1987 Rock Classic No. 1 Song Became a Timeless Anthem
By the late 1980s, power ballads were everywhere, but few hit quite like the now classic song "Alone" by Heart. Released in 1987, the towering anthem didn't just top the charts, it cemented itself as one of the era's most enduring emotional rock songs, powered by a vocal performance that still resonates decades later.
"Alone" arrived at a pivotal moment for Heart. The band, led by sisters Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, had already enjoyed major success in the 1970s. But by the mid-1980s, they were reinventing themselves for a new generation, with "Alone" a key part of this shift.
Released as the lead single from their ninth studio album, Bad Animals, which came out on May 15, 1987, the track quickly made its mark. It climbed all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July, while also topping charts in Canada and reaching No. 3 in the U.K. The song's global success underscored its broad appeal, with "Alone" landing in the top 10 in multiple countries and becoming one of the biggest hits of 1987.
But what makes the story of "Alone" extra interesting is the fact that Heart didn't originally write it. The song was penned by hitmakers Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who first recorded it with their short-lived project i-Ten in 1983. This version flew largely under the radar, but the songwriting duo clearly made something special, with Heart taking the song and transforming it into something massive.
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Even among a music catalog filled with hits, "Alone" stands out as one of Heart's most recognizable songs. It earned the band a Grammy nomination and became one of the defining power ballads of its time. By the end of 1987, it ranked among the year's biggest singles in the U.S., and decades later, it's still remembered as a true classic.
In the 2020s, Ann is still belting out "Alone" and wowing audiences with her powerful vocals, while many other landmark singers have tried their hand at singing the beloved song.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 5:32 AM.