文台灣)

STREAM OR BUY:

Release Date

Recording location, discography timeline, allmusic review, user reviews, track listing, similar albums, moods and themes.

The 10 best Journey songs

Let's face it, AOR just wouldn't have been the same without them – here are Journey's ten best tracks

For many, Journey are the band who define AOR better than anyone else. Their catalogue glitters with unforgettable anthems, which not only contain massive choruses, but also the sort of musicianship you might expect from a band who began life as jazz rock instrumentalists before embracing the melodic rock style for which they’re renowned. We've gone through the band's back catalogue and hand-picked their 10 finest moments.

10. Girl Can’t Help It (1986)

After taking a break from the band to work on his solo album Street Talk , vocalist Steve Perry was persuaded to return to the fold for 1986's Raised On Radio album. While the production shows a clear-cut influence of the times, Perry’s vocals shine as brightly as ever, while Jonathan Cain’s smooth keyboards complement Neal Schon ’s edgy guitar stride.

9. Faithfully (1983)

This is the way Journey explained the problems of trying to carry on a relationship while out on the road touring. One of the stand-out tracks from 1983's Frontiers , Faithfully has a soft lilt that exposes an emptiness. However, this is augmented by the lush rhythm and the way that Steve Perry croons his way through without ever wallowing in over emotional hyperbole. A power ballad in the best Journey tradition.

8. Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’ (1979)

Anyone who thinks that Journey aren’t capable of anything other than slushy ballads really should check out Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’ from 1979's Evolution album. It has a funk groove, and while the tempo is very much of the balladic kind, Neal Schon stabs through with some electrifying moments. What’s more, Steve Perry’s vocals soar impressively to ensure maximum dramatic impact. One of the highlights on Evolution .

7. Lights (1978)

The opening song from 1978's Infinity record – the album that introduced Steve Perry to the world, and also put the band’s new-found melodic style on display for the very first time. It’s easy to tell why American radio fell in love with Journey at this point in time. The music is filled with commercial astuteness, the harmonies are sublime and the whole timbre of Lights is evocative and stylish. This oozes the sort of class that would become the norm for Journey in the coming years.

6. Who’s Cryin’ Now (1981)

Who’s Cryin’ Now begins with an unvarnished piano piece from Jonathan Cain, on which Steve Perry builds his rich tone. And Ross Vallory provides some tasteful bass lines, to underline the whole feel of the song. This is the type of track that accentuates Perry’s love for great soul singers, while it also showcases the way in which Journey stood apart from all the huge selling AOR masters, and why Escape is regarded as the classic Journey album.

• Inside AOR, the most under-appreciated sub-genre of all time
• The 40 Best AOR Vocalists Of All-Time: 10-1
• The Top 10 Essential 80s AOR Albums

5. Stone In Love (1981)

The fact this song opens up with shards of Neal Schon's guitar riffing proves that Journey were always prepared to give full weight to the heavier side of their talent. And Steve Perry also comes across with a lot more power than you might expect. This is a song where Journey never forget about the melody, but also give free rein to a rocky vibe. It also accentuates that Escape was always far more than just a collection of power ballads.

Classic Rock Newsletter

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

4. Any Way You Want It (1980)

It may seem odd, but this song was actually inspired by Thin Lizzy , with whom Journey had toured a couple of years before recording the Departure album in 1980. But when you dig down and analyse the way in which the vocals are constructed, and the interchange between the instruments, then the influence becomes a lot clearer. There’s a gliding feel to the guitar parts that does feel like it is Thin Lizzy influenced, and Steve Perry adopts a storytelling style that is close to the Phil Lynott approach – and the whole feel suits Journey superbly.

3. Wheel In The Sky (1978)

Wheel In The Sky was co-written by Robert Fleischman, the band’s original choice of vocalist when they moved into a more commercial direction. However, when Fleischman didn’t work out and was replaced by Steve Perry, the song was thankfully retained. It starts with a flashing guitar groove, through which Perry cuts with a vibrant performance. In some ways, this is a basic live performance from the band, bringing a heavier dynamic to bear, but this fitted right into the whole feel of Infinity , and showed Journey could pound with the best.

2. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (1983)

After the enormous success of the Escape album, how did the band choose to open up their next album Frontiers ? With a powerhouse rocker than fitted right into an era where AOR was beginning to become a little less reliant on studio technology and celebrated talent. Of course, the rich production is evident here, but what makes the song work superbly is that way Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry and Neal Schon intertwine. There’s a buoyancy in Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) that tells of a band who are really playing off of each other’s strengths. The result is undeniably passionate.

1. Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)

Is there anyone on the planet who does not know this song? It has got to be one of the most exposed tracks over the past two decades or so. And, because it’s so well known, it’s very easy to lose sight of just why this is so popular. Because Don’t Stop Believin’ is a peerless example of musical genius. Everything about it is simply perfect – the musicality, the vocals, the simple structure, the insistent melody… hell, this is not just Journey’s best song, it’s one of the truly landmark moments of the 80s.

Malcolm Dome had an illustrious and celebrated career which stretched back to working for  Record Mirror  magazine in the late 70s and  Metal Fury  in the early 80s before joining  Kerrang!  at its launch in 1981. His first book,  Encyclopedia Metallica , published in 1981, may have been the inspiration for the name of a certain band formed that same year. Dome is also credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the  Anthrax  song  Metal Thrashing Mad  in 1984. With the launch of Classic Rock magazine in 1998 he became involved with that title, sister magazine Metal Hammer, and was a contributor to Prog magazine since its inception in 2009. He died in 2021 . 

How to watch Slash perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! - stream live from anywhere

“Music is built into Rebus. Early on he listens to jazz; then I thought, ‘Why not give him my record collection?’” Ian Rankin on the prog soundtrack to his fictional cop’s life

House Of Marley Get Together Solo speaker review

Most Popular

• Bachman's Guess Who Mess
• Lollapalooza's Best Performances
• 30 Greatest Duets
• No Heart Original Band Reunion
• Dokken Helped Rescue Scorpions
• Guns N' Roses Making New LP

All 173 Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best

Journey 's discography will always have a clear line of demarcation: before Steve Perry and after Steve Perry. That makes sense on a couple of levels. The albums they made together remain Journey's best-selling and best-loved. But, as the following list of All 173 Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best shows, the band did important work before he arrived and it's had some perhaps overlooked successes afterward. ( Revelation , their first with current singer Arnel Pineda , was a platinum-selling No. 5 hit, for instance.)

So, we decided to take a complete accounting. Whether you're a fan of original contributions by Gregg Rolie or Jonathan Cain , George Tickner or Steve Augeri, they're all here. The only thing we left out were live takes and cover songs including Perry's version of Sam Cooke's "Good Times" from the Time3 box and Pineda's return to earlier Journey songs on Revelation . Which one will end up on top? 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 Frontiers from becoming Journey's best '80s album . That's enough to earn it this spot.

No. 172. "Gone Crazy" from 'Generations' (2005)

For a singer, co-founding member Ross Valory is a terrific bassist.

No. 171. "Can Do" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Actually, can't.

No. 170. "Butterfly (She Flies Alone)" from 'Generations' (2005)

Steve Augeri, Perry's first replacement, drew a bad hand. He had to follow a legend, to lead a difficult transition after Journey was dropped by Columbia Records, to endure gimmicky moves like sharing the mic with everyone in the band, then to step aside after faltering out on the road. But this misfire was all his.

No. 169. "Baby I'm a Leavin' You" from 'Trial By Fire' (1996)

If you were wondering what Journey would sound like as a reggae band.

No. 168. "Venus" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

As Journey co-founder Neal Schon consolidated his latter-day power, a long-dreamt-of goal of a guitar-focused Journey album – on hold since 1977's Next – finally came to fruition. This freed Pineda, a former cover-band singer Schon found on YouTube, from the trap of sounding exactly like Steve Perry. But it also opened the door for plenty of indulgent Schon-related moments. Eclipse inevitably ended with yet another three-and-a-half minutes of Schon.

No. 167. "Pride of the Family" from 'Generations' (2005)

Augeri had to have been dismayed as some of the best material on his second album went elsewhere – including "A Better Life," found later on our list of Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best. But Jonathan Cain's thin, objectively lazy bonus track (he swipes a line from .38 Special ) isn't one of those times.

No. 166. "The Journey (Revelation)" from 'Revelation' (2008)

If you're wondering what Journey would sound like as a boring fusion-jazz band.

No. 165. "Human Feel" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Eclipse at its worst took Eclipse at its best to a mind-numbing zenith. What's missing on this pummeling, endlessly propulsive track is, ironically enough, human feel. It's is all head, no heart.

No. 164. "After All These Years" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Another of Journey's undeniably well-crafted, but often un-involving later-period ballads.

No. 163. "Departure" from 'Departure' (1980)

Pretty but insubstantial, this brief instrumental was tucked into the middle of co-founding member Gregg Rolie's last proper studio effort with Journey.

No. 162. "I'm Cryin'" from 'Departure' (1980)

Perry usually had a canny ability to convey emotion. "I'm Cryin'," however, slipped off into abject mawkishness.

