American Heartbeat

When you dive into American Heartbeat, you encounter a piece that, while it didn't reach the top of the charts, established itself as a high point within Survivor's third album, Eye of the Tiger. This song, released in September 1982, positioned itself as the second most successful single from that record, reaching number 17 on the US charts. Its chart run was notable, debuting on September 25, 1982, and remaining for sixteen weeks, culminating in a week in November 1982. It was a release that solidified Survivor with their third track in the top 40. A special 7-inch vinyl edition was even released in a heart shape, a detail that speaks to the intention of giving it a distinctive character.

The essence of American Heartbeat was forged in 1981, during the recording sessions for the album Eye of the Tiger, under the Scotti Brothers Records label. The composition bears the signature of Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik, who also handled the production. Engineering and mixing were handled by Mike Clink and Phil Bonnano, with Hill Swimmer also mentioned in the recording credits. This album, which includes the iconic title track linked to the movie Rocky III, was a commercial success, reaching number 2 on the US Billboard charts and earning a platinum certification in October 1994. American Heartbeat, with its 4:10 runtime, is the eighth track on the album, offering a sample of the hard rock sound that characterized the band at that time.