Were any of you guys fans of Journey? How big were they?
Posted by space_god_7191@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 192 comments
I've been listening to some Journey songs recently and I can't help but realize how catchy those songs are. Yet, I've barely heard much about them in recent years. How big were they in the 80s?
ancientastronaut2@reddit
I mean, I didn't turn the radio station when they came on and sang along with the songs, but never bought their records or had a desire to go see them.
Doordasheasthartford@reddit
They were pretty big
KGBspy@reddit
Big fan of them until Steve Perry left, now they’re a cover band.
wordstogetherrandom@reddit
So unfortunately true.
KGBspy@reddit
They fired, last I knew the rhythm section so that’s not much of a journey except in name. Once you lose that front man you’re just a cover band.
wordstogetherrandom@reddit
cover band is perfect description
GreyGhost878@reddit
I sometimes see GenXers reminiscing online about hanging out around town in their cars and blasting Journey. They were huge in the early 80s. They were radio-friendly, not too dark, not too weird, very well-loved by the mainstream crowd.
MissAnth@reddit
Got huge play on MTV too.
Phobos1982@reddit
They were pretty huge in the Top 40 scene in the 80s. I just recently saw them in concert and the place was packed.
somajones@reddit
That guy had the most whiny annoying voice ever since
TowerOfSisyphus@reddit
They had an Atari game about them, if that gives you some idea.
https://youtu.be/qlE4UG19N9w?si=53f6m7UJvHhCds2K
wordstogetherrandom@reddit
I had a copy of that! LOL
WilliePullout@reddit
Neil shone, or however you spell his last name, played at Woodstock at the age of 15. The band he played with was Santana. He was a prodigy in guitar and doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves. Steve Perry is ok too I guess
TheRealFinatic13@reddit
Neil did nit play Woodstock, didn't join Santana until after.
wyohman@reddit
Ironic that you're on the internet and can't be bothered to look up the spelling of his name, while also pointing that out.
VirtuaFighter6@reddit
Huge.
thephillybirdfivetwo@reddit
Wasn’t a fan when I was a kid in 80s but I do appreciate them so much more now.
idlefritz@reddit
This is one for the old genxers.
Independent-Fan4343@reddit
I was. Until Journey's Greatest Hits Volume 2 got stuck in my truck CD player. For 3 years, only volume 2. The songs no ones ever heard of. I am now an expert on that album.
Tesslinn@reddit
I had vans air brushed with the Escape album cover on them. They were awesome.
sly-3@reddit
They had their own arcade game. Huge at the time.
Bama275@reddit
I had their Atari game as well.
emilypostpunk@reddit
i never could stand them but they were huge. my x-husband sold steve perry a bicycle in the late 80s and said he was a total dick.
052-NVA@reddit
Not a fan. But they were big enough that I remember playing their video game in the arcade.
ATFGunr@reddit
My neighbour is playing Journey really loud in his backyard right now
antisocialdecay@reddit
Wheel In The Sky is my jam.
MoiraRose2021@reddit
https://youtu.be/PUsXQZEeanQ?si=OutPm6-4XMmkBli5 Tribute band!
Vericatov@reddit
That is still my favorite Journey song.
words_in_a_suitcase@reddit
They were huge. They were terrible.
BR1M570N3@reddit
It's fine to not like their music, but the musicianship was undeniably excellent.
gerwen@reddit
also, Steve Perry has one of the greatest voices in rock music, and is a fantastic singer.
DetectiveBlackCat@reddit
They had some fans but they were not cool.
Kimber80@reddit
They were way cooler than the people who liked early REM. 🤷♂️
DetectiveBlackCat@reddit
Haha looking at my comment history? I am betting you and I had a very different idea of what cool was. Likely we grew up in different places. I grew up in New England, it didn't get more uncool than Journey.
Kimber80@reddit
Nope, did not look it up. I just remembered the kind of college nerd who liked those kinds of bands and hated the commercial mainstream bands.
Let me guess - you liked the Psychedelic Furs back then too?
