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Journey’s 10 Best Songs

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

By Gary Graff

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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)

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)

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.

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The legendary rock band journey celebrating the 50th anniversary freedom tour 2023.

October 17, 2022 – One of the most legendary rock bands of all time, JOURNEY, announces the continuation of their highly successful tour with the 50th Anniversary Celebration Freedom Tour 2023 featuring, very special guest TOTO. JOURNEY , Diamond-selling Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage in 38 cities across North America with their catalog of global chart-topping hits, including "Don't Stop Believin”, "Any Way You Want It", "Faithfully", "Lights" and more.

Presented by AEG Presents, JOURNEY Freedom Tour 2023 begins February 4 in Allentown, PA – making stops in Austin, Montreal, Memphis and more – before wrapping April 25 at the brand new Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA. The 2023 run includes rescheduled dates in Washington DC, Hartford, Toronto and Quebec that were postponed earlier this year due to covid.

Citi is the official card of the JOURNEY 50th ANNIVERSARY Freedom Tour 2023. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets for theU.S. dates beginning Tuesday, October 18th at 10am local time until Thursday, October 20th at 10pm local time through Citi Entertainment (excluding Canada, Washington DC and Hartford shows). For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. A limited number of exclusive VIP Packages are also available. These exceptional offers can include an amazing selection of reserved seated tickets, custom merchandise and much more.

Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, October 21 at 10am local time HERE

JOURNEY features Founder,Neal Schon (lead guitarist, ), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals) Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), and Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass). Neal Schon, 3x Hall of Fame inductee: Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame. Jon Cain is a recipient of two BMI songwriter awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey.

Neal Schon: “We are all thankful and overwhelmed by the success of our Journey Freedom Tour 2022 this year and have added a new run of dates for 2023” says JOURNEY Founder Neal Schon. “We are looking forward to hitting the road again with our very good friends Toto! Come join us for a special evening full of fun and Rockin’ good memories. See you soon Friends.”

Jonathan Cain adds “Excited to perform for our fans as we tour next year with Toto. The combined hits of both bands represent a couple of decades of excellence that have become a soundtrack for people’s lives. The music of Journey along with the music of Toto is an example of “certain music” during “uncertain times”.

Very special guest TOTO, who have collectively streamed more than 3.3 billion plays on Spotify alone based on hits including “Rosanna”, “Africa” and “Hold the Line”, will join JOURNEY on all dates.

TOTO’s Steve Lukather shares, “'On behalf of myself and the band, we are very honored and excited to do this tour with our old and dear friends JOURNEY. Gonna be a great night of music, and as all the guys are lifelong friends... a blast off stage as well.”

FREEDOM TOUR 2023 DATES

February 4 Allentown, PA PPL Center

February 5 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena

February 8 Savannah, GA Enmarket Arena

February 10 Columbia, SC Colonial Life Arena

February 11 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

February 14 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena

February 17 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena

February 19 Bossier City, LA Brookshire Grocery Arena

February 22 Austin, TX Moody Center

February 23 Lafayette, LA Cajundome

February 26 Jacksonville, FL Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena

March 1* Washington, DC Capital One Arena

March 3 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center

March 4* Hartford, CT XL Center

March 8 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

March 9* Quebec, QC Videotron Centre

March 12* Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

March 13 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre

March 16 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center

March 17 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall

March 20 Champaign, IL State Farm Center

March 21 Moline, IL Vibrant Arena at The MARK

March 24 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

March 25 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena

March 28 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena

March 31 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

April 1 Memphis, TN FedExForum

April 4 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center

April 7 Springfield, MO Great Southern Bank Arena

April 8 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena

April 11 Casper, WY Ford Wyoming Center

April 13 Boise, ID ExtraMile Arena

April 14 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena

April 17 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Arena

April 19 Stockton, CA Stockton Arena

April 22 Bakersfield, CA Mechanics Bank Arena

April 23 Fresno, CA SaveMart Center

April 25 Palm Springs, CA Acrisure Arena

*Rescheduled date. ON SALE NOW.

ABOUT JOURNEY

Since the group's formation in 1973, JOURNEY has earned 19 top 40 singles, 25 gold and platinum albums, and has sold over 100 million albums globally. Their "Greatest Hits" album is certified 15 times-platinum, making JOURNEY one of the few bands to ever have been diamond-certified, and their song "Don't Stop Believin'" has been streamed over one billion times alone.

