Journey formed in San Francisco in 1973, initially as the Golden Gate Rhythm Section under former Santana manager Herbie Herbert. Original members included Neal Schon on lead guitar and Gregg Rolie on keyboards and vocals, both Santana alumni. The band started with a progressive rock sound on early albums like Journey (1975), Look into the Future (1976), and Next (1977). Steve Perry joined as lead vocalist in 1977, shifting Journey toward arena rock with pop elements. Their fourth album, Infinity (1978), marked this change, followed by successes like Evolution (1979), Departure (1980), Escape (1981), their first No. 1 album with hits 'Don't Stop Believin',' 'Who's Crying Now,' and 'Open Arms', and Frontiers (1983). They earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 Gold and Platinum albums. As of 2026, the lineup features 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). Journey maintains an active touring schedule.