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The 20 Best Debut Albums of All Time

What makes a debut album successful? Is it all skill, or is there some luck involved? Does the genre matter? Or is it solely the number of sales that determines whether a band is responsible for one of the best debut albums of all time? Ultimately, there are a lot of factors involved. Some are measurable, while others are more subjective. If you’re curious about what goes into making the best debut albums of all time, see which 20 albums made our list.

What Makes These the Best Debut Albums?

When it comes to assessing the success of a debut album, we’re looking at several factors. Sales, for example, is a huge contributor. But an album’s impact on music and pop culture at large also matter — as does the longevity of an album’s popularity. 

Music is subjective, so coming up with a definitive list is tricky. What’s earth-shattering to you might be fairly inconsequential to another listener. It’s even hard for experts to agree. Some critics clearly favor particular genres; as a whole, it’s hard to pin down the weight of the various evaluation criteria. And that’s why you’ll see very different lists across leading music publications like Rolling Stone and Revolver .

Since that’s the case, the topic of the best debut albums of all time is hotly debated. Still, the list below attempts to capture some of the most successful ones.

In the world of lyrical quality, Adele’s ability to tell a heart-wrenching story with her music is undeniable. With the release of 19 — an album title paying homage to the singer’s age at the time — Adele quickly racked up fans. 

The music was emotional, thought-provoking, and deeply intimate. Plus, Adele’s vocal power is practically unmatched, making 19 one of the greatest debut albums in history.

Alicia Keys, Songs in a Minor

Featuring piano, strings and a ton of soulfulness, Alicia Keys coupled exceptional poise with meaningful lyrics to create an album that quickly resonated with the masses. It was also a departure from what was found in the pop genre at the start of the millennium, embracing a softness — something that was incredibly powerful.

Not to mention, this album shone during a period marked by boy bands and dance hits. Ultimately, Keys’ music was incredibly genuine, and showed how classic elements could remain relevant even in contemporary music. 

Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath

In the world of hard rock and heavy metal, Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut album is broadly considered revolutionary. Released in 1970, the album introduced the world to Ozzy Osbourne’s unique vocals. 

Additionally, there was exceptional musicality throughout the tracks, along with undeniably memorable guitar riffs and baselines. Black Sabbath also inspired a slew of future bands. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the significance of the band’s first album.

De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising

As the 1980s drew to a close, De La Soul released an album that shirked convention when it came to rap. Along with great beats, there were moments of humor as well as short skits. Plus, the lyrics were largely designed with relatability in mind.

Further breaking down barriers, the album featured collaborations with artists from other genres, including greats like Johnny Cash and Hall & Oates. In the end, the result was eclectic and often light-hearted, allowing the album to stand out in the growing rap scene.

DMX, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot

In 1998 DMX hit the scene with It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot . At the time, listeners were looking for a gritty, authentic sound with energy to spare. The album touched on a wide range of topics, making at least a few tracks relatable to nearly any listener.

While DMX didn’t take off as quickly as some other artists on this list, his long-term influence is undeniable. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t connect with some of his music.

Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction

When it comes to hard rock in the 1980s, it’s impossible to deny the impact of Appetite for Destruction . It was ultimately the best-selling debut album of the decade, even though it came out on the back end of the 10-year span.

The album drew influences from a range of genres, incorporating blues, funk and punk elements into a largely rock sound. Plus, there were many surprisingly emotional moments, resulting in a powerful album brimming with hits.

Kanye West, The College Dropout

While Kanye West wasn’t new to the music industry when he released The College Dropout , the album marked his initial steps into the world of becoming a rap artist. He created a sound that was wholly unique, introducing a range of influences — including gospel — into his songs. Additionally, much of his music feels like a glimpse behind the scenes, giving people insights into his struggles, viewpoint and more.

One standout moment? “Through the Wire,” a song written after a car accident and recorded while Kanye’s jaw was wired shut. While it’s an unconventional claim to fame, the track itself also garnered critical admiration, and not just for the conditions under which it was recorded. On a whole, College Dropout is one of the best debut albums of all time.

Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory

A force in the world of alternative rock, Linkin Park played a major role in the rap-rock sub-genre, immediately turning heads with Hybrid Theory . The juxtaposition of Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda’s vocal stylings, and all their intriguing musicality, propelled the band to success. 