JOURNEY was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017, and 2018's co-headlining tour with DEF LEPPARD was the band's most successful tour to date, landing them in the Top 10 year-end touring chart with more than 1 million tickets sold, and earning them the prestigious Billboard "Legends Of Live" touring award. March 2019 saw the release of "Escape & Frontiers Live In Japan", a live DVD/CD set from their concert at the Budokan in Tokyo featuring the band's first-ever performances of the albums "Escape" and "Frontiers" in their entirety. JOURNEY has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and were inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall Of Fame. Additionally, the band is the subject of the award-winning documentary "Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey" about the band's resurgence upon adding Arnel Pineda as lead singer after JOURNEY Founder, Neal Schon discovered the Philippines native on YouTube.

The members of TOTO are celebrating an accomplishment few bands have achieved in the modern era. Cumulative streams of the ensemble’s repertoire

now exceed 3 billion plays. Amongst the most listened to recordings, “Africa” accounts for over one billion streams at Spotify alone. This year the song was recertified by the RIAA 8X Platinum.

Over the past decade, the band has had a major renaissance in popularity like few bands at this point in their career. The audience is truly multi-generational, becoming younger with each passing year. Joining Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams are band members bassist John Pierce (Huey Lewis and The News), drummer Robert “Sput” Searight (Ghost-Note, Founding member Snarky Puppy, Snoop Dogg), keyboardist Dominique “Xavier” Taplin (Prince, Ghost-Note), multi-instrumentalist / vocalist Warren Ham (Ringo Starr) and keyboardist / background vocalist Steve Maggiora,. This line-up marks the fifteenth incarnation of Toto in consideration of band members or sidemen who joined or exited. Individually and collectively, few have had a larger imprint on pop culture than the members of TOTO. The family tree can be heard on an astonishing 5000 albums that together amass a sales history of a half a billion albums. Amongst these recordings, NARAS applauded the performances with hundreds of Grammy nominations.

With now 45+ years together and literally thousands of credits, including the biggest selling album of all time: Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and accolades to their names, TOTO remains one of the top selling touring and recording acts in the world. They are the benchmark by which many artists base their sound and production, and they continue to transcend the standards set by the entire music community, being simply synonymous with musical credibility. They are pop culture and are one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles continuing to remain relevant.

About AEG Presents

Combining the power of the live event with a focus on true artist development, AEG Presents is a world leader in the music and entertainment industries. Operating across five continents, the company has an unparalleled commitment to artistry, creativity, and community. Its tentpole festivals and multi-day music events — which include the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and the legendary New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival alongside British Summer Time at Hyde Park, Stagecoach, Hangout Festival, Electric Forest, and Firefly — continue to set the bar for the live music experience. AEG Presents promotes global tours for artists such as The Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Kenny Chesney, Paul McCartney, and Katy Perry, in addition to — through its network of clubs, theatres, arenas, stadiums and renowned partner brands such as The Bowery Presents, Concerts West, Frontier Touring, Goldenvoice, Madison House Presents, Marshall Arts,

Messina Touring Group, PromoWest Productions, and Zero Mile Presents — creating and developing an unmatched infrastructure for artist development and audience reach. More information can be found at www.aegpresents.com.

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Rock Band 4 Review

Coming out of the dark..

That Old Familiar Feeling

Songs to sing, take the tour.

The track list that comes on the Rock Band 4 disc is a little light on memorable songs, but thanks to admirable backward compatibility with a huge DLC catalog, Rock Band 4 remains every bit the magical cooperative gaming experience the series has always been. Getting a band together in the living room to rock out creates some incredible moments of musical joy. On top of that, a new career mode injects some fun personality and decision-making, while solos let you express yourself mid-song without penalty. Rock Band still fulfills its potential to make me feel like a superstar musician and, like 65-year-old Bruce Springsteen still doing killer three-hour shows , proves that it’s still got “it.”

In This Article

More Reviews by Ryan McCaffrey

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JOURNEY - New Book "Livin' Just To Find Emotion: Journey And The Story Of American Rock" Available In February

December 6, 2023, 4 months ago

news classic rock journey

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers has announced the February 6, 2024 release of the new book, Livin' Just To Find Emotion: Journey And The Story Of American Rock, by David Hamilton Golland, and featuring a foreword by Joel Selvin

Description:

Relive Journey’s greatest songs and moments with this fiftieth anniversary tribute.

