Styx Albums

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Holy Cow, after looking at the dates of all the releases, no wonder they were burned out from studio time, concerts and being with each other. Yikes. Now I'm understanding the whole picture more.

Are most older bands like this, where they released all these albums so close together? Does anybody know?

Album
Label
Release Date
Certifications

Styx
Wooden Nickel
1972


The Serpent Is Rising
Wooden Nickel
1974


Styx II
Wooden Nickel
1975
Gold

Man Of Miracles
Wooden Nickel
1974


Equinox
A&M Records
1975
Gold

Crystal Ball
A&M Records
1976
Gold

Best Of Styx
RCA
1977
Gold

The Grand Illusion
A&M Records
1977
Triple Platinum

Pieces of Eight
A&M Records
1978
Triple Platinum

Cornerstone
A&M Records
1979
Double Platinum

Paradise Theatre
A&M Records
1981
Triple Platinum

Kilroy Was Here
A&M Records
1983
Platinum

Caught In the Act
A&M Records
1984


Styx Classics
A&M Records
1987
Gold

Edge Of the Century
A&M Records
1990
Gold

Greatest Hits
A&M Records
1995
Platinum

Greatest Hits II
A&M Records
1996


Return To Paradise
CMC
1997
Gold

Brave New World
CMC
1999


Arch Allies: Live at Riverport
CMC
2000


Styxworld Live 2001
CMC
2001


At the River's Edge - Live in St Louis
Sanctuary
2002


Cyclorama
Sanctuary
2003


21st Century Live
Sanctuary
2003


Rockers
UMe
2003


Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings
UMe
2005

[ek88]

Wow, right around one album of new material per year for around 10+ years!

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Wow, hey? I guess I never really noticed that before until I started posting this information.

I wonder if it was the pressure of the record companies or if they just had that many songs ready to go for the next albums.

[styxfanNH]

Suite,
You really have to look at the studio albums. The compilations are really a product of the record companies.

Equinox
A&M Records
1975
Gold

Crystal Ball
A&M Records
1976
Gold

The Grand Illusion
A&M Records
1977
Triple Platinum

Pieces of Eight
A&M Records
1978
Triple Platinum

Cornerstone
A&M Records
1979
Double Platinum


75-79 is the hey day of the band and they were basically releasing a new studio album every year. Tommy has said that part of the reason they were able to do this was because they had played continually with each other they were really able to think as a unit opposed to having to put the writing hat on and having to take time off to do it.

It is a very unusual pattern for any band. No time away from each other may have taken a toll. But that quantity of time together also produced the situation that gave us those albums.

I think all and all, musically they just grew in different directions.

[gr8dane]

Creative roll.Album tour album tour album tour no time off burnout friction
collapse.

[sadie65]

Creative roll.Album tour album tour album tour no time off burnout friction
collapse.

Well I'm not so sure myself. I think it was more a case of the time period they were in as well. While they had some recognition after Lady, by and large they were still unknown. I think they kept putting out product hoping to hit. They didn't have as many expenses then as when they finally did hit. And by then, the stakes were awfully high. Differing ideals/egos/ heck even just the close proximity to each other for such an extended period of time....that's a hard grind for anyone. I would say the same thing about the current lineup. While they are out doing what they love, it surely has to be taking a toll. ANd they aren't spring chickens. I do not say this with anything more than just what I observe. I sincerely mean no malice.

[gr8dane]

Creative roll.Album tour album tour album tour no time off burnout friction
collapse.

Well I'm not so sure myself. I think it was more a case of the time period they were in as well. While they had some recognition after Lady, by and large they were still unknown. I think they kept putting out product hoping to hit. They didn't have as many expenses then as when they finally did hit. And by then, the stakes were awfully high. Differing ideals/egos/ heck even just the close proximity to each other for such an extended period of time....that's a hard grind for anyone. I would say the same thing about the current lineup. While they are out doing what they love, it surely has to be taking a toll. ANd they aren't spring chickens. I do not say this with anything more than just what I observe. I sincerely mean no malice.

I guess,I meant from Grand illusion on.From then on it was like a whirlwind.

[bugsymalone]

Once they were successful, the pressure was on for the next "big thing". They had a string of albums that certainly pleased their fans and the buying public. But that must have been a terrible burden to bear as well.

What is amazing that they had these successful productions -- Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, Cornerstone (with a No. 1 single) and then, lo and behold, their next album went to No. 1 ! that must have been so gratifying to them, as well as a BIG relief.

Just my take.

Bugsy

[Guest]

Creative roll.Album tour album tour album tour no time off burnout friction
collapse.

Well I'm not so sure myself. I think it was more a case of the time period they were in as well. While they had some recognition after Lady, by and large they were still unknown. I think they kept putting out product hoping to hit. They didn't have as many expenses then as when they finally did hit. And by then, the stakes were awfully high. Differing ideals/egos/ heck even just the close proximity to each other for such an extended period of time....that's a hard grind for anyone. I would say the same thing about the current lineup. While they are out doing what they love, it surely has to be taking a toll. ANd they aren't spring chickens. I do not say this with anything more than just what I observe. I sincerely mean no malice.

I guess,I meant from Grand illusion on.From then on it was like a whirlwind.

That was the way it was in the 70s... in fact many bands released two albums of new material in the same calendar year.

Now bands go 3, 4, or 5 years between releases and it's the norm.

[PsychoSy]

Their earlier studio releases resemble Queen. Both bands were always in the studio and success nailed both bands at around the same point in both of their respective careers. With "Lady" becoming a massive hit a few years after its release, radio listeners came into being Styx fans right around the transition from "Crystal Ball" to "Pieces of Eight". It put Styx on the map but their fame really didn't start to snowball until "Come Sail Away" off Grand Illusion.

Queen had limited success in England until 1974-1975's "Bohemian Rhapsody" just launched them into the stratosphere in every country. That song put them on the map but it was 1977's "We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions" that made Queen a household name just like "Come Sail Away" did for Styx. I think the pressure to create more "hits" was on Styx more than it was on Queen (if Queen did get the pressure it probably came more from the American branch of Elecktra/EMI than from the UK office) and Queen would never allow one band member to control it all and call all the shots. Both bands had their inner turmoils but Queen was mature enough to make a decision by the 1980s to keep Roy Thomas Baker and Mack close by for production and that all of their songs would be "Written By Queen" in order to keep the band solid. The result was Queen survived and Styx imploded. In other words, democracy saved Queen. The lack of democracy killed Styx.