Concert Preview
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
Friday August 18, 2017
Styx
The Top 25
It’s summertime once again and that means Styx will be on the road. The band has averaged over 100 shows a year since 1999 with the majority of them taking place during the summer months. The band will team up with their mid western cohorts, REO Speedwagon on Friday in a big outdoor show at Seneca Niagara Casino.
In honor of the show we decided to take a look into the Styx catalog to determine what songs will comprise our top 25 Styx songs of all time. It was a daunting task and although the earlier Wooden Nickel albums have some great hidden gems it was the songs from their glory years that made the most noise to us. The band also recently released the critically acclaimed album The Mission. While it also contains some great songs, we felt it hasn’t been around long enough to knock some of the band’s classics off the list quite yet.
Sit back relax and feel free to list some of your favorites that did not make our list.
25. Superstars- A deep cut from The Grand Illusion featuring Tommy Shaw on vocals. Was also featured during the band’s 18 song medley they would play circa 2004-2006.
24. Midnight Ride- Written and sung by JY, the song comes from the Equinox album.
23. She Cares- An album cut that hides on Paradise Theater featuring Shaw on vocals and lead guitar. Had this been released as a single could have fared well on the charts.
22. Sing For The Day- The 2nd single from Pieces Of Eight that came in at #41 just missing the top 40 chart. The band resurrected the song in 2000 for their live shows after all but ignoring it prior to.
21. Music Time- A rare studio song that appeared on the band’s first live release Caught In The Act. The demise of Styx was happening around this time which is why Shaw was filmed separately for the video while he was recording Girls With Guns in NYC.
20. Mr. Roboto- The gimmicky song surprisingly reached #3 on the charts. It appears on the Killroy Was Here which was the band’s final album to reach platinum status. It was also the last album recorded with the classic Styx lineup. The song and album led to the eventual breakup of the group.
19. I’m OK- Another album track that received some radio airplay. Taken from Pieces Of Eight.
18. The Grand Illusion- The title cut from the album of the same name. This song still is a fixture in the band’s set. While it received a ton of radio airplay, oddly enough it had never been released as a single.
17. Why Me- One of the best songs culled from Cornerstone. The song climbed to #26 on the singles charts.
16. Light Up- a fantastic song taken from Equinox. While it was never released as a single, the band felt strongly enough to make it the leadoff track on the album. There was a time where the band ignored it in concert. It has been a staple during more recent tours. While the sudio version features DeYoung, JY handles the song in concert these days.
15. Babe- The band’s first and only song to top the charts. It hasn’t been played live since the departure of DeYoung from the band.
14. Snowblind- An interesting Styx song in that it features both JY and Tommy trading off on lead vocals. It was the fifth single released from Paradise Theater although it didn’t crack the top 40 pop chart.
13. Miss America- The signature JY song as well as arguably his best. The song is usually a regular in the band’s set list every night.
12. Lights- One of five singles released from Cornerstone. It also is the album’s leadoff track for one reason or another it failed to make a dent on the Billboard singles chart. The band started to play more regularly over the last few years, deservedly so.
11. Rockin’ The Paradise- One of the first few videos to air on MTV when it was launched. The song has been played quite frequently over the years with Lawrence Gowan handling the vocal duties in concert.
10. Lady- The song that helped put Styx on the map. It was the one that got the ball rolling, although it did not chart initially until after the band left Wooden Nickel. This is the only song that the band plays live from the Wooden Nickel days. Gowan handles the vocals.
9. Crystal Ball- Still a centerpiece of a Styx concert, it was such a good song the band named the album after it. I consider this song Shaw’s greatest masterpiece.
8. Lorelei- The 2nd song of the band’s to land in the top 40 peaking at #27. While the original features DeYoung, JY handles the vocals in concert these days.
7. Suite Madam Blue- Another Styx masterpiece. This epic track is always a concert highlight performed by Gowan.
6. Too Much Time On My Hands- Peaking at #9 it remains oddly enough the only Tommy Shaw sung song to crack the top-10.
5. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)- Another hit for the band from The Grand Illusion. Peaking at #29 it remains an important part of a Styx concert.
4. The Best Of Times- The first single from Paradise Theater that climbed all thew way to #3. Oddly enough the band never plays live anymore.
3. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)- The first single released from Pieces Of Eight. Peaking at #21 it was a rock radio staple that remains an intricate part of the band’s set. You can usually find it as the first or second song in any Styx concert.
2. Come Sail Away- Coming in at #8 on the charts, it is clearly the band’s most recognizable song with it’s classic piano intro. It always places high on many radio station countdowns as well as many all time classic rock song lists. Not only did it serve as the catalyst to propel The Grand Illusion to platinum status, it also was the first of five consecutive platinum albums in a row.
1. Renegade- Typically this song closes out every Styx show. Another Shaw gem while only peaking at #16, it was the highest charting single from Pieces Of Eight. This is one song that thankfully the radio never wore out.
Quick View Full List
25. Superstars
24. Midnight Ride
23. She Cares
22. Sing For The Day
21. Music Time
20. Mr. Roboto
19. I’m OK
18. The Grand Illusion
17. Why Me
16. Light Up
15. Babe
14. Snowblind
13. Miss America
12. Lights
11. Rockin’ The Paradise
10. Lady
09. Crystal Ball
08. Lorelei
07. Suite Madam Blue
06. Too Much Time On My Hands
05. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
04. The Best Of Times
03. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
02. Come Sail Away
01. Renegade
