Rock music, particularly hard rock and jazz rock, was enjoying quite a time in the year 1982. Let’s take a look at just a handful of songs from that very year that hit the charts in a big way and live on in the hearts of fans today. I bet you’re familiar with at least a couple of these songs if you were an 80s kid!
Videos by American Songwriter
“Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor
Was there a song bigger than this jam in the year 1982? I’d say not. “Eye Of The Tiger” was an enormous hit for the rock band Survivor, namely due to its use in the film Rocky III. It was a No. 1 smash across the charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, UK Singles, Australian, and Canadian charts, among others. The songwriting partnership of Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik was a golden one that yielded one of the most anthemic songs of a generation. Honestly, many arena rock bands that followed this song tried to emulate its energy through the rest of the 1980s.
“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
If you love rock music and were around when this song dropped in 1982, you probably still listen to it today. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” was originally a song from the band Arrows, but Joan Jett turned it into a megahit with her cover in 1982. That version climbed the charts to No. 1 on the Hot 100, among numerous other international charts. It remains Joan Jett’s signature song today.
“Rosanna” by Toto
How about this gem from the band Toto? And no, it’s not “Africa”. “Rosanna” is another top-notch rock song from Toto, one that leans more into soft rock and jazz rock. “Rosanna” ended up winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year the following year, and I can see why. It’s a delight from start to finish, and it was also quite a beloved song on the charts. “Rosanna” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 12 on the UK Singles chart, and reached the Top 10 in numerous countries. And it’s still such a jam today.
Photo by Ron Wolfson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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