as singles, and he simply left it up to Capitol to decide; "Wind" was chosen by the label's promotional director, Steve Meyer. "Against the Wind" debuted at number 54 on the Hot 100 in the week ending May 3, 1980; it was the highest-debuting single of the week. It moved into the top 30 the following week, and moved into the top ten at the end of the month. It reached its peak at number five on the Hot 100 on June 14. It held at the position for three weeks. After that, it began its descent from the top, and last appeared on the chart on August 23; it remained on the chart as a whole for seventeen weeks, with eleven of those spent in the top 40. During this time, the single also climbed the magazine's Hot Adult Contemporary chart, where it peaked at number seven. Internationally, the song was successful as well. In Canada, it reached number six on the all-genre singles chart compiled by RPM. It reached the lowest position on Belgium's top 30 chart in January 1981, and peaked at 92 on Australian Kent Music Report. Critical reception Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh stated in his review of the Against the Wind album that none of the ballads (including the title track) contained any memorable lines, but he later amended that to acknowledge that the lines "Well, those drifter's days are past me now/I've so much more to think about/Deadlines and commitments/What to leave in/What to leave out" are not only memorable but also haunting in the way Seger "haltingly expresses his indecisiveness." Hilburn at the Los Angeles Times praised Seger's " timeless, often graceful Everyman edge" he lends to "Against the Wind" and its "tension between the idealism that [he] searches and the pitfalls in realizing the dreams." Cash Box called it a "thoughtful ballad," saying that the "light folk guitar melody is perfectly punctuated by piano touches and subdued rhythm." Cash Box also called the vocal phrasing and lyrics "compelling." A Rolling Stone reader's poll ranked "Against the Wind" as the third-best Seger tune. Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated it as Seger's 4th best song, calling it " one of the most beautiful songs he had written in his career." Legacy "Against the Wind" has remained one of Seger's most popular songs; upon his arrival to streaming services in 2017, it