3 Rock Songs From the 1980s That Hardcore Fans Love More Than Casual Listeners

These three rock songs from the 1980s are well known to super fans, but casual listeners would do well to learn them. These aren’t the most well-known songs from any of these bands, but they are just as good as their top hits.

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“Mother, Father” — Journey

“Mother, Father” is one of the most impressive vocal moments in any rock song ever. Steve Perry puts himself in a league all his own in this fan-favorite 1980s rock anthem. “She sits alone, an empty stare / A mother’s face she wears / Where did she go wrong, the fight is gone / Lord help this broken home,” he sings with the perfect amount of gravitas.

It’s hard to imagine witnessing such a performance as the one above. Perry is almost too good to be believed, and his bandmates deliver equally powerful shows of talent. This song might not be Journey’s most well-known song, but it is one of the best examples of their singular skill as a band.

“Something Big” — Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

This fan-favorite rock song hasn’t reached every corner of the mainstream. “Well, it didn’t feel like Sunday / Didn’t feel like June / When he met his silent partner / In that lonely corner room,” he sings in this song about a seedy criminal venture.

This is one of Tom Petty’s most narratively driven tracks. You can feel the ambiance right away as he sets up this story. The listener feels dropped right into the action. “And it wasn’t no way to carry on / It wasn’t no way to live / But he could put up with it for a little while / He was working on something big,” he sings. Hardcore Petty listeners have long given this song its props. Casual listeners can catch up with the video above.

“Isn’t It Midnight” — Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac’s discography is robust. You can’t blame casual fans for not knowing every single song. “Isn’t It Midnight” is one such rock song. Taken from their oh-so-80s album, Tango In The Night, this Christine McVie track is a stunner that deserves more praise from the masses.

“So cool, calm and collected / You had a style, a rakish style / Well, my poor heart never connected / You’d stay so long on my mind,” she sings in this 1980s rock deep cut. Fleetwood fans who know every corner of their discography will likely have this one on lock, but if you’re unfamiliar, check it out above.

(Photo by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)