If you were alive in 1981, you literally couldn't escape them. REO Speedwagon was everywhere. Their album Hi Infidelity didn't just sell; it dominated the Billboard 200 for 15 weeks, which is a feat most "cool" rock bands never even sniffed. But honestly, if you ask a casual fan today to list REO Speedwagon top songs, they usually stop after the two big power ballads.
That’s a mistake.
The band was actually a gritty, hard-working Midwest bar act for a decade before they hit the jackpot. They spent years in a station wagon hauling gear across Illinois and the surrounding states. Kevin Cronin and the late, great Gary Richrath were a songwriting duo that balanced sugary pop sensibilities with some of the most underrated guitar work in rock history.
The Ballads That Defined an Era
You can't talk about this band without starting at the top of the mountain. Keep On Loving You is the quintessential power ballad. It's the song that changed everything. Kevin Cronin famously told the story of how he wrote the verses at 4:00 AM on a little red Wurlitzer electric piano.
The rest of the band? They weren't exactly thrilled at first.
Gary Richrath, the band’s lead guitarist and resident rock purist, initially thought the song was too soft. He reportedly told Cronin it sounded like something for a different band. But then Richrath did what he did best—he plugged in his Gibson Les Paul and blasted a solo through a Marshall stack that gave the song its edge. That contrast between the "wimpy" piano and the "angry" guitar is exactly why it hit #1 in March 1981. It wasn't just a love song; it was a rock song.
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Then there’s Can’t Fight This Feeling. It took Cronin nearly 12 years to finish this one. He had the melody and the verses, but he recently admitted in interviews that he hadn't "lived the chorus yet." It finally came together for the 1984 album Wheels Are Turnin', and it stayed at #1 for three weeks in 1985. It’s sentimental, sure. Some call it sappy. But try singing that chorus in a crowded room without everyone joining in. It’s impossible.
The Gary Richrath Guitar Anthem: Take It on the Run
While Cronin was the sensitive songwriter, Gary Richrath was the band's soul. If you want to know why REO was respected by other musicians, listen to Take It on the Run.
The song was written by Richrath, and it peaked at #5. It’s a masterclass in tension and release. The lyrics deal with the paranoia of hearing rumors about a cheating partner, but the star of the show is the solo. Richrath had a "singing" tone on his guitar that was instantly recognizable.
He didn't just shred for the sake of it; he played melodies that felt like a second vocal.
The Deep Cuts That Prove They Could Rock
- Roll with the Changes: This is the song that bridge the gap between their 70s prog-rock roots and 80s stardom. It starts with a simple piano riff and builds into a gospel-tinged rock explosion. It’s arguably their best "driving" song.
- Ridin' the Storm Out: The definitive REO live track. Whether you prefer the original 1973 studio version or the live version from You Get What You Play For, this song is pure arena rock. It was inspired by a hike Cronin and Richrath took in the Rocky Mountains during a literal storm.
- Time for Me to Fly: Released in 1978, it took a while to find its audience. It’s a song about the necessity of moving on, and it features some of the best acoustic-to-electric transitions in their catalog.
Why The "Tuna Fish" Era Matters
Long before the glitz of the 80s, the band released an album with one of the best/worst titles in history: You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish.
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This 1978 record is where they found their groove. It wasn't just about radio hits; it was about the chemistry between Richrath’s heavy riffs and Cronin’s folk-singer heart. If you only know the hits from the Hi Infidelity era, you're missing the era where they were basically the kings of "Dad Rock" before that was even a term.
Songs like Keep Pushin' and 157 Riverside Avenue (named after a house they stayed at in Connecticut) show a band that was comfortable jamming. They were a "live" band first. In fact, Epic Records almost dropped them in the late 70s because their studio sales didn't match their massive concert attendance.
The Stats Don't Lie
Even in 2026, the numbers for REO Speedwagon top songs are staggering. On streaming platforms like Spotify, Can't Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You combine for nearly a billion streams.
| Song Title | Peak Chart Position | Year Released |
|---|---|---|
| Keep On Loving You | #1 | 1980 |
| Can't Fight This Feeling | #1 | 1985 |
| Take It on the Run | #5 | 1981 |
| Keep the Fire Burnin' | #7 | 1982 |
| In My Dreams | #19 | 1987 |
People often forget how long their run lasted. In My Dreams and That Ain't Love were top 20 hits as late as 1987. They managed to survive the transition from the "beards and denim" era of the 70s to the "hair spray and keyboards" era of the late 80s, which is something many of their peers failed to do.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that REO Speedwagon was a "manufactured" pop-rock band.
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Nothing could be further from the truth. They were a "journeyman" group. It took them nine albums to hit #1. Nine. In the modern music industry, a band is lucky to get two chances before a label cuts them loose. REO survived because they had a massive, loyal fanbase in the Midwest that bought every ticket to every county fair and arena they played.
Also, don't sleep on the song In Your Letter. It’s a weird, 50s-style doo-wop track written by Richrath after he found out his wife was cheating on him. It’s incredibly upbeat for such a depressing subject, which is a very "REO" thing to do.
How to Listen to REO Speedwagon Like an Expert
If you want to actually appreciate the band beyond the radio fluff, start with the live albums. You Get What You Play For (1977) captures them at their hungriest.
Then, move to the "Big Three" studio albums:
- You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (The transition)
- Hi Infidelity (The peak)
- Wheels Are Turnin' (The polished finale)
Gary Richrath left the band in 1989, and while the band continued on with Kevin Cronin at the helm, that specific spark—the "fire and ice" dynamic between the two—is what makes the classic tracks so enduring.
To truly understand the legacy of REO Speedwagon top songs, you have to look at them as the bridge between 70s bar-room boogie and the massive power ballads that would eventually define the 80s. They didn't invent the wheel; they just made it move a lot faster.
For your next steps, skip the "Greatest Hits" for an afternoon and put on the full Hi Infidelity album from start to finish. Notice how the track Tough Guys uses a clip from the "Our Gang" short film Hearts Are Thumps. Pay attention to the background vocals. You'll start to hear the layers that made this band more than just another radio act. If you're a guitar player, try to learn the solo to "Take It on the Run"—it’s harder than it sounds and will teach you more about melody than a thousand scales.