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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
If it's your belief that one of the reasons today's rock is so bereft of personality is that all sense of show business has been drained from the music, then a look back at the career of Styx offers proof positive that it wasn't always thus. Greatest Hits offers a comprehensive overview of the band, from its art-rock days--which produced a top 10 hit in "Lady," a new version of which is included in this package--to its years as a perennial album-rock favorite--with offerings ranging from flights of fancy ("Come Sail Away," "Renegade") to proto-power ballads ("Babe," "Crystal Ball") to songs reflecting the working-class roots of its audience ("Too Much Time on My Hands," "Blue Collar Man"). The band eventually succumbed to a shift in musical tides and just plain silliness ("Mr. Roboto"), but for a time, this disc suggests, a satin-suited pomp-rocker was something to be. --Daniel Durchholz
Product Description
Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing. Universal. 2008.
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
80 of 84 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Styx is one of those groups that many people seem to hate, and yet has always done well both in concert and on tour. One likely explanation is that Styx has sung songs that often almost "gimicky" or too cute for some fans. An example might be "Mr. Roboto." Furthermore, their commercial success may turn some critics away from Styx because there often seems to be an opinion that commercial success means little artistry. Regardless of why the opinions are what they are, Styx had a long successful career, and though they are generally classified as a rock group with numerous pop hits, occasionally they had songs that were very artistic and edged into progressive rock.
Near the end of their career, Styx tried to experiment with their music, which is always dangerous for a long-established group, since their existing fans may feel betrayed and the genre they are trying to break into either reviles their music or doesn't recognize what they are trying to do. "Kilroy Was Here", from which "Mr. Roboto" was taken, was such an experiment. "Kilroy Was Here" was a concept album that told a story. I think that had Styx been a new group, the album may have worked. However, many longtime Styx fans felt betrayed by an album that appeared to diverge from Styx' traditional music. This album marked the end or the beginning of the end for a monster group that had churned out so many good songs.
Styx had one more album release in 1990, "Edge of the Century", which yielded one top 40 song, "Show Me the Way." This CD also has a re-recorded version of "Lady" done in 1995.
This CD captures many of Styx' better moments. I'm not sure that all of the songs on the CD are "greatest hits," but certainly they are representative of Styx from the beginning of their career to the end. I would suggest that if you like this CD and Styx that you should augment this CD with "Paradise Theater" and "The Grand Illusion," both of which represent Styx at their pop peak. Furthermore, "Kilroy Was Here" is a good album, but you must like that album for itself and not as another Styx album in the tradition of "Grand Illusion" or "Paradise Theater", because it is not either. I've seen some recommendations that "Pieces of Eight" is also an essential Styx CD, and it is rated 5 stars on Amazon.com.
Some call the songs on this CD glam-rock. I guess I don't know the definition of glam-rock. I consider many of these songs to still have an edge to them. As an example, "Miss America" is a rocking song. "Crystal Ball" and "Renegade" are a couple more rockers on this CD. There are other fast-paced songs, but they are more pop, such as "Fooling Yourself" and "Lorelei".
I would ignore the criticism of Styx if you are a fan of Styx. They created their own style of music, which added, not subtracted, from rock music. They didn't try to be like anyone else. I think most groups, including Styx, would rather be thought of as creating their own genre rather than fitting into an existing genre. I think in many ways they did exactly that. In the process they created detractors. Oh well. There will always be someone out there who wants to denigrate someone successful. If you like what you've heard of Styx' music, and are looking for a good sample of their career, this is the CD. Enjoy!
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Styx had an incredibly distinctive sound now some twenty years ago. This album, was aptly titled and has all their hits. Included is "Lady" (more on that though, in a moment), "Too Much Time", "Babe" and my two favorites, their two signature songs (to me, that is) being "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" and "Come Sail Away" . They are all well reproduced, and inside a set of headphones will fill up your head with great music.