No. 161. "Every Generation" from 'Generations' (2005)

This is the first time Cain had been at the mic since singing lead on "All That Really Matters," a Frontiers -era leftover found elsewhere on our list of Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best. Admittedly, he's a better singer than Ross Valory, but not Deen Castronovo – and certainly not Augeri. A missed opportunity.

No. 160. "Positive Touch" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

The demos for Raised on Radio were completed with a click track rather than in a room together as Journey had typically done in the past. That left drummer Steve Smith to either copy these metronomic sounds – heard to teeth-grating effect on "Positive Touch" – or to stay home. Part way through the sessions, it became the latter. "They felt that the drum machine itself was part of the compositions," Smith later complained in Don't Stop Believin': The Untold Story of Journey . "I started feeling that it wasn't a band, and it certainly didn't have the same band approach as when we wrote collectively."

No. 159. "La Do Da" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Steve Perry's initial collaborations with Schon were a revelation. So many of the group's foundational songs emerged from those initial writing sessions. And then there was this.

No. 158. "Liberty" from 'Time3' (1992)

If you were wondering what Journey would sound like as a country band.

No. 157. "Troubled Child" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Another Side Two dud. Replace this with "Only the Young" or "Only Solutions," and all is forgiven.

No. 156. "Wildest Dream" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Schon wants to rock, and he's always talking about rocking, so every once in a while they let him rock. The results are sometimes better than those undeniably well-crafted, but often uninvolving later-period ballads. And sometimes, as with "Wildest Dream," they are not.

No. 155. "Into Your Arms" from 'Time3' (1992)

One of a pair of unfinished jams from the Raised on Radio sessions that were later completed for release as part of the Journey's Time3 box set, and the less interesting of the two.

No. 154. "Tantra" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Pineda spends most of the album inhabiting a fresh, almost feral persona, which makes this downshift into required balladry even more jarring. He sings like it's required too, recalling every Perry tick he can manage without giving any of himself to the lyric.

No. 153. "Lady Luck" from 'Evolution' (1979)

Journey join a number of artists who have sung tracks called "Lady Luck," including Deep Purple , Rod Stewart and David Lee Roth . Come to think of it, none of those are really any good either.

No. 152. "Karma" from 'Next' (1977)

The last pre-Steve Perry album ends with a grinding, unfocused rocker featuring Schon at the mic. Changes were coming.

No. 151. "Resonate" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

There might have been a hook buried in this song somewhere. Schon's army of guitars marched right over it, though.

No. 150. "Happy to Give" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Perry had trouble nailing the vocal on this too-atmospheric ballad, which should have told them something. (In fact, it got to the point where Cain started calling "Happy to Give" Perry's "pet song.") It's understandable: "Happy to Give" grew out of a soundtrack idea Cain had, and it sounds like it. Journey never played the song live.

No. 149. "Ritual" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Imagine one of those classic-era mid-tempo Journey tracks, but in a wild-eyed 'roid rage. Settle down, boys.

No. 148. "What I Needed" from 'Revelation' (2008)

There's slightly more drama here than on the weirdly slack "After All These Years," but Journey seemed to be struggling to update their tried-and-true ballad style in Augeri's absence. Pineda co-wrote this song, but he's utterly subsumed in the trademark Journey sound. He ends up sounding like the nondescript tribute singer he once was.

No. 147. "Topaz" from 'Journey' (1975)

There's no denying the level of musicianship here. It's just not very interesting music.

No. 146. "Believe" from 'Generations' (2005)

Any good coach will tell you players have to be positioned to their strengths. So if you have Jonathan Cain available to play, you let Jonathan Cain play, right? Instead, we find Augeri at the keyboard on a repetitive song that becomes pure drudgery. "Well, I have a love and a desire to play the piano, and I love the way Jon plays and I get a chance to listen to him every night," Augeri told Melodic Rock in 2005. "So, he has influenced my writing and my arranging." Seriously, though, coach: Put Cain in.

No. 145. "Chain of Love" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Journey spend roughly a minute and a half lulling you into thinking that they've put the sledgehammer away. Then: nah.

No. 144. "In the Morning Day" from 'Journey' (1975)

This serviceable mid-tempo song abruptly turns into mostly shapeless jam.

No. 143. "Change for the Better" from 'Revelation' (2008)

A Journey-by-the-numbers tune, kicked into another gear by Pineda's undeniable energy.

No. 142. "La Raza Del Sol," B-side of "Still They Ride" (1981)

The song's heart in the right place, as Cain finds inspiration in the plight of immigrant California farm workers. Unfortunately, that narrative is surrounded by a meandering music bed that sounds like a rightly discarded leftover from their pre-Perry days.

No. 141. "Let It Take You Back" from 'Revelation' (2008)

This was the first bonus track on Pineda's initial studio album with Journey, and a much better conclusion that Schon's amorphous instrumental "The Journey (Revelation)."

No. 140. "All the Things" from 'Arrival' (2001)

The last thing Augeri – a largely unknown Brooklyn-born singer trying to separate himself from the obvious Steve Perry comparisons – needed to be saddled with was an anonymous rocker. But that's what he was given.

No. 139. "Knowing That You Love Me" from 'Generations' (2005)

Jonathan Cain has been trying to write the next "Faithfully" since the day after he brought it into a Journey recording session. He still hasn't found it.

No. 138. "Mother, Father" from 'Escape' (1981)

An overwrought, understandably disjointed song that was pieced together from two separate ideas by Perry and Schon, then completed with another interlude written by Schon's dad.

No. 137. "I Got a Reason" from 'Arrival' (2001)

This isn't as a faceless as "All the Things," but it's close.

No. 136. "The Time" from 'Red 13' (2002)

After a promising opening track that tapped the band's Journey's early fusion-loving roots, "The Time" falls back into more comfortable, and far less intriguing, blues rock.

No. 135. "Better Together" from 'Generations' (2005)

Augeri boasts a rare co-composing credit on a Glenn Hughes -ish song that tries very hard to be heavy, to be anthemic, to be defiant. Too hard, actually.

No. 134. "Majestic" from 'Evolution' (1979)

An abbreviated multi-tracked instrumental that was used as this album's opening theme, their last with producer Roy Thomas Baker. It's probably best remembered as the taped intro music for Journey concerts during this era.

No. 133. "Colors of the Spirit" from 'Trial By Fire' (1996)

This seemed like it was going to be more intriguing. They begin (and end) with a vague world-music feel, but return to expected post '80s-era Journey-isms in between.

No. 132. "All That Really Matters" from 'Time3' (1992)

Jonathan Cain took over the mic for this Frontiers outtake, returning to a sound that's more in keeping with his earlier tenure in the Babys . That's fine, but it's not Journey.

No. 131. "With Your Love" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Unfortunately, "With Your Love" doesn't live up to the thoughtful reinvention surrounding "Loved by You," found later in our list of Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best.

No. 130. "Homemade Love" from 'Departure' (1980)

Despite discovering a newfound chart prowess, Journey were still prone to longing looks back to their earliest musical excesses. In keeping, this sludgy, clumsily salacious song couldn't have sounded more out of place on Departure . Positioning "Homemade Love" as the album-closing song made even less sense.

No. 129. "One More" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

The first in a number of Trial by Fire songs that made overt faith references. That became an underlying theme on the album, sparked when Perry arrived at the sessions carrying a Bible.

No. 128. "Never Too Late" from 'Generations' (2005)

Augeri was probably relieved to learn that Castronovo didn't get all the good songs.

No. 127. "To Be Alive Again" from 'Arrival' (2001)

There's nothing too offensive about this one, but nothing all that interesting either.

No. 126. "I Can Breathe" from 'Red 13' (2002)

This often-forgotten EP was initially self-released as a thank-you note to fans after Journey lost their longtime label support from Columbia. It's formatted as a kind of four-song travelogue through their history, with a proggish track, a blues rocker, the expected ballad and a more uptempo melodic rocker. The latter is the least interesting of the bunch. Augeri is in fine voice, but he's saddled with poor material.

No. 125. "Nothin' Comes Close" from 'Arrival' (2001)

This deep into Side Two of the ballad-heavy Arrival , basically any rocker was a relief. Even one this generally unimaginative.

No. 124. "To Whom It May Concern" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Pineda's crying vocal gives this otherwise rather mechanical slow song a notable emotional underpinning.

No. 123. "Live and Breathe" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Yes, another ballad. At this point, even Neal Schon was, like, "Dude, really?" And he was listed as co-composer on almost all of them. "Yeah, I did write a lot of music on this album with Jon and everybody else this time – a lot of ballads and a lot of rock too," Schon told Melodic Rock in 2001. "But I had no idea that, you know, they'd pick every ballad that all of us wrote, you know what I'm saying?"

No. 122. "Dixie Highway" from 'Captured' (1981)

"Dixie Highway" sounds like what it was: a throwaway track written on Journey's tour bus while traveling the eponymous interstate into Detroit. It was perhaps interesting enough to be tried out live, but not interesting enough to make it onto a studio album.

