Before streaming gained prominence and the physical sales of cassettes, vinyl records, and CDs reigned supreme, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" became known as the "biggest song of all time" from the pre-digital era.
Videos by Wide Open Country
RIAA certified the classic anthem 18-times platinum in 2024. Journey's iconic single ties with one other song in U.S. history that had already reached that milestone. Post Malone and Swae Lee's "Sunflower"—officially titled "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)"— was certified 18-times platinum in May 2023.
Oddly enough, Journey recently revealed that they created the song on a whim after being challenged to play "something dumb."
Journey Unexpectedly Created a Timeless Record
While discussing the hit's origin in a November 2025 interview with Rick Beato, he explained producers Kevin Elson and Mike "Clay" Stone told him to "play something dumb" as he was working on the rhythm guitar for the track.
"It's crazy. When we wrote it, I thought there was something there when we were messing around with it in the studio. When I went back in the studio to listen after we cut it and it was coming together in a mix, I looked at the guys, and I go, 'I think there's something here that's special. That's going to be bigger than this whole record,' " Schon shared.
"And they go, 'Oh, you think so?' And I go, 'I do.' Not until this many decades later did it happen, but it did happen. Because when they released it as a single back then, it didn't chart nearly as high as some of the other singles."
Singer Jonathan Cain told The Guardian that, despite limited airplay upon release, he believed the song was bound for greatness.
"I think every song has a destiny. When it was first released in 1981, 'Don't Stop Believin' ' didn't get played a ton on the radio. It only made it to number nine. And then it was gone," Cain recalled.
"But it has lasted and lasted. It's a song that gives you permission to dream. And there are still a lot of smalltown girls and city boys. Wanting to get on a midnight train going anywhere. Everyone is still looking for that window of hope and opportunity."
