JOURNEY - ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

Released: February 22, 1980

Charts: US: #23 

“Any Way You Want It” is pure, high-energy Journey — a hard-charging anthem that blends melodic rock with a fist-pumping spirit. Released in February 1980 as the lead single from their sixth studio album “Departure”, it became a fan favorite and a staple of their live shows, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written by Steve Perry and Neal Schon during a moment of inspiration on their tour bus. With Schon strumming an acoustic guitar and Perry riffing off vocal ideas, the track came together quickly. 

Musically, it’s tight, vibrant, and full of swagger — driven by Schon’s staccato guitar riffs and Perry’s soaring vocals. Lyrically, it’s a celebration of freedom and desire, making it tailor-made for stadium sing-alongs.

According to Steve Perry, the give-and-take structure of the song — the rapid-fire back-and-forth between vocals and guitar — was inspired by his time spent with Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy while the bands toured together in 1979. Perry, Schon, and Lynott worked on rhyme schemes together in Miami, which directly informed the conversational rhythm of “Any Way You Want It.” Perry described it as:

“Guitar-voice, guitar-voice, more guitar-guitar-guitar-voice… back and forth.”

This became a songwriting blueprint Journey would revisit on later songs like “Stone in Love.”

In the studio, keyboardist Gregg Rolie originally used a Mellotron, but the unit malfunctioned. Co-producer Geoff Workman salvaged the sound by doubling it with a regular organ, giving the final mix a “celestial ring” — an airy, dreamy vibe layered under the hard rock surface. This fusion, plus stacked background vocals, created a sonic signature that made the track stand out even more.

The music video directed by Kim Paul Friedman, is a classic example of early 1980s rock visuals — simple, performance-driven, and anchored in a touch of storytelling. Premiering in March 1980, the video opens with a bit of mystery: a man standing in front of a jukebox, his face hidden. He scrolls through the list of songs, pauses at “Any Way You Want It,” and drops in a coin. Once selected, the jukebox flips a record into place, and as it starts to spin, the scene transitions smoothly into a studio reel turning, which launches us into Journey performing the song live in the studio. The twist comes at the very end — the man at the jukebox is revealed to be Steve Perry himself, who turns and flashes a knowing smile at the camera, closing out the video with a wink of charm.

In addition to this conceptual studio version, there’s also a live performance video filmed during the Departure Tour, capturing Journey in their full concert glory. Both videos showcase different sides of the band: one polished and stylized, the other pure and electric.

 OMD - IF YOU LEAVE

Released: April 21, 1986

Charts: UK: #48 US: #4 

“If You Leave” is one of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s signature songs, written for the final scene of the film Pretty in Pink. Released in 1986, it became their biggest U.S. hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting highly in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Andy McCluskey notes many European fans dislike the song and that the success of the track tends to overshadow the band’s other work in the U.S.

Originally, Pretty in Pink was set to end with OMD’s “Goddess of Love,” but after poor test screenings, director John Hughes changed the ending and needed a new song. He asked OMD to create one that matched the emotional tone and had a tempo of 120 BPM to fit the filmed prom scene. With just two days before a tour, the band wrote and recorded “If You Leave” in under 24 hours. The lyrics reflect the end of high school and the fear of what comes next. Despite matching the tempo, a film editing error caused the dancing to appear out of sync.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK - YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF)

Released: November 7, 1988

UK: #1 (3 weeks)

“You Got It (The Right Stuff)” was the breakout hit that helped catapult New Kids on the Block into full-blown teen idol status in the late ’80s. Released in 1988 as the second single from their sophomore album “Hangin’ Tough”, the track featured Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg on lead vocals and showcased the group’s catchy, synth-driven pop-R&B style. Known for its unforgettable “oh, oh, oh, OH, oh” vocal hook and synchronized dance moves, the song became a pop culture landmark, adored by fans and parodied by critics. 

Originally titled just “The Right Stuff” on the album, the single was retitled to “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, likely to avoid confusion with Vanessa Williams’ hit of the same name from earlier in the year. The song’s success was wide-reaching: it hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, went #1 in Australia in August 1989, and topped the UK charts that November, though only after a second release.

A Spanish-language version called “Auténtica” also found success, peaking at #11 in Spain, helping the band reach an international audience. The music video, with its iconic black-and-white aesthetic and signature dance moves, became a pop culture staple paving the way for acts like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC in the decades to come.

