Journey was formed by Santana manager Walter “Herbie” Herbert in 1973 and found most success in the 70s with classic rock tracks including “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Separate Ways”, “Faithfully” and “Open Arms”.
Their first albums, Journey, Look Into the Future and Next, were notable for their excellent musicianship but failed to secure the success they were hoping for. So Journey made an effort to move into more commercial waters, trying to replicate the successes of Foreigner and Boston. Steve Perry was recruited as vocalist and Infinity was released in 1978, catapulting them to platinum-edged stardom. Evolution and 1980's Departure did little to dent their success.
Escape, their seventh studio album, was their best yet and went nine-times platinum, spawning three Top 10 singles. The critics, however, gave Journey a mauling, accusing them of triviality and of being the worst kind of ‘corporate rock’. Irrespective of the continuing derision of the critics, Journey released Frontiers in 1983 and it kept them in the high reaches of the charts.
After Frontiers, Steve Perry began to wrest the reins from Herbie Herbert, and 1986’s Raised On Radio was released. But a series of problems meant the supporting tour was short, and in 1987 an exhausted Perry walked away from the band.
The other Journey members went on to other projects, but the back catalogue continued to sell well as did the three compilation albums they released back to back. In 1995, Perry came back to the band and they recorded Trial By Fire in 1996. A tour with this album was impossible after Perry hurt his hip, and the band withered, with Cain and Schon continuing the band without him.
New singer Steve Augeri was recruited for the recording of a new album, 2001’s Arrival. In 2006 Augeri was replaced by Jeff Scott Soto. Unfortunately, Soto didn’t last long and at the end of 2007, it was announced that Arnel Pineda would be their new singer.
In December 2007, after considering the lead singer of a Virginia-based tribute band, Journey hired Filipino singer Arnel Pineda of the cover band The Zoo after Neal Schon saw him on YouTube singing covers of Journey songs. Journey debuted their new lead singer in February 2008 in Chile, released the album Revelation, and announced a summer tour with Heart and Cheap Trick. Revelation debuted at No.5 on the Billboard charts, selling more than 196,000 units in its first two weeks, making it the band's best selling album since Trial by Fire.