Not to mention, there was an emotional, raw quality to the album. The songs were authentic, expressing emotions that resonated with a huge swath of listeners. 

Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville

Released in 1993, Liz Phair’s debut album was an undeniable force in the world of indie rock. The messaging in the songs hit hard, making the music feel incredibly raw and genuine. Couple that with a fairly barebones approach to the music, and that first album quickly made its way into the hearts of many during the ‘90s.

Exile in Guyville was also critically acclaimed, drawing even more attention to Phair and securing her fans who might otherwise have overlooked a debut album. While its commercial success was a bit limited — mainly because of the somewhat niche genre — the album cemented its position in music history nonetheless.

Nas, Illmatic

Released in 1994, Illmatic showcases Nas as an epic storyteller, discussing life in a genuine and relatable way. Couple that with the exceptional musicality and his daring to take on potentially tough subject matter and, well, saying the album made an impression would be a massive understatement. 

Plus, Illmatic demonstrated Nas’ knack for collaboration; he brought in artists who truly added something critical to the equation. The album is powerful, at times shocking and a legitimate triumph for Nas and the genre at large.

NWA, Straight Outta Compton

An album that launched the careers of many rap legends, Straight Outta Compton took the world by storm. It was a definitive celebration of “thug life”, discussing many of the trials, tribulations and challenges, all while asserting that they weren’t role models, even though they became them nonetheless.

While many of the tracks are noteworthy, few are as infamous as “F*ck the Police”. Not only did it resonate with listeners, but it drew the attention of authorities, only reaffirming this album’s undeniable place in history.

Pearl Jam, Ten

During the rise of grunge , Pearl Jam hit the scene. Many assumed that the band didn’t stand a chance when compared to Nirvana. However, Ten helped Pearl Jam prove otherwise in record time. The songs were powerful, detailing stories with profound messages. Couple that with Eddie Vedder’s unique vocals, and it’s clear why the album secured such critical acclaim.

Pearl Jam also resonated strongly with members of Gen X, many of whom felt they weren’t being heard or seen at the start of the 1990s. Ultimately, Pearl Jam developed a large, loyal fanbase. Even now, they remain one of the pillars of rock. 

Run-D.M.C., Run-D.M.C.

When it comes to bringing hip-hop to the masses, Run-D.M.C. was a quintessential element. The group’s self-titled debut album broadened the genre’s fanbase significantly, making hip-hop more accessible to new listeners. 

Plus, the party vibe of many of the tracks imbued the album with a sense of fun, all while leaning into rock elements. In many ways, Run-D.M.C. was genre-blending at its best, making this landmark record one of the best debut albums ever.

The Band, Music From Big Pink

When it comes to grassroots American rock of the 1960s, The Band personified much of what the genre offered. There was an innate simplicity to their music, making it highly relatable. It also shirked many of the era’s trends, passing over the time’s signature psychedelic vibes for something a bit more comfortable.

This album also focused more on daily life during an era when political messages were increasingly common in music. As a result, it was a go-to album for many households looking for an experience that felt familiar and, perhaps, less charged. 

The Beatles, Please Please Me

Few bands burst onto the scene quite like The Beatles. The Fab Four embraced vocal harmonies and imbued their music with ample energy. While many would argue that Please Please Me wasn’t the band’s strongest album, it did launch a career unlike anything the music world had ever seen. 

Plus, it featured a mix of originals and covers, giving the album a degree of familiarity, all while introducing something groundbreaking. Without the massive appeal of Please Please Me , The Beatles might not have skyrocketed to fame like they did, so it’s more than deserving of a spot on this list of best debut albums.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced

When it comes to guitarists, few would disagree that Jimi Hendrix was a phenom. This 1967 debut album featured a blending of much of what was great about emerging rock in the ‘60s. There were blues elements, a cosmic vibe and a musicality unlike anything music lovers had experienced before. 

And, of course, Jimi Hendrix on guitar is, in and of itself, a history-making moment. Up to that point, no one had made an impression quite as strong, which is why critics, musicians and fans still view Hendrix as an inspiration decades later.

The Killers, Hot Fuss

Released in 2004, Hot Fuss brought back a classic British pop sound — even though The Killers were from Las Vegas. The band leaned into that David Bowie kind of androgyny, blending that with an ‘80s pop-rock sound.  