Since exploding on the scene in the late 1970s, Journey has inspired generations of fans with hit after hit. But hidden under this rock ‘n’ roll glory is a complex story of ambition, larger-than-life personalities, and clashes. David Hamilton Golland unearths the band’s true and complete biography, based on over a decade of interviews and thousands of sources.

When Steve Perry joined jazz-blues progressive rock band Journey in 1977, they saw a rise to the top, and their 1981 album Escape hit #1. But Perry’s quest for control led to Journey’s demise. They lost their record contract and much of their audience. After the unlikely comeback of “Don’t Stop Believin’” in movies, television, and sports stadiums, a new generation discovered Journey.

A professional historian, Golland dispels rehashed myths and also shows how race in popular music contributed to their breakout success. As the economy collapsed and as people abandoned the spirit of Woodstock in the late 70s, Journey used the rhythm of soul and Motown to inspire hope in primarily white teenagers’ lives. Decades later, the band and their signature song remain classics, and now, with singer Arnel Pineda, they are again a fixture in major stadiums worldwide.

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"Don't Stop Believing" - Journey

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This is only available to owners of the Xbox 360 version. Add "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey to your Rock Band™ 4 song library. Compatible with Rock Band™ 4 only. For music credits, visit www.rockband.com.

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Journey: Infinity - Album Of The Week Club review

It's 1978. journey are going nowhere, but they have a plan. his name is steve perry, and infinity is the result.

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.

1. Lights 2. Feeling That Way 3. Anytime 4. La Do Da 5. Patiently 6. Wheel In The Sky 7. Somethin' To Hide 8. Winds Of March 9. Can Do 10. Opened The Door

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.

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Every week, Album of the Week Club listens to and discusses the album in question, votes on how good it is, and publishes our findings, with the aim of giving people reliable reviews and the wider rock community the chance to contribute. 

Join the group now .

It’s impossible to talk about Journey without the towering presence of their manager Herbie Herbert, a bear of a man with a personality and reputation that, at times, has almost seemed to eclipse (pun intended) the band. 

Think Peter Grant, if he weren’t quite so intimidating and wasn’t surrounded by henchmen with fists at the ready. Herbie loved music and loved Journey. He dedicated his life to their needs and to the advancement of their career. He had a vision and nobody was gonna fuck with it, and recruiting a vocalist to the group was paramount to his plan. 

In Steve Perry, Herbert had found the proverbial needle in the haystack – a vocalist with unlimited range, unique delivery and looks that killed. The consummate frontman, in fact. There is every reason to believe that Perry singlehandedly rescued Journey from interminable underachievement. 

Other albums released in January 1968

• White Hot - Angel
• Excitable Boy - Warren Zevon
• City to City - Gerry Rafferty
• White Music - XTC
• Attention Shoppers! - Starz
• Double Live Gonzo! - Ted Nugent
• Endless Wire - Gordon Lightfoot
• I'm Ready - Muddy Waters
• Level Headed - Sweet
• The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu
• Open Fire - Ronnie Montrose

What they said...

"The problem with this album is that the variation was left behind from the previous albums in favour of a more straightforward, crowd-pleasing album. Any jazz-laden roots are being left behind for pop-rock, and somehow the members who have appeared in albums of talent and quality have agreed to change." ( Sputnik Music )

"Dead and buried were the jazz fusion overtones of previous offerings, and with the new songwriting combo of Perry/Neal Schon leading the march, the band set out to completely redefine their sound. Traditional pop arrangements were now adopted, cutting out the unnecessary musical fat, and allowing each band member to play to his strength ( AllMusic )

"There isn't a whole lot of diversity on this album – or the rest of Journey's career for that matter. They would only really know two modes: Fast arena-rockers and melodramatic ballads. For that reason, Journey's discography becomes somewhat tiresome to sit through. But, at least on this album, no matter what mode they're in, they always manage to find a vocal hook or an instrumental texture to engage my ears." ( Don Ignacio )

What you said...

James Doughty: It's difficult to overstate the effect Steve Perry's joining had on Journey. Not just with respect to his singing, but also with the effect the presence of a singer had on the rest of the band. They were admittedly reluctant towards him, and were it not for the insistence of manager Herbie Herbert they would have retained Robert Fleischmann, or recruited someone else. 

But with Infinity Perry proved he was the only choice. His songwriting ability completely redirected the style of the band from fusion noodlers to song stylists. The jump in quality to Infinity from the previous album Next is so pronounced there could have been three in between. 

