4 Amazing Albums That Define Heartland Rock

It’s one of the most unofficial of all music genres. But you can’t deny that heartland rock made a huge impact on the scene in the 70s and 80s. Purveyors of this style touched a nerve with folks in small towns across the US.

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Certain heartland rock albums stand tall, both in terms of their popularity and their lasting power. Here are four to which we still return when we want to locate that vibe.

‘Night Moves’ by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1976)

Early in his career, Bob Seger went a long stretch without anything approaching a hit single. But he subsisted by touring constantly, mostly in the Midwest near his Michigan upbringing. Seger gave his career a shot in the arm with the release of the album Live Bullet, which brought his energetic concert experience to those all around the country. His next studio album, Night Moves, told the stories of people very much like those cheering him on in the audience. Songs like the title track, “Mainstreet”, and “Rock And Roll Never Forgets” detailed that existence with telling, authentic details and sweet nostalgia. Seger would return time and again to this type of heartland rock for the remainder of his career.

‘Escape’ by Journey (1981)

You might not think of Journey as a heartland rock band. Certainly, the early version of the band, which formed in San Francisco, played a more progressive version of rock. But Journey began to change dramatically when new members joined over the years. The incredible chops of Steve Perry pushed them in a more standard song-oriented direction. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain convinced them to write more with their audience in mind when he joined. All these changes coalesced on Escape, and the band soared. They focused on storytelling relatable to their fans. In “Don’t Stop Believin’”, they achieved perhaps the ultimate heartland rock anthem.

‘Born In The U.S.A.’ by Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Bruce Springsteen started to move his song settings in a more heartland-oriented direction on the 1982 album Nebraska. But Springsteen wasn’t operating in the rock milieu with that LP. He considered staying in that lane before others in his camp prevailed upon him to get back to his rocking roots. Still, Springsteen brought that same level of storytelling to the Born In The U.S.A. album. And in so doing, he proved that a heartland rock album could tell the warts-and-all truth about life in American small towns. Songs like the title track and “My Hometown” spoke candidly and eloquently about both the hard times and the grit of the people who dealt with them.

‘Scarecrow’ by John Mellencamp (1985)

We apologize in advance to John Mellencamp for featuring Scarecrow prominently on this list. Apparently, he’s not a huge fan of the term “heartland rock.” But there’s no denying that what he has delivered throughout his career fits the genre as it’s defined by others, and not just because he comes from Indiana. On this album, Mellencamp shed himself of the pop artifice that had been attached to him early in his career. Instead, he wrote from the heart about the people and places that he knew so well. Few songs detail the pride people have in their point of origin as well as “Small Town”. Mellencamp also proved on songs like “Rain On The Scarecrow” that he could advocate for the people in these areas who needed help.

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