Styx () is an American
rock band formed in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, in 1972. They are known for blending melodic
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
guitar with acoustic guitar,
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
s mixed with
acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with
power ballads, and incorporating elements of international
musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...
. The band established themselves with a
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
sound during the 1970s, and began to incorporate
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
and
soft rock
Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, mel ...
elements in the 1980s.
The original line-up comprised
Dennis DeYoung,
James "J.Y." Young,
John "J.C." Curulewski and brothers
Chuck and
John Panozzo. Debuting with ''
Styx'' in 1972, the band usually released an album every year throughout the 1970s. ''
Styx II'' (1973) had the sleeper hit "
Lady
''Lady'' is a term for a woman who behaves in a polite way. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female counterpart of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men.
"Lady" is al ...
", a power ballad, which reached No. 6 in the US, helping the album make the top 20. "Lady" was also a top 20 hit in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. ''
Equinox
A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than to its north or south. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise directly east and set directly west. This occurs twice each year, arou ...
'' (1975) and ''
Crystal Ball'' (1976) reached the US top 70 with ''Equinox'' featuring "
Lorelei", a No. 6 hit in Canada. ''Crystal Ball'' was the first album with
Tommy Shaw, who replaced Curulewski in late 1975.
Styx's commercial breakthrough in Northern Europe came with ''
The Grand Illusion'' (1977), which peaked at No. 6 in both the US and Canada, and became the first of four straight multi-platinum albums in the US for Styx. It featured the single "
Come Sail Away", a top 10 hit in both countries. The band's follow-up, ''
Pieces of Eight'' (1978), was another No. 6 hit in the US, but peaked higher in Canada due to the top 10 hits "
Renegade" and "
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)". In 1979, Styx's ''
Cornerstone
A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...
'' went to No. 2 in both countries on the strength of the cross-border No. 1 hit ballad "
Babe". The album became their breakthrough album in Australia and New Zealand, with "Babe" peaking at No. 3. "Babe" was a No. 6 hit in the UK, and ''Cornerstone'' charted at No. 36.
In 1981, Styx's ''
Paradise Theatre'' was a No. 1 album in the US and Canada, while also reaching the top 10 in Scandinavia and the UK (their biggest album there) and the top 30 in Australia and New Zealand. "
The Best of Times" from the album reached No. 1 in Canada, No. 3 in the US, and the top 30 in several other countries, while "
Too Much Time on My Hands" was also a top 10 hit in North America. ''
Kilroy Was Here
Kilroy was here is a meme that became popular during World War II, typically seen in graffiti. Its origin is debated, but the phrase and the distinctive accompanying doodle became associated with G.I. (military), GIs in the 1940s: a bald-head ...
'' (1983) was Styx's last major hit album, reaching the top 3 in North America and the top 10 in Scandinavia, although it was less successful elsewhere. Its lead single, "
Mr. Roboto", became Styx's third chart-topper in Canada, was a No. 3 hit in the US, and was their biggest hit in Germany (No. 8). After a six-year break, Styx returned with ''
Edge of the Century'' (1990), which reached No. 63 in the US with its single, "
Show Me the Way", becoming a top 3 hit in North America in early 1991.
Overall, Styx had eight songs that hit the top 10 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, as well as 16 top 40 singles. Seven of their eight top 10 singles were written and sung by founding member and lead singer Dennis DeYoung, who has not been part of the band since 1999. Styx sold over 20 million records for A&M between their signing in 1975 and 1984.
History
Band formation and the Wooden Nickel Years (1961–1974)
In August 1961, at 12 years of age, twin brothers
Chuck (guitar) and
John Panozzo (drums) first played music together with their 14-year-old neighbor
Dennis DeYoung who played accordion and sang, while living in the
Roseland, Chicago area, eventually using the band name The Tradewinds. Chuck left to attend
seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
for a year but returned to the group by 1964. Tom Nardini had been brought in to replace Chuck Panozzo on guitar, so he decided to play bass when he returned to the band. John Panozzo was the drummer, while DeYoung had switched from accordion to keyboards. In 1965, the Tradewinds name was changed to TW4 (There Were 4)
after another band,
the Trade Winds, achieved fame nationally. By 1966, the Panozzo brothers had joined DeYoung at
Chicago State College and kept the group together by performing at high schools and fraternity parties while studying to be teachers. In 1969 they added a college friend, folk guitarist
John Curulewski, after Nardini departed. Hard rock guitarist
James "J.Y." Young came aboard in 1970, making TW4 a quintet.