No. 121. "Livin' to Do" from 'Arrival' (2001)

This song doesn't live up to thoughtful reinvention surrounding "Loved by You," either. It nevertheless holds an important place in the band's catalog because of a strong connection with Neal Schon's father Matt, who had earlier co-writes on "Winds of March" and "Mother, Father." "It was a couple of years before he passed away, and it was one of the last things that him and I sat down on a piano and we were playing together," Schon told Melodic Rock in 2001. He presented the rough idea to Cain and lyricist Kim Tribble, "and before the day was out, that song was sitting there. We really didn't change much at all in the studio on that one from the demo."

No. 120. "It's Just the Rain" from 'Trial By Fire' (1996)

Perry achieves a sweet sense of reverie, his most favored place, but the surroundings owe too much to rather boring solo forays into smooth jazz by Cain and Schon.

No. 119. "Lifetime of Dreams" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Journey's inventive call-and-response, first vocally and then with Schon's growling guitar, lifts an otherwise somewhat rote ballad to the next level.

No. 118. "The Place in Your Heart" from 'Generations' (2005)

Augeri sings his guts out, but this kind of undistinguished Cain/Schon-composed melodic rock is why Generations sunk to a paltry No. 170.

No. 117. "Keep On Runnin'" from 'Escape' (1981)

A pedestrian rocker, "Keep on Runnin'" is the only stumble on Side One of Journey's biggest-ever selling album.

No. 116. "Trial by Fire" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

This track made direct reference to verses in 2 Corinthians, underscoring once again how Cain's long-dormant songwriting partnership with Perry was reborn through a shared interest in scripture. "It was refreshing," Cain later told the Christian Post . "We wrote about 'treasures in jars of clay, let the light shine in the darkness.' I thought, 'This was fresh.' That was my first encounter with scripture and music, and I have been a believer all my life." Cain later returned to the theme on 2016's What God Wants to Hear , which consisted exclusively of faith-based songs.

No. 115. "Next" from 'Next' (1977)

Journey remind you of their canny knack for achieving liftoff here, but this time it's only window dressing for a song that doesn't feel completed.

No. 114. "Remember Me" from 'Armageddon: The Album' (1998)

Steve Augeri's first song with Journey was actually a soundtrack contribution that arrived years before his official full-length debut on 2001's Arrival . "Remember Me," unfortunately, was more utilitarian than memorable. They'd incorporated a nifty soundalike, but still needed to figure out how to draw out something creative from what began as a blatantly commercial decision.

No. 113. "Still She Cries" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

See "It's Just the Rain."

No. 112. "Dead or Alive" from 'Escape' (1981)

The second of two throwback-style songs on Escape that seek to approximate Journey's more rugged, fusion-leaning '70s-era, and the lesser of the pair. That "Dead or Alive" came directly after the too-similar "Lay It Down" didn't do the song any favors, either.

No. 111. "City of the Angels" from 'Evolution' (1979)

"Lights," found later on our list of Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best, was originally about Los Angeles , before Perry shifted its locale to his new home base in San Francisco. He later returned to the idea of paying tribute to L.A., with much poorer results.

No. 110. "I Can See It in Your Eyes" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

The obvious goal of getting the early-'80s lineup back together was to recreate the sound of that era – and they did that here. Unfortunately, it was the sound of their throwaway stuff on Side Two of Frontiers .

No. 109. "With a Tear" from 'Time3' (1992)

A leftover instrumental track from the Raised on Radio -era that Schon and Cain returned to finish in 1992. After "Be Good to Yourself," this would have been the edgiest thing on the album, had it come to fruition earlier.

No. 108. "Can't Tame the Lion" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

See "I Can See It in Your Eyes."

No. 107. "Kiss Me Softly" from 'Arrival' (2001)

One of four Jack Blades co-writes on Arrival , "Kiss Me Softly" started out as a much heavier vehicle for a Schon riff before the Night Ranger singer-bassist suggested they move in a different direction. It worked.

No. 106. "Escape" from 'Escape' (1981)

Cain and Perry are credited as co-composers, but the title track from Escape still feels like the first of what became a series of not-always-successful attempts by Neal Schon to balance Journey's new knack for balladry with ballsier rock songs.

No. 105. "Winds of March" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Credited to a crowd including Matt and Neal Schon, Fleischman, Rolie and Perry, "Winds of March" actually sounds like a meeting of two minds: Perry, who deftly croons his way through the first two minutes, and his new bandmates – who absolutely tear through the remaining three.

No. 104. "Someone" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

The penultimate moment on Journey's heaviest album since the pre-Perry days was – wait, what? – a pop song. And a pretty good one, to boot. It's like a fever that just broke.

No. 103. "Line of Fire" from 'Departure' (1980)

A perfunctory rocker best remembered for a sound effect at roughly the 2:10 mark that Perry cribbed from Junior Walker's chart-topping 1965 R&B hit "Shotgun ."

No. 102. "Signs of Life" from 'Arrival' (2001)

This appropriately titled song emerged from a period of deep uncertainty, when Schon and Cain were still waiting for Perry to make up his mind about rejoining Journey. "I said, Why don't we start writing?" Schon told Melodic Rock in 2001. "I mean, you know, maybe Steve will decide that he wants to come back, maybe he won't. But at least when we decide what we're going to do, and we figure out what's going on, we won't be starting right at the beginning again." Steve Augeri eventually stepped in, and they had a ready-made song to help introduce him to fans.

No. 101. "Precious Time" from 'Departure' (1980)

Rolie adds a gurgling harp squall, but not much else stands out.

No. 100. "Lay It Down" from 'Escape' (1981)

Smith approximates co-founding drummer Aynsley Dunbar's thudding, heavy-rock approach while Schon swirls into the stratosphere on one of two songs from Escape that could have seamlessly fit into a Rolie-era album.

No. 99. "Turn Down the World Tonight" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Pineda breaks the mold here, following Augeri's example of doing more with less emoting. There's another twist: "Turn Down the World Tonight" appears headed toward an almost operatic conclusion before they switch gears again, ending on a nicely placed grace note.

No. 98. "Midnight Dreamer" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

The book on Journey was always that Steve Perry arrived and they suddenly shook themselves awake to commercial considerations. One listen to "Midnight Dreamer," and a good portion of the album it originated from, makes a powerful counter-argument. They still stretch out – dig that crazy keyboard solo! – but "Midnight Dreamer" wasn't that far from what album-oriented radio was playing at the time.

No. 97. "Chain Reaction" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Schon finds a fusible groove, then joins Perry for a gutty vocal interplay. But "Chain Reaction" ends up getting lost somewhere along the way.

No. 96. "Once You Love Somebody" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

They tried for a bluesy feel on a song echoing the relationship troubles that both Perry and Cain were then experiencing, but there's simply not enough grit to this.

No. 95. "What It Takes to Win" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Pineda lets a roughness slip into his vocal, and a little bit more of himself. "What It Takes to Win" is better for it. He was 40 when he joined Journey, a fully formed singer in his own right. He deserves a lot more of these moments.

No. 94. "For You" From 'Time3' (1992)

An important, if not entirely successful, Robert Fleischman-sung track from the demo phase for 1978's Infinity . Journey were already headed toward a more compact, radio-ready direction, even before Perry arrived.

No. 93. "World Gone Wild" from 'Arrival' (2001)

The Augeri-era Journey lineup credibly recreates a "Separate Ways"-type groove, switching things up with a spacious, inspirational bridge.

No. 92. "Never Walk Away" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Arnel Pineda came bursting out of the gates with the opening track on his first Journey studio effort, singing with power to spare. Kevin Shirley, back for his third Journey album after 1996's Trial by Fire and 2001's Arrival , turns everything up around Pineda – in particular Schon.

No. 91. "In My Lonely Feeling / Conversations" from 'Journey' (1975)

The cool interplay between Schon and quickly departed co-founding rhythm guitarist George Tickner is perhaps best showcased on this composition by Rolie and Valory. Tickner was given two subsequent songwriting credits for 1976's Look Into the Future , but was already gone by the time it was released.

No. 90. "I'm That Way" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Augeri's ability to handle this kind of lithe, very Steve Perry-esque ballad is precisely why they brought him in. Unfortunately, you'll have to search way too hard to find it: For some reason, Journey originally tucked "I'm That Way" away as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Augeri's debut.

No. 89. "Natural Thing," B-side of "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981)

Your average classic rock radio-loving fan might not peg Steve Perry as a died-in-the-wool R&B guy who can totally pull off this sometimes very un-Journey style. Tell them to start here.

No. 88. "People" from 'Next' (1977)

Journey get proggy, and it would've worked – a few years earlier.

No. 87. "Easy to Fall" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

Presented in their classic arena-ballad style, but without much to differentiate it from other, better, more popular iterations, "Easy to Fall" is the sound of Journey trying to sound like Journey. This would go on for a while.

No. 86. "Walkin' Away from the Edge" from 'Red 13' (2002)

Before being felled by vocal issues, Augeri was able to convey a depth, a relative darkness, that no other Journey singer since Gregg Rolie could touch.

No. 85. "On a Saturday Nite" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

Rolie opens their second album with an approachable, yet still tough-minded song that confidently moves Journey more toward traditional classic rock, if not all the way over to the pop-leaning sound that later sent them to the top of the charts.

