Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs

Photo: Jamie Lantzy, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Kenny Loggins is a soft rock singer/songwriter and producer. He was born Kenneth Clark Loggins on January 7, 1948. He started his career in a duo with Jim Messina. They were called Loggins and Messina. They worked together in the ’70s. Kenny Loggins started his solo career in 1977. He was signed to Columbia Records and the rest was history.

Kenny Loggins recorded his first solo album Celebrate Me Home in 1977. It includes the hit single “I Believe in Love.” Barbra Streisand originally did this song. This album went platinum, but it didn’t do well on the charts. Loggins did much better with his second album called Nightwatch. This album came out in 1978. This is his best debuting album on the charts. The album peaked at number seven. It features the hit single “Whenever I Call You Friend.” It also features the original version of “What A Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers. Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald wrote this song.

Kenny Loggins released his third album Keep the Fire in 1979. This album peaked at number 16 on the charts. The biggest hit single from this album is “This Is It.” He released his fourth album High Adventure in 1982. It includes the hit singles “Heart to Heart,” “Heart Light” and “Don’t Fight It.”

In the 1980s, Kenny Loggins became the soundtrack king. He even sang a duet with Stevie Nicks. The first song he did was on the Caddyshack soundtrack. He recorded the song “I’m Alright” for the movie. The song was released as a single and reached the top 10. The next two songs he recorded were for the movie Footloose. He recorded “Footloose” and “I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man).” They were both released as singles. “Footloose” was number one for three weeks. “I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man)” was number 22. He recorded “Meet Me Halfway” for the movie Over the Top. He recorded “Danger Zone” and “Playing With the Boys” for the movie Top Gun. He recorded the single “Nobody’s Fool” for the Caddyshack II soundtrack. He recorded the song “For the First Time” for the movie One Fine Day.

Kenny Loggins released his fifth album Vox Humana in 1985. This is the first album he recorded after he released the single “Footloose.” This album features the hit single “Forever.” This album went gold. He released his sixth album in 1988 called Back to Avalon. This album features the hit singles “Nobody’s Fool,” “I’m Gonna Miss You,’ “Tell Her” and “Meet Me Halfway.” He released his seventh album Leap of Faith in 1991. It features the singles “The Real Thing,” “If You Believe,” “Now or Never” and “Conviction of the Heart.”

Kenny Loggins released his eighth album Return to Pooh Corner in 1994. This is a children’s album. It was very successful for him. It went gold. He was nominated for a Grammy for this album. It includes the singles “All the Pretty Little Ponies,” “Neverland Medley” and “Return to Pooh Corner.” In 1997, he released his ninth album Unimaginable Life. He wrote a book with the same title around the time this album came out. Unfortunately, there weren’t any lead singles from this album.

He released a Christmas album in 1998. It features standard Christmas songs. He also wrote a couple of original songs. His eleventh studio album was More Songs From Pooh Corner. This was a sequel to Return to Pooh Corner. He did a lot of cover songs from movie soundtracks on this project. In 2003, he released his twelfth album It’s About Time. He was fired from his record label while working on this album. There weren’t any singles from this album.

Kenny Loggins released his thirteenth album How About Now in 2007. It features the singles “A Love Song” and “How About Now.” He released his fourteenth album All Join In in 2009. This is another children’s album. It features the single “2 of Us.” He reunited with Jim Messina on this song.

Kenny Loggins may not have really big hit albums, but he does have a lot of hit songs. The majority of his hits were from soundtracks, which is why he’s the soundtrack king. Putting the soundtracks in order was a challenge because he sang a lot of good songs. In fact, the majority of the songs on this list were hard to do because they could have all been number one. It almost came down to a coin toss to decide which one was going to be number one. Without further delay, here is the Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs list.

# 10 – I’m Alright

The first song on our Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs list is the catchy song from the rock inspired Caddyshack soundtrack. This memorable song is about the movie. It’s about a caddy who wants more out of life. This has a rock and folk beat. The late great singer Eddie Money is singing in the background of the song. This song has a little controversy surrounding it because Eddie Money claims he sang the bridge and the hook, but he didn’t get credit for it. Despite the controversy, this is a good song.

This music gives the song crossover appeal because it sounds like a good fit for rock and adult contemporary music. Kenny Loggins does a lot of vocalizing. His voice sounds smooth and pure when he is singing the verses. He lets loose once he sings the hook. When the music gets louder, so does he. It’s not a surprise that this song kicked off the start of his reign as the soundtrack king.

# 9 – Danger Zone

The next song on our Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs list is the rock laden “Danger Zone” from the quintessential Top Gun soundtrack. This popular song has a hard rock beat. Here is some trivia about the song. Kenny Loggins wasn’t the first choice to sing the song. There were quite a few people who were supposed to sing it first. Toto was supposed to sing the song first, but they were going through legal issues. Bryan Adams was also supposed to sing it, but he thought the movie glorified war and he didn’t want any part of it. REO Speedwagon was also supposed to do it, but turned it down because they wanted to do their own song. Corey Hart turned down the song for the same reason. It turned out to be a good decision for Kenny Loggins to do it because it was a hit. It is one of the biggest hits of his career.

The music hooks you right away with the amazing guitar riffs. Guitarist Dann Huff does a fantastic job with the baseline. Kenny Loggins is singing this song with a slight growl to his voice. He sounds similar to Richard Marx. It’s a perfect fit with the music. It’s hard to believe that Loggins didn’t think this song was right for him because he is singing as if it is.

