Bad Animals
Heart · 1987
40 min · 10 tracks · rock music
Melodic rock anthems blend powerful vocals with polished production, capturing the essence of late '80s pop-rock.
Top tracks — play these first
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Alone — This track highlights the band's signature emotional depth through its poignant lyrics and soaring melody, becoming a defining power ballad of the decade.
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Who Will You Run To Start here — The opening track sets the tone for the album with its catchy chorus and strong instrumentation, showcasing Heart's signature harmonies.
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There's the Girl — This track combines a compelling narrative with a driving beat, illustrating Heart's knack for storytelling within their music.
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Bad Animals — The title track encapsulates the album's energetic vibe and features an infectious chorus that reflects the band's rock roots.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends powerful vocals with polished production, typical of late '80s rock, while balancing energetic anthems and emotional ballads.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks feature soaring choruses and prominent guitar solos, establishing a high-energy opening.
- The album includes several ballads that contrast with the more upbeat tracks, particularly 'Alone' which features a slow build-up to an emotional climax.
- Each song typically follows a verse-chorus structure, with many tracks incorporating layered harmonies in the choruses.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- emotional vocal-driven narratives
- introspective late-night listening
- balanced melodic and rhythmic flow
- dynamic emotional journeys
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Established Heart's late '80s reputation after their comeback with the album Heart.
- Themes
- arena rock revival· late-night vulnerability· power ballad emotion
- Moods
- Uplifting· Introspective
- Career context
- Released in January 1987, Bad Animals was Heart's eighth studio album and followed the commercial success of their previous album, Heart, which had reinvigorated their career. By this time, the band had firmly established themselves in the rock scene after a decade-long evolution from hard rock to a more mainstream sound.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Pat Benatar· Fleetwood Mac· Linda Ronstadt
Tracklist
- 1 Who Will You Run To Start here 4:06
- 2 Alone 3:38
- 3 There's the Girl 3:50
- 4 I Want You So Bad 4:21
- 5 Wait for an Answer 4:31
- 6 Bad Animals 4:54
- 7 You Ain't So Tough 4:05
- 8 Strangers of the Heart 3:41
- 9 Easy Target 3:58
- 10 RSVP 3:38
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Seven the Hard Way
Pat Benatar
Shares powerful vocals and polished production, with a focus on arena rock anthems.
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
Captures the same late '80s arena rock spirit with melodic hooks and emotional themes.
The Seventh One
Toto
Features polished production and strong vocal performances, combining rock anthems with balladry.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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