Styx, The #81 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 We continue with Part II of Styx!

 

Styx continued that success with the album Pieces of Eight, which moved the band more towards hard rock.  "Renegade" made it to #16.

Pieces of Eight has also cleared three million in sales.  Styx released "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" as the next single, which reached #21.

The Grand Illusion paved the way for Styx with the masses, and Pieces of Eight cemented their place in the rock world.  "Sing For The Day", another Shaw song, is a solid track on the album.

 

In 1979, Styx released Cornerstone, probably their best album since Equinox.  "Babe" became the group's biggest international hit, #1 in the U.S. and U.K. and Top 10 in virtually every other country, and sold over one million copies and earned a People's Choice Award for Best New Song.

 Cornerstone garnered #2 in the United States on the Album chart.  Styx was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and engineers Gary Loizzo and Rob Kingsland were nominated for Best Engineered Recording. "Why Me" landed in the Top 10 in the U.K. but only #26 in their native United States.

 "Borrowed Time" is one of Styx's Top Tracks*.

 Disagreement over the direction of the band led to tensions between Shaw and DeYoung which have lasted to this day.  DeYoung also wanted to keep ballads in their repertoire with Shaw and Young favoring nothing but hard rock.  DeYoung argued for "First Time" as the follow-up to "Babe" but relented to the others so that "Why Me" could be released.  "First Time" became a big hit in the Philippines and was a much better song.  

 

In 1981, Styx released Paradise Theatre, its first and only #1 album.  "The Best Of Times" landed at #1 in the U.K. and #3 in the States.

 Shaw's "Too Much Time On My Hands" hit #4 in the U.K. and #9 in the United States, and Paradise Theatre became the band's fourth consecutive Platinum album, as Styx became the first group to achieve that feat.

 "Rockin' The Paradise" was a popular album track, #8 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

 

In 1983, Styx released Kilroy Was Here, another concept album to follow-up Paradise Theatre.  The album was set in a future in which Rock music was outlawed because of the efforts of a charismatic evangelist, Dr. Everett Righteous.

Kilroy Was Here gave Styx a fifth consecutive Platinum album.  "Mr. Roboto" raced to #1 in the United Kingdom and #3 in the U.S. and sold over one million copies.

"Don't Let It End" rose to #6.  

Styx toured in support of the album with an elaborate stage show.  "Mr. Roboto" featured DeYoung singing while disguised as a Roboto.  Young appeared as Dr. Righteous while the Panozzo brothers acted as his henchmen. 

The tensions already present were brought to a head on the tour, and Shaw left for a solo career after the conclusion of the tour.

In 1984, Styx released the live album Caught in the Act, but by the time of release, the group had already broken up.

DeYoung and Shaw released solo albums and Young followed with the first of two solo releases in 1985.  In 1989, Shaw co-founded Damn Yankees, while the other members of the group planned for a comeback.

 

In 1989, Styx reunited with the exception of Shaw, recruiting Glen Burtnik as the new guitarist.  The group released the album Edge of the Century, which has been certified Gold, thanks to the single "Show Me The Way", which reached #3 in the U.K. and #6 in the U.S.  

Styx joined a limited group of artists to score a Top 10 hit in three different decades, and the album went Gold.  Despite the success of their latest effort, Styx was dropped from A&M after a 15-year association after the label was purchased by PolyGram.

Styx attempted to land a new contract but grunge was the temporary flavor and Styx disbanded.

In 1995, the group released their Greatest Hits compilation, which is today a two-million seller.  Shaw joined the group for a reunion and a tour ensued in 1996, but John Panozzo couldn't take part due to problems with alcohol, which took his life later in the year.  Todd Sucherman replaced Panozzo on the tour and the album Return to Paradise, which went Gold.

In 1999, Styx released their first studio album in nearly 10 years, Brave New World.  But those long-present disagreements continued, and for the first time, DeYoung wasn't the main producer on a Styx album.

DeYoung developed an illness which temporarily made his eyes sensitive to light, and the other members of the group replaced him on an upcoming tour by Lawrence Gowan rather than wait for DeYoung to heal.

DeYoung joined the group for a performance on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon in 1999.  Afterward, Burtnik returned to the group on bass with Chuck Panozzo infected by HIV.  Styx released the album Cyclorama in 2003 but it failed.

Styx released an album of remakes, Big Bang Theory, which made it inside the Top 50 of the Album chart.  In 2010, the group released the EP Regeneration:  Volume 1, which included re-recorded hits as well as the new song "Difference In The World".  The group toured with performances featuring the playing of both The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight in their entirety.

Styx joined Yes for a tour of the U.S. in 2011 and with Foreigner in 2014.  The group released the CD and DVD Dennis DeYoung...And the Music of Styx Live in Los Angeles.  The group joined Def Leppard for a tour in 2016.  

Styx released the album The Mission in 2017 and promoted the album with a tour of the U.S. together with REO Speedwagon.

Styx has tallied 24 career hits with 8 Top 10's and one #1 song.