Styx formed way back when, back in 1961 when twins Chuck and John Panozzo and neighbor Dennis DeYoung met in the south side of Chicago. Then known as "The Tradewinds", it took a decade, the completion of high school, and a name change before Chuck, John, Dennis, and John Curulewski became Styx. Tommy Shaw would later join the group to replace the second John and from the mid-1970s to the mid -1980s, the group released seven albums. Where Styx , Styx II, and two others failed to advance very far on the charts or in record sales, The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, Cornerstone, Paradise Theater, and Kilroy Was Here went platinum and became Top 10 hits.

The songs "Come Sail Away", "Renegade", "Babe", "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My hands", and "Mr. Roboto" have become part of rock and roll lore. The band typified progressive rock before fully making the transition to hard rock and driving DeYoung away. He first left in 1984, reunited with the group in 1990, leaving again in 1993, reuniting in 1995, and leaving for good in 1999. This on and off relationship reflects the tumultuous nature of the group after releasing its last platinum album – Kilroy Was Here.

The albums that followed, - Caught in the Acts, Edge of the Century, Return ot Paradise, Brave New World, Cyclorama, and Big Bang Theory – have charted, but failed to produce the popularity of those mid-career releases. Now, in the 21st century, like so many other former RIAA favorites, Styx has found a fan base waiting to celebrate nostalgia and spend their money on Styx concert tickets.