In 1972 the band members decided to choose a new name when they signed to
Wooden Nickel Records after being spotted by a talent scout at a concert at St. John of the Cross Parish in
Western Springs, Illinois
Western Springs is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the village had a total population of 13,629.
Named for local mineral springs on the southwest side of town, Western Springs or ...
(Young's hometown). Several suggestions were made and, according to DeYoung, the name Styx was chosen because it was "the only one that none of us hated."
The band released four albums with Wooden Nickel: ''
Styx'' (1972), ''
Styx II'' (1973), ''
The Serpent Is Rising'' (1973), and ''
Man of Miracles'' (1974). These albums contained straight-ahead rockers mixed with prog rock flourish with a lot of guitars, drums, keyboards, percussion, and vocal solos. They established a fan base in the
Chicago area, but were unable to break into the mainstream, though the song "Best Thing" from ''Styx'' charted on September 16, 1972, and stayed on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for 6 weeks, peaking at No. 82.
Then, the
power ballad "
Lady
''Lady'' is a term for a woman who behaves in a polite way. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female counterpart of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men.
"Lady" is al ...
" (from ''Styx II''), began to earn some radio time, first on
WLS in Chicago in 1974 and then nationwide. In the spring of 1975, nearly two years after the album had been released, "Lady" hit No. 6 in the US, and ''Styx II'' went gold soon after. "Lady" is considered by many classic rock critics as being the first power ballad with Dennis DeYoung being referred to as the "father of the power ballad". With the success of "Lady," a follow-up single on Styx II, "You Need Love", was re-released, but only barely cracked the Hot 100.
Early A&M Years and addition of Tommy Shaw (1975–1978)
On the heels of its belated hit single, Styx signed with
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and functions as a branch of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Interscope-Geffen-A&M. Established in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the label initially operated independent ...
. The band released ''
Equinox
A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than to its north or south. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise directly east and set directly west. This occurs twice each year, arou ...
'' in 1975, which sold well; the album yielded a minor hit in "
Lorelei", which reached No. 27 in the U.S. More importantly, it contained the rock anthem "
Suite Madame Blue", which gained the band considerable recognition and airplay on
FM radio
FM broadcasting is a method of radio broadcasting that uses frequency modulation (FM) of the radio broadcast carrier wave. Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to transmit high fidelity, high-f ...
in the relatively-new
Album Oriented Rock (AOR) format. Following the move to A&M, guitarist
John Curulewski suddenly left the band as they were to embark on a nationwide tour in December 1975, due to his desire to spend time with his family. After a frantic last-minute search, the band brought in guitarist
Tommy Shaw as Curulewski's replacement.
''
Crystal Ball'' (1976), the first album to feature Shaw, was moderately successful, but was overall a disappointment, failing to achieve the sales of its predecessor. The album showcased the band's newest member, as Shaw's "
Mademoiselle" reached No. 36.
Styx's seventh album, ''
The Grand Illusion'', was released on July 7, 1977, and became their breakthrough album, reaching
Triple Platinum certification. It spawned a top-ten hit and AOR radio staple in the
DeYoung-written "
Come Sail Away", which reached No. 8 in 1978. Shaw's "
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" was a second radio hit and reached No. 29 the same year.
Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band enjoyed its greatest success. Their 1978 album ''
Pieces of Eight'' found the group moving in a more straight-ahead hard-rock direction and spawned three Shaw sung hit singles "
Renegade" (No. 16 in the US) and "
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" (No. 21 in the US), plus "
Sing for the Day" that reached No. 41.
1980s and superstardom
Their 1979 album ''
Cornerstone
A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...
