10 Most Rocking Journey Songs

Feature Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

If we look back on the history of the band Journey, it’s pretty easy to argue that most of their songs are rockers. Of course, they’ve had some spectacular ballads and great success with them, but Journey is, first and foremost, a rock band. So, putting together a list of the 10 most rocking Journey songs is almost like putting together a list of the top 10 Journey songs. However, moods change, and the songs we feel are the best rockers this week might not be the same ones we feel next week, or perhaps not even a few months ago. And this moment in time, in the mood that we’re in, these are the 10 rockers from Journey that we think will cause a little bit of excitement in the room.

We wanted to include songs from various periods and those featuring their three lead singers on vinyl and CD: Greg Rollie, Steve Perry, and Arnel Pineda. We thought that would be the most respectful way to pay tribute to this band that we love. We also tried to stay away from the hits to dig a little deeper, but of course, there were some that we just couldn’t ignore.

# 10 – Edge of the Blade – Frontiers

We open up our most rocking Journey songs list with a great track from the album Frontiers. We coudl have easily also closed this list with this song. Just listen to the sound of those guitars by Neil Schon. That’s some pretty heavy stuff there, my friends. The Frontier’s album was released in February of 1983. The band at the time consisted of Steve Perry on lead vocals, Neal Schon on guitars, Jonathan Cain on keys, Ross Valory on bass, and Steve Smith on drums.

# 9 – Chain Of Love – Eclipse

Once you get past the sweet piano and synth opening, this turns into some very heavy playing. If you didn’t know it was Journey, you probably would have never guessed it was them. The song was released on the band’s fourteenth studio album entitled Eclipse. This record featured Arnel Pineda on lead vocals. The Eclipse album was released in May of 2011. The album featured longtime members Neal Schon on guitars, Jonathan Cain on keys, and Ross Valory on bass. On the drum chair was Dean Castronovo.

# 8 – Keep On Runnin – Escape

This just very well may be the most overlooked song on the Escape album. The band knew it was good because they opened up side two of the record with it. However, this album is so big that songs like “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Stone In Love,” “Who’s Crying Now,” and, of course, “Open Arms” far overshadow this rocking Journey song.

# 7 – Stone In Love – Escape

And speaking of “Stone In Love,” we couldn’t put together this list without adding this classic rocker. What an album this was, which opened with “Don’t Stop Believing,” which was followed up by “Stone In Love’ which was then followed by “Whose Crying Now.” Now that’s three pretty killer tunes to open up a record. The Escape album was released during the summer of 1981.

# 6 – Mystery Mountain – Journey

It’s amazing how different this band sounded in 1975 than they did just a few years later. That’s what happens when you change lineups. Of course, there are many fans out there who say they only liked the early Journey. I guess it depends on when you first discovered the band and maybe one’s age, but then again, maybe not. Sometimes, I can be slightly skeptical about certain claims, but I will leave it at that. “Mystery Mountain” was the closing song on the band’s debut album entitled Journey which was released in the spring of 1975. It’s not a fast rocker, but it’s pretty heavy, and it does the job!

# 5 – Castles Burning – Trial By Fire

I always felt Trial By Fire was a very much overlooked Journey album with Steve Perry on lead vocals. It’s probably because there weren’t really any hits from the record. This was both a reunion album for the band and also Steve Perry and Steve Smith’s swan song with Journey. If you are unfamiliar with this album, I’d recommend you listen to it. It’s one of the reasons why I have included this song on this list.

# 4 – Hustler – Next

If that opening guitar riff doesn’t capture you right away, then I got nothing left to say to you. “Hustler” was featured on the band’s third studio album entitled Next. Was released in 1977. This is a great album that features the very popular song “Spaceman.” Hustler opened up side two. Neal Schon really lights it up on this track with a smoking red-hot solo. Dunbar sounds like Keith Moon at times on this one.

# 3 – Any Way You Want It – Departure

Like a few other very popular songs on this list, we decided to include this one because we really had no choice. I know we have written that rock and roll songs don’t always have to be really fast to rock, but this one definitely did and it works perfectly! This was the lead single from the band’s sixth studio album entitled Departure.

# 2 – Separate Ways – Frontiers

I know we tried to stay away from the hits on this list because everybody’s heard them a million times, but there’s just no escaping this one. Frontiers has always been my personal favorite Journey album, and this is one of the reasons why. The balance between the sounds, the guitar, that synth line, the drums, the bass, and Steve Perry’s vocal performance are all just recorded so well that it almost sucks you into the car radio.

# 1 – I’m Gonna Leave You – Look Into The Future

If this sounds a little familiar to you, I just wanted to make sure that you realize that “I’m Going To Leave You” came out before Kansas’s “Carry On My Wayward Son.” Journey’s Looking to the Future album was released in January of 1976. About 10 months later, Kansas released “Carry On My Wayward Son” in November of 1976. Journey at the time consisted of Gregg Rolie on keyboards and vocals, Neal Schon on guitar, Ross Valory on bass, and Aynsley Dunbar on drums.

Check out more Journey articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Just click on any of the links below……

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One Response

Baybluesman December 27, 2024

Just wanted to comment that it is great that Journey’s “Next” L.P. is getting appreciation due, within your article.
I bought this album in my senior year of college, without any prior listening, as I was intrigued by the lineage of the band members (Santana, Steve Miller Band, Frank Zappa and Mother’s of Invention, Jeff Beck, et al).

I was rewarded in my intuition, enjoying it upon first listening, and play it occasionally to this day, still impressed by the experimentation and superb musicianship.