Ultimately, The Killers’ debut album had several major hits, which helped to propel it to quick success — and, in hindsight, make it one of the best debut albums of all time. Many of the tracks feel as powerful and unique today as they did at the time of the album’s release — and that’s real staying power.

The Strokes, Is This It

For their debut album, The Strokes combined punk and rock with a crooner vibe — a blend that quickly gained traction on the airwaves. While many people likened the sound to specific types of British rock, this American band released stellar music at a transitory time, offering up a level of genre purity that many felt had otherwise disappeared from the rock sphere. 

The band’s somewhat simplistic approach to songwriting, and the relatability of their lyrics, made Is This It a hit then — and make it an enduring album even now. And all of this makes it one of the best debut albums of all time.

Weezer, Weezer

Calling Weezer “unexpected” often feels like an understatement. Many of the tracks have an innate quirkiness, allowing them to easily stand out from the crowd. Plus, the upbeat, punk-esque nature of many of Weezer’s songs make them great for driving. 

Firmly situated in the indie-rock genre, Weezer wasn’t afraid to sidestep convention and create something unique. Eventually, the band became a big part of the emo movement, too, giving Weezer staying power far beyond what many critics and listeners initially expected.

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Best-Selling Albums of All Time

When it comes to music, it’s hard to predict which song is going to be the next big hit. When it comes to albums, it’s even harder to know which artists people are going to love enough to buy copies of their work to keep in their homes, play on their stereos or loop on their phones. Luckily for us, the Recording Industry Association of America has been keeping track of what sells and how much, so we know which musicians are still a favorite of millions to hear, even if it might have been years after their album released. These best-selling albums are proof that good artists have a long-lasting legacy. Here are some of the best-selling albums in history:

Eagles – Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)

Topping the list at 38 million units, Eagles have made news by overtaking King of Pop, Michael Jackson, to have their compilation album the best-selling one in U.S. Containing songs from the highest points of their career, the album may have recently soared back in popularity due to the band being on tour.

Michael Jackson – Thriller

It’s no surprise that Michael Jackson’s album holds a place in this list. He was a worldwide icon who defined what music – and moving to music – meant for a whole generation. With tracks like Beat It, Billie Jean and of course Thriller, the album is a masterpiece and it received several awards to prove it, including eight Grammys. Jackson’s album may be second now in the States, but it still remains the highest selling album worldwide.

Eagles – Hotel California

Eagles are the only artist to currently hold two spots of the top ranks of the ‘best-selling albums of all time’ list. While critics remain divided on what to make of their music still, the band continues to have a loyal audience who won’t shy away from playing the titular track on repeat.

Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II

This compilation album first came out in 1985, and it has sold 23 million copies since then. The Piano Man has had a prolific career and this album contains some of his best work. He still draws in big crowds with his performances so there’s no wonder his album is popular too.

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album’s popularity is certainly in part due to their hit song Stairway to Heaven. While it may or may not have contained hidden messages, the album’s success is quite clear and its sales numbers have only strengthened the position of the band as one of the most loved rock bands ever.

Pink Floyd – The Wall

Fans of the band will tell you that Pink Floyd’s The Wall is more than an album, it’s an experience. This concept album is even hailed by some to be one of the best albums of all time, and it was its raw passion that evoked something in its listeners that made millions relate to it and buy it in hordes.

AC/DC – Back in Black

Released at the height of the rock band’s popularity, Back in Black was their seventh album and the first one to be released after lead singer Bon Scott’s death with Brian Johnson taking his place after the band decided not to disband. With the album’s immensely positive reception from critics and fans, there’s no doubt their decision paid off.

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Journey Albums Ranked Worst to Best

Journey has been through their share of incarnations over the past five decades – some of them respected but low-selling, some of them bestsellers who were critically ignored. To help guide you through those periods, we're counting down all of their studio albums from worst to best.

Through it all, guitarist and co-founder Neal Schon , the only member to have appeared on every Journey album, has soldiered on. He started Journey in the mid-'70s as a fusion-focused group alongside fellow Santana product Gregg Rolie , but it was only after Steve Perry joined that they began building a platinum-selling legacy. Then, Jonathan Cain came over from the Babys to replace Rolie on keyboards, and his pop smarts and composition skills helped launch Journey into superstar status in the early '80s.