'' yielded their first No. 1 hit, the DeYoung ballad "
Babe". By early 1980, "Babe" had become the band's biggest international hit and first million-selling single, reaching No. 6 in the UK. The album also included the No. 26 DeYoung hit upbeat "
Why Me Why Me or Why Me? may refer to:
Music
* Why Me (Kris Kristofferson song), "Why Me" (Kris Kristofferson song), 1973
* Why Me (Styx song), "Why Me" (Styx song), 1979
* Why Me? (Irene Cara song), "Why Me?" (Irene Cara song), 1983
* Why Me? (Linda Mart ...
" and the rocker "
Borrowed Time" (U.S. No. 64), which was co-written with Shaw, plus Shaw's folksy "
Boat on the River" (1980), which was a hit in much of Europe and Japan. The popularity of the album, which reached No. 2 on the
''Billboard'' 200, helped win the band a
People's Choice Award for Best New Song in 1980. At the
22nd Grammy Awards
The 22nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 27, 1980, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1979. This year was notable for being the ...
, Styx was a nominee for
Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and ''Cornerstones engineers
Gary Loizzo
Gary Alexander Loizzo (August 16, 1945 – January 16, 2016) was an American guitarist, singer, recording engineer, and record producer. He is best known for being the lead singer with The American Breed.
The American Breed
Gary Loizzo formed ...
and Rob Kingsland were nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Recording. The band was also named the most popular rock band in the U.S. in the 1980 year end Gallup Poll.
With the success of "Babe," DeYoung's push for a more mainstream direction gained momentum, while Shaw and Young favored a more rock oriented approach. This arguing over musical direction led to ongoing tension in early 1980 after Shaw objected to the ballad "First Time" being released as the second single from ''Cornerstone''. Although the song was generating substantial airplay in some major markets, A&M pulled the plug on the single's official release, replacing it with "Why Me". The argument resulted in DeYoung being briefly fired. However, things were quickly smoothed over. While “First Time” did not chart in the US (because it was not released), it became a huge hit single in
the Philippines in 1981.
In January 1981, Styx released ''
Paradise Theatre'', a
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
that became their biggest hit, reaching No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' pop albums chart and yielding five singles, including the top ten hits "
The Best of Times" by DeYoung (No. 3 Billboard, No. 1 Radio & Records) and "
Too Much Time on My Hands" by Shaw (No. 9), his only top 10 single as a member of the band. ''Paradise Theatre'' became the band's fourth consecutive
multi-platinum album. Based on yet another Dennis DeYoung concept, the Paradise Theatre was a historic Chicago theatre that had been built in the 20s only to fall on hard times and close a mere 30 years after it opened. DeYoung used the Paradise as a metaphor for the United States in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
An ambitious year long world tour commenced in 1981 in support of the album and was one of the top-grossing tours of the year. The tour had numerous Broadway and movie infused elements, including a dramatic opening featuring a theatre sweep and DeYoung by himself next to a player piano and the show ending with traditional movie credits. Throughout the tour and throughout the 1980s and beyond, the band would open their shows with "
Rockin' the Paradise", the opening track from ''Paradise Theatre'' which charted at No. 8 on the Top Rocks Track Chart and aired on the
MTV cable channel.
The band was accused by a
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
religious group and later the
Parents Music Resource Center of
backmasking Satanic messages in their anti-
cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
anthem, "
Snowblind".
James "JY" Young has denied this charge during his introduction for "Snowblind" when played live.
Dennis DeYoung has denied the accusation as well, joking on the ''
In the Studio with Redbeard'' program "we had enough trouble to make the music sound right forward." Also, Young quotes, "If we were going to put some message in our songs, we would have put it so it was in the song forward. Not so you would have to buy some $400
tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, also known as a tape deck, tape player or tape machine or simply a tape recorder, is a sound recording and reproduction device that records and plays back sounds usually using magnetic tape for storage. In its present ...
to hear it."
''Kilroy Was Here'' and first disbandment (1983–1984)
The band continued to follow DeYoung's lead with their next project, ''
Kilroy Was Here
Kilroy was here is a meme that became popular during World War II, typically seen in graffiti. Its origin is debated, but the phrase and the distinctive accompanying doodle became associated with G.I. (military), GIs in the 1940s: a bald-head ...
