The 1980s brought a wave of transformation to the music industry, and few bands experienced as much reinvention as Starship. Once known as Jefferson Airplane and later Jefferson Starship, the group adapted with the times, embracing synth-driven pop rock and radio-friendly anthems. Their new sound marked a departure from the psychedelic rock roots that had defined them in the ’60s and ’70s.
With this evolution came a slew of hits that captured the spirit of the decade. Among the most memorable was “We Built This City,” which signaled the band’s full embrace of mainstream success. But it was “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” that became their biggest commercial triumph, a song that encapsulated the optimism and romanticism of the era.
Despite the lineup changes and rebranding, one constant remained—Grace Slick. Her voice had guided the band through each incarnation, from counterculture icon to pop hitmaker. But this hit, ironically, would become her swan song with the group.
The Rise of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”
Released in 1987, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, the song was a power ballad that told a tale of unwavering devotion. Its release coincided with the premiere of Mannequin, a romantic comedy that further amplified the song’s popularity.
Sung as a duet by Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas, the track brought a mix of grit and sweetness to the airwaves. Audiences connected deeply with its message, helping the song reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped charts in several countries, cementing its place as a global hit.
The success was not only a win for the band, but a major milestone for Diane Warren, who was still on the rise as a songwriter. For Hammond, the song carried personal significance—it was inspired by his own experience of marrying his longtime partner after a difficult divorce. That emotional honesty made the song resonate even more.
Grace Slick’s Bittersweet Farewell
Despite the success of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” it marked a turning point for Grace Slick. Just a year after its release, she would leave the band for good. At the time, Slick was approaching 50 and felt increasingly out of step with the band’s younger members and the direction of pop music.
Her departure wasn’t driven by scandal or conflict, but by a growing sense that she no longer belonged on the kind of stage Starship had embraced. Slick had always been introspective and fiercely independent, and the glossy optimism of ’80s pop clashed with her maturing worldview.
The song, though beloved by fans, felt disingenuous to her. She once admitted that she found it hard to perform the lyrics because they didn’t reflect her beliefs about love and life. Her candor underscored a larger truth: even a chart-topping hit couldn’t quiet the inner voice of an artist outgrowing her surroundings.
A Song She Couldn’t Believe In
Grace Slick was never one to hold back her thoughts, and her comments about the song were as direct as ever. “I don’t like to sing songs where I don’t believe the lyrics,” she said in an interview. The romantic idealism in “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” clashed with her more skeptical view of relationships.
She explained that her lived experience had shown her just how fragile love could be. Singing about unbreakable bonds felt hollow, even dishonest. As she stood on stage belting out lines of eternal devotion, her mind wrestled with the realities of failed relationships and broken promises.
That internal conflict left her feeling disconnected from the song. It was a sharp contrast to her earlier days, when songs like “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love” channeled the raw, unfiltered emotions of an era. In the polished production of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” she couldn’t find her voice anymore.
One Last Encore—With a Twist
Years after her retirement, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” unexpectedly returned to the spotlight. In 2017, Chick-fil-A used the song in a national advertisement during the Grammy Awards. The ad seemed like a strange match for a band rooted in rebellion and counterculture.
But Grace Slick’s response was anything but passive. She allowed the song’s use, but only so she could redirect the money toward a cause she believed in. All profits she received were donated to Lambda Legal, an organization that fights for LGBTQ rights, as a rebuttal to Chick-fil-A’s anti-LGBTQ stance.
It was a fitting final act from an artist who had always stood for more than just music. Even as the song took on a new commercial life, Slick ensured it was used to promote inclusion and justice. That gesture turned a pop anthem into a quiet act of resistance.