The band's new direction so suited them that they were playing better than ever. Even Rolie's singing was vastly improved in his efforts to keep up with Perry. The other members of Journey were already virtuosos. Now they had a singer who was as good as they were. Wheel in the Sky became their first legitimate hit, and more than half the tracks on the album remain classic rock radio staples to this day. Journey would experience more creative peaks during Perry's tenure, notably with the Escape album, but Infinity is where they proved they belonged in the big leagues.

Jacob Tannehill: The magic of this album to those who were not familiar with the fact that this was Perry’s first album with them, is that it sounds like a “seasoned” band, and Perry sounds like he’d been in the band longer than this though they hadn’t. 

Once I found out that this was his first album with them I immediately checked out the earlier albums, and needless to say I was disappointed. From this album on, this is the Journey I know and love. Really no clunkers on this at all!

Gary Villapiano: This is one of the finest albums ever made - for myriad reasons. We all fell in love with Steve's voice immediately... and Roy Thomas Baker's production captured all those harmonies perfectly. 

Still, the way Greg and Steve shared lead vocals remains gripping. I must also say this album captured Neil's superb guitar playing (before he got into his manic overplaying that dominates his style now).

I still blast this regularly - because it deserves it. I think it's their best.

Graham Tarry: I had, and loved, their three albums prior to this, but buying it at the time it was like a breath of fresh air. Great songs, superb production; just wonderful stuff, overshadowed by the later AOR success, this is a classic slice of US Rock.

Andrew McCourt: The ending of Feeling That Way connects perfectly with the start of Anytime . So much so that my local rock radio station used to play them back-to-back. And the vocal interplay between Rolie and Perry was a great way to introduce Perry's voice to fans.

Michael Anderson: The make or break album for Journey. Have always loved the combined songs of Feeling That Way and Anytime , and how Perry and Rollie intertwine their vocals. Fun fact: Journey started recording this record with a different lead singer – Robery Fleischman. He's a credited writer of Wheel In The Sky . You can listen to his demo of that song on YouTube. The Steve Perry version turned out much better!

Martin Millar I'm 55 seconds in and I already hate it. EDIT: Now on the second song and I'm bailing out. This is rock music minus the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.

Emiel Lange: What an amazing album. I first heard Journey on their Escape album. Loved it so much I immediately dove into their back catalogue. This one still stands out. Maybe even better than Escape or Frontiers .

Bill Griffin: Journey had become my favourite band (and a local one too) with the release of Next , the previous album. I managed to see them on the ensuing tour without any of the new singers that were being floated out there at various shows.

As a result, I really was not happy with the new direction and I think Baker's production is terrible (odd because I love his work with Queen) but I couldn't deny the appeal of the new songs, they just weren't Journey as I knew them.

Somethin' To Hide and Winds Of March recall the first three albums and are my favourites from the album. I also hate when a record company forces a change on a band; Columbia knew what they were getting when they signed them. That was another bone of contention; Rush got the same pressure from their label, basically told them to piss off (as politely as possible, being Canadians) and made the record they wanted to make knowing full well it might be their last. Journey caved.

The other thing that made me dislike this direction was for about three years, it seemed as if they were the headliner for every concert I went to. I really got tired of seeing them (though they played Nickle & Dime on the Infinity tour which I don't remember them playing on the Next tour. What an incredible instrumental.)

Pete Mineau: I remember discovering the first three Journey albums after I found out the band was comprised of Santana and Zappa alumni. I liked the jazzy, fusiony jamming of those early albums.

Just out of high school in 1977, I joined the navy. As luck would have it, I got stationed in California. Coming from a desolate part of the Midwest, I was in awe of the L.A. radio stations! In early 1978, Journey's Infinity was being played all over the place out there! It had a different sound and feel than their earlier releases. I found it more in the vein of REO Speedwagon, Styx and/or Foreigner who were also quite popular at the time. I immediately went out and bought the 8-track tape version of it.

I was sad when I found out that Ansley Dunbar was fired later that year after Infinity came out, but I continued to follow Journey through their next few releases. I was disappointed when founding member Gregg Rollie left the band, but happy to find that his replacement was Jonathan Cain, as I was a fan of The Babys.

After 1981's Escape I pretty much gave up on Journey. I found them leaning on ballads too much and I was getting into a lot of New Wave music that was popular at the time.