'' (1983), another more fully realized concept album, embracing the
rock opera form. It is set in a future where performing and playing rock music has been outlawed due to the efforts of a charismatic evangelist, Dr. Everett Righteous, played by James "JY" Young. ''Kilroy Was Here'' featured DeYoung in the part of Kilroy, an unjustly imprisoned rock star. Tommy Shaw played the part of Jonathan Chance, a younger rocker who fights for Kilroy's freedom and the lifting of the ban on rock music. This future society is served by robots. Called Robotos, these automatons perform many jobs and several serve as Kilroy's prison guards.
Part of the impetus for the Kilroy story was the band's reaction to the
backmasking accusation.
The album included Young's song "
Heavy Metal Poisoning", which includes lyrics sarcastically mocking the allegations against the group. Its introduction intentionally included a backward message, the Latin phrases, "annuit coeptis" and "novus ordo seclorum", from the reverse side of the
Great Seal of the United States
The Great Seal is the seal of the United States. The phrase is used both for the Seal (emblem), impression device itself, which is kept by the United States secretary of state, and more generally for the impression it produces. The Obverse and r ...
. Referring to the
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continen ...
in 1776, these are translated, "''
Annuit cœptis'' - He (God) favors our undertakings, and ''
Novus ordo seclorum'' - A new order of the ages." Both choices also served the Kilroy story because the villain is an evangelist that seeks to expand his Vision of Morality movement via mass demonstrations.
The album ''Kilroy Was Here'' went
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
in 1983, boasting two Top Ten hits written and sung by DeYoung, the
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
-based "
Mr. Roboto" (No. 3 US) and power ballad "
Don't Let It End" (No. 6 US). The album earned a nomination as Best Engineered Recording for engineer and long-time friend
Gary Loizzo
Gary Alexander Loizzo (August 16, 1945 – January 16, 2016) was an American guitarist, singer, recording engineer, and record producer. He is best known for being the lead singer with The American Breed.
The American Breed
Gary Loizzo formed ...
and fellow engineers on the album Will Rascati and Rob Kingsland, for the 26th Grammy Awards (1983).
In 1983 the band mounted an ambitious stage show in support of ''Kilroy Was Here''
featuring theatrical presentations of three songs utilizing instrumental backing tracks, including "Mr. Roboto", which featured DeYoung singing live while disguised as a Roboto, "Heavy Metal Poisoning" with Young as the evangelist Dr. Righteous singing while the Panozzo brothers acted as his henchmen on stage and "Haven't We Been Here Before" with Shaw as Jonathan Chance and DeYoung (as Kilroy in Roboto costume) duetting. The elaborate show was expensive to produce and was not as profitable as previous tours.
''Kilroy Was Here'' brought the creative and competitive tensions within the band beyond the breaking point; this was further exacerbated following the band's performance of the ''Kilroy'' show at that year's
Texxas Jam, an all day, multi-band rock festival held at the
Cotton Bowl in Dallas. While most of the other acts on the bill, in comparison, put forth their "hardest rockers" the theatrics of the ''Kilroy'' show were not well received and they were basically booed off the stage. A disillusioned Shaw departed the band for a solo career at the conclusion of the tour.
In 1984 the band released its first live album, ''
Caught in the Act''. The project featured one studio track, "
Music Time", which became a Top 40 hit. The concert was also filmed and released on VHS under the same title (and on DVD in 2007). By the time of the album's release, they had already parted ways.
Reformation, ''Edge of the Century'', second disbandment and reformation (1990–1996)
After the group members began discussing a reunion in the late '80s, this was delayed due to DeYoung's recording and the release of his solo album, ''
Boomchild'', which got pushed back to February 1989. Styx finally reformed in 1990, bringing in
Glen Burtnik as a new guitarist since Shaw was by then committed to
Damn Yankees.
The new line-up released one album, ''
Edge of the Century'', featuring the Dennis DeYoung ballad "
Show Me the Way", which received an additional boost just prior to the first
Persian Gulf War. Some radio stations edited the Top Three hit to include the voices of children, whose parents were deployed in Saudi Arabia between 1990 and 1991. The song went all the way to No. 3 on both the
Hot 100 and at
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
radio and notably remained in the top 40 for 23 weeks and AC for 31 weeks.
