17) Man of Miracles 16) Styx 15) Serpent is rising 14) Styx II 13) Crash of the Crown 12) Edge of the Century 11) Cyclorama 10) Killroy was Here 9) Equinox 8) Cornerstone 7) The Mission 6) Big Bang Theory 5) Crystal Ball 4) Brave New World 3) Paradise Theater 2) Grand Illusion 1) Pieces of Eight
16. Cyclorama 15. The Serpent is Rising 14. Man of Miracles 13. Styx 12. Styx 2 11. Edge of the Century 10. Brave New World 9. Crash 8. The Mission 7. Kilroy was Here 6. Cornerstone 5. Paradise Theater 4. Crystal Ball 3. Equinox 2. Pieces of Eight 1. The Grand Illusion
Nice job with the rankings! As a lifelong Styx fan - I really enjoyed your album by album thoughts. Are your rankings my rankings? - no. I do, however, agree with a lot of the things you say about each album. Thanks for going through them all!
Here's my ranking of the Styx albums (I'm including the new album that has come out since this video has come out, also I don't count Big Bang Theory because it is a cover album): 16. Edge Of The Century (1990) 15. Brave New World (1999) 14. Kilroy Was Here (1983) 13. Styx (1972) 12. Serpent Is Rising (1973) 11. Cyclorama (2003) 10. Styx II (1973) 9. Crash Of The Crown (2021) 8. Man Of Miracles (1974) 7. The Mission (2017) 6. Equinox (1975) 5. Cornerstone (1979) 4. Paradise Theatre (1981) 3. Crystal Ball (1976) 2. The Grand Illusion (1977) 1. Pieces Of Eight (1978)
1 Crystal Ball 2 The Grand Illusion 3 Equinox Put 1 - 3 in any order and I wouldn't complain 4 Pieces Of Eight 5 Crash Of The Crown 6 Paradise Theater 7 The Mission 8 Man Of Miracles 9 Styx II 10 Cyclorama 11 Brave New World 12 Styx 13 The Serpent Is Rising 14 Cornerstone 15 Edge Of The Century 16 Kilroy Was Here
I'd go along with most of that except for placing the first two albums higher in the list. Pieces of Eight was probably the last one that I really enjoyed and go back to regularly but there's no doubt for me that Grand Illusion is number one by a country mile.
My ranking is: 1) Crystal Ball 2) Grand Illusion 3) Pieces of Eight 4) Cornerstone 5) The Serpent is Rising 6) Paradise Theatre 7) Equinox 8) The Mission 9) Styx II 10) Man of Miracles 11) Styx I 12) Kilroy Was Here 13) Edge of the Century 14) Brave New World 15) Big Bang Theory 16) Cyclorama Also Styx has a new album in the works!!!
Awesome. I have never knowingly listened to Styx before, but bought Grand illusion from a record store yesterday because I thought the album art was amazing. Glad I picked a good one to start with.
Didn’t expect this! For me Pieces Of Eight is my favorite, I actually think their most recent “The Mission” is my 2nd or 3rd favorite with the Grand Illusion. A fantastic and proggy late career album, Red Storm is sick! This band was a great and important stepping stone for me getting into prog :) Happy to see that Serpent is Rising love! 1: Pieces of Eight 2: The Mission 3: The Grand Illusion 4: Crystal Ball (This Old Man!!!!) 5: Equinox (Mother Dear!!!) 6: Styx 2 (A Day!!!) 7: The Serpent is Rising (underrated) 8: Paradise Theater 9: Cornerstone 10: Kilroy 11: pretty much everything else
1990 was a weird time for music. Those hair metal bands were still big but the new bands were only getting big with ballads. Warrant, Slaughter, Skid Row but within two years it was all Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains and I say Thank God!!
