Maps of Music

Evolution (1979)

Where the lyrics of Evolution take you, and where it was really made.

The album that brought Journey its first top 20 hit also brought in a new drummer, Steve Smith, who replaced Aynsley Dunbar.

Key places

Recorded at Cherokee Studios (1979)

Recording site Cherokee Studios — The album was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California, with Roy Thomas Baker producing. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Evolution is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Journey
• Released in March 1979 by Columbia Records
• First Journey album to feature drummer Steve Smith
• Smith was formerly with Ronnie Montrose's band
• Steve Perry on lead vocals, with Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory and Smith in the line-up

Background

• Journey kept Roy Thomas Baker, known for his work with Queen, as producer
• Aynsley Dunbar was replaced by Smith
• The album followed Infinity (1978), which Baker also produced
• The band reportedly was dissatisfied with Baker's work

Recording

• Recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California
• Baker produced the album and also handled mixing

Cover

• Cover art credited to Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch.
• The band was originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, intended as a backup group for Bay Area artists, before developing a jazz fusion style.
• The name Journey was suggested by roadie John Villanueva.

Members

• Current lineup includes Neal Schon (guitars, vocals), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitars, vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), and Todd Jensen (bass, vocals).
• Steve Perry was lead vocalist from 1977 to 1987, the band's most commercially successful period.

Career

• Escape reached number one on the Billboard 200 and produced "Open Arms" and "Don't Stop Believin'".
• Frontiers reached number two in the US and number six on the UK Albums Chart.
• "Don't Stop Believin'" was certified 18-times platinum by the RIAA in 2024, the top-selling digital track in US history.
• The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
• A farewell tour, the Final Frontier Tour, began in February 2026 after Jonathan Cain announced his departure.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Record World: "Too Late" took the rock ballad to new limits with a call-and-response hookline and Neal Schon's dashing guitar break
• Record World called "Just the Same Way" a hard but slick rocker
• The Globe and Mail: all the songs could have come from the same session as the previous album, which it read as a sign of stagnation

Records

• Peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200, the band's most successful album at the time
• Sold three million copies in the US
• First top 20 hit "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100
• "Just the Same Way" reached No. 58 and featured original lead vocalist Gregg Rolie alongside Steve Perry
• Japan: Oricon LP chart peak of No. 70

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Aynsley Dunbar left the band and was replaced by Steve Smith, who had come from Ronnie Montrose's band.
• Roy Thomas Baker, best known for his work with Queen, was kept on as producer after the previous album.
• The band was reportedly unhappy with Baker's work on this record.
• Baker's involvement is a link between Journey's album and Queen's catalogue.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

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