Survivor Songs Ranked
Survivor is an American rock band, formed in Chicago in 1978 around Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s, producing many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double-platinum-certified 1982 hit “Eye of the Tiger”, the theme song for the 1982 motion picture Rocky III (US number 1 for six weeks). The band continued to chart in the mid-1980s with singles like “Burning Heart” (the US number 2), “The Search Is Over” (the US number 4), “High on You” (the US number 8), “Is This Love” (US number 9), and “I Can’t Hold Back” (US number 13). Singer Jimi Jamison later toured as “Survivor” in the mid-1990s without the permission of the rest of the band, but reunited with guitarist Frankie Sullivan in 2000. The band then released Reach in 2006, but Jamison left again after its release and was replaced by singer Robin McAuley. Survivor continued to tour with McAuley into 2011 until Jamison returned later that year. On September 1, 2014, Jamison died in his home in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 63 of a hemorrhagic brain stroke, with “acute methamphetamine intoxication contributing”. Here are all of Survivor’s songs ranked.
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15. I’m Not That Man Anymore (Eye of the Tiger, 1982)
“I didn’t know Jimi Jamison sang this song. The video that the other guy is talking about is one of the few live performances they have on YouTube.”
14. Can’t Let You Go (When Seconds Count, 1986)
“One of their not known songs, but when you listen to it, it really brings the rock theme back into it, and it’s so catchy, it’s my 3rd or 4th favorite from survivor behind I can’t hold back and man against the world”
13. The Moment of Truth (Karate Kid, 1984)
“I always like Survivor style. My first encounter with them was with the LP ‘When Seconds Count’ then I bought ‘Vital Sign’, that was back in the 1988. This particular song is really inspiring and one of my favorites from the Karate Kid movie. One more excellent display of style, rock and voice from Survivor.”
12. Poor Man’s Son (Premonition, 1981)
“Poor Man’s Son is one of their most creative songs and I appreciate it because I am a son, though my dad was not at all poor when I came into the world. He was middle class and I came into the world after the family had built up their life in Canada after emigrating from England. I, on the other hand, have become a “poor man” due to the unfaithfulness of many coworkers and my own poor saving and spending habits.”
See more: Survivor Albums Ranked
11. Didn’t Know It Was Love (Too Hot to Sleep, 1988)
“Survivor were about the best aor band around especially here in the Jimi Jamison (R.I.P) era and this might be their most consistent album. No “hit” songs you’ve heard way too many times and a more hard rock sound as well.”
10. American Heartbeat (Eye of the Tiger, 1982)
“This song makes me feel like running in the streets @ 1:00 in the morning it’s the only way I feel like I’m in the 80s! Great Tune, great instrumental sound and lovely vocals”
9. Broken Promises (Vital Signs, 1984)
“This one, though, is not just a more simplistic love song. It speaks both philosophically about sociologically about life and relationships. It also has clever lyrics, and along with the music, creates both joy and melancholy… Absolute gem.”
8. Is This Love (When Seconds Count, 1986)
“I prefer Survivor’s song to Whitesnake’s and as far as similar lyrics, only superficially is that true. I did an “air band” performance of Jimi Jamison and Survivor in my grad year. I love the song and the lyrics, the video is a decent one focusing solely on the band rather than injecting a story line like in “The Search is Over”.”
7. Ever Since the World Began (Eye of the Tiger, 1982)
“A truly amazing and poetic song from an awesome Sylvester Stallone film, Lock Up! I’ve been listening to the song ever since, and it still inspires me even to these days.. talks about life’s mystery…a very good song..
6. Man Against the World (Rocky IV, 1985)
“This may be the saddest song in the world; I cried the first time I heard it. But yet, this is the magic of Survivor that makes it an amazing.”
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5. High On You (Vital Signs, 1984)
“Most people probably have no clue Survivor sings this song and they rock out to it every day on the radio. That’s the kind of song it is. Everyone knows it, no one knows who sings it, the mark of a truly great song because it doesn’t matter about band allegiance, it’s left all up to the music!”
4. The Search is Over (Vital Signs, 1984)
“Yet another case of a beautiful ballad from the ’80s getting bad reviews by people who have somehow forced themselves to like modern-day music, and who naturally resent music from a time when it was actually good (but not for much longer as the music was about to descend into a sesspool in less than a decade that it has still not climbed out of after a good 40-year run).”
3. Burning Heart (Rocky IV, 1985)
“One of the most inspirational songs I’ve ever heard I love survivor there great Every time listen it makes me think of dreams I have I love this so much it is amazing”
2. I Can’t Hold Back (Vital Signs, 1984)
“I am not a fan of Ron Nevison as a producer but this is a great song and a great introduction to Jimi Jamison. I love the song, the lyrics, and oh the video is so great, a more relatable story than in “The Search is Over”.
1. Eye of the Tiger (Eye of the Tiger, 1982)
“This is definitely the MOST awesome song on the face of the Earth. This song used to be my favorite already… But recently when my crush sang it with me TWICE already… I knew this song would mean more to me than anything else.”