With the huge success of the song "Show Me the Way", Styx joined a handful of musical acts to have top 10 singles in three decades and under four different presidential administrations.
A follow-up single, “
Love At First Sight
Love at first sight is a personal experience and a common theme in creative works: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. It has been desc ...
", peaked at No. 25 on the
Hot 100 and No. 13 on the
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
chart.
Styx toured across the US in the spring and summer of 1991 but their success was short-lived as they were dropped in 1992 after A&M Records was purchased by
PolyGram Records, ending an over-fifteen-year relationship.
The band reunited once again in 1995, with guitarist Tommy Shaw returning to the fold to re-record "Lady" for ''
Styx Greatest Hits''. Session drummer Todd Sucherman filled in for John Panozzo, who was unable to participate due to liver problems caused by years of excessive
drinking, which eventually claimed his life the following year on July 16.
The 1996 "Return to Paradise" tour, with Sucherman as a full member, was successful. The reunion tour was documented with a two-disc live set, 1997's ''
Return to Paradise'', which featured three new studio tracks: "On My Way", "Paradise" (a soft rock ballad that also appears in another version on Dennis DeYoung's 1996 ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' album), and "Dear John", a tribute to the late Panozzo that has become a cult favorite among Styx fans. Later on, the concert was documented on DVD. The ''Return to Paradise'' album was a surprise success in 1997, achieving gold status and the single “Paradise” briefly charting on the Adult Contemporary chart at No. 27. Following the release of the album, Styx embarked on another tour, this one to mark the 20th anniversary of
''The Grand Illusion''.
''Brave New World'' and departure of DeYoung (1999–2000)
Two years later, in 1999, the band released its first new studio album in almost a decade: ''
Brave New World''. But then, due to illness, DeYoung was unable to commit to touring, so he was replaced by Lawrence Gowan, a classically trained pianist, who had achieved platinum success as a solo act on
Sony Canada. Gowan's 1985 solo hit "
A Criminal Mind" was incorporated into their tour
set list and was still performed into the 2010s.
Bassist Chuck Panozzo was sidelined in 1999 due to health problems related to his battle with
HIV/
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
. His public "coming out" occurred in 2001 at the annual
Human Rights Campaign banquet, with James "JY" Young in attendance for support.
On June 6, 1999, the group reunited briefly to perform for the
Children's Miracle Network Telethon as DeYoung's final performance with the band. Glen Burtnik filled in for Chuck Panozzo on bass.
On June 9, 2000, Styx appeared with
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon), or simply REO, was an American Rock music, rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial suc ...
at the
Riverport Amphitheatre. A 2-CD recording of the concert was released as ''
Arch Allies: Live at Riverport'', with one disc of each band's set and both discs concluding with performances of the two bands collaborating on jam versions of Styx's "Blue Collar Man" and REO's "
Roll with the Changes". Each band also released their set as a separate album, with additional tracks: Styx's version was ''
At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis''.
Chuck Panozzo's reduced role, ''Cyclorama'' and ''Big Bang Theory'' (2003–2009)

Styx's new lineup released several live albums and released the studio album ''
Cyclorama'' in February 2003, which reached No. 127 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album charts. A single "Waiting for Our Time" hit No. 37 on the ''Billboard'' mainstream rock chart for 1 week. Styx toured extensively during this period and released additional live albums. Styx also was part of the Super Bowl pre game entertainment in San Diego prior to the Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They played a short set in the parking lot, as well as on the field right before the game, playing
Queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
's "
We Are the Champions".
Burtnik left Styx in September 2003, to spend time with his family and to pursue a solo career and release the album ''Welcome to Hollywood''. He was replaced by
Ricky Phillips, formerly of
the Babys and
Bad English
Bad English was an American/British hard rock supergroup formed in 1987. It reunited Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain with singer John Waite and bassist Ricky Phillips, his former bandmates in the Babys, along with Journey guitarist Ne ...