Very good evaluation of the Styx albums. My Styx favorite album is Equinox but I too love Cyclorama & The Serpent Is Rising where many Styx fans don't. You need to check out their latest Crash Of The Crown. It's fantastic! Thank you
My List: 1-Pieces of Eight (best album of all time period) 2-Grand Illusion (5th best ever) 3-Equinox 4-Crystal Ball 5-Crash of the Crown (Styx 2000) 6-Mission (Styx 2000) 7-Man of Miracles (probably higher if they had a version with both Lies and Unfinished song.) 8-26 East Vol 2 (DDY Styx) 9-26 East Vol 1 (DDY Styx) 10-Styx II 11- Cyclorama (Styx 2000) *would be higher if not for all the DDY criticism contained throughout it. 12-Brave New world 13-100 Years from Now (DDY Styx) 14-Paradise Theater 15-Cornerstone 16-Kilroy was Here 17-Serpent is Rising 18-Styx 19- Edge of the Century (* Note If you can consider Styx 2000 as Styx then it's only fair to consider Dennis Deyoung post Styx as Styx as well). Won't include Crash Bang Theory as it is a cover album.
Can you please do a review of Heart of Oak by Anciients? It's a Progressive Metal album that I would be interested to see your opinion on! Great videos by the way!
1. Equinox 2. Crystal Ball 3. The Grand Illusion 4. Pieces Of Eight 5. Cornerstone 6. Paradise Theater 7. Kilroy Was Here 8. Edge Of The Century. Styx Albums For Me That Matters.
I thought him having Paradise Theatre so low would be the biggest LMAO moment for me but no... it was the fact that he didn't even mention the classic, proggish Suite Madame Blue when talking about Equinox while painting it as just a straight ahead rocker...! Also, I love Cornerstone but NOT for the ballads. It has plenty of non-ballady material there and it's great. My favorite Styx album is Pieces Of Eight, followed closely by Crystal Ball. The Grand Illusion might make my top five...
It's Cyclorama, not Cylorama. Also, the song "Brave New World" was NOT on Cyclorama. No mention of one of Styx's signature pieces from Equinox, "Suite Madame Blue" What a fake review.
I totally disagree about Brave new World. It was a fantastic album from start to finish. Loved it all. Styx is my all time favorite band, and the fact they just bring in so many facets to different albums is part of what I love about them. Except for the earliest albums, they are my least favorite.
Edge of the Century was without Tommy Shaw. This was Glenn Burtnick album. This is why 15 doesn't sound like 16... And if your critical of their first album... dude.. that was recorded in either the late 60's or very early 70's... You have to take this into consideration ( cannot compare to albums that were released in the 2000's
I actually enjoy 'Show Me the Way'. I think it's a great song. And I like 'Brave New World' as a set of songs. The problem was they all weren't really together as a band at that time. For me, 'She Cares' off of Paradise Theater shouldn't even be on the album. I don't even know why the band included it. For Tommy Shaw who always claims he wants to rock, this song is 'gag'.
exactly. He criticizes Dennis for doing cheezy sappy songs and then does the only lame song on that album (although it's not bad C+) plus Sing for the day on PO8 whish is OK but the weakest song on the album and Just get through this night on the Kilroy album which is about as Cheezy as it gets for Styx.
I would have put the latter day DeYoung led albums at the bottom of the list. Shaw made his opinion about this period clear and I agree with him. I too have a special place in my heart for Crystal ball and Equinox. As an aside, the cheesy synth sound hasn't aged too well and can be a little cringy at times. Notes, thanks for this best to worst on a band that played a prominent role in my youth.🤟👍
All these opinions are very subjective. There are some albums I would have placed higher and some lower. I had grown up listening to Styx in my youth so the time period and opinions would be different if I was to just started listeing to them now.
Plexiglass Toilet? It was a hidden track originally, and the rest of the band felt the Styx was getting too artsy-fartsy and made an FU song. They recorded it without Denis DeYoung
@@NotesReviews You could say that since Pices of Eight was my 1st vinyl ever, back in the day, i'm "compromised". But NO. You do say it in the beginning that this is your choice, no crime this one, but dear friend, you're WRONG about P.O.E. standing 3rd. I would say it's a tie with the Grand Illusion. So, again, i stand by my comment on you being TOO YOUNG to evaluate such a gem. Bye.