No. 84. "Rubicon" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

This song drove a seemingly permanent wedge in the band. Schon was playing "Rubicon," he told The New York Times in 2003, when Perry came over and turned down his amplifiers. "They want to hear the voice," Schon remembered Perry saying. "That was the start of it for me." They put out only two more albums together, and it took them 13 years to do it.

No. 83. "Look Into the Future" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

Everybody was into Led Zeppelin at this point, including Journey.

No. 82. "When I Think of You" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

"When I Think of You" appeared on Journey's Perry-curated Greatest Hits 2 not because of its chart history, but because of what it meant to him. Perry wrote this little-known deep cut after his late mother appeared, happy and healthy, in a particularly vivid dream. "She had been sick for so long that this was what I needed to know – even if it was a dream," Perry said in a 2011 fan Q&A . "I later went to Jon Cain's and told him I wanted to write a song about this experience and started singing a melody, and we finished it together."

No. 81. "She Makes Me (Feel Alright)" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

"She Makes Me (Feel Alright)" builds on Rolie's album-opening foray into more digestible song structures, though Schon's metallic asides nearly push it into hard rock.

No. 80. "Loved by You" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Augeri updates the patented Journey ballad model by staying modulated, singing with a steadier, quieter certitude. That showed no small amount of guts. Problem: This was not what Journey fans wanted. Arrival stalled at No. 56, the group's worst finish since Next in 1977.

No. 79. "Mystery Mountain" from 'Journey' (1975)

"The way I look at the early Journey stuff is, if we played that now, we'd be out with Phish, or the [Dave] Matthews Band ," Rolie remembered in 2011 . "We were a great jam band." Exhibit A: their trippy debut album-closing "Magic Mountain," written by Rolie and Tickner with help from Ross Valory's wife.

No. 78. "Frontiers" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

The second-best song on this album's deflating flip side. Singing in a clipped, coolly detached tone, Perry offers a great put-down for warmongers: "War is for fools; crisis is cool."

No. 77. "In Self-Defense" from 'Generations' (2005)

A track that had been bouncing around since Schon's 1982 Here to Stay collaboration with Jan Hammer. That version showcased Journey's early-'80s lineup (minus Cain) at the peak of their increasingly rare heavy-rocking form. Same here, with Castronovo in place of Steve Smith. They miss Perry's elevating vocals during the solo, though.

No. 76. "It Could Have Been You" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Schon's riffy contributions work in brilliant counterpoint to Perry's poignancy, underscoring why this partnership meshed so easily – and so well.

No. 75. "She's a Mystery" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

A lovely, Pineda co-written acoustic aside, "She's a Mystery" is that rare moment on Eclipse where Journey take their foot off the gas without swerving into power-ballad cliche.

No. 74. "Sweet and Simple" from 'Evolution' (1979)

Perry brought this dream-like song with him, having written it years before while looking out over Lake Tahoe. Journey completed it with a quickly ascending final segment that matched now-patented multi-tracked vocals with a Schon's typical pyro.

No. 73. "All the Way" from 'Arrival' (2001)

In their first album without Perry, Journey clearly had an eye on recapturing the successes they found when Jonathan Cain joined the band in the '80s. Cain was game, co-writing this instantly familiar love song with Schon, Michael Rhodes and the recently installed Steve Augeri. "All the Way" may not have been a big hit, but it showed Journey could still be Journey even without their famous former frontman.

No. 72. "Cookie Duster" from 'Time3' (1992)

Journey's label asked that they replace this underrated Ross Valory instrumental with something more commercial for 1977's Next . The album stalled at No. 85 anyway.

No. 71. "Anything Is Possible" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

On an project that boldly reanimated the wide-open heavy fusion of Journey's original '70s-era records – a period when Schon fiercely pulled and stretched his muse – "Anything is Possible" gave Arnel Pineda an opportunity to showcase his pop-star sensibilities. There's a feeling of soaring expectancy here that balances the tough, guitar-focused tracks found elsewhere on Eclipse .

No. 70. "Where Were You" from 'Departure' (1980)

There's a reason Journey opened their concerts with "Where Were You" for so long. They were just coming off an opening gig with AC/DC at this point, and clearly the headliner's knack for outsized, riffy rockers rubbed off.

No. 69. "Spaceman" from 'Next' (1977)

Co-written by Aynsley Dunbar and Gregg Rolie, "Spaceman" offers Journey fans some of the most obvious initial flowerings of a pop sensibility. They placed it first on the album, and released it as a single – to no avail. "Spaceman" failed to chart as a single, and Journey were ordered to rework their lineup. They briefly added Robert Fleischman — who arrived shortly after the album’s release, toured with the band and even received co-writing credit on three songs for Journey’s following album — but eventually settled on Perry.

No. 68. "Castles Burning" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

A badly needed rocker on an album that too often played down to their ballad- and mid-tempo-loving fan base.

No. 67. "Beyond the Clouds" from 'Generations' (2005)

A slow burner co-written by Steve Augeri in his final outing with the band, "Beyond the Clouds" illustrates why he was such a good initial fit. Augeri's ability to elevate, as this track zooms into the stratosphere, and then to wind down into a whispery vulnerability recalls a Certain Other Steve. This wouldn't prove to be his principal strength, but it mattered at the time.

No. 66. "Like a Sunshower" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Schon couldn't have done a better job of smoothing the way for the just-arrived Pineda than he did on "Sunshower," which begins with a lick straight out of "Stay Awhile" from Departure . Fans reacted positively, making Revelation Journey's first platinum-selling project since Trial by Fire , their last with Perry.

No. 65. "Little Girl," B-side of "Open Arms" (1981)

"Little Girl" was the most Journey-sounding thing on 1980's Dream After Dream , which isn't really part of the band's catalog since it's otherwise filled with incidental music for a now-forgotten foreign film. Elsewhere, the instrumentals provide an untimely restatement of their old penchant for prog and fusion, considering Journey were already on a pop-chart roll after the Top 25 hits "Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin'" and "Anyway You Want It." Unsurprisingly, Dream After Dream disappeared without a trace once Journey issued their multi-multi-platinum smash Escape a year later. This too-often-overlooked song has since became known — if it was known at all — simply as a B-side to the "Open Arms" single.

No. 64. "Out of Harms Way" from 'Generations' (2005)

A hard-nosed war song, "Out of Harms Way" was handled with an eye-opening aggression unique to Journey, thanks to the gone-too-soon Augeri.

No. 63. "It's All Too Much" from 'Look into the Future' (1976)

Journey drill down to the marrow on this throwaway piece of psychedelia, finding a seriously nasty groove beneath the Beatles ' old atmospherics.

No. 62. "Raised on Radio" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Radio holds a talismanic place in Perry's imagination for two reasons. It's a constant presence in the youthful places where he returns, time and time again, for creative sustenance. If things had gone another way, he also could see himself as a DJ, rather than a huge pop star. "I love radio," Perry said in that 2011 fan Q&A. "I think the idea of playing whatever music comes to your mind and talking about it is exciting to me."

No. 61. "City of Hope" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

You could say Schon is an unstoppable force on this song, except that Pineda – in one of his most impressive vocal performances – is every bit the equal of his molten riffs. At least at first. Eventually, Schon and company step forward for a floorboard-rattling, song-closing jam that edges all the way into fusion. Journey, who saw Eclipse become the second consecutive Pineda-sung Top 20 album, haven't sounded this wide open since the Jimmy Carter administration.

No. 60. "Nickel and Dime" from 'Next' (1977)

This very Mahavishnu Orchestra-influenced instrumental was originally constructed in three parts. The final section was ultimately cut off, however, leaving a pair of segments with unusual Aynsley Dunbar signatures – thus the name, "Nickel and Dime."

No. 59. "Higher Place" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Journey again move beyond Augeri's similarities with Perry on this composition by Schon and Jack Blades, which at one point has an almost a proggy feel. In that way, "Higher Place" references the group’s previous successes, but ultimately uses them as a foundation for something new.

No. 58. "Message of Love" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

A continuation of the untroubled sleekness of Raised on Radio -era Journey, this could have easily passed as a Steve Perry solo track.

No. 57. "Red 13 / State of Grace" from 'Red 13' (2002)

Journey return after the soft rock-dominated Arrival with a scorching, fusion-kissed EP-opening song. They spend two minutes easing into things before launching into a wrecking-ball groove – and Augeri is with them, step for breathless step.

No. 56. "I'm Gonna Leave You" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

Early rhythm guitarist George Tickner – he joined after a stint in the San Francisco psych-rock band Frumious Bandersnatch with Ross Valory – wasn't around long. He left behind this intriguingly offbeat 5/4 shuffle for fans to ponder what might have been.

No. 55. "A Better Life" from 'Generations' (2005)

Poor Steve Augeri. One of the best moments on his final album with Journey is this delicately conveyed track, featuring one of Schon's more restrained turns. And Deen Castronovo on vocals.

