4 Classic Rock Songs From 1987 That Still Shake the Ground We Stand On

Classic rock songs had a big moment in the 1980s, particularly in 1987. That year, a ton of excellent classic rock music dropped, from hard rock to glam metal to even country rock. Let’s look at just a handful of such songs that still shake the ground we stand on!

“Alone” by Heart

This song was a hard rock hit for the band Heart, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and several other international charts. Their version is incredible, but “Alone” originally belonged to someone else… and has been covered by quite a few different musicians. Originally written and recorded by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly under the name i-Ten in 1983, musicians like Celine Dion have since covered this killer tune. Still, most people know it from Heart’s 1987 version.

“With Or Without You” by U2

U2 was having a great time in the mid-1980s. After releasing their now-legendary album The Joshua Tree, the band dropped a handful of singles, including “With Or Without You” in 1987. The third single off of the album, “With Or Without You” was a hefty rock ballad hit for the band. It peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and elsewhere. Today, it’s one of the Irish band’s most well-known tunes.

“Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” by Genesis

Genesis makes it to this list with an art rock jam that did particularly well on the global charts. “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight”, the second track off the album Invisible Touch, peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100. “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” was an interesting hit, considering the ominous and eerie vibe of it and the dark lyrics that depict drug addiction. Phil Collins noted that the song was originally inspired by a LinnDrum pattern he crafted, while Tony Banks came up with the unsettling chord progression.

“Wanted Dead Or Alive” by Bon Jovi

There was no avoiding a good power ballad on this list of classic rock songs from 1987. Or, possibly the most well-known power ballad ever. This hit from Bon Jovi bridged the gap between country rock and glam metal, and it was a pretty massive hit in 1987. 

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