Styx

Listen for free or download any Styx track for just 12 cents per song!

Styx was another one of those great rock bands that had a large influence on the rock of the 1970's and early 1980's. The roots of the band Styx can be traced back to 1961 in Chicago as a band called The Tradewinds (and then later shortened to TW4). By 1972, the early iteration of the band was in place, and Wooden Nickel Records signed the band to a record deal. They changed their name to Styx (from Greek mythology, this is the Styx is the river that separates heaven and hell).

Styx's first self-titled album was released in 1972, and they essentially went on to release four albums under Wooden Nickel Records: Styx II (1973), The Serpent Is Rising (1973), and Man of Miracles (1974). Notable songs you may remember from these early releases include "Best Thing" and "Lady". Switching to A&M Records, the band's 1985 release, Equinox, began bringing them greater attention. You may remember the hit songs "Lorelei" and "Suite Madame Blue" from this album. It was just before the tour to support this album that guitarist J.C. Curulweski left the band was replaced with Tommy Shaw (who most of us know as the band's guitarist). With Shaw on guitar, Crystal Ball was released in 1976. This album featured the title track in addition to "Mademoiselle" and "This Old Man".

It was Styx's seventh album (The Grand Illusion), released on 7/7/1977, that became the breakthrough album for the band (Triple Platinum). Two hit songs from this album include "Come Sail Away" and "Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)". Yet the 70's hits did not stop with this release. Pieces of Eight (1978) featured the songs "Renegade", "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", and "Sing for the Day". Cornerstone (1979) brought us the band's must successful international hit to date ("Babe"), in addition to the songs "Why Me", "Boat on the River", and "Borrowed Time".

Styx's 1981 release, Paradise Theatre, was their greatest success, ultimately charting at number 1 on the Billboard charts. The album brought the world the singles "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My Hands", and "Rockin' the Paradise". Kilroy was Here, which was released in 1983, was a rock opera album with a story line that many people aren't familiar with. The story line of the album was about Kilroy, and unjustly imprisoned rock star in a future where rock music is forbidden. Jonathan Chance, a young rocker fighting for the right to bring Rock music back into the mainstream, helps to free Kilroy from prison (guarded by Robotos). The album went platinum, featuring the two top 10 hit songs "Mr. Roboto" and "Don't Let It End".

It was the elaborate tour for Kilroy Was Here and finally brought the creative differences of the band members to a head. By 1984, the band had parted ways and many members went on to solo careers. Dennis De Young released the album Desert Moon in 1984, and Tommy Shaw released Girls with Guns. Both albums met with moderate success. By 1989, Shaw had joined up with the band Damn Yankees. He was unable to initially re-join the band as they continued to produce, but eventually did hook back up with them in 1995. Edge of the Century, which was released in 1989 sans Shaw, featured several notable hits, including "Love at First Sight", "Love is the Ritual", and "Show Me the Way". It was in 1999, with Shaw back on guitar, that they released Brave New World. The band's 2003 release, Cyclorama, featured the song "Waiting for Our Time".

As the years have continued to roll on, Styx has been active on the tour circuit and in the studio, although not with all original members. In fact, at the moment, Dennis De Young is not even part of the band, and whether or not they ever get back together again was still in question at the time of this writing (2012). The Styx Discography is as follows:

Listen for free or download any Styx track for just 12 cents per song!