Behind the scenes, the song (like the rest of Hangin’ Tough) was the brainchild of Maurice Starr, who not only wrote and produced the track but also played all the instruments. Having previously launched New Edition, Starr followed a similar blueprint with the New Kids — but this time, turning them into a global phenomenon.

The song’s chart story is also interesting: in the UK, their single “Hangin’ Tough” initially flopped at #52, but after “You Got It” topped the chart, “Hangin’ Tough” was re-released and also climbed to #1.

OMD - PANDORA’S BOX

Llançament: 24 de juny de 1991

Posicions a les llistes: UK: #7

“Pandora’s Box” és un single de Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark publicat el 1991 com a segon avançament del seu àlbum “Sugar Tax”. La cançó es va convertir en un èxit al Regne Unit i a diversos països europeus, arribant al Top 10. El llançament va incloure tres remescles diferents, sent la versió principal un remix més curt a càrrec de Steve Anderson.

La cançó està inspirada en Louise Brooks, actriu icònica del cinema mut, i en la seva pel·lícula de 1929, “Pandora’s Box”. Andy McCluskey la va escriure com un homenatge a Brooks, afirmant que la seva bellesa magnètica i la seva vida turmentada l’havien fascinat profundament. La descrivia com “algú de qui t’enamores immediatament però que hauries d’evitar”. Aquesta dualitat es reflecteix en la cançó, que explora la cara fosca de la fama i l’atracció fatal.

Pandora’s Box (Die Büchse der Pandora) és una pel·lícula alemanya de cinema mut dirigida per G.W. Pabst, que narra la tràgica història de Lulu (Louise Brooks), una dona lliure i seductora la qual provoca la caiguda d’ella mateixa i de tots els qui l’envolten. Basada en les obres de teatre de Frank Wedekind, el títol fa referència al mite grec de Pandora, símbol de la destrucció i el caos desfermats. La pel·lícula també és coneguda per una de les primeres representacions cinematogràfiques del desig lèsbic, a través del personatge de la comtessa Geschwitz. Tot i ser ignorada en el seu moment, amb el temps ha estat reconeguda com una obra mestra del cinema expressionista de la República de Weimar.

El videoclip de la cançó, rodat en blanc i negre, combina imatges d’Andy McCluskey amb metratge original de Louise Brooks, extret directament del film de 1929, creant un homenatge visual i emocional a la figura enigmàtica de l’actriu.

OMD - PANDORA’S BOX

Released: June 24, 1991

Charts: UK: #7 

“Pandora’s Box” is a 1991 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the second single from their “Sugar Tax” album. It became a top-10 hit across the UK and Europe, with three remixes accompanying its release—the main single version being a shorter remix by Steve Anderson. 

Inspired by silent film star Louise Brooks and her 1929 film “Pandora’s Box”, Andy McCluskey wrote it as a tribute to the actress, whose allure and troubled life deeply fascinated him. He described her as someone you’d instantly fall for but should avoid. The song reflects this tension and explores the darker side of fame. 

“Pandora’s Box” (Die Büchse der Pandora) is a 1929 German silent drama directed by G.W. Pabst. The film tells the tragic story of Lulu (Louise Brooks), a free-spirited and seductive woman whose allure leads to the downfall of herself and those around her. Based on Frank Wedekind’s plays, the title references the Greek myth of Pandora, symbolizing the unleashing of chaos and destruction. The film is also notable for its early depiction of lesbian desire through the character Countess Geschwitz. Initially overlooked, it was later recognized as a landmark of Weimar cinema and a silent film classic. The music video of the song, shot in black and white, features McCluskey alongside archival footage of Brooks, with all her scenes taken directly from the original 1929 film.

KINGS OF LEON - SEX ON FIRE

Llançament: 11 d’agost de 2008

Regne Unit: #1 (3 setmanes)

“Sex on Fire” va ser el gran èxit que va catapultar Kings of Leon a la fama mundial, convertint-se en el seu primer senzill número u en diversos països, com el Regne Unit, Irlanda, Finlàndia i Austràlia. Publicat com el primer single del seu quart àlbum, “Only by the Night”, la cançó va ser clau en la transició de la banda d’un favorit de l’escena indie-rock a una autèntica potència global del rock. Va guanyar el seu primer Grammy a la Millor Interpretació Rock per un Duo o Grup en la 51a edició dels Grammy Awards el 2009, consolidant el seu èxit.

