1983 Rock Classic Never Reached No. 1 But Became an Ultimate Road Trip Anthem

While British rocker Billy Idol, now 70, may be best known for his '80s hits "Rebel Yell," "Dancing With Myself," and "White Wedding (Part 1)," his other, less popular songs still have made an impact.

For instance, in 2025, Rolling Stone magazine included his 1983 tune "Blue Highway" on the publication's list of "the 50 best road-trip songs." The song, which landed on the ranking's 34th spot, is famous for Steve Stevens' impressive guitar playing and uses the image of the highway to convey exploration without fear or regret.

Billy Idol Discussed the Long-Lasting Success of the 'Rebel Yell' Album in 2024

While "Blue Highway" didn't rank on the Billboard Hot 100, the album it's on, 1983's Rebel Yell, reached the number 6 position on the Billboard Top 200 in July 1984.

In a 2024 interview with ABC News, Idol discussed the long-lasting success of Rebel Yell. The musician said he still enjoyed performing songs from the album in front of fans.

"I really love what I do and, you know, really believe in what I'm doing. And well the music has held up, the songs from Rebel Yell, really hold up. They're still fun to do, you know, so somehow or another, 'Rebel Yell,' 'Eyes Without of Face,' they don't really get old. They seem to still be fresh somehow. I can't believe it ," said Idol during the ABC News interview.

In the interview, Idol also discussed his collaboration with Stevens, who has been co-writing songs and performing with Idol since the early '80s. He explained that he and Stevens have worked so well together because they "give each other space" and "don't crowd each other." In addition, Idol said he and Stevens have a deep respect for each other's abilities.

'I think we're really into what we can do for each other. When I met Steve, and I really saw how talented he was, what a great guitar player, I just knew he could do anything I wanted to do. He could do it in spades. And that meant I could do anything with this guy," said Idol in the ABC News interview.

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This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 2:09 PM.