DetectiveBlackCat@reddit
I loved 80s REM, a new album every year. I liked Talking Heads. Was ambivalent to the Furs. Big fan of The Police and U2 and older stuff like Pink Floyd, got very much into alternative starting with Jane's Addiction in the late 80s, Pixies, Sisters of Mercy, Ministry
Kimber80@reddit
I was a big fan of U2 and The Police as well, saw them both in the 80s. When Nirvana broke, I became a big fan of the grunge acts too.
Fastgirl600@reddit
They blew my mind when I heard Who's Crying Now on the radio back in the '80s.
reepobob@reddit
Not a huge Journey fan, but “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” is a song you are lawfully required to belt out while it is playing in the car.
GogglesPisano@reddit
I was a big fan of Journey’s music, and they were hugely popular in the ‘80s. Steve Perry had a great singing voice.
Ray_The_Engineer@reddit
Journey was MASSIVE. I feel like Steve Perry's voice is one of the iconic sounds of the '80's.
hemidak@reddit
I remember in 1981, going to National Record Mart and buying Journey's Open Arms and George Benson's Turn Your Love Around 45s.I was 9 years old. I also got a red winter jacket that evening. You could unzip the sleeves and turn it into a vest.
Anyways, Journey was so big that I remember that evening
Hopfrogg@reddit
Very big. I really like them. Mostly big in the early 80s then Steve Perry went solo to moderate success.
Fun little thing to check out if you're getting into them... they had their own video game in the arcades back in the early 80s.
How big were they.... that's a good question. What's the criteria?
For early 80s bands....
I'd put them at slightly bigger than The Cars and The Police.... in that tier.
ThisusernameThen@reddit
Dodge journey
Wasnt really a minivan fan. Bit huey lewis square.
a_passionate_man@reddit
It was pretty hip to be square….
anon2univ@reddit
Here, there, and everywhere.
CaseyXos@reddit
Still is.
vistaculo@reddit
They had some good songs but I’m not a fan.
They were huge.
In general, if there is an 80s band that is still in the pop culture zeitgeist today they were pretty big at the time.
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
What other band had a legit arcade game in the 80s?
Alansmithee69@reddit
KISS
mdstratts@reddit
Rush
AlumniCU@reddit
Journey Captured Live 1981 is an exceptional live album at their peak. Listened to it today.
ccguy@reddit
Love it love it love it! The extended drum solo in La Do Da is fantastic. I love how Steve Smith keeps the groove of the song going in his solo instead of just wanking around on the kit. It’s the most musical drum solo I’ve ever heard.
TeasenHS@reddit
Same here! Made other people listen to it too haha
MoiraRose2021@reddit
If you didn’t slow dance or couples skate (or other similar coupling) to Open Arms you missed out on a core Genx experience.
BlueVega79@reddit
Yes! Open Arms was my first slow dance. With a girl two grades higher than me. Nervous is an understatement 😆
davasaur@reddit
Lol, they used to sign people up for the so called Obama phones in the local community center parking lot. Walk up with the correct info and you got the phone on the spot.
postsuper5000@reddit
I was a huge fan.
Saw them in 1986 at the Sportatorium in Hollywood Florida. It was a fantastic concert. A friend of mine won 10 tickets to the show and gave tickets to my girlfriend and I. Amazing night.
gdubh@reddit
Wasn’t a huge fan but they were huge.
Supacalafragalistic@reddit
They were huge but I never cared for them or any of that type of rock. Too many awkward couples skate, sweaty palm trauma maybe
Glass-Nectarine-3282@reddit
Fell out of favor by the late 80s, but early 80s bigger than big.
space_god_7191@reddit (OP)
Idk know why but I'm obsessed with Steve Perry's voice. I'm Gen Zer and his voice is just out of this world for me. Way nicer that any of the famous voices of this generation. It feels unique amongst most other voices.
GreyGhost878@reddit
You're exactly right. Perry has one of the most exceptional voices in rock history. You can like or dislike their music, that's beside the point. Only Freddy Mercury (of Queen) is on the same level vocally. I'm a late Gen Xer (more Xennial) and didn't care much for Journey when I was young but I love them now because I've realized how good they really are. Favorite song is Who's Crying Now. All 4 band members were excellent on their instruments and never missed a beat, even live. Not a weak link.
space_god_7191@reddit (OP)
His voice isn't harsh like some heavy metal but not super sweet like some pop ballads. I like it very much. His voice sounds very raw.
