Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco, California, with former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases, but its strongest commercial success came in the late 1970s until its initial disbandment in 1987. During this period, they had hits with a series of power ballads and rock songs including 1981's "Don't Stop Believin'", which would later become the top-selling catalog track in iTunes history, at more than three million downloads, and their highest-charting US hit, 1982's "Open Arms", which would later become an international hit for Mariah Carey. The group enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid 1990s with a Grammy-nominated hit, "When You Love a Woman". Sales have resulted in two gold albums, eight multi-platinum albums, and one Diamond album. They had 19 Top 40 singles, six of which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Allmusic has described Journey as "one of America's most beloved commercial rock/pop bands."

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 47 million albums in the United States, making them the 28th best selling band. Their worldwide sales have reached over 75 million albums. A 2005 USA Today opinion poll named Journey the fifth best American rock band in history.

Journey has been eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 2000, but Gregg Rolie is the only current or former member of Journey who has been inducted ? as a member of parent band Santana. Steve Perry, the band's best-known lead vocalist, has been eligible for induction as a solo artist since 2009.

The original members of Journey came together in San Francisco in 1973 under the auspices of former Santana manager Herbie Herbert. Originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section and intended to serve as a backup group for established Bay Area artists, the band included recent Santana alumni Neal Schon on lead guitar and Gregg Rolie on keyboards and lead vocals. Bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner, both of Frumious Bandersnatch, and drummer Prairie Prince of The Tubes rounded out the group. The band quickly abandoned the original "backup group" concept and developed a distinctive jazz fusion style. After an unsuccessful radio contest to name the group, roadie John Villaneuva suggested the name "Journey." The band's first public appearance came at the Winterland Ballroom on New Year?s Eve, 1973. Prairie Prince rejoined The Tubes shortly thereafter, and the band hired British drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who had recently worked with John Lennon and Frank Zappa. On February 5, 1974, the new line-up made their debut at the Great American Music Hall and secured a recording contract with Columbia Records.