No. 54. "Where Did I Lose Your Love" from 'Revelation' (2008)

Here's Pineda's version of the familiar arena-ballad Journey sound, which is, on one level, very much in the style of their Escape / Frontiers era. Castronovo and Cain, who co-wrote this track with Schon, even close things out with a fierce entanglement that also must have brought older fans right back to "Separate Ways." But Pineda adds a few new wrinkles along the way to ultimately move past the same old Perry comparisons.

No. 53. "Ask the Lonely" from 'Two of a Kind' (1983)

"The guy can write love songs in his sleep," Jonathan Cain said of Perry in the liner notes for Journey's Time3 box set. Unfortunately, this only-okay leftover is an example of that assembly line-type approach. That said, "Ask the Lonely" is still better than most of the stuff on the back end of Frontiers .

No. 52. "Faith in the Heartland" from 'Generations' (2005)

The urge to return to an everyday working-stiff theme has been almost unavoidable for a group that, in no small way, is best remembered for "Don't Stop Believin.'" And yet "Heartland" never slips into tribute – or, worse still, parody. Credit goes most of all to Augeri, who strikes a visceral pose on upbeat tracks like this one, singing every line as if his whole heart is in it. Unfortunately, Generations went nowhere, and Augeri – citing throat problems – was gone after just two albums with Journey.

No. 51. "Lovin' You Is Easy" from 'Evolution' (1979)

Starts out as another cookie-cutter '70s-era Journey song, then Perry gets to the ear-worm title lyric and everything changes.

No. 50. "Anyway" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

A dark then searching rocker from Journey's second album, featuring one of Rolie's most desirous vocals.

No. 49. "When You Love a Woman" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

Featuring a saccharine sentiment with a too-sweet string section to match, this is Journey balladry at its limpest. Still, "When You Love a Woman" became a gold-selling No. 12 smash. Because, Steve Perry.

No. 48. "We Will Meet Again" from 'Arrival' (2001)

Deen Castronovo's inventively layered rhythm gives "We Will Meet Again" a distinct character among Journey's more anthemic-leaning tunes, setting the stage for a moment of controlled fury from Augeri. It all builds toward a sweeping vista reminiscent of Journey's Roy Thomas Baker-helmed sides like "Winds of March" and "Opened the Door," a welcome development indeed. And as with those two 1978 tracks, "We Will Meet Again" serves as an emotionally resonant side-closing moment.

No. 47. "Don't Be Down on Me Baby" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

Nobody aches like Steve Perry.

No. 46. "Hustler" from 'Next' (1977)

An explosion of heavy-rocking sexuality, "Hustler" found Journey considerably toughening up its by-then-established fusion-based formula — something the group would eventually return to, but only decades later, with 2011's impressively muscular Eclipse .

No. 45. "Why Can't This Night Go on Forever" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Written in tribute to their fans, "Why Can't This Night Go on Forever" moved past its quite overt "Open Arms" / "Faithfully"-style ambitions on the strength of performances by Schon and Perry.

No. 44. "Edge of the Moment" from 'Eclipse' (2011)

Castronovo and Valory create a foundation-rattling rhythm, while the big-voiced Pineda ably conveys a fiery sense of sensuality required by the song's narrative. But "Edge of the Moment" will always belong to Neal Schon, who is by turns melodic, out there, gurgling, eruptive – and nothing like we've heard from him since the days of the spaceman 'fro. Long after their hit single-making days, and a couple of albums into Arnel Pineda's tenure, Journey finally found their rock-music mojo again on this track, emerging with a sense of furious third-act abandon.

No. 43. "To Play Some Music" from 'Journey' (1975)

The most accessible song on Journey's self-titled debut, "To Play Some Music" provides a down-to-earth vocal vehicle for Rolie on an album dominated by epic, often spacey instrumentals.

No. 42. "Patiently" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Schon memorably gave Perry a ride home after sitting in with Azteca in San Francisco, but had no idea his passenger was a singer. Five years later, Perry finally got the chance to make an impression. He stopped by Schon's hotel the day after a Journey show in Denver, and they wrote this song. "It was really about the determination of me wanting to get next to those players," Perry said in the Time3 liner notes.

No. 41. "I Would Find You" from 'Next' (1977)

Schon takes a rare vocal turn with Journey, and it's his most successful.

No. 40. "Kohoutek" from 'Journey' (1975)

Named after a comet then approaching Earth's orbit, "Kohoutek" bridges the sounds that Rolie and Schon made earlier as part of Santana with those to come from their new band. Makes sense: This track dates back to Journey's earliest rehearsals.

No. 39. "You're on Your Own" from 'Look Into the Future' (1976)

Their slow-fast approach gives "You're on Your Own" a noticeably modern feel; Rolie's heartfelt singing centers it all.

No. 38. "The Eyes of a Woman" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Steve Smith only appeared on three Raised on Radio tracks, but that doesn't mean he didn't have an undeniable impact. His anticipatory rhythm builds a palpable tension on the underrated "The Eyes of a Woman," as Schon's echoing chords surround the vocal. Perry has called this one of his favorite Journey songs, and that might be because "The Eyes of a Woman" is one of the very few here that fully recalls their Escape / Frontiers sound.

No. 37. "Here We Are" from 'Next' (1977)

Perhaps Journey's heaviest-ever pop song. Rolie had a knack for Beatlesque touches (see their earlier cover of George Harrison 's "It's All Too Much"), even if it was buried in a cacophony of sound from Schon and Dunbar (see their earlier cover, etc. etc.).

No. 36. "Suzanne" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

If Steve Perry sounds a little overwhelmed on the second single from this album, there's a reason for that. This No. 17 hit was written in tribute to an actual crush. "It was a fantasy encounter with a film star, who also had a vocal artist career," Perry said in a 2011 fan Q&A. "Just a secret person that's in the song to live forever in that song. Real or not, she's real in the track."

No. 35. "Somethin' to Hide" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Journey's first attempt at a power ballad was devastatingly effective, though it arrived years before "Open Arms." Perry's final cry is just astonishing.

No. 34. "Edge of the Blade" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Side Two of Frontiers gets off to a roaring start. Buckle up, though. As things progress, you're in for a bumpy ride.

No. 33. "If He Should Break Your Heart" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

One of the best-ever meldings of Solo Steve (verses) and Journey Steve (the rest).

No. 32. "Be Good to Yourself" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

A throwback Top 10 rocker, "Be Good to Yourself" had little in common with the sleeker, more adult-contemporary feel found elsewhere on Raised on Radio . It didn't make for the most representative lead single, but manager Herbie Herbert prevailed. "[Perry] phoned me at my house, and just went nuts about 'Be Good to Yourself' having been the first choice of a single," Herbert told Melodic Rock in 2008. "And I said, 'It's a great song, it's a great production, it's great sound – it's Journey.' That was the problem: It sounds too much like Journey. Well, too many of the other songs sound too much like a glorified Steve Perry solo record."

No. 31. "Of a Lifetime" from 'Journey' (1975)

Journey's recorded output begins here, with a seven-minute jazz fusion-influenced, at times Pink Floyd -ish excursion that boldly stepped away from Rolie and Schon's previous work in Santana. "Talking about Santana screws up the whole concept of everyone in this band," Rolie lamented in Don't Stop Believin' . "A lot of people would come to see us and expect conga drums. The last thing I was to see for the rest of my life is conga drums!"

No. 30. "I'll Be Alright Without You" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Schon, who earned a co-writing credit with Cain and Perry, tried out a then-new guitar in search of a distinct sound for this song. Best known for using a 1963 Fender Stratocaster, Schon experimented with a graphite Roland 707 to see if he could get a different, more even tone. It worked: "I'll Be Alright Without You" remains Journey's penultimate Top 20 hit, followed by 1996's "When You Love a Woman." Cain, like Perry, was going through a breakup and called this track the other half of the emotions expressed in "Once You Love Somebody."

No. 29. "Only Solutions" from 'Tron' (1982)

Unjustly forgotten, and barely used in the film at all, the hooky "Only Solutions" would have greatly enlivened what turned out to be a letdown on Side Two of Frontiers .

No. 28. "People and Places" from 'Departure' (1980)

A circular vocal effect makes the song's larger point, as Perry and Schon share a vocal that examines life's maddening duality.

No. 27. "Opened the Door" from 'Infinity' (1978)

The last song on the first album to feature Perry, "Open the Door" begins like every gorgeous, ear-wormy love song they ever hit with a few years later — but after Perry's initial three minutes, Rolie joins in a huge vocal bridge ( "Yeah, you opened ..." ), and from there Schon and company are loosened from those binding conventions. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar, on his final recording date with Journey, sets a thunderous cadence, and Schon powers the song — and this career-turning album — to its quickly elevating conclusion.

No. 26. "Faithfully" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Cain has said this No. 14 power-ballad smash, written in tribute to a happily married musician's life on the road, came from nowhere – literally. "He told me he got the melody out of a dream," Schon later mused in the Time3 liner notes. "I wish something like that would happen to me." Cain wrote it in his own key, and that allowed Perry to explore a different vocal timbre. They finished the song with a memorable back-and-forth between Perry and Schon, also completely unrehearsed.

No. 25. "When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)" from 'Evolution' (1979)

Perry chirps and coos his way through this winking tease of a song – that is, until about a third of the way through, when Schon provides a moment of release.