GreyGhost878@reddit
Raw and real. He seems so genuine, like he could be your brother or the kid you grew up with next door.
NairBearMI@reddit
And THIS is why I loved Journey too. Greg Rollie (he was in Santana) was previously the “voice” of Journey and that was great but when Steve joined it took them to another level. My favorite albums are infinity, evolution, and departure, but of course Escape was a blockbuster. If you love his voice I trust you like Sweet & Simple. His voice was incredible and still don’t think it gets the credit deserved. I’m older GenX so I was more in tune with the 70s era of Journey tho
grrgrrGRRR@reddit
Same here. I was very young but my brother loved them so I benefited from his albums back then.
Puffpufftoke@reddit
There are only a handful of vocalist in his range, of that era and besides Freddie Mercury of Queen, the rest are Heavy Metal.
Geoff Tate - Queensryche
Ronnie James Dio - Rainbow/Sabbath/Dio
Rob Halford - Judas Priest
King Diamond
wuxiquan66@reddit
My ex-wife used to do backup singing in the band before they changed their name to journey. I can’t recall the name of the band, but she always likes to tell the story of the night Steve became the lead singer. He was pounding away on the drums and the song stopped and he was still holding the vocals and she said everybody just looked over at him and thought yeah you need to be the front man. And when he started being the front man, he was so painfully shy he would sing with his back to the audience until he got his confidence. Incredible voice.
nahantdave@reddit
They were the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, but changed name to Journey in 1973. However, Steve didn’t join until late 1977 & he was hired as lead singer, not drummer.
wuxiquan66@reddit
She never said anything about the Golden gate rhythm section. Perhaps this was before that lineup.
wuxiquan66@reddit
Well, it sounds like you might know a lot about this. Her husband at that time was Tom Hill. He played bass
grrgrrGRRR@reddit
This is an awesome story! I used to sing, too, and the Evolution album was my go-to warm up practice before gigs.
t1dmommy@reddit
His voice has always been incredible to me.
GeneralBobby@reddit
I appreciate them a little more with age but they still aren't my thing. Outside of a couple of songs Im just not interested.
Great musicians though, each and every member. I understand the guy who replaced Steve Perry is a great singer as well and kudos to him for even trying to fill those shoes.
FrequentMembership76@reddit
Your genx card needs revoked.
Vegetable_Seller@reddit
Open Arms was a huge makeout song in 9th grade!
FeedWatcher@reddit
My first boyfriend and I would sit in his car and listen to the Escape cassette and kiss for HOURS. Stone in Love was a personal favorite, and Who's Crying Now. We went to different schools so we would pine for each other all day. And make out to Journey at night, after work.
I always wonder if he thinks of me when he hears Journey.
And the use of Don't Stop Believing in The Sopranos finale, the final scene is ICONIC.
Temporary_Client7585@reddit
Us girls used to call it Open Legs 🤪🤪🤪
clamdigger@reddit
Broken Arms!
HangingSnowflake@reddit
Omg yes, that was our homecoming theme song!
suburbanplankton@reddit
They were beyond huge...they had a freakin' video game made about them.
I was never a super fan, but I, like everybody else, had a copy of Escape. Stone in Love has always been my favorite.
RaggedTiger7@reddit
Stone in Love is their best, agree.
BraveLittleFrog@reddit
I grew up in the SF Bay Area so Journey was heavily played on the radio. I’ll never forget when the ‘89 earthquake happened and power was out in SF. I drive up to an overlook late that night where I could see my dark city. Journey’s Lights was playing on the radio.
Hikes_with_dogs@reddit
Yes and huuuge
luny2n@reddit
I love Journey 💕
jbcatl@reddit
No and really big.
Turkzillas_gobble@reddit
They were pretty done by the time I was much aware of them, but I belatedly checked them out with the Time3 set in the late 90's and found a few songs that sounded like they were roller-rink faves from my childhood.
dragnphly@reddit
I laugh in old. They were massive.
mmpjd@reddit
I’ve grown a little tired of their biggest hits but luckily, they have plenty of great songs aside from their “hit” songs. “Lights” is one of their best songs, imo.
grrgrrGRRR@reddit
Sooo many good songs on all their albums. I can’t listen to open arms one more time, but I sing Good Morning Girl to my cat very often ☺️
Pamelot130x2@reddit
My favorite was Patiently 🥰
Jolly_Werewolf_7356@reddit
"Feeling that Way" is good song.
