10 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of The '80s

It may seem shocking now, but Journey came dangerously close to being one of the most forgettable bands of the '70s. Even though they had guitar god Neal Schon in tow, the band's first few records fell on deaf ears, with songs that sounded like pale imitations of jam bands like the Grateful Dead and Santana. These guys were in dire need of an upgrade, but no one expected someone like Steve Perry to come to their aid.

Working on the California club scene, Perry hooked up with Journey and struck gold the minute he opened his mouth. As opposed to the more smokey aspects of singer Gregg Rolie's voice, Perry was like a sonic lightning bolt, with a tone that blended down and dirty rock and roll with a pop friendly attention to melody. All of a sudden, the elongated jams the band had started out with had turned into some of pop rock's greatest tunes on songs like "Don't Stop Believin."

Journey were already a decent band with a killer guitarist, but once Perry's siren like vocal meshed with the grit of Schon's guitar, they were unstoppable. With just the right amount of power and sweetness, Steve Perry stood apart from the howlers of the world and became one of the most pure voices in rock and roll.