Rush's 1980 track 'The Spirit of Radio', from the album Permanent Waves, has developed an ironic reputation as a song critical of the music industry's commercial excesses that nonetheless became a radio hit. Drummer and lyricist Neil Peart wrote the song after growing tired of touring bands flattering audiences with formulaic praise, aiming his lyrics at the "salesmen" who prioritised profit over the genuine magic of radio, rather than at listeners themselves.

Peart described the song as both a tribute to radio's ideals and an attack on the "formulaic, mercenary programming" that had come to dominate the medium, calling its subsequent popularity a "litmus test" for whether listeners truly understood its message. Rush, who had already built a large following by 1980, were never opposed to success itself but remained wary of commercial considerations dictating artistic output, notably resisting excessive merchandising, unlike bands such as Kiss, with whom they toured in 1974 despite differing philosophies.