Al Regne Unit, “Sex on Fire” va debutar al número u el 14 de setembre de 2008, romanent a la llista de senzills durant 42 setmanes consecutives fins que va sortir breument a causa de l’augment de vendes post-mortem de Michael Jackson. No obstant, va tornar a entrar a la llista durant 37 setmanes més, arribant fins i tot al Top 10 novament al setembre de 2009.

Caleb Followill va concebre “Sex on Fire” inicialment com una cançó divertida i desenfadada, sense esperar l’enorme èxit que tindria. Amb el temps, ha arribat a valorar-la amb orgull. La lletra ambigua va generar especulacions, amb alguns interpretant “sex is on fire” com una referència a una malaltia de transmissió sexual, però Followill ho va desmentir, aclarint que la cançó tracta simplement d’un sexe apassionat i inoblidable.

Malgrat el seu contingut explícit, el segell discogràfic la va triar com a single principal, sorprenent el mateix Followill. Aquest va admetre que va escriure la lletra sota els efectes d’analgèsics, que prenia després d’una baralla amb el seu germà que li va provocar una lesió a l’espatlla. El que va començar com un tema ocasional i sense pretensions va acabar convertint-se en un dels èxits més grans de Kings of Leon.

El videoclip va ser dirigit per Sophie Muller, coneguda pel seu treball en “Smile” de Lily Allen i “Grace Kelly” de Mika. Amb un estil surrealista i inquietant, el vídeo mostra la banda actuant en una fàbrica abandonada mentre es desenvolupen escenes estranyes i inquietants. Caleb Followill va descriure el concepte del vídeo com una sèrie d’al·lucinacions que el fan sentir com un pervertit atret per la seva pròpia família. El seu germà Jared va confessar que només van acceptar la idea per la trajectòria de Muller, bromejant que no haurien estat d’acord si algú els hagués proposat un vídeo on Caleb apareix lligat a un matalàs o Jared persegueix una gallina. Altres imatges destacades inclouen Nathan rentant-se el cabell en aigua negra, Matthew menjant una ala de pollastre i Caleb observant ombres estranyes. El vídeo acaba amb Caleb obrint la boca mentre surt fum del seu interior.

KINGS OF LEON - SEX ON FIRE

Released: August 11, 2008

UK: #1 (3 weeks)

“Sex on Fire” was a breakthrough hit for Kings of Leon, becoming their first number-one single in multiple countries, including the UK, Ireland, Finland, and Australia. Released as the lead single from their fourth album, “Only by the Night”, the song propelled the band to mainstream success and earned them their first Grammy win for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009. This song marked a turning point for Kings of Leon, shifting them from an indie-rock favorite to a global rock powerhouse, setting the stage for their future success.

In the UK, the song debuted at number one on September 14, 2008, and remained on the singles chart for 42 consecutive weeks before briefly dropping out due to the posthumous surge in Michael Jackson sales. It quickly re-entered the chart and stayed for another 37 weeks, even returning to the top 10 in September 2009.

Caleb Followill originally intended “Sex on Fire” as a lighthearted, playful track on “Only by the Night” but was surprised by its massive success. He later admitted he looks back on it with pride. The song’s ambiguous lyrics sparked speculation, with some interpreting “sex is on fire” as a reference to a venereal disease, but Followill dismissed this, clarifying that it’s simply about memorable, passionate sex.

Despite its explicit lyrics, the record label chose it as the lead single, much to Followill’s surprise. He also admitted he wrote the lyrics while under the influence of painkillers, taken after injuring his shoulder in a fight with his brother. What started as a casual, offhand track ended up becoming one of Kings of Leon’s biggest hits.

The music video was directed by Sophie Muller, known for her work on Lily Allen’s “Smile” and Mika’s “Grace Kelly”. The video features surreal and unsettling imagery, with the band performing in an abandoned factory while bizarre scenes unfold. Caleb Followill described the video’s concept, saying he sees hallucinations that make him feel like a pervert attracted to his family. His brother Jared admitted they only trusted the idea because of Muller’s previous work, joking that they wouldn’t have agreed to a treatment that included Caleb tied to a mattress or Jared chasing a chicken otherwise. The video’s visuals include Nathan washing his hair in black water, Matthew eating a chicken wing, and Caleb staring at strange shadows. It ends with Caleb opening his mouth as smoke pours out.