Lots of information you have wrong in your details. I generally agree with you on most, but Psychorama at #5? You've got to be kidding. It's crap. Swap positions with Paradise Theater and your list makes more sense.
your top 5 sure why not. But you put Big Bang ahead of Paradise Theater? You are the first and last to say that. Stop saying "cringe' it is just lazy, broaden your vocabulary. #7 Mission is a concept album without one and no songs. Your rating number is contradicted by your description. Jonas pronounced Salter. Serpent is this worst album. To each his own.
I honestly can't get enough of these. So bingeable!
My Favorites are:
1. The Grand Illusion
2. Pieces Of Eight
3. Crystal Ball
If you did a Bowie worst to best my search for happiness would be complete
Aw man, Paradise Theater is my favourite though :(
Agree. It's one of their top albums. Love the track "Lonely People" as well. Styx at their best.
Please do a Marillion Worst to Best.
No stand outs on Equinox... Well, on my CD I have a song named Suite Madame Blue. One of thier best songs ever if you ask me..
I love Prelude 12, Suite Madame Blue, Mother Dear, Midnight Ride, and Born for Adventure. Honestly really enjoy Equinox a lot.
My jaw dropped when he left that one out lol
1 pieces of eight
2 grand illusion
3 equinox
4 crystal ball
5 styx 11
My top 5
17) Man of Miracles
16) Styx
15) Serpent is rising
14) Styx II
13) Crash of the Crown
12) Edge of the Century
11) Cyclorama
10) Killroy was Here
9) Equinox
8) Cornerstone
7) The Mission
6) Big Bang Theory
5) Crystal Ball
4) Brave New World
3) Paradise Theater
2) Grand Illusion
1) Pieces of Eight
Odd af ranking honestly. I respect it
Love Grand Illusion. My favorite album. Have a copy of the CD signed by Dennis Deyoung
16. Cyclorama 15. The Serpent is Rising 14. Man of Miracles 13. Styx 12. Styx 2 11. Edge of the Century 10. Brave New World 9. Crash 8. The Mission 7. Kilroy was Here 6. Cornerstone 5. Paradise Theater 4. Crystal Ball 3. Equinox 2. Pieces of Eight 1. The Grand Illusion
Nice job with the rankings! As a lifelong Styx fan - I really enjoyed your album by album thoughts. Are your rankings my rankings? - no. I do, however, agree with a lot of the things you say about each album. Thanks for going through them all!
The Styx album is one of my favorites. Same with Styx II.
Here's my ranking of the Styx albums (I'm including the new album that has come out since this video has come out, also I don't count Big Bang Theory because it is a cover album):
16. Edge Of The Century (1990)
15. Brave New World (1999)
14. Kilroy Was Here (1983)
13. Styx (1972)
12. Serpent Is Rising (1973)
11. Cyclorama (2003)
10. Styx II (1973)
9. Crash Of The Crown (2021)
8. Man Of Miracles (1974)
7. The Mission (2017)
6. Equinox (1975)
5. Cornerstone (1979)
4. Paradise Theatre (1981)
3. Crystal Ball (1976)
2. The Grand Illusion (1977)
1. Pieces Of Eight (1978)
1 Crystal Ball
2 The Grand Illusion
3 Equinox
Put 1 - 3 in any order and I wouldn't complain
4 Pieces Of Eight
5 Crash Of The Crown
6 Paradise Theater
7 The Mission
8 Man Of Miracles
9 Styx II
10 Cyclorama
11 Brave New World
12 Styx
13 The Serpent Is Rising
14 Cornerstone
15 Edge Of The Century
16 Kilroy Was Here
I'd go along with most of that except for placing the first two albums higher in the list. Pieces of Eight was probably the last one that I really enjoyed and go back to regularly but there's no doubt for me that Grand Illusion is number one by a country mile.
My ranking is:
1) Crystal Ball
2) Grand Illusion
3) Pieces of Eight
4) Cornerstone
5) The Serpent is Rising
6) Paradise Theatre
7) Equinox
8) The Mission
9) Styx II
10) Man of Miracles
11) Styx I
12) Kilroy Was Here
13) Edge of the Century
14) Brave New World
15) Big Bang Theory
16) Cyclorama
Also Styx has a new album in the works!!!
Awesome. I have never knowingly listened to Styx before, but bought Grand illusion from a record store yesterday because I thought the album art was amazing. Glad I picked a good one to start with.
