Top tracks — play these first
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Tough It Out Start here — The title track encapsulates the album’s spirit with its empowering lyrics and anthemic chorus, setting the tone for resilience throughout the record.
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Don't Stop — With its infectious melody and upbeat tempo, this track exemplifies the band’s knack for creating catchy hooks that resonate with listeners.
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Everytime I Think of You — This ballad showcases the band's softer side, featuring heartfelt lyrics and a soaring vocal delivery that highlights emotional depth within their hard rock framework.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album features polished production and catchy choruses typical of late '80s hard rock but lacks standout uniqueness.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album maintains a consistent mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and dynamics.
- Choruses are often repeated multiple times, emphasizing catchiness and sing-along potential.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Little footprint beyond its audience. 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
- steady mid-tempo sing-alongs
- heartfelt anthems for camaraderie
- uplifting energy for road trips
- melodic hooks with emotional depth
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced tracks
- seek experimental soundscapes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified FM's presence in the hard rock scene with notable airplay.
- Themes
- arena rock anthems· late '80s resilience· melodic power ballads
- Career context
- Released in early 1989, Tough It Out was FM's third studio album and marked a pivotal moment as they sought to solidify their presence in the hard rock scene. Following the moderate success of their previous albums, this release aimed to capitalize on the growing popularity of glam and melodic rock during that era.
Tracklist
- 1 Tough It Out Start here 5:38
- 2 Don't Stop 3:54
- 3 Bad Luck 4:08
- 4 Someday 3:58
- 5 Everytime I Think of You 4:37
- 6 Burning My Heart Down 4:02
- 7 The Dream That Died 4:37
- 8 Obsession 4:10
- 9 Can You Hear Me Calling? 3:41
- 10 Does It Feel Like Love 4:23
- 11 Feels So Good 4:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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