American Songwriter has published a listicle highlighting three power ballads from the 1980s that channelled heartbreak into major radio hits. The piece is a nostalgic music retrospective rather than hard news, celebrating a genre defined by dramatic vocals, sweeping guitar solos and emotionally raw lyrics that resonated with heartbroken listeners of the era.

The three tracks featured are Bon Jovi's "Never Say Goodbye" (1987), which reached No. 11 on the US Mainstream Rock chart and was a hit in the UK; REO Speedwagon's "Keep On Loving You" (1980), which topped the Billboard Hot 100; and Heart's "What About Love" (1985), originally recorded by the band Toronto in 1982 before Heart's cover became a comeback hit, peaking at No. 10 on the Hot 100 and charting well in Canada, Australia and West Germany.