# 8 – The Rest of Your Life

This beautifully romantic song is from the love-inspired album The Unimaginable Life. This soulful love song is a ballad. It has an r&b and jazz beat. This is a change from his other songs because it doesn’t have a rock or soft rock beat. This song gives you a chance to focus on his tenor vocals instead of the music.Kenny Loggins shows that he is capable of singing soulful music. He sounds as if he has a double in the chorus. He has impeccable harmony in the chorus. He also has impeccable control when he holds notes towards the end of the song. The saxophone that appears after the bridge gives the song a sensual sound. This song is so good that it could have easily been number one or close to number one.

# 7 – Whenever I Call You Friend ft. Stevie Nicks

This wonderful duet is from the hit album Nightwatch. This astonishing song is about being friends with the woman he loves. It has a soft rock and folk sound. Loggins wrote this song with Melissa Manchester. He wanted to record it with her, but they weren’t on the same label. Stevie Nicks didn’t initially get credit for singing this song until it was re-released. The song starts off slow and soft and then gets louder in the pre-chorus. The tempo also picks up after the chorus. Loggins and Nicks have vocal chemistry with each other. They are both impressive with their vocals. One doesn’t overpower the other. When one of them belts, the other does too. When one holds a note, the other one does too. The song might not have sounded the same if he went with his initial choice of having Manchester sing the song.

# 6 – Forever

This spectacular song is the second single from Vox Humana. This romantic song has a soft rock sound. It is about a guy who wants to be with his lover forever. Kenny Loggins wrote this superior song with his wife. They made magic happen with this striking song. He showcases his tenor vocals impressively on this track. He doesn’t build up to the belting. He starts the song off with power vocals. In addition to the power vocals, he holds notes throughout the song. He didn’t just wait until the end of the song to hold notes. He sings it as if it’s very personal to him. He managed to make this rock song sound like a romantic ballad. This doesn’t happen often with rock songs.

# 5 – I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man)

This song of inspiration is from the incredible Footloose soundtrack. This fantastic song has a pop rock sound. This song can have a couple of meanings. It can be about dancing. It can be about freedom. It can also be about love. The mystery surrounding the lyrics makes the song thought provoking. The music is mesmerizing. You can easily get lost in the music. The baseline is on point throughout the music. The baseline stays the same and that was an excellent choice. His vocals are awe-inspiring. His vocals are soft when the music is soft, but once the music gets louder, he’s on fire. He has control because he knows when to bring the volume up and down when the music calls for it. He performs the song in a way that helps him avoid shouting until it’s needed. This song is impeccable.

# 4 – Footloose

The next song on our Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs list is the upbeat song from the dance friendly Footloose soundtrack. This was a number one hit for Kenny Loggins. This enticing song has a rock and dance beat. This song is about dancing. The guitar will grab you instantly. The drums and keyboard give the song tempo, which will get you on the dance floor. Kenny Loggins doesn’t vocalize much in this song, but he does show versatility because he sings parts of the song with a lower register. There are some lyrics that are hard to understand without the lyrics. The music is so infectious that it is easy to overlook this flaw. You’re probably thinking that this song was going to be number one on this list. It could have been number one, but it would have been too easy to pick this outstanding song as number one.

# 3 – Heart to Heart

This passionate song is from the anthemic High Adventure album. This excellent ballad has a soft rock beat. Loggins wrote this song with David Foster and Michael McDonald. This trio worked well together because this song is absolutely amazing. This song is about a relationship gone wrong. The lyrics are ambivalent and heartfelt which is not easily accomplished.

The music is soulful despite having a soft rock beat. It sounds like something Michael McDonald would sing. Loggins sounds similar to El DeBarge in this song. Loggins holds surprisingly impressive notes at the end of the song. He saved the best part for last. Once again he proved that he could be a power singer. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this song. It’s no surprise that this one of his biggest hits.

# 2 – Meet Me Halfway

This dazzling song is from the soundtrack to Over the Top as well as Back to Avalon. This is one of the most beautiful songs Kenny Loggins had written since he composed Danny’s Song. This touching ballad has a soft rock beat. This heartfelt song is about accepting someone’s flaws. It fit perfectly with the movie. The instrumentation is magnificent. The lyrics are beautiful and inspirational. It didn’t have to be for the soundtrack. A lot of people may be able to relate to something like this.

Loggins starts the song with soft vocals and then displays his power vocals in the chorus. He does a seesaw battle throughout the song, which was a great touch. His voice is layered in the chorus because he has a double. He made the wise decision to end the song with the chorus because it is the best part of the song. This was one of the coin tosses for the number one spot. It was a hard decision to make because this would have been a great song to end the list.

# 1 – This Is It

The number one song on our Top 10 Kenny Loggins Songs list is the truly fantastic “This Is It” from the unappreciated Keep the Fire album. This gorgeous song has a soft rock beat. It also has an r&b beat. It is about his sick father. Loggins wrote this enjoyable song with Michael McDonald. The music will please fans of soft rock and r&b. McDonald’s velvety and smooth voice was a compliment to Loggins’ tenor vocals. They did a sensational job with the vocals. It sounds as if there are a lot of people in the chorus when it’s just the two of them. They harmonize very well with each other. Loggins added a treat and belted towards the end of the song. This is one of the best ways to end this list.