Congrats to Journey.
It may not be a record, but being active from 1973 to today, albeit with a seven-year hiatus starting in 1987 and with various members, is not something everyone can do.
But what was the band's most successful period?
I know, it's easy to answer a question like this on a blog titled 80s and Around.
But let me answer with my head held high and with all due respect: drum roll... the '80s! 😉
At that time, the band consisted of guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboardist Gregg Rolie (later replaced by Jonathan Cain), drummer Steve Smith, and singer Steve Perry.
The first album of the decade dates back to 1980.
It was Departure, released on March 23rd, which brought Journey into the US top ten for the first time.
On Departure, the keyboardist was still Gregg Rolie, who had also been the band's singer in the very early years.
The album's lead single? Any Way You Want It, a song with a perfect '80s American pop-rock sound. You'll find all the trivia about the song in this post: Journey Enter the 80s with Any Way You Want It.
At the end of the year, the band released Dream, After Dream. Some might be wondering why they missed it, and the answer is that it was the soundtrack to the Japanese fantasy film Yume, Yume No Ato. It's still the band's work, so if you're looking for a slightly different version of Journey, give it a listen.
On January 30, 1981, a live album, Captured, was released, complete with a dedication to Bon Scott, the AC/DC singer who had passed away the previous year.
Meanwhile, the band was working on Escape, their seventh studio album, which was released in July.
In addition to topping the US album charts, Escape also had three top-ten singles: Don't Stop Believin', Who's Crying Now e Open Arms.
Escape is the first album to feature Jonathan Cain on keyboards.
Two years later, it was the turn of Frontiers, another super album that peaked at number two.
The singles from the album were: After the Fall, Send Her My Love, Faithfully, and Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).
Separate Ways (World Apart) is one of my most listened-to songs from the '80s. It was used in the mpvies Yes Man with Jim Carrey and Tron: Legacy, and in the fourth season of the TV series (set in the 80s) Stranger Things. There's also a cover version—which I listen to a lot—by Daughtry featuring Lzzy Hale (lead singer of Halestorm, one of my favorite bands).
I wrote a post about that song, including interesting facts about it, such as the issues surrounding the official video. You can read the story here: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart): When the Video Doesn't Make the Song.
The next album, Raised on Radio, came out in 1986 and brought the band's problems to light. Ross Valory and Steve Smith had been replaced due to serious disagreements between the band members. Steve Perry also left the group immediately after the end of that year's tour, refusing to participate in the dates his manager wanted to schedule for the following year.
And so, in 1987, Journey took a break that lasted until 1995.
The group has released six more studio albums (the latest being in 2022), so you can binge on their songs. There's no denying, however, that if you're craving Journey, the best thing to do is dive headfirst into their '80s discography.
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