But back to Infinity, it's a good album that brings back a lot of memories. I always thought La Do Da should have been released as an A-side single rather than the B-side to Anytime . ( Feeling That Way and Anytime should have been released as a double sided single, in my opinion.) The album has a pretty nice flow to it, but I find the last four songs on it forgettable. Over all, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 rating.

John Edgar: Although the first three albums will always represent my favourite version of Journey, this particular album ended up being something special. With this album, Journey truly transformed into a different band. 

The first three albums along with this featured album and Evolution , to me, represent the best of Journey. I was never a big fan of the even more pop-flavoured hit machine that they later became. I have a bootleg of a very early performance with Steve Perry that truly indicates how unsure the band was, in regard to Perry's involvement. 

The first three quarters of the show features only songs from the first three releases, then Perry is introduced and the band performs about three or four songs from the Infinity album. Even the crowd seems a bit unenthused with the songs that involve Perry. This lack of affinity from the audience, for Perry, is a true indicator that Infinity was the first Journey music that had ever been heard by the public at large. I've spoken to many people, over the years, who thought Infinity was the first Journey album

Jochen Scholl: This album is unique in style and Sound. I love the prog elements and the steaming guitar work e.g. in Winds Of March and even in balladesque songs like Patiently or Lights . Wheel in the Sky is among the jewels of the decade . I don't like to compare it with the more successful era after Jonathan Cain joined (it's great in its own right) but in my eyes Infinity is the defining Journey album!

Jonathan Novajosky: Sometimes I think Journey doesn't get enough respect as being a great rock band. Sure, we're all tired of hearing Don't Stop Believin' and Open Arms , but they really have some great deep cuts across many albums. Infinity is a great example; and while it isn't the juggernaut that Escape is or as great start to finish as Evolution , it still stands as one of their best albums. 

The two big songs, Lights and Wheel in the Sky are classics despite being overplayed. The real standouts to me are Feeling That Way and Anytime . I love the perfect contrast of Steve Perry and Gregg Rolie on F eeling That Way , with their different pitched vocals.

Most of the songs are incredibly catchy too, which can be expected from a Journey album. La Do Da is another deep cut that doesn't get much love. Patiently is a solid ballad, but definitely not one of their best (I prefer some of their others like Still They Ride and Faithfully ). A few of the last tracks aren't too special, but are by no means throwaways, making Infinity a mostly solid album throughout. 

Journey would only get better from here, releasing their two best albums in Evolution and Escape . But on its own before those two were released, I'm sure Infinity really blew listeners away every time and Anytime . 8.5/10

Mike Knoop: I bought Infinity as a teen sometime after Journey’s Escape went supernova. This album seemed a pretty safe bet given there were at least four major FM radio hits on it. I remember not liking it all that much back then; too many ballads, still too much a whiff of patchouli and flower power. Time has not changed my opinion all that much: Patiently and Winds Of Change both pick up in the second half, but you have to endure a whole lotta mope first. I tend to reach for the skip button when Can Do or Opened The Door start up.

But when Infinity’s good, it’s really good. Something to Hide is a hidden gem among their bounty of ballads and a dazzling showcase for Steve Perry. He had one of the best singing voices in rock, powerful and malleable, yet at the same time, not the slightest hint of threat to it. Like your big brother who always willingly let you tag along, not like the scary stoner brother. 

La Do Da is one of Journey's harder rockers and really brings all the best elements of the band together. Of the hits, Lights has aged the best, Wheel in the Sky the worst - too much pseudo mystical wordplay. The two songs sung with Gregg Rolie make me feel a little wistful for the way their two voices played off of each other.

Future keyboardist Jonathan Cain was a hit-writing machine, but I always had a soft spot for Rolie. I mean, the guy played with Santana for crying out loud. Same with Schon, who seemed to be everywhere in the 80s and early 90s. Not just Journey, but his supergroups HSAS (Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve) and Bad English, early MTV hit and power chord extravaganza No More Lies from his collaboration with Jan “ Miami Vice ” Hammer (where Schon sings lead!), all the way to the hair band come lately Hardline and Hot Cherie . Any of his projects were always good for at least one solid hit. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar was no slouch either, with a discography longer than a gorilla’s arm.

Of all the commercial rock bands coming out of the 70s and 80s, Journey was perhaps the hardest to hate. And when things clicked – and for about half a decade they really clicked – they were pretty easy to love.

John Davidson: OK. I didn't hate this and I frankly expected to.