No. 24. "Forever in Blue" from 'Trial by Fire' (1996)

As with "Girl Can't Help It," found later on our list of Journey Songs Ranked Worst to Best, "Forever in Blue" represents that rare moment when the latter-day edition puts it all together again.

No. 23. "Wheel in the Sky" from 'Infinity' (1978)

He never got much credit, but Robert Fleischman played an important role in Journey. "Wheel in the Sky," the band's initial Billboard chart entry, was originally a poem written by Ross Valory's wife – until Fleischman rounded it into song form. Schon added a guitar melody, and they handed it to Steve Perry after Fleischman's ouster. The rest is, as they say, history.

No. 22. "Walks Like a Lady" from 'Departure' (1980)

A great example of the way Journey songs evolved in the studio. Perry brought in a rough sketch, Schon added a blues-inspired riff, then Smith picked up his brushes. All that was left to complete things was Rolie's greasy Hammond B3 groove, reportedly one of his favorites.

No. 21. "Too Late" from 'Evolution' (1979)

A delicate, beautifully conveyed song of encouragement, "Too Late" was aimed at a friend of Perry's who had fallen into drug abuse.

No. 20. "Girl Can't Help It" from 'Raised on Radio' (1986)

Perry essentially took control of Journey in the run-up to this album, switching out band members for sidemen with whom he'd worked before then serving as the project's de facto producer. That led them to some song treatments that moved well away from anything Journey had done before, or since. "Girl Can't Help It," one of three Top 40 singles from Raised on Radio , was the exception. This was classic Journey, spit-shined up for a new era.

No. 19. "After the Fall" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Perry began this song on the bass, perhaps an early indication of the changes in store for Journey. By the time they released 1986's Raised on Radio , Ross Valory had been replaced by Randy Jackson, later of American Idol fame. Smith departed too, but not before proving himself utterly invaluable here.

No. 18. "Good Morning Girl" / "Stay Awhile" from 'Departure' (1980)

Inextricably linked by their successive appearances on Departure , these two songs showcased Perry's dual gifts: "Good Morning Girl" was a fragile, impossibly beautiful ballad that emerged from a jam session with Schon, while "Stay Awhile" showed off his R&B chops.

No. 17. "Who's Crying Now" from 'Escape' (1981)

The initial single from Escape , a No. 4 hit, perfectly illustrates how Jonathan Cain's new presence changed Perry's writing style, then forever changed Journey. The first inklings of the track came to Perry as he was driving up to San Francisco on Route 99. But "Who's Crying Now" was a song with no real direction until Cain suggested the title. They worked out a cool b-section featuring only voice and keyboard, and their very first co-written composition was completed. "He helped me go to another place as a writer," Perry later gushed in the Time3 notes. Inspired, Perry also fought to keep Schon's extended guitar solo on the single.

No. 16. "Do You Recall" from 'Evolution' (1979) Maybe the perfect blending of Journey's tough early sound and Perry's sun-flected sense of reminiscence. Roy Thomas Baker's familiar stacked vocals propel the bridge to untold heights.

No. 15. "Someday Soon" from 'Departure' (1980)

The final major vocal collaboration featuring Perry and the soon-to-depart Rolie and, still, one of the more memorable for its thoughtful optimism. There were plenty of reasons for this upbeat outlook, even though "Someday Soon" appeared on Journey's next-to-last album with Rolie. Departure reached the Billboard Top 10, then the band's highest-charting effort ever. Meanwhile, a subsequent, wildly successful tour was chronicled on 1981's Captured .

No. 14. "Open Arms" from 'Escape' (1981)

If you dislike power ballads, blame Jonathan Cain. He brought this seminal example of the genre to Journey after John Waite , the frontman in Cain's former band the Babys, rejected an early version. Schon didn't really want "Open Arms," either. But Perry intervened, and they turned it into a soaring paean to renewal. Oh, and Journey's highest-charting single ever.

No. 13. "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" from 'Evolution' (1979)

A song with a real-life storyline, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" came to life in another Journey jam session, then went on to become their very first Top 20 hit. Rolie's Nicky Hopkins-esque honky tonk piano rides atop a stuttering, 12/8 rhythm, building inexorably toward a cloud-bursting nah-nah-nah conclusion. Steve Smith has compared that blues shuffle to "Nothing Can Change This Love" by key Perry influence Sam Cooke. The heartbroken Perry, who's described the writing of this song as "love justice," again played the bass on the initial sessions. The results opened the pop-chart floodgates.

No. 12. "Still They Ride" from 'Escape' (1981)

A touchingly emotional trip back to Perry's San Joaquin Valley youth, "Still They Ride" showed that the seemingly ageless Escape could still produce a Top 20 single, more than a year after its release.

No. 11. "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)" from 'Captured' (1981)

"After I left," Rolie later mused , "it became more pop rock. It was a little heavier when I was in it." That transformation started with "The Party's Over," a Top 40 studio song tacked onto a live project which marked Rolie's exit. Journey's original keyboardist doesn't even appear on the track. Instead, the session featured Stevie "Keys" Roseman, who was later part of VTR with Ross Valory and George Tickner.

No. 10. "Stone in Love" from 'Escape' (1981)

Schon had a tape recorder going while he fooled around with the guitar during a party at his house in San Rafael. Perry and Cain did the rest.

No. 9. "Daydream" from 'Evolution' (1979)

An episodic triumph, "Daydream" is defined by dreamy, Jon Anderson -esque verses, rangy guitar riffs and forward-thinking keyboard asides – very much in keeping with the prog-rock pretensions of the '70s, though that sound had already become decidedly passe.

No. 8. "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

Cain and Perry looked on, feeling a little helpless, as Valory and Schon endured painful divorces. "There's got to be a more soulful way of looking at this," Perry countered in the Time3 liner notes. Just like that, the pair had the makings of the Top 10 opening single from Frontiers . "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" so energized Journey that they began performing it onstage before Perry had completely learned the words.

No. 7. "Just the Same Way" from 'Evolution' (1979)

Built off a Rolie piano riff, "Just the Same Way" once again leveraged Journey's layered harmony vocals, already a trademark of producer Roy Thomas Baker from his previous work with Queen . Baker achieved this effect by having Perry and Rolie double and triple their parts, an incredibly time-consuming new approach that almost derailed "Anytime." (Rolie and Schon still considered themselves jam guys at this point.) But that's what ultimately gave this song – and Journey themselves – such a striking propulsion.

No. 6. "Send Her My Love" from 'Frontiers' (1983)

One of four Top 40 hits found on the album, the lonesome No. 23 anthem "Send Her My Live" is notable for an ambient turn by Schon (he used a high-end Lexicon 480L echo unit) and perhaps the most intriguing drumming contribution on Journey's string of familiar ballads from Steve Smith. A jazz lover who later founded his own combo, Smith added a slyly involving polyrhythm lifted from Miles Davis' "In a Silent Way." "The drummer on that was Tony Williams," Smith said in 2011 , "and he played quarter notes with a cross-stick on the snare drum — a very hypnotic groove." Same here.

No. 5. "Only the Young" from 'Vision Quest' (1985)

Another song that, had it been included, might have pushed Frontiers past Escape as Journey's best Cain-era album. Instead, "Only the Young" appeared much later on this soundtrack, and by then Kenny Sykaluk – a 16-year-old fan suffering from cystic fibrosis – had already died after becoming the first person to hear it . "Only the Young," which opened every concert on Journey's subsequent tour, will be forever associated with his brave fight.

No. 4. "Lights" from 'Infinity' (1978)

Perry had an early version of this song in his back pocket when he joined Journey, and it's a good thing. Rolie has said that the rest of the band wasn't sold on Perry until they harmonized on "Lights" while backstage at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino. "It dawned on me right then," Rolie later admitted in the Time3 notes, "that this could really be great."

No. 3. "Any Way You Want It" from 'Departure' (1980)

Perry said the vocal and guitar interplay on "Any Way You Want It" was inspired by the performances of Phil Lynott , after Thin Lizzy opened for Journey. "I loved his ability and phrasing," Perry revealed in Open Arms: The Steve Perry Anthology . "This guy is one of the more under-recognized geniuses of that era." Perry and Rolie brought a tight focus to the bursts of shared vocals that close things out, fashioning Journey's second-ever Top 40 hit.

No. 2. "Don't Stop Believin'" from 'Escape' (1981)

It difficult to believe, considering how rightfully ubiquitous this anthem has become, but "Don't Stop Believin'" originally only barely cracked the Top 10. What's up with that, 1981?

No. 1. "Feeling That Way" / "Anytime" from 'Infinity' (1978)

These paired songs took a convoluted path to the top of this list, as everyone worked and reworked both halves into a legacy-defining moment for Journey and their new singer. "Feeling That Way" began as a Rolie track called "Velvet Curtain" then evolved into "Let Me Stay," which was considered for Next . When Perry arrived, he added a gliding new chorus, and they were halfway there. Meanwhile, the Fleischman co-written "Anytime" – released as a separate, No. 83-charting single but forever linked on the album and rock radio – was going nowhere. At one point, Journey almost dropped it altogether. Then Schon decided to tap the music of his childhood by adding a Beatlesque lyric, " Anytime that you want me ." The then-new mixture of Perry and Rolie's voices did the rest. "As soon as the vocals were put in, the song came alive," Rolie remembered in 2014 , laughing. "I'm glad we didn't can it!" The results meld every great thing about the band's earthy first era with the pop-facing second era to come. In that way, it's the perfect Journey moment.