OkThanks8237@reddit
Columbia House sent me the entire cataloge, up to Frontiers, for a penny in 1983
chrispd01@reddit
And arguably overpriced …
DoctorChimpBoy@reddit
What's the deal with this kind of bid for attention, man. Consistent negging is textbook red-pill shit.
chrispd01@reddit
It’s a GenX sub. If you want cheerful nostalgia, move over to the Boomer sub …
IMTrick@reddit
You must be new here.
chrispd01@reddit
Oh no. I have been fighting this fight for awhile …
Vonnegut_butt@reddit
Frontiers was my first Columbia House album! Billy Joel was #2
tequilavip@reddit
Here’s a great dive and explanation into how Neal was a master at crafting melodies.
Igmuhota@reddit
Journey is one of those bands that taught me that music is not a brain thing, but more of a heart thing. They were played TO DEATH all through my youth and young adulthood.
As a young metalhead, I probably shouldn’t have liked them. I tried to not like them. But I did. A LOT. And I never got tired of them. I still listen to them, quite often.
Probably didn’t hurt that Steve Smith is an absolute monster (I’m a drummer), and Steve Perry has the voice of an angel. Add Neil Schon to the mix, and well, yeah.
Pamelot130x2@reddit
I always say that Neal Schon’s guitar was the gateway for my love of metal a few years later. But not going to lie, I was crushing hard on Perry til I realized he is the same age as my dad 😅
DynamiteWitLaserBeam@reddit
I had the Journey Atari game, so yeah, pretty popular.
RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit
I had that game & actually beat it.
Ribeye_steak_1987@reddit
They still tour*. Saw them last month in OKC. Very good show, minus the tornado warning.
*obviously Steve Perry isn’t with them. There are two others that sing his songs. The two original members who wrote the songs are on the tour though.
GarionOrb@reddit
Arnel is a very good frontman. No, he's not Steve Perry, but he does a great job with the songs. Plus now he's been with the band longer than Perry was, so I think it's rather unfair that so many people keep calling him out.
Ribeye_steak_1987@reddit
He’s very good, no doubt.
Uzi4U2@reddit
Just saw them in KC. Still killin it.
pikachu0929@reddit
They were fucking huge.
2boredtocare@reddit
This was my exact thought. My first show dance was to Journey (Open Arms) and I couldn't have wished for a better song at the time
Independent-Dark-955@reddit
Not a fan. I feel like they’ve been overdone. A few years ago I switched radio stations to R&B specifically to avoid bland music like Journey. Not to be a hater or anything.
captain_ohagen@reddit
Your feelings towards Journey doesn't negate the fact that they were massively popular--and "massively" is probably an understatement
Independent-Dark-955@reddit
Not arguing that. I acknowledge the “overdone” aspect. It’s part of the double-edged sword of massive popularity.
jumpinoutofmyflesh@reddit
Some Journey trivia for you. The piano/organ player and backup guitarist for Santana plus a former bassist from The Steve Miller Band formed Journey after leaving their respective bands. They were kind of a super group.
And yes, they were huge and widely loved.
Last_Banana9505@reddit
The idea of 'south Detroit ' annoys me more than it should.
HydratedPanda@reddit
The joke we always told ourselves was, “they’re singing about Windsor Ontario.”
SuperMolasses724@reddit
Journey Escape was the cassette tape my grandpa got for me to go with my new Walkman, Christmas 1981. It was between journey and Ozzy’s Diary of a madman. He chose Journey. 😂
ttkciar@reddit
I was only a mild fan, but they were huge. Seems like they always had something on the Top Forty, which made them a frequent go-to for radio DJs.
Their music was a little "easy listening" for my taste, but it was everywhere! Absolutely unescapable.
mattwb72@reddit
They were probably my first actual rock band I knew of as a little kid. I liked the album covers.
Uzi4U2@reddit
Heck yeah brother!
Stayvein@reddit
I thought I read they wanted to be more hardcore but were pressured into the love songs and ballads.