But by the end of the decade, Perry, who established a parallel solo career with 1984's Street Talk , began an on-again, off-again relationship with the band – much to the chagrin of all the new fans Journey had made in the meantime. After their final late '90s split, Schon and Cain went through two other frontmen before settling on current singer Arnel Pineda . He has since helped Journey rebuild its commercial fortunes, keeping the band as a reliable draw on the road while leading them to two Top 15 releases along the way. But which one tops them all? See our ranking of Journey's albums below.

Journey Albums Ranked

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With over 14 million records sold this GREATEST HITS is now being reissued. Now contains the 1996 Grammy nominated hit "When You Love a Woman." 16 page booklet includes new liner notes, photos and memorabilia.

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• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.9 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches; 2.4 Ounces
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Legacy Recordings
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 2196342
• Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2006
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ July 27, 2006
• Label ‏ : ‎ Legacy Recordings
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000G7PNKO
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #9 in Arena Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
• #11 in Hard Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
• #13 in Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) (CDs & Vinyl)

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The best album credited to Journey is Escape which is ranked number 1,758 in the overall greatest album chart with a total rank score of 966.

Journey is ranked number 753 in the overall artist rankings with a total rank score of 2,242.

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Journey best albums.

The following albums by Journey are ranked highest in the greatest album charts:

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This may not be a complete discography for Journey.This listing only shows those albums by this artist that appear in at least one chart on this site. If an album is 'missing' that you think deserves to be here, you can include it in your own chart from the My Charts page!

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Journey best tracks.

Include tracks from compilations & live albums | Exclude tracks from compilations & live albums The same track can appear on multiple albums, so excluding tracks from compilations and live albums helps to remove duplicates from this list.

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Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation). (*In practice, some artists can have several thousand ratings) This artist has a Bayesian average rating of 66.4/100, a mean average of 64.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 64.7/100. The standard deviation for this artist is 23.5.

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Shockingly underrated on this site. Few bands come to mind before these guys when I think of classic, good time rock 'n' roll. Obviously they're a hits band, and Don't Stop Believin' is incredibly overplayed, but, man do they have some good hits: Any Way You Want It, Separate Ways, Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin', Open Arms, Faithfully, Who's Crying Now, Wheel in the Sky, Stone in Love, Lights... the list goes on. This site is doing these guys pretty dirty.

I hate Glee for causing Don't Stop Believing to be the sing-along of choice for high school girls everywhere.

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Hard to believe that this band was unnoticed without Perry. Great voice, and plenty of great songs. On a strange side note, Journey's beetle is the only beetle I will ever like looking at. I once saw this hug inch long beetle with a loud buzz. I couldn't kill it. I wanted to, but I didn't want to hear the crunch. For years, I hated even looking at beetle pictures. Journey got me out of that with there awesomeness.

A good "hits" band

ESCAPE was definitely the best album. I actually preferred the second side (remember when albums had sides?). "Escape," "Lay it Down," "Dead or Alive," and "Mother, Father" were some of their strongest tunes and I definitely preferred them over the "Open Arms" sap. For a real treat, definitely check out Journey's first three albums. Incredible stuff that receives, virtually, no airplay these days.

My favorite band of all time

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Greatest Hits

In the ’80s, Journey was high on the list of bands loved by fans and reviled by critics. But today, they’re still heard and embraced – sometimes by the kind of people who sneered the first time around. (Witness the in-concert cover of “Lights” by fellow Bay Area stalwarts Green Day.) With frontman Steve Perry applying lessons learned from Sam Cooke, Journey’s Greatest Hits often sounds like a primer in pop idealism. “Lights” is a mellow smile about the joys of city life, “Any Way You Want It” a tip of the hat to Everygirl. And though “Don’t Stop Believin’” places itself on a scale with the songs that open Olympic games, it’s really all about that one small-town escapee on “the midnight train to anywhere”.

November 15, 1988 16 Songs, 1 hour, 5 minutes ℗ This compilation (P) 1988 Sony Music Entertainment

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Every Journey and Steve Perry album ranked from worst to best

From stadium-filling rock to the ultimate lighter-waving ballads, AOR titans Journey and their various frontmen have done it all

They are one of the biggest rock bands of all time, and their most famous song is the best-selling digital track from the 20th century. But for Journey, global stardom might never have happened if not for a hard-hitting ultimatum from their record company back in 1977. As the band’s original drummer Aynsley Dunbar recalled: “We were told: ‘Get a singer, get some hit songs or you’re off the label.’”