. Panozzo remains in the band but is featured in concerts playing bass on about four songs, including a duet with Lawrence Gowan. Burtnik would go on to join up with DeYoung for numerous tour dates over the next several years.
On June 5, 2004, Styx participated in Eric Clapton's
Crossroads Guitar Festival covering songs by
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
,
B.B. King, and
Slim Harpo with
Jeff Baxter as a special guest.
In 2005, Styx released an album of cover tunes, ''
Big Bang Theory'', which reached the ''Billboard'' Top 50 on the album charts, their highest-charting album since 1990. Their version of
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
song "
I Am the Walrus" received some radio play, and a video was made for the song.
Continued touring, ''The Mission'', ''Crash of the Crown'', and ''Circling from Above'' (2010–present)
On February 21, 2010, the current incarnation of the band performed before the
Sprint Cup Auto Club 500 In
Fontana, California. In a North American tour beginning in May 2010, Styx was a co-headliner of United in Rock with
Foreigner and special guests
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
. In July 2010, Styx announced the forthcoming release of ''
Regeneration: Volume 1'', a new release featuring six re-recorded hits and a new song entitled "Difference in the World". This coincided with "The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Tour", on which both albums were played in their entirety.
In November 2010 Styx announced that they would be filming their concert in Memphis on November 9 for a DVD. The landmark concert was recorded at the historic
Orpheum Theater, where Styx performed both of their classic albums, 1977's ''
The Grand Illusion'' and 1978's ''
Pieces of Eight''.
They also announced that they'd be touring the UK with Journey and Foreigner for five dates in June 2011.
In early April 2011, it was announced that Styx would join up with
Yes for a "Progressive US Tour" that began on July 4, 2011, with Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter
Shane Alexander opening. On December 15, 2011, they participated in the figure skating show Improv-Ice, which was broadcast on television January 15, 2012. On January 26, 2013, the
Palladia Channel premiered the concert filmed in November 2010.
On November 22, 2013, they announced a benefit concert with
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon), or simply REO, was an American Rock music, rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial suc ...
titled "Rock to the Rescue" to raise money for the affected families of the tornado in central Illinois.
The summer of 2014 found the band back on the road in a new touring package called ''Soundtrack of Summer'', with Foreigner and ex-Eagle
Don Felder. Styx's 2015 summer tour saw them re-uniting with Def Leppard. Along with
Tesla, the groups played outdoor venues across the United States. In 2016, Styx announced a series of performances to be held at the
Venetian in Las Vegas in early 2017 with Felder.
In February 2017, it was announced that Styx and
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon), or simply REO, was an American Rock music, rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial suc ...
would join forces in a tour entitled "United We Rock" with special guest Felder, which was in large concert venues throughout the US. On April 21, 2017, Styx announced a studio album entitled ''
The Mission'', simultaneously releasing the single "Gone Gone Gone". The album was released on June 16, 2017, and is a concept album about a mission to Mars.
On April 7, 2021, Styx announced via social media that they would be releasing an
EP titled ''The Same Stardust'', which would feature two new tracks, as well as some live recordings. The EP was released on vinyl on June 12, 2021, exclusively in indie record stores as a part of RSD Drops for Record Store Day 2021. This is the first Styx release to use their original band logo since ''
The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings'' in 2005.
From April 30, 2021, through May 5, 2021, Styx posted artwork on social media that included a countdown in the corner that would eventually lead to the revealing of their new album ''
Crash of the Crown'', revealed on May 6, 2021. With the reveal, they released the album's title track on streaming platforms. The Prog Report reviewed the album saying it "stands as one of the very finest in their catalogue."
Despite positive reviews, ''Crash of the Crown'' charted for only one week on the Billboard 200, peaking at 114.
After first producing ''The Mission'' and ''Crash of the Crown'' and joining Styx on stage in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
to play ''The Mission'' in its entirety on January 23, 2019, guitarist
Will Evankovich joined Styx for their 2021 summer tour that found them back on the road.
On June 5, 2022, Styx was inducted into the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum Hall of Fame. That same night Dennis DeYoung was additionally inducted as a songwriter.
