1983 Power Ballad Blocked From No. 1 by Its Own Songwriter Makes ‘Greatest Songs of the '80s' List
There are ballads, and then there are power ballads. And Air Supply's 1983 hit "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" is one of the era's most powerful anthems. So powerful, in fact, it was just named one of SiriusXM's top songs of the '80s. Perhaps more interesting, though, is the truth behind why the classic soft rock hit never hit No. 1.
Released in the summer of 1983, the track was featured on the duo's Greatest Hits album. Featuring all the drama - arena rock guitar, emotionally charged lyrics, soaring vocals - the song was an instant hit on the Billboard charts, soaring to the No. 2 spot on the Hot 100. But for three weeks, it was in a chart battle with another power ballad, Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
But here's where the story takes a right turn: Both songs were written by the same person - Jim Steinman. That's right: "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" was blocked from No. 1 by its own songwriter. Written for another artist entirely, "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" was originally offered to Meat Loaf, with the artist reportedly saying, "My record company was anti-Jim Steinman at the time, I was anti-record company. So we were even."
Though Air Supply were typically the crafters of their own music, they took a crack at Steinman's song, as it fit in nicely with their other romantic ballads - see: "Lost in Love," "All Out of Love," and "The One That You Love." A grand production, the 1983 hit has Russell Hitchcock singing lead and Graham Russell providing backup vocals and guitar.
"I'd like to think I'm somewhat of a romantic, because otherwise my music wouldn't be real," Russell told Songfacts. "But my whole background, even when I was growing up, was very much that way as well. For instance, I come from a place in England where all those great poets came from -- Wordsworth and Keats and all those guys -- so I was surrounded by it, and I loved poetry as a child."
The only new song on the Aussie group's Greatest Hits compilation, the song helped the album sell more than 5 million copies in the U.S., where it went five-times platinum. Decades later, the track remains a timeless classic, showcasing Air Supply's signature sound. Now a top song of the 1980s, it's a reminder that near-misses can sometimes be the greatest wins - especially when two songs from the same songwriter end up shaping an era.
Related: 1978 Hit With Iconic Sax Solo Ranked Best Soft Rock Song That Actually Rocks
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 12:27 PM.