''Freedom'' is the fifteenth studio album by the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

, released on July 8, 2022, through

BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...

and

Frontiers Records Frontiers Music – formerly Frontiers Records – is an Italian record label, predominantly producing hard rock. It was founded in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples. History In 1996, Serafino Perugino started working in the m ...

. It is the band's second album to date not to feature founding bassist

Ross Valory Ross Lamont Valory (born February 2, 1949) is an American musician who is best known as the original bass player for the rock band Journey from 1973 to 1985 and again from 1995 to 2020. Valory was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a ...

, who was dismissed in 2020; he is replaced by

Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...

, who was last on ''

Raised on Radio ''Raised on Radio'' is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Journey, released in April 1986 on the Columbia Records label. It is the first album to not feature founding bassist Ross Valory, who is replaced by session bassists Randy J ...

'' (1986). With fifteen songs and a run time of one hour and thirteen minutes, it is the longest Journey album ever released, excluding compilations. Upon its release ''Freedom'' received mixed critical reviews – despite the performances and musicianship receiving near-universal praise, criticism was directed at its production, mixing and length.

Background and title

The album's 11-year gap from ''

Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...

'' (2011) marked the longest between two Journey studio albums to date. It is the only Journey album to feature drummer and producer

Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz ...

, as well as the first album to feature bassist

since ''

'' (1986). Both departed the group before its release. The album's title of ''Freedom'' was the original title of the group's 1986 album ''Raised on Radio'', but was changed by then lead singer

Steve Perry Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He also wrote/co ...

Track listing

;Notes *The CD released by BMG does not list Walden among the writers of "The Way We Used to Be".

Personnel

Journey *

Neal Schon Neal (Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "hono ...

– guitars, backing vocals, keyboards *

Jonathan Cain Jonathan Leonard Friga (born February 26, 1950), known professionally as Jonathan Cain, is an American musician and songwriter best known as the keyboardist for Journey. He has also worked with the Babys and Bad English. Cain was inducted into ...

– keyboards (except "All Day and All Night" and "Don't Go"), backing vocals, synth bass on "Still Believe in Love" *

Arnel Pineda Arnel Campaner Pineda (born September 5, 1967) is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the Philippines during the 1980s and internationally in 2007 as the lead singer of the American rock band Journey. Early life Arnel ...

– lead vocals (except "After Glow") *

– bass (except "Still Believe in Love"), backing vocals *

– drums, backing vocals, keyboards * Jason Derlatka – backing vocals on tracks 5, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15 *

Deen Castronovo Deen J. Castronovo (born August 17, 1964) is an American drummer and singer, best known for being a member of classic rock band Journey and hard rock acts Bad English and Hardline. He currently plays drums and shares lead vocals for the bands Jo ...

– lead vocals on "After Glow" Production * Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Narada Michael Walden – production *

Bob Clearmountain Bob Clearmountain (born January 15, 1953) is an American recording engineer, mixer and record producer. He has worked with many major acts, including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Toto, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, with whom he has a very ...

, Adam Ayan, Jim Reitzel, Keith Gretlein, David Kalmusky – engineering

Charts

References

{{Journey 2022 albums Albums produced by Narada Michael Walden BMG Rights Management albums Frontiers Records albums Journey (band) albums