Didn’t expect this! For me Pieces Of Eight is my favorite, I actually think their most recent “The Mission” is my 2nd or 3rd favorite with the Grand Illusion. A fantastic and proggy late career album, Red Storm is sick! This band was a great and important stepping stone for me getting into prog :) Happy to see that Serpent is Rising love!
1: Pieces of Eight
2: The Mission
3: The Grand Illusion
4: Crystal Ball (This Old Man!!!!)
5: Equinox (Mother Dear!!!)
6: Styx 2 (A Day!!!)
7: The Serpent is Rising (underrated)
8: Paradise Theater
9: Cornerstone
10: Kilroy
11: pretty much everything else
The Serpent is Rising is probably my favorite of their Pre-Crystal Ball albums (Crystal Ball is my #1 pick)
Pieces Of Eight is my favorite as well.
I have #'s 1 & 2 switched...
I feel the same way about Cornerstone. Great video as per usual
1990 was a weird time for music. Those hair metal bands were still big but the new bands were only getting big with ballads. Warrant, Slaughter, Skid Row but within two years it was all Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains and I say Thank God!!
Very good evaluation of the Styx albums. My Styx favorite album is Equinox but I too love Cyclorama & The Serpent Is Rising where many Styx fans don't. You need to check out their latest Crash Of The Crown. It's fantastic! Thank you
My List:
1-Pieces of Eight (best album of all time period)
2-Grand Illusion (5th best ever)
3-Equinox
4-Crystal Ball
5-Crash of the Crown (Styx 2000)
6-Mission (Styx 2000)
7-Man of Miracles (probably higher if they had a version with both Lies and Unfinished song.)
8-26 East Vol 2 (DDY Styx)
9-26 East Vol 1 (DDY Styx)
10-Styx II
11- Cyclorama (Styx 2000) *would be higher if not for all the DDY criticism contained throughout it.
12-Brave New world
13-100 Years from Now (DDY Styx)
14-Paradise Theater
15-Cornerstone
16-Kilroy was Here
17-Serpent is Rising
18-Styx
19- Edge of the Century
(* Note If you can consider Styx 2000 as Styx then it's only fair to consider Dennis Deyoung post Styx as Styx as well). Won't include Crash Bang Theory as it is a cover album.
Can you please do a review of Heart of Oak by Anciients? It's a Progressive Metal album that I would be interested to see your opinion on! Great videos by the way!
1. Equinox
2. Crystal Ball
3. The Grand Illusion
4. Pieces Of Eight
5. Cornerstone
6. Paradise Theater
7. Kilroy Was Here
8. Edge Of The Century.
Styx Albums For Me That Matters.
We hope too IQ worst to best albums ;)
Yes!!!
I thought him having Paradise Theatre so low would be the biggest LMAO moment for me but no... it was the fact that he didn't even mention the classic, proggish Suite Madame Blue when talking about Equinox while painting it as just a straight ahead rocker...! Also, I love Cornerstone but NOT for the ballads. It has plenty of non-ballady material there and it's great. My favorite Styx album is Pieces Of Eight, followed closely by Crystal Ball. The Grand Illusion might make my top five...
I agree with what you said
I do really enjoy these videos. Cheers
Crystal ball and grand illusion ate my two favs by them.
Where would you put the new record, CRASH OF THE CROWN?
I bought equinox when it came out in 75, been a fan since!
you didn't even mention witch wolf on TSIR with the cool slower bridge and also the sick guitar track
It's Cyclorama, not Cylorama. Also, the song "Brave New World" was NOT on Cyclorama. No mention of one of Styx's signature pieces from Equinox, "Suite Madame Blue" What a fake review.
💡I kept waiting for the album over your shoulder to change and be relevant to what you were talking about.
I totally disagree about Brave new World. It was a fantastic album from start to finish. Loved it all. Styx is my all time favorite band, and the fact they just bring in so many facets to different albums is part of what I love about them. Except for the earliest albums, they are my least favorite.
