A small town girl living in a lonely world met a city boy born and raised in South Detroit in October 1981, and the rest was history.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) officially named Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" the "biggest song of all time." What started as the "biggest-selling digital song of the '80s" (per Billboard) is now certified 18x Platinum in the United States alone, standing out as the most-sold hit in music history over 40 years after its initial release.
According to Forbes, "Don't Stop Believin'" peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart the year that it was released, and went on to propel the success of Journey's first No. 1 album, Escape, released a few months prior in July 1981. The single cultivated an unrivaled legacy built on sheer creativity, unmatched vocals, and a melody that, unbeknownst to Journey bandmates Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain, would stand the tests of time for decades to come.
As a side note: Johnathan Cain, who wrote the song, was born and raised on the near west side of Chicago and attended Our Lady of Angels school. The school caught fire on December 1, 1958, while classes were still in session, and tragically 95 children and Nuns perished. Cain, a student there at the time of the fire, wrote and played a tribute song to those who perished.