At that time, the San Francisco-based band had made three albums for Columbia Records, and all three had stiffed. Guitarist Neal Schon and vocalist/keyboard player Gregg Rolie had previously played in Santana , but Journey’s early music, mixing Santana-style jazz fusion and progressive rock, was a hard sell, and Rolie’s voice wasn’t the strongest.

Everything changed when Steve Perry joined the band after they’d tried out another singer, Robert Fleischman. With a richly expressive voice, Perry could hit high notes that other singers could only dream of. His first album with the band, 1978’s  Infinity , reinvented Journey as a mainstream rock act. The album promptly went platinum, and from there, the only way was up.

In the 80s, Journey became one of the biggest bands in America, with the Holy Trinity of AOR albums:  Escape ,  Frontiers  and  Raised On Radio . Perry also had a huge hit in 1984 with his first solo album, Street Talk . But the pressures of fame led Perry to quit the band in 1987, leaving Journey on hiatus until his return in 1995. And when he quit again two years later, he was gone for good.

How to replace the irreplaceable? Journey survived by finding the best Steve Perry impersonators on the planet. They made two albums in the early 2000s with Steve Augeri, formerly the singer in cult AOR band Tall Stories. And in 2007, when Journey’s classic hit  Don ’ t Stop   Believin ’  was featured in The Sopranos - making the song more famous than ever before, and putting the band’s name back in the spotlight - they unveiled a new singer who had been discovered via YouTube.

Filipino Arnel Pineda’s performance of Journey songs in covers band The Zoo was enough to secure him his dream job. He sounds uncannily like Steve Perry, and has now made three albums with Journey, including Freedom , released in 2022.

Perry, meanwhile, had withdrawn from public view for many years after leaving the band. But in 2018 he made a comeback with a solo album Traces , his first full-length recording since Journey’s Trial By Fire back in 1996. And if something had been lost over time - the power he’d had in his youth - it was still, unmistakably, the voice that made Journey the greatest AOR band of them all…

18. Journey: Look Into The Future (Columbia, 1976)

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In the credits to Journey’s 1979 album  Evolution , the band stated, gratefully: “Columbia Records stands alone in the field of developing new artists.” The company’s ‘tough love’ approach certainly worked for Journey, who couldn’t buy a hit record until Columbia ordered them to find a proper singer and write some tunes.

Tellingly, the catchiest number on Look   Into The Future, the band’s second album, is a cover of The Beatles ’ It’s All Too Much . The other tracks run like a loose jam session, veering from prog to psychedelia, jazz to heavy rock. Despite the album’s title, the sound is stuck in the 60s.

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17. Journey: Eclipse (Frontiers, 2011)

Journey got off to a strong start with Arnel Pineda on 2008’s million-selling Revelation, but the follow-up was an outright flop.  Eclipse was by design a heavy, guitar-focused album. As keyboard player Jonathan Cain said: “If people want to hear ballads, they can certainly find them on other records.”

But aside from the opening track, the mighty anthem City Of Hope , there is nothing on this album with the melodic power of a classic Journey banger like Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) . It’s all so much hot air. And if this album’s ballads slipped Cain’s mind, it’s hardly surprising.

16. Journey: Journey (Columbia, 1975)

“A strong beginning” said Rolling Stone magazine of Journey’s debut album. It certainly sounded as if some strong stuff was being smoked when they recorded it. With two former members of Santana in Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie, and an accomplished drummer, Englishman Aynsley Dunbar, who had played for John Mayall , Jeff Beck and Frank Zappa , this was a new band with an impressive pedigree. 

Their musicianship dazzled on the instrumentals Kohoutek and Topaz, the latter written by rhythm guitarist George Tickner, who left the group after this album. But all that jazz-rock fusion showboating wears thin over 35 minutes.

15. Journey: Next (Columbia, 1977)

The band’s third album was the last before Steve Perry joined, and in its opening track from there was a hint of what was to come. Spaceman was a simple ballad, although Perry would never have sung, as Gregg Rolie did, “ I’m a cosmopolitan, right-handed wingless man .”