Paradise behind Kilroy? I don't see it. But hey to each his own. 😊
surprised you reviewed this band caught me off guard
It was a Patreon video, so even though it wouldn't have been my first choice, it was a lot of fun getting out of my comfort zone a bit 🙂
I love this band
Edge of the Century was without Tommy Shaw. This was Glenn Burtnick album. This is why 15 doesn't sound like 16...
And if your critical of their first album... dude.. that was recorded in either the late 60's or very early 70's... You have to take this into consideration ( cannot compare to albums that were released in the 2000's
Crash of the Crown is out and boy I loved it
Ayreon worst to best?
(After Transitus come out)
I actually enjoy 'Show Me the Way'. I think it's a great song. And I like 'Brave New World' as a set of songs. The problem was they all weren't really together as a band at that time. For me, 'She Cares' off of Paradise Theater shouldn't even be on the album. I don't even know why the band included it. For Tommy Shaw who always claims he wants to rock, this song is 'gag'.
exactly. He criticizes Dennis for doing cheezy sappy songs and then does the only lame song on that album (although it's not bad C+) plus Sing for the day on PO8 whish is OK but the weakest song on the album and Just get through this night on the Kilroy album which is about as Cheezy as it gets for Styx.
Mr. Roboto greatest Styx song EVER!
Pieces of Eight is an amazing album
Grand Illusion number one
You lost the luggage at #3 for me. PT is one of their top 3 albums.
The album on the wall behind you is better than all the Styx albums combined.
I would disagree a lot with this list, but The Grand Illusion is their best
Cyclorama is by far the weakest and most un-styx album possible. Paradise Theatre is great. Best of Times is a Styx staple.
1 Crystal Ball
2 The Grand Illusion
3 Pieces Of Eight
I would have put the latter day DeYoung led albums at the bottom of the list. Shaw made his opinion about this period clear and I agree with him. I too have a special place in my heart for Crystal ball and Equinox. As an aside, the cheesy synth sound hasn't aged too well and can be a little cringy at times. Notes, thanks for this best to worst on a band that played a prominent role in my youth.🤟👍
So their most popular and best selling albums you'd put at the bottom of the list? Grand Delusions :P
@@ILikeStyx "latter day" as in Edge, Brave New World, Kilroy.
All these opinions are very subjective. There are some albums I would have placed higher and some lower. I had grown up listening to Styx in my youth so the time period and opinions would be different if I was to just started listeing to them now.
Grand Illusion!
I didn’t mind listening to this , Do I agree? No , it doesn’t matter. But dude, if you’d gonna rank a bands albums , get the song titles right!😂
Plexiglass Toilet? It was a hidden track originally, and the rest of the band felt the Styx was getting too artsy-fartsy and made an FU song. They recorded it without Denis DeYoung
It was Penned by JC. However JY wanted no part of it. It was supposedly a "f-you" to Dennis from John Curulewski...
Give me back those 31 minutes lost while watching this. Were you even born when Pieces of eight was released?
Nope. Not sure why that would matter.
@@NotesReviews You could say that since Pices of Eight was my 1st vinyl ever, back in the day, i'm "compromised". But NO. You do say it in the beginning that this is your choice, no crime this one, but dear friend, you're WRONG about P.O.E. standing 3rd. I would say it's a tie with the Grand Illusion. So, again, i stand by my comment on you being TOO YOUNG to evaluate such a gem. Bye.
Lots of information you have wrong in your details. I generally agree with you on most, but Psychorama at #5? You've got to be kidding. It's crap. Swap positions with Paradise Theater and your list makes more sense.
I have similiar feelings about Paradise Theater. Don't like it that much. And Styx with Saxophones? Common, not really!
I would never call "Babe" or "First Time" power ballads. They are too flat/soft, with no "progressive" composition/guitars...
your top 5 sure why not. But you put Big Bang ahead of Paradise Theater? You are the first and last to say that. Stop saying "cringe' it is just lazy, broaden your vocabulary. #7 Mission is a concept album without one and no songs. Your rating number is contradicted by your description. Jonas pronounced Salter. Serpent is this worst album. To each his own.
From a Yes guy...
Just ignore 13 of those......
From a Pink Floyd guy...
Just ignore 21 of Yes'.......
WTF is a "bop"??? Is this some homosexual term I'm not familiar with?