TBone281@reddit
Any Way You Want It! Always think about Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack. "So what? So let's dance!"
edked@reddit
Anyone old enough to have seen this in the theater is obligated to only dance to that song in a way that imitates Rodney in this scene. And yes, I saw it in the theater, and yes I'm willing to follow my own rule.
TideWaterRun@reddit
They were as big as it gets. Sure they were overplayed but sometimes it’s better to listen to their “shoulder” albums with songs like “Stone in Love” and “Only the Young (Vision Quest)”
Uzi4U2@reddit
The ENTIRE Vision Quest album is full of top notch tunes.
RowsdowerTheDrifter@reddit
They were huge! They opened for the Rolling Stones in the late 70's/early 80's, even when they were a big draw in their own right. Steve Perry's vocals, plus a talented band, made for some great rock and serious stadium touring. I remember a fantastic summer at the beach as a kid, carrying a boombox blasting Escape on repeat.
Those crazy nights, I do remember in my youth
I do recall, those were the best times, most of all
lovemesomezombie@reddit
That is my favorite Journey song... Stone In Love
grrgrrGRRR@reddit
I was in 6th grade and this song instantly takes me back to that time spending Friday nights at the local arcade.
SRART25@reddit
Big enough they had an arcade game.
https://bitvint.com/pages/journey
Desperate_County_680@reddit
Was not.
The Escape was HUGE. Even had an arcade game.
Sold out multiple nights in my city. They were very good at what they did.
lovemesomezombie@reddit
Big big. I saw them play in 81' at the L.A. Coliseum.
baconismadefromcats@reddit
I was in high school when Escape and Frontiers were released. Journey on the Escape tour was my first real concert. I saw them again on the Frontiers tour. They were absolutely huge at that time. If you had a Journey concert shirt, you were somebody. Prior to Escape, all the freaks were into Journey, mostly because of Infinity, but also Evolution, and Departure to a lesser extent. Escape brought them a huge audience.
FYI, the song Escape from the Escape album was not a big hit. But it’s totally a GenX coming of age song that always reminds me of my youth when I hear the lyrics.
ChrisKetcham1987@reddit
They were massive. Truly an example of "stadium rock."
swentech@reddit
Steve Perry has an all time rock voice. Incredible talent. Journey was very big in the 80s.
tequilavip@reddit
Frontiers (and Like a Virgin) were the first two cassettes I purchased on my own. The previous Christmas my grandmother gave me a small boombox, plus Pyromania and Synchronicity.
And that was the beginning.
Raul_Duke_1755@reddit
I got to 2nd base at a middle school dance because of Journey. They were huge.
wizardofmops@reddit
I’m 47/F and I never got into Journey. However the “light” radio station at my workplace plays “Foolish Heart” by Steve Perry a LOT and I’ve come to really appreciate his voice and talent
Thick-Committee4599@reddit
They had their own pinball machine and great MTV 80s era videos!
tk-093@reddit
They had a video game as well!
schmearcampain@reddit
They were pretty hot for a brief period, and stayed relevant for much longer, but they were never on the popularity level of Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, etc. I’d put them around the same popularity as The Police.
VerityLGreen@reddit
Loved them in the early eighties, then Escape made them so huge they got overplayed. Still love their early stuff.
Dang I just realized who actor Robert Carlyle reminds me of.
Top-Cellist484@reddit
I just went to see them last weekend, and although Steve Perry hasn't been part of the band for decades, they still put on a damned good show.
oily_bohunk@reddit
The story about how they found his replacement is so, so good. https://www.netflix.com/us/title/70239463
rdmsqito@reddit
They've been touring for 50 years. That answers your question.
pnw_its_really_me@reddit
I sing their songs in my head and out loud weekly if not daily.
seattlemh@reddit
They were annoyingly huge. Incredibly overplayed.
Grafakos@reddit
I've heard them a million times, but I still never skip "Separate Ways" or "Send Her My Love" if they pop up on a stream.
ExpensiveSyrup@reddit
Send Her My Love keeps on haunting me. Seriously though, that song is absolute perfection describing and reliving the feeling of lost relationship grief.
smoothallday@reddit
One day my kid said, “Alexa, play music.” The song that came on? Separate Ways.
