40 Years Ago Today, a Legendary Rock Band Finally Hit No. 1 After a Decade
Forty years ago today, one of rock music's most recognizable bands ever finally achieved something that had long eluded them when they scored their first No. 1 hit. The thing that made Heart's 'These Dreams' topping the chart so huge was that it took the band a decade after they became famous to dominate the chart.
Heart's 'These Dreams' Made Rock And Roll History
In June 1985, Heart dropped their self-titled eighth album, which featured hits like 'What About Love,' 'Never,' 'Nothin' at All,' and 'If Looks Could Kill.' Months later, on January 18, 1986, the song 'These Dreams' was released as the album's third single, and it didn't take long for it to become a hit for the band.
According to Billboard's list of every Heart song that ever charted, 'These Dreams' first reached the Billboard Hot 100 on January 18, 1986. Then, it became the band's first-ever No. 1 hit on March 22, 1986, 40 years ago today. In addition to creating that landmark moment, the song wound up spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart.
Why Heart's First No. 1 Came Later Than Anyone Expected
Photo by Pete Still/Redferns
By the time Heart hit No. 1, they'd been famous for a decade. On April 17, 1976, the iconic band reached the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. The song that began the group's journey to being one of the biggest rock bands of all time is still relevant and respected today, 'Crazy on You.' While that song has undeniably passed the test of time, Billboard's article shows it topped out at 35 on the charts.
Over the next decade, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson cemented their legacy as all-time rock and roll greats after releasing many other songs that had a huge impact on listeners. Those tracks include 'Barracuda,' 'Magic Man,' and many more. Even though those tracks were huge, none of them topped the charts. Ultimately, Heart only had two No. 1 songs, thanks to 'Alone' also reaching that threshold in 1987. Still, virtually nobody questions the band's place in music history, and Heart was deservedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.