Another significant track was Hustler , as Journey moved towards a more straightforward hard rock sound, with shades of Deep Purple . And as the band’s first phase ended, they delivered the most bizarre song they ever recorded - People , a trippy number with Schon playing spaced-out licks and Rolie singing like John Lennon .

14. Steve Perry: Traces (Fantasy, 2018) 

“I know it’s been a long time comin’,” Perry sang in the first line of the opening song, No Erasin’ . No shit. The release of Traces came 24 years after his previous solo album, and 22 years since his Journey swan song Trial By Fire .

Perry’s comeback, at the age of 69, was greeted as the AOR equivalent of the Resurrection, and amid such hysteria, Traces proved underwhelming, its blend of soft rock, pop and soul drifting into blandness here and there. But in No Erasin’ , the old magic was still there in what may be the last great song he’ll ever sing.

13. Journey: Generations (Sanctuary, 2005)

Singer Steve Augeri’s first album with Journey, 2001’s Arrival , was the best they ever made without Steve Perry. The follow-up, Generations , also had its moments - notably Faith In The Heartland and The Place In Your Heart , both of which were re-recorded with Arnel Pineda on 2008’s Revelation .

But in 2006 Augeri was out of the band. A serious throat infection had damaged his voice, and he was dismissed amid rumours that he had lip-synced on stage. His exit may have been ignominious, but Augeri’s contribution to Journey’s legacy should not be underestimated.

12. Journey: Freedom (BMG, 2022)

On Journey’s first album in more than a decade, only Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain remain from the band’s glory days. What’s more, two key contributors to this album - bassist Randy Jackson and drummer/songwriter/co-producer Narada Michael Walden - have since departed.

But as our own Geoff Barton stated: “ Freedom  passes the  Classic Rock  AOR test with flying colours.” The opening song Together We Run is quintessential Journey, and the epic Beautiful As You Are delivers a grand finale. And as Schon told Classic Rock , there is more to come. “As long as I’m here,” he said, “we’re gonna keep creating.”

11. Journey: Revelation (Frontiers, 2008) 

Lightning can strike twice. In 2005, Foreigner found in Kelly Hansen a singer whose voice was a close match for that of the great Lou Gramm. And two years later, Journey discovered a young Filipino guy who could sing like Steve Perry.

It was a big ask for Arnel Pineda to make the giant leap from Journey covers band to the real thing, but he performed heroically on the aptly named Revelation - from the triumphant anthem Never Walk Away to the beautiful ballad Turn Down The World Tonight . Revelation became the band’s first million seller without Perry. For Pineda, there was surely no greater vindication.

10. Steve Perry: For The Love Of Strange Medicine (Columbia, 1994)

Perry’s first solo album Street Talk was a huge hit in 1984. Ten years later, his second solo record reached the US top 20 but failed to make much of an impact in a world dominated by alternative rock.

For The Love Of   Strange Medicine  had some fine songs - the dynamic opening one-to punch of You Better Wait and Young Hearts Forever , and the epic title track. But the ballads were unremarkable, and the album, as a whole, was somewhat overwrought and overproduced. Within two years, Perry’s return to Journey yielded the comeback album Trial By Fire . But the reunion wouldn’t last.

9. Journey: Trial By Fire (Columbia, 1996)

The second coming of Steve Perry ended in disappointment. With the definitive Escape -era line-up reunited, Journey should have delivered a great album. They managed only half that. On opener  Message Of Love  and the ready-made wedding song  When You Love A Woman , Journey achieved something close to peak form. 

But the big rock epics,  Castles Burning  and  Can ’ t Tame The Lion , were all bluster. Trial By Fire  hit No.3 in the US, but the band’s comeback tour was aborted after Perry injured his hip in a hiking accident. Tragically, he never sang for Journey again.

8. Journey: Arrival (Columbia, 2001)

They were big shoes to fill, but New Yorker Steve Augeri proved a more than capable replacement for Steve Perry in Journey. With the new singer performing at such a high level, Arrival was the band’s best album since Raised On Radio .

Four tracks came right out of the top drawer: powerful opener Higher Place , one of several songs on the album co-written with Night Ranger’s Jack Blades; Signs Of Life , an anthem for the brokenhearted; and two majestic ballads,  All   The Way  and  Loved By You. Augeri had passed the test. And Journey had proved there was life after Steve Perry.