The album starts with Lights , which sees Journey sounding like a white – almost barber shop – soul band enhanced with some guitar solos. I almost didn't get past this.

Feeling That Way starts like a second rate Elton John song, but Perry's vocals actually lift this one a little . The transition to Anytime is cheesy, though the song itself is a decent enough mid-paced Joe Walsh/Bob Seger type song . It doesn't really go anywhere but it doesn't offend.

La Do Da picks up the pace and would make an excellent instrumental. Patiently is a power ballad, but without the power. It has a decent instrumental section in the middle but is otherwise pretty forgettable. Wheel in the Sky has a better vibe, slightly scuffed up rather than super slick it has that dusty western vibe (albeit a Hollywood recreation rather than the wide open plains of Wyoming)

Something To Hide has little to offer; another mid paced rocker that sounds like a hundred other songs. Winds Of Change is another ballad with a rockier instrumental section that lifts it out of well deserved obscurity. Can Do is a lightweight party rocker of the kind Boston perfected, though not a dance floor filler .

Opened The Door closes the album. Musically it's pretty decent. The guitar work is interesting and the song structure works pretty well, but the vocals once again do nothing for me.

Neil Schon is undoubtedly a fine guitarist and there are some really good musical sections, but overall the songs lack much in the way of zip – rarely moving away from a mid-paced sway rather than a foot stomping rock. Perry is a large part of the problem. His voice dominates most of the songs, but it just doesn't work for me.

I can't help but wonder what Journey would have sounded like with a throaty Dan McAfferty-type singer who would have counterpointed the slick guitars and soulless songs with some genuine emotional heft. The rest of the band seem pretty average - the drums, bass and keyboards are thoroughly middle of the road. 

In fairness, I didn't hate this album. It isn't quite as slick and soulless as I feared but it skirts pretty close. If I want slick American rock I'd pick Boston.

Shane Reho: Let me begin by saying that I usually am one of the last to recommend anything by Journey that isn't their first album (great album, could've used a better mixing job, though). However, this album has very few weaknesses, which makes me question whether radio overkill has put me off or whether it's just the stuff after Rolie left that I can't touch. 

Luckily, radio hasn't beat this album to death. Sure, Lights and Wheel In The Sky get played a lot, but as much as Don't Stop Believin' or any of those crappy Jonathan Cain power ballads? Thankfully no. Can Do is the only song here I would say stands out for the wrong reasons, it doesn't do much and sounds like it was put on to add a couple minutes to the album. 

That aside, the rest of the album works, and it's easy to see why it made them big. The songs are great, so are the performances, especially the harmonies on Feeling That Way/Anytime and Neal Schon's guitar work on Winds of March . Overall, it isn't perfect, but it's damn good. 9/10.

Darren Burris: Great album! Feeling That Way and Anytime are just incredible! The way Steve and Greggs voices blend together is awesome! Luv all the songs when those two trade off on vocals. 

Carl Black: I've given this three spins this week and one thing still amazes me about this album, and all the other albums of this ilk (Boston, Survivor et Al) is now do they get a crunchy, guitar sound to end up sounding as light as a feather. La Do Da is a classic example. 

The album got better as it went along but apart from the above observation, nothing really leapt out and grabbed me. One improvement from Don't Stop Believing was the drumming. In the aforementioned song I always thought the drumming was overly complicated and bitty. This album has none of that. Different drummer perhaps? Doesn't really. Another very middle of the road for me.

Brian Carr: Infinity is probably the Journey album I listen to most. Strong melodies are hard for me to resist and for Journey, melody is king. Perry’s voice is the obvious example, but every time I listen to Neil Schon’s guitar work, I always come away impressed at his melodic sense - so many singable hooks are built into his leads. I really think he’s an underrated player. 

I also really like Rollie as a vocalist. He put out an album with Smith and Valory in the 90s called The Storm . It went nowhere, but fans of this type of melodic rock (like me) will really like it.

The stories of the contrived nature in which Steve Perry was added hit me where it hurts - the business world taking over music and force-feeding artists to the masses grates on me intellectually. But I just can’t deny the end result of albums like Infinity .

Roland Bearne: I love Journey! This is great, not actually heard it that often so great to spin it again. Of the "played to death" songs Lights holds up comparatively well. La Do Da is rather splendid and one could go on but it's all been said really. A nice rediscovery, and that it is all beautifully played goes without saying. Nice. Simples.

Final Score: 7.65 ⁄10 (265 votes cast, with a total score of 2029)

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