My only complaint? Their first hit "Lady" is included as not as the original, but as a re-recorded version. The differences are subtle, but throw it off for me just a tad. That is not enough of a reason to dog this album out, though. Ought to be an Amazon Essential!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Despite all of the problems that Dennis DeYoung had with the other members of Styx (he was formally kicked out last year) there is NO DOUBT that these guys have produced some of the best songs of the past 25 years. From their Grammy winning 'Babe' to what has GOT to be one of their greatest efforts, 'Come Sail Away' Styx just could do NO WRONG during the latter part of the 70's and early 80's. They were selling out everywhere they went and aside from the abysmal 'Mr Roboto' tour (imagine rock music inter-connected with a terrible Shakespear-type acting play and you get the idea of what the concert was like--simply aweful) you could just count on hearing one of their tunes on the radio quite regularly. This CD has just about everything that made Styx so dog-gone great: Ballads, Rock tunes and a few in-between numbers.
Dennis' voice is one of the best in the past two decades to hit radio, and Tommy Shaw ain't half bad either--and together they have written some of the most catchy songs you will ever hear. The themed album 'Paradise Theatre' has GOT to be a MUST HAVE for any die-hard Styx fan, and despite the truly horrific 'Mr Roboto' Tour, the album on the other hand was really pretty good. But you don't NEED to grab all of their albums in order to hear the cream of the crop...if you manage to purchase THIS CD you will own the absolute BEST OF THE BEST songs these guys produced, and that is saying a LOT, trust me. Catchy guitar riffs and likeable lyrics have propelled these guys a long way, and I have my doubts as to how well they will be received without Dennis (I wouldn't want to see Styx with him, would YOU?) there is NO doubt that this particular collection of hits is quite honestly VERY MUCH WORTH the price. Buy it. Unwrap it. Enjoy. Listen and Repeat.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Styx
I love this cd. Thanks a lot. All are melodious; yet, fortunately, I got more great songs than I 1st figured.
Published 29 days ago by David T. Melnick
STYX Greatest Hits
I've never purchased a record from STYX until recently, oh boy" what have i been missing? This has to be one of the greatest collections of classic rock music in modern history. Read more
Published 2 months ago by warren gaskin
Poor packaging blame placed on post
I have written several times, because I was not pleased by the condition of the item I ordered as a gift. I have never had it so beaten and battered. Read more
Published 4 months ago by FatCat2
styx- greatest hits(screwed up ! )
I love the band Styx- I grew up with them. This CD was terrible- someone REALLY messed up and transformed it with a fake sounding technological "new sound"... Read more
Published 4 months ago by hotnurse50
I don't really like Styx, but I'd listen to any song on this CD
It's a good sampling of one of the most heavily played bands on FM radio over the past 35 years or so. Read more
Published 4 months ago by mikespace
Excellent Compilation but I have a possible alternative.
If you decide to download individual songs and construct your own best of Styx, I would emphasis the Grand Illusion album. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Clay F.
I Wish I'd Waited...
When reviewing an album, there are several factors one must take into account. Is it good? Is it money well-spent? Does in truly capture the artist in the way that it intends to? Read more
Published 6 months ago by Irishgal
Good Compilation, could have had a few songs replaced
This is a good compilation, although there are much better tracks than Lorelei from the Equinox album. Read more
Published 8 months ago by SnowDog3000
what?
I am going to a Styx concert and wanted to brush up on the words. The sound quality of the CD is not great. Read more
Published 8 months ago by What?
Styx G.H.
I really enjoyed this album. It covers all the primary hits from STYX and was a great reminder of how talented this group was.
Published 11 months ago by tosburn
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SoundUnwound - the personal music encyclopedia
Greatest Hits is one of Styx's 45 releases.
Tommy Shaw, Gowan, Dennis DeYoung, Glen Burtnik, Ricky Phillips and five other artists have been a member of Styx.
Tommy Shaw, Gowan, Dennis DeYoung, Glen Burtnik, Ricky Phillips and five other artists have been a member of Styx.
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