On March 20, 2024, it was announced via social media that Ricky Phillips would be leaving the band to spend more time at home and away from the road. On March 22, 2024, Lawrence Gowan's younger brother Terry debuted as the new touring bass player for Styx at their show in
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The town is part ...
. On May 17 he was announced as an official member.
On May 28, 2025, Styx announced their eighteenth studio album, ''
Circling from Above'', set for release on July 18 via Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Produced by Will Evankovich, the 13-track album explores themes of human ambition, technology, and nature, and features contributions from all seven current members of the band. The lead single, "Build and Destroy," was released alongside an AI-generated music video, and physical copies of the album will be made available ahead of the digital release during the band's 2025 ''Brotherhood of Rock'' tour.
Band members
Current members
*
James "J.Y." Young – guitars, backing and lead vocals, occasional keyboards
*
Chuck Panozzo – bass
*
Tommy Shaw – guitars, lead and backing vocals, occasional mandolin and banjo
*
Todd Sucherman – drums, percussion, occasional backing vocals
*
Lawrence Gowan – keyboards, lead and backing vocals, occasional acoustic guitar
*
Will Evankovich – guitar, backing vocals, occasional mandolin and keyboards
* Terry Gowan – bass, backing vocals
Former members
*
Dennis DeYoung – keyboards, lead and backing vocals
*
John Panozzo – drums, percussion, occasional backing vocals
*
John "J.C." Curulewski – guitar, backing and lead vocals, keyboards
*
Glen Burtnik – guitar, backing and lead vocals
*
Ricky Phillips – bass
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Styx'' (1972)
* ''
Styx II'' (1973)
* ''
The Serpent Is Rising'' (1973)
* ''
Man of Miracles'' (1974)
* ''
Equinox
A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than to its north or south. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise directly east and set directly west. This occurs twice each year, arou ...
'' (1975)
* ''
Crystal Ball'' (1976)
* ''
The Grand Illusion'' (1977)
* ''
Pieces of Eight'' (1978)
* ''
Cornerstone
A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...
'' (1979)
* ''
Paradise Theatre'' (1981)
* ''
Kilroy Was Here
Kilroy was here is a meme that became popular during World War II, typically seen in graffiti. Its origin is debated, but the phrase and the distinctive accompanying doodle became associated with G.I. (military), GIs in the 1940s: a bald-head ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Edge of the Century'' (1990)
* ''
Brave New World'' (1999)
* ''
Cyclorama'' (2003)
* ''
Big Bang Theory'' (2005)
* ''
The Mission'' (2017)
* ''
Crash of the Crown'' (2021)
* ''
Circling from Above'' (2025)
Consecutive multi-platinum albums
From 1977 to 1981, Styx released four consecutive albums that have been certified Multi-Platinum, for at least 2 million units sold apiece, by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
: ''
The Grand Illusion'' (1977), ''
Pieces of Eight'' (1978), ''
Cornerstone
A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...
'' (1979) and ''
Paradise Theatre'' (1981).
A longstanding, oft-repeated claim in the music industry and the mainstream press is that Styx was the first band to release four consecutive ''Triple''-Platinum albums, signifying at least 3 million units sold.
During the period when these albums charted, the RIAA's only certifications were for Gold (500,000 units sold) and Platinum (1 million). Multi-Platinum awards were introduced in late October 1984.
Following this development, record companies submitted their most popular artists' sales records to accountants in order to achieve the new thresholds.
Styx did score three Triple-Platinum albums—''The Grand Illusion'' (1977), ''Pieces of Eight'' (1978) and ''Paradise Theatre'' (1981)—and one Double-Platinum album—''Cornerstone'' (1979)—on the same date, November 14, 1984. Complete and detailed historical sales figures for record albums are not readily available to the public, but the certifications, which can be found at the RIAA site, show that the feat the band actually achieved was being the first group to be awarded four consecutive Multi-Platinum albums with three of those ranking better than Double Platinum. Styx achieved another Double-Platinum album—''Greatest Hits (Volume I)''—on August 23, 2005.
See also
*
List of best-selling music artists
The following list of best-selling music artists includes musical artists from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. The sales figures are calculated based on the formula detailed below.
The ...
References
External links
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