Think You Know Journey?

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

10 Best Elton John Songs Of All Time As Music Icon Turns 77

S ir Elton John is the iconic greatest musician of all time. Popular for his music, vibrant fashion, and trademark glasses, he has revolutionized the music industry with his pop culture and music. 

He is not only the greatest musician but also a singer, pianist, and composer who started his solo career in 1967. He met ic collaborator Bernie Taupin and became best friends for over 50 years.  Elton's career took off in August 1970 when he performed at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California. He's since earned 5 Grammys, 2 Academy Awards, ten number-one singles, eight number-one albums, and numerous other prestigious achievements.

The Grammy Award winner Elton and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin have crafted numerous hit songs over the years, making it difficult to choose a favorite. With 31 studio albums and 464 tracks released in his six-decade career, the selection is vast. We'll focus solely on his original compositions, excluding collaborations and covers. Some of Elton John 's standout tracks are.

10. I’m Still Standing (1983)

ALSO READ:   Why Tiffany Haddish Didn't Drink Alcohol at Elton John's Party? The Comedian Reveals to the Guests

I'm Still Standing is a timeless favorite. This upbeat pop song resonates with its charismatic vibe and uplifting message, often seen as an anthem for resilience in tough times. The iconic music video boosted its popularity, especially among younger American fans who were introduced to Elton John's music through MTV.

9. Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (1973)

Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) is an energetic anthem with early rock and roll influences, featuring strong guitar riffs and rock vocals that always get the crowd going. Bernie Taupin aimed for a classic American rock and roll sound, adding his British upbringing to enrich the song's storytelling. It stands as one of Elton's most iconic and frequently performed tracks.

8. Madman Across The Water (1971)

This six-minute song gives a vibe similar to progressive rock, featuring Rick Wakeman on Organ. This track stands out as one of Sir Elton’s darker and more dramatic tracks with a chilling string arrangement that would suit a scene from Psycho. The song is set in a psychiatric hospital on visiting day and is sung in character by Elton John, who declares himself a madman in the opening verse. He delivers his lines with intensity, especially in the second verse, where he contrasts descriptions of insanity with mundane observations like You better get your coat, dear, it looks like rain.

7. Bennie And The Jets (1973)

The opening chords of this song feature one of the most recognizable piano arrangements ever. It hooks listeners with catchy melodies and intriguing lyrics that tell a story. Elton and Bernie aimed for a futuristic rock and roll vibe in its creation. Despite Elton's initial hesitation to release it as a single, Bennie and The Jets quickly climbed to number one and remains one of his most beloved tracks.

6. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road (1973)

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road isn't just the title of Elton's acclaimed album; it's also the beloved title track. This emotional piano ballad, featuring impressive falsetto vocals, resonates with its message of returning to one's true self after losing sight of who you don't want to be. Drawing inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, the song received widespread praise from music critics and fans alike. As Elton embarks on his final tour, he concludes his shows with this poignant track, offering fans an emotional yet bittersweet farewell.

5. Rocket Man (1972)

Rocket Man has significantly influenced Elton John's career. The biopic featuring Taron Egerton, released in 2019, was titled Rocketman after this song. This title also became a nickname for Elton. The track, distinguished by space-like synthesized instrumentals, departed from his previous work. Its lyrics were inspired by Ray Bradbury's short story The Rocket Man, leading fans and analysts to interpret it as a metaphor for the isolation experienced by musicians like Elton John.

4. Tiny Dancer (1971)

Tiny Dancer initially faced challenges with its length, but it eventually became one of Elton John's most beloved hits. Starting with simple vocals and piano, it builds into a rich orchestral arrangement with impressive vocal performances. Its storytelling, musical tones, and catchy chorus made it a classic rock staple. Its use in the 2000 film Almost Famous further boosted its popularity, introducing it to a new generation of fans. Recently, its chorus was featured in a remixed song called Hold Me Closer, a collaboration between Elton John and Britney Spears, revitalizing its appeal.

3. Crocodile Rock (1972)

Crocodile Rock marked Elton's first U.S. number-one single. This upbeat pop-rock tune drew inspiration from the 50s and 60s, evoking nostalgia for listeners. Elton aimed to incorporate elements from his upbringing into this record, resulting in a captivating track with storytelling that quickly became a fan favorite. You can't help but dance and sing along whenever this song plays.

2. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (1974)

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me is a beautifully crafted song with captivating instrumentals and strong vocals that build throughout. The combination of lyrics and music evokes sadness and empowerment by the end. While the solo version succeeded, a live recording featuring Elton John and George Michael became a massive hit.

1. Your Song (1970)

When one thinks of Elton John, Your Song immediately comes to mind. It's not just the song that launched his career, but is also considered one of the greatest songs ever written. Its simplicity, heartfelt lyrics, and beautiful melody make it a timeless love ballad. Over the years, audiences have embraced it and influenced other musicians. Many artists, including Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga, and Ewan McGregor in the movie Moulin Rouge!, have covered it. Your Song also began a long-lasting collaboration between Elton and Bernie. Even 50 years later, this song remains universally cherished, played, and performed.

Elton John is the iconic British singer and five-time Grammy Award winner. His music journey is filled with many top chartbuster songs that everyone still loves listening to. Even though he's retiring from live shows soon, his music and legacy will endure forever. 

ALSO READ:   undefined

• Manage Account

Post Malone & Morgan Wallen’s ‘I Had Some Help’ Soars In at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Post Malone notches his sixth leader and Wallen adds his second.

By Gary Trust

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Comment

Post Malone ’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen , launches at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Post Malone achieves his sixth leader with the bitter breakup song and Wallen adds his second.

Notably, the track premieres with 76.4 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate, the top total for a song in a single week since chart calculations began including only official streaming content in September 2020. It surpasses Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight” – featuring Post Malone – which drew 76.2 million only three weeks earlier. Prior to the two songs, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” held the mark with 76.1 million in its first frame , as reflected on charts dated Jan. 23, 2021.

From Beyoncé to Post Malone, Why Is Everyone Going Country?

“I Had Some Help” arrives as the 1,172nd No. 1 in the Hot 100’s history, and the 80th to debut in the top spot . It concurrently blasts to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, where it’s established pop star Post Malone’s first leader and Wallen’s eighth.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated May 25, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, May 21. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard , data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Below is a rundown of the latest Hot 100’s top 10.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

“I Had Some Help,” on Mercury/Republic/Big Loud, enters the Hot 100 with 76.4 million official streams, 31.1 million radio airplay audience impressions and 69,000 sold in the U.S. in the week ending May 16, following its wide release May 10 . First sent to radio May 9, it drew 15.9 in airplay audience that day.

Helping build anticipation for the song, Post Malone teased it on social media on March 20, and he and Wallen debuted it in concert during Wallen’s April 28 headlining spot at the Stagecoach festival in Indio, Calif. Following its release, Post Malone performed it last Thursday (May 16) at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas.

Post Malone’s Sixth Hot 100 No. 1, Wallen’s Second

With “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone earns his sixth Hot 100 No. 1 – and second No. 1 debut, following “Fortnight,” and his first No. 1 debut as a lead artist. Here’s a rundown of his leaders (as he ties Ariana Grande and Kendrick Lamar as the only acts with two No. 1s each this year):

• “I Had Some Help,” feat. Morgan Wallen, one week at No. 1 to date, May 25, 2024
• “Fortnight,” Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone, two weeks, beginning May 4, 2024
• “Circles,” three weeks, beginning Nov. 30, 2019
• “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse),” with Swae Lee, one week, Jan. 19, 2019
• “Psycho,” feat. Ty Dolla $ign, one week, June 16, 2018
• “Rockstar,” feat. 21 Savage, eight weeks, beginning Oct. 28, 2017

With two No. 1 Hot 100 debuts, “Fortnight” and “I Had Some Help,” in a four-week span, Post Malone has achieved the feat the fastest among male artists. Overall, only Ariana Grande has notched chart-topping entrances more quickly: “Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, on the May 23, 2020-dated chart, and “Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, two weeks later, on the June 6 tally.

Wallen claims his second Hot 100 No. 1, and first chart-topping debut, after “Last Night” dominated for 16 weeks , nonconsecutively, in March-August 2023 – the most atop the Hot 100 ever for a song by one credited act. It went on to rule the year-end Hot 100 Songs recap .

No. 1 in Streams & Sales

“I Had Some Help” likewise begins at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales charts. Post Malone tops the respective charts for a fourth and six time. Wallen ups his totals to two and six leaders, respectively.

“I Had Some Help” also charges 36-15 on the Radio Songs chart. As previously reported , it hikes 18-9 on Country Airplay, becoming the first song to reach the top 10 in two or fewer weeks since Garth Brooks’ “More Than a Memory” in September 2007. It additionally ranks at No. 20 on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay.

Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs No. 1s

“I Had Some Help” is the 27th hit to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, dating to 1958, when the Hot 100 originated and Hot Country Songs became the country genre’s singular Billboard chart. It’s the second of 2024, after four such songs topped the Hot 100 in 2023, the most in a year since 1975. It’s also the first such song by two billed male artists.

Meanwhile, Wallen ties Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift each with a record two such double-ups.

Songs to Have Hit No. 1 on Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

• “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, 2024
• “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé, 2024
• “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, 2023
• “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Oliver Anthony Music, 2023
• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
• “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
• “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
• “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
• “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
• “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
• “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
• “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
• “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
• “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
• “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
• “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
• “I Can Help,” Billy Swan, 1974
• “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
• “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
• “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Jeannie C. Riley, 1968
• “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

‘Help’-ful Information

“I Had Some Help” is the sixth Hot 100 No. 1 with the word “help” in its title, and the first in over 30 years. Three such leaders reigned in 1965, capped by The Beatles, who had a little help from their friends the Four Tops and The Beach Boys in the category that year.

• “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, one week at No. 1 to date, May 25, 2024
• “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40, seven weeks, beginning July 24, 1993
• “I Can Help,” Billy Swan, two weeks, beginning Nov. 23, 1974
• “Help!,” The Beatles, three weeks, beginning Sept. 4, 1965
• “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” Four Tops, two weeks, beginning June 19, 1965
• “Help Me, Rhonda,” The Beach Boys, two weeks, beginning May 29, 1965

‘Not Like Us’ Down, But Up

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dips to No. 2 a week after bounding in at No. 1 on the Hot 100, although with a 2% gain from 70.9 million streams to 72 million. Notably, the song boasts the two highest streaming weeks among R&B/hip-hop titles (defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard ’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart) since chart calculations began including only official streaming content in September 2020.

What Will the Commercial Success of ‘Not Like Us’ Mean for Kendrick Lamar’s Career…

The track is also up by 146% to 12.4 million in radio audience, good for the Hot 100’s top Airplay Gainer award.

“Not Like Us” concurrently logs a second week atop the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.

Richman Leads Rest of Top 10

Tommy Richman’s first Hot 100 hit, “Million Dollar Baby,” backtracks to No. 3 from its No. 2 Hot 100 high, but takes top Streaming and Sales Gainer honors (66.3 million streams, up 14%; 7,000 sold, up 17%). It leads the multimetric Hot R&B Songs chart for a third week.

Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” rises 5-4 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 3; Benson Boone’s No. 2-peaking “Beautiful Things” rebounds 9-5; and Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” which led for a week in March, pushes 10-6, as it tops Radio Songs for a sixth week (73.8 million in audience, up 1%).

Taylor Swift Spends a Month at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ‘The Tortured Poets Department…

Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That,” which spent its first three weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 1 in April, drops 6-7 and Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, falls 4-8, after spending its first two weeks on the chart at No. 1 beginning three weeks ago. (With “I Had Some Help” and “Fortnight,” Post Malone has multiple songs in the top 10 simultaneously for the first time since the chart dated Oct. 12, 2019.)

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” slides 8-9 after hitting No. 4 and Hozier’s “Too Sweet” ascends 11-10, four weeks after it hit No. 1, as it adds an eighth week each atop the multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs , Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts.

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
• 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.

The Glam Band, Copper Box and Wisco Kidz among big winners at Sunday's WAMI Awards in Ashwaubenon; Garbage inducted into Hall of Fame

ASHWAUBENON - The Wisconsin Area Music Industry packed a year’s worth of celebration of the state’s music scene into a ceremony just shy of four hours on Sunday night at the EPIC Event Center .

It was the first time in the WAMI Awards’ 42-year history that the honors were done in Green Bay, and local talent took home wins in some of the top categories.

Perhaps no table was having more fun all night than that of The Glam Band. The Green Bay/Fox Valley group’s wildly successful take on all things ’80s hair metal not only earned it Tribute Act of the Year, but the band sent a parade of members in their wigs and spandex up to the podium to collect individual awards.

Dennis Peters won Male Vocalist of the Year as lead singer Dennis Lee Roth, Eric Johnson (aka Skitch Rockett) won Drummer of the Year, and Christopher Larson (aka Randi Schenker) won Electric Guitar Player of the Year.

“After bar at my house!” Peters told the crowd.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Album of the Year went to De Pere singer-songwriter Kurt Gunn for “Winter.”

“I’ve always said the most important band member you ever have is your spouse,” Gunn said, as he thanked his wife for allowing him to be a musician for 25 years.

Green Bay-area rock band The Coves snagged Rising Star of the Year.

Rap Performer of the Year is Wisco Kidz, the Green Bay hip-hop group of Wisco YD and Wisco Kyrie, who followed up their 2017 Green Bay Packers hype song “Run the Table” by paying homage to Jordan Love during last season’s playoff run with “Believe in 10ove.”

Kelly Klaus, a guitar player in Green Bay for decades and currently a member of Journey tribute band Separate Ways, won Live Sound Engineer of the Year, but the audience had to forgive him for not being able to make it onstage to accept — he was busy mixing sound for the awards ceremony. Emcee Frank Hermans accepted on his behalf and later delivered the award to him at the boards.

Artist of the Year went to Oshkosh-based band Copper Box. Green Bay duo 7000apart won for Pop Song for "Runaway," and Trash Pandas, with members from Green Bay and the Fox Cities, won Hard Rock Performer of the Year.

Longtime area favorite Nashville Pipeline won Country Performer of the Year, its first WAMI since 2011. Dani Crow took home Female Vocalist of the Year. No Can Do was awarded New Artist of the Year.

The full list of winners is available at wami.org .

Hall of Fame inductees Garbage checked in via video with a 'Go Pack Go'

Garbage, Todd “Speech” Thomas of Arrested Development and The Fendermen were inducted into a WAMI Hall of Fame that includes such big names as Les Paul, Al Jarreau, Violent Femmes, Liberace and The BoDeans.

Garbage accepted via a prerecorded video message from Los Angeles, near their studio, where drummer and producer Butch Vig said the rock band is recording its eighth album.

“We wish were there. Thank you so much. This means a lot to us, everybody,” Vig said, before wrapping with a “Go Pack Go” and raising a glass along with his bandmates.

During his induction speech, Thomas said it had been 32 years since Arrested Development won its first WAMI Awards in 1992. He thanked his parents — his mother for encouraging his musical passion by buying him equipment as a kid and his late father, whose nightclub on Capitol Drive in Milwaukee was a place where a young Thomas would immerse himself in the power of music by watching people dance.

He also talked about writing “People Everyday” in Milwaukee and then sang a bit of it, asking the crowd to join him in the chorus.

The Fendermen’s Jim Sundquist and Phil Humphrey, who rose to fame in the 1950s with their cover of “Mule Skinner Blues,” are both deceased. Jim Sundquist Jr. thanked the crowd for their induction.

The late Randy Bowles of De Pere was added to the WAMI Wall of Honor during the ceremony. Bowles co-founded Bananas Entertainment with Lance Shellman in 2002. The live talent agency books approximately 175 bands across northeastern Wisconsin for bars, weddings, festivals and other events. Bowles was known for his love of music, especially The Beatles, and his kindness in the business . He died of cancer in July 2022 at age 67.

Rhythm Chicken, Fun w/Atoms, Supertramp Tribute performed

Nine acts performed during the evening, but only the longtime Wisconsin punk eccentricity that is the Rhythm Chicken did it from behind the drums while wearing a giant rabbit head. The mystery musician showed up twice, with no introduction, to play out amongst the crowd.

Fun w/Atoms, one of Green Bay's most enduring and respected bands, took the stage for two songs after being introduced by promoter Tom Smith, who said the first time he saw the group he was parking cars for his church at the Brown County Fair. Hermans said he remembered sneaking into Lefty's bar in the '80s to see them. Had Vig been there in person, the band could have reminisced about recording their debut album at his Smart Studios in Madison in 1983.

Milwaukee's Social Cig and The Supertramp Tribute's cover of "Goodbye Stranger" (playing Oct. 18 at the Meyer Theatre in Green Bay) also delivered big jolts of energy in between the long list of awards.

Janet Planet and John Harmon were among the presenters

Several WAMI Hall of Fame inductees were among the night’s presenters, including Fox Valley jazz great John Harmon, founder of Matrix, the 1970s Appleton jazz fusion group Matrix in the 1970s.

Sigmund Snopek III, a 2015 inductee, introduced himself to the audience as one of the few artists who can say he has played Carnegie Hall and a bowling alley in the same month.

Vocalist Janet Planet found herself reading her own name — “some girl named Janet Planet” — for the nominees of Music Teacher of the Year. When Hermans introduced her as a presenter, he recalled the days of booking her at Purcell’s Lounge in the former Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

Garbage made a return appearance to present Percussionist of the Year by video, with each of the nominees’ names written on cocktail glasses raised by the band.

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or [email protected] . Follow her on X @KendraMeinert .