The 30 Best Songs by the Band Heart, from Magic Man to Alone

What is Heart's most famous song?

"Barracuda" is the band Heart's most famous song, a galloping 1977 hard rock classic. Their biggest chart hits were the power ballads "These Dreams" and "Alone", both number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man" are the songs that made them famous.

Heart's biggest hits

1. "Barracuda", 1977: a furious rocker with one of the most famous riffs of the 70s.
2. "Alone", 1987: a number one power ballad written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly.
3. "These Dreams", 1986: their first number one, sung by Nancy Wilson.
4. "Crazy on You", 1976: an acoustic guitar intro that explodes into hard rock.
5. "Magic Man", 1976: their first top ten hit, number nine.
6. "What About Love", 1985: the comeback single that returned them to the top ten.
7. "Never", 1985: an upbeat number four hit.
8. "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You", 1990: a number two story song written by Mutt Lange.
9. "Straight On", 1978: a funky number 15 hit from Dog and Butterfly.
10. "Tell It Like It Is", 1980: their number eight cover of the Aaron Neville soul classic.

Heart songs of the 70s

11. "Dreamboat Annie", 1976: the gentle title song of their debut.
12. "Little Queen", 1977: the bluesy title track of their 1977 album.
13. "Kick It Out", 1977: a raw, rocking single.
14. "Heartless", 1978: a number 24 hit from Magazine.
15. "Dog and Butterfly", 1979: a gentle, folky title track.
16. "Love Alive", 1977: an acoustic, Led Zeppelin-influenced album track from Little Queen.

Heart songs of the 80s

17. "Even It Up", 1980: a punchy single from Bebe le Strange.
18. "This Man Is Mine", 1982: a single from Private Audition.
19. "How Can I Refuse?", 1983: a single from Passionworks.
20. "Nothin' at All", 1986: a top ten hit from the comeback album Heart.
21. "If Looks Could Kill", 1986: another single from Heart.
22. "Who Will You Run To", 1987: a number seven hit written by Diane Warren.
23. "There's the Girl", 1987: a number 12 hit sung by Nancy.
24. "I Want You So Bad", 1988: a ballad from Bad Animals.

Heart songs of the 90s and later

25. "Stranded", 1990: a number 13 ballad from Brigade.
26. "I Didn't Want to Need You", 1990: another Diane Warren song from Brigade.
27. "Secret", 1991: a moody single from Brigade.
28. "Will You Be There (In the Morning)", 1993: a single from Desire Walks On.
29. "WTF", 2010: a rocking single from Red Velvet Car.
30. "Beautiful Broken", 2016: the title track of their 2016 album, with James Hetfield of Metallica.

Who are Heart?

Heart grew out of the Seattle rock scene of the late 60s and early 70s, but they found their footing in Vancouver, Canada, where Ann Wilson and her younger sister Nancy joined forces and recorded their debut, Dreamboat Annie, in 1975. Ann's huge, operatic voice and Nancy's virtuoso acoustic and electric guitar made them one of the first rock bands led by women who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments. Heart were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

The stories behind Magic Man and Crazy on You

"Magic Man" is about Ann Wilson's real-life romance with Michael Fisher, the band's early manager and the brother of guitarist Roger Fisher, who had moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft; Ann followed him to Vancouver, and the band followed her. "Crazy on You" is famous for its opening: on the album it is introduced by "Silver Wheels", a short acoustic piece by Nancy, before the band crashes in. Ann has described the song as a wish to escape the stress of the times into love, and its mix of acoustic guitar and hard rock became Heart's signature sound.

The story behind Barracuda

Ann Wilson wrote "Barracuda" in anger after a record company promotion suggested that she and Nancy were romantically involved, playing on rumors meant to sell records. Ann was confronted backstage by a man who asked about it, and she channeled her fury into the song. Its galloping guitar riff, inspired in part by the band Nazareth, made it one of the defining hard rock songs of the 70s, and it reached number 11 in 1977.

The 80s comeback

By the early 80s Heart's record sales had dropped, and in 1985 they signed with Capitol Records and began recording songs by outside writers. The album Heart returned them to the top of the charts with "What About Love", "Never", "These Dreams" and "Nothin' at All", and Bad Animals followed with "Alone", which spent three weeks at number one. The sound was glossier and the hair bigger, but Ann's voice made the power ballads soar.

Stairway to Heaven at the Kennedy Center Honors

In December 2012, Ann and Nancy Wilson performed Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" at the Kennedy Center Honors in front of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, with a full choir and Jason Bonham on drums. Robert Plant was visibly moved, and the video of the performance has been watched many millions of times online.

Heart albums to start with

• Dreamboat Annie (1975): the debut, with "Magic Man" and "Crazy on You".
• Little Queen (1977): with "Barracuda" and "Kick It Out".
• Dog and Butterfly (1978): a mix of rockers and acoustic songs, with "Straight On".
• Heart (1985): the comeback, their first number one album.
• Bad Animals (1987): with "Alone" and "Who Will You Run To".

Heart band songs for karaoke or a workout

"Alone" is the ultimate karaoke power ballad for anyone with big lungs, and "Barracuda" and "Crazy on You" are favorites for rock nights. For a workout, "Barracuda", "Kick It Out" and "Even It Up" keep the pace high. For more, see our best karaoke songs and 80s female singers.

Heart songs for a road trip

For a long drive, open with "Magic Man" and "Crazy on You", turn it up for "Barracuda" and "Even It Up", and cruise into "Straight On", "Never" and "What About Love". Save "These Dreams" for the last stretch after dark, when the road is quiet. For more, see our road trip songs.

Heart songs for a wedding

For a first dance, "These Dreams" and "Alone" are dramatic, romantic choices, and "Dreamboat Annie" is a gentle option for a ceremony. For more ideas, see our 80s wedding songs and rock love songs.

Songs for sisters

Ann and Nancy Wilson have made music together for more than five decades, and their partnership is a reminder of how strong a sister bond can be. For more songs to dedicate to a sister, see our songs about sisters.

A rock song about the people you love

Heart's songs are fierce, romantic and personal. A personalized rock song can capture someone you love the same way: their name, your shared memories and the moments that made them who they are. It makes a great birthday, anniversary or Mother's Day gift.

How to create a personalized rock song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, acoustic, pop and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.