What makes Who Will You Run To by Heart notable?

“Who Will You Run To” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, extending Heart’s run of major US hits in the mid-1980s. The release also pairs it with “These Dreams,” which had become the band’s first No. 1 on that chart. This 1987 single release arrived during Heart’s commercial resurgence, following their 1985 self-titled album and its chart-topping single “These Dreams.” The lead track came from Bad Animals, the band’s follow-up album, and was written by Diane Warren.

How many songs are on Who Will You Run To?

Who Will You Run To has 4 tracks, running approximately 17 minutes.

Who Will You Run To

Heart · 1987

17 min · 4 tracks · rock music

Arena-rock urgency meets misty power-ballad atmosphere as Heart’s soaring vocals move between confrontation and escape.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Who Will You Run To (rock mix) — The extended mix gives the song’s urgent guitar-driven arrangement more room, with Ann Wilson’s forceful vocal at its center.
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These Dreams — Nancy Wilson’s softer lead vocal and the song’s hazy keyboard textures offer a striking contrast to the direct attack of the lead track.
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Nobody Home — This track from Heart’s 1985 album brings a darker, more inward-looking ballad to the single’s set of arena-sized songs.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

54 /100

Lowland

Higher than 3% of albums we've rated

The single features strong melodies and polished production but lacks cohesion due to multiple versions of one song.

What we noticed

The first track features a prominent guitar riff that drives the song forward, while the second track shifts to a softer, more melodic arrangement with layered harmonies.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 5/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. 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.

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — This album solidified Heart's commercial success after their comeback.
Themes: MTV-era heartbreak· power ballad nostalgia· loneliness in the spotlight
Career context: This 1987 single release arrived during Heart’s commercial resurgence, following their 1985 self-titled album and its chart-topping single “These Dreams.” The lead track came from Bad Animals, the band’s follow-up album, and was written by Diane Warren.
Stylistic neighbors: Pat Benatar· Fleetwood Mac· Linda Ronstadt

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Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

Who Will You Run To (single version)

The chorus repeatedly asks where an departing lover will seek comfort after leaving.

Framing the warning as a question lets the song press its case without supplying a reassuring answer.