7. Journey: Departure (Columbia, 1980)

At the dawn of the 80s, Journey still sounded, and looked, somewhat dated. Van Halen ’s  Women   And   Children First  was released in the same month as  Departure  – March 1980. But where Van Halen sounded like the future, with the image to match, Journey were stuck in the 70s. 

But no matter, a great song will always hit the spot, however old-fashioned the delivery. And there are many on Departure, including the jubilant  Any Way You Want It . Departure  was aptly titled. With Gregg Rolie set to quit, this was the last hurrah of the old Journey. Within a year the flares were gone and Journey were setting the template for 80s arena rock.

6. Journey: Evolution (Columbia, 1979)

Steve Perry’s pain was Journey’s gain. The band’s first Top 20 single,  Lovin ’ ,   Touchin ’ , Squeezin ’, was written after the singer saw his girlfriend kissing another guy. Perry described the song as “love justice”, but it was the sweetest kind of revenge; with its slinky blues groove and a killer ‘ na-na-na ’ coda, the song became a genuine rock standard.

Parent album  Evolution  was the second of two that Journey recorded with producer Roy Thomas Baker, whose previous clients Queen are echoed in the knowingly titled pomp-rock fanfare  Majestic . Also featured here is  Daydream , a long-forgotten masterpiece.

5. Journey: Infinity (Columbia, 1978)

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.

4. Steve Perry: Street Talk (Columbia, 1984) 

The dreaded solo album signals the end for many a band. Steve Perry returned to Journey after making  Street Talk , but the balance of power had shifted; Perry would remodel Journey’s music on this album’s soul-influenced soft rock.

Perry relished the freedom of a solo project, crafting slick adult pop songs inspired by vintage soul music:  I Believe  a Motown tribute,  Captured By The Moment  mourning Sam Cooke and other lost heroes. The single Oh Sherrie hit number three on the US chart, powering Street Talk  to platinum status. The album is widely acknowledged as an AOR classic.

3. Journey: Raised On Radio (Columbia, 1986)

With Steve Perry heartbroken by his mother’s terminal illness, and bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith leaving due to “creative differences”, 1985 was Journey’s annus horribilis. But out of turmoil came the last classic Journey album.

After Perry’s solo debut  Street Talk  went platinum, the singer took control of the group. Neal Schon was sidelined as Perry’s pop and soul influences prevailed. Raised On Radio  was recorded three times before Perry was satisfied. But every nickel and dime they spent is audible in the deluxe soft rock of  Girl Can ’ t Help It  and  I ’ ll Be Alright Without You .

2. Journey: Frontiers (Columbia, 1983)

After the huge success of 1981’s Escape , Journey hit another home run with Frontiers . The album reached No.2 in the US and included two classic hits:  Separate Ways (Worlds   Apart) , one of the heaviest and most emotive tracks the band have ever recorded, and  Faithfully , the greatest power ballad of all time.

Journey never rocked harder than on  Frontiers , with Neal Schon really ripping on  Edge Of The Blade  and  Rubicon . The album would have been even better if  Ask The Lonely  and  Only The Young , two brilliant tracks, hadn’t been dropped in favour of  Troubled Child  and  Back Talk  the latter a real stinker. (The two discarded songs appeared on the album’s 2006 reissue.)

1. Journey: Escape (Columbia, 1981)

The greatest AOR album of all time, Journey’s first US No.1 made them stadium-filling superstars. And pivotal to its success was their new keyboard player: Jonathan Cain co-wrote every song on  Escape . “What changed about Journey,” Cain said, “is that I started writing about the people that cared about the band.” 

Don ’ t   Stop Believin ’, an evocative tale of ‘ streetlight people, living just to find emotion ’, became an American classic.  Open   Arms  – rejected by his previous band The Babys – was a monster hit. With nine million copies now sold,  Escape  is Journey’s definitive statement.

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Freelance writer for Classic Rock since 2005, Paul Elliott has worked for leading music titles since 1985, including Sounds, Kerrang!, MOJO and Q . He is the author of several books including the first biography of Guns N’ Roses and the autobiography of bodyguard-to-the-stars Danny Francis. He has written liner notes for classic album reissues by artists such as Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Kiss, and currently works as content editor for Total Guitar . He lives in Bath - of which David Coverdale recently said: “How very Roman of you!”

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