Steve Perry is the singer I long to be.
tcfodor@reddit
Steve Perry was the lead singer in the band that played at a friend’s wedding in the 70s. Our friend said everyone was blown away by Perry and kept commenting that he could make it big someday.
DifferentWindow1436@reddit
Massive. They had a video game in the early 80s. Don't Stop Believin' was the top karaoke song fairly recently (past 10 years) in some survey I read.
TinyWeird878@reddit
They were huge. Everyone talks about how big Bon Jovi was in the 80s but I'd say they wanted to BE Journey, that's how big Journey was.
TripMaster478@reddit
Fair. They were definitely giants in the music and touring world.
Wise-Imagination7017@reddit
Huge. Sound track to our lives.
abstractraj@reddit
They were big and they still tour (minus Perry)
KnightKrawler68@reddit
First time I saw them in 83 it was in a full 65,000 capacity stadium. They were BIG!
TeaMugPatina@reddit
They did have a video game in the arcades for a minute.
abstractraj@reddit
I think the guitarist had a jet pack or something
bananajr6000@reddit
I wanted to be able to sing like Steve Perry
kitty-yaya@reddit
They were "Worlds Apart".
Kimber80@reddit
I was .... they were huge in the early 80s. Escape and Frontiers were massive hit-laden sellers.
Maybe the biggest band in the world in 82-83
Gusgrissomamerica@reddit
Yes.
cstephenson79@reddit
This video was shot not far from my house 🤣
Brkthom@reddit
I can hear this gif.
splorp_evilbastard@reddit
Check this one out: https://youtu.be/02QDuPb5Bm0?si=33O6jKZXy2wBNq6Q
calraith@reddit
Were?
https://youtu.be/fJmzY8CFSG0
YamAlone2882@reddit
I love Journey. I faithfully(see what I did there?) listened to Americas Top 40 every Sunday to hear Open Arms and Don’t Stop Believing.
Pielacine@reddit
I can see you’re Be(ing) Good to Yourself
Pornwriter2024@reddit
Stood in line outside of Sears (I think? had the Ticketmaster) for HOURS to get tickets to see them every time they came to the Chicago area. Still have every album they produced.
chrispd01@reddit
Same as it ever was. They continue to suck
Vonnegut_butt@reddit
Username checks out.
McGruffin@reddit
They were big enough to have their own videogame.
Vonnegut_butt@reddit
I was SO excited to get it. And then it sucked.
FawnLeib0witz@reddit
I guarantee that every person here who went to high school in the 80s danced to “Open Arms” at every school dance.
Grafakos@reddit
Famously featured in the "Heavy Metal" soundtrack!
OkThanks8237@reddit
Definitely skated couples to it
Glamma1969@reddit
HUGE!!! THEY WERE HUGE!!!!
Agamenticus72@reddit
Massive is the early 80's . They had an ATARI GAME they were so popular
LeisureSuiteLarry@reddit
My best friend and roommate listened to so much Journey while we were in college in the early 90s that I cannot stand to listen to them anymore. If Journey somehow pops up on my Spotify, I immediately skip it, no questions asked. Here we are 30 years later and he's still posting pictures at "Journey" concerts and I'm still changing songs.
jakexcited45@reddit
Only The Young.... Great song to finish a long run.
JanaT2@reddit
Oh yeah they were big
FrankParkerNSA@reddit
Music was great. They played music any way you wanted it, but just the way you needed it.
Bromodrosis@reddit
Huge.
They had their own arcade game. LONG before everyone branded everything.
baldmisery17@reddit
Shoulda Been Gone!
destructor212@reddit
I was and am. The older stuff anyway. Escape was an amazing record.
bendingoutward@reddit
They had a goddamn video game.
zionzednem@reddit
Huge…. The album Escape, my first longing for love with Open arms and I was only in fourth grade. We had a talent show performance. The good ole days.
Seen em numerous times. Luckily once with Steve Perry.
SignificantTransient@reddit
Go to a bar of mostly gen x'ers and play it on the jukebox....
UFO-Band-Fanatic@reddit
Huge. Saw them in 1981 in Miami.
oep87@reddit
Holy crap. So popular and big.
FawnLeib0witz@reddit
Very popular.