June 27, 2017 -- STYX’s highly anticipated and critically acclaimed 16th studio album, THE MISSION, has rocketed to the top of various Billboard’s charts thanks to a solid album that has connected with their longtime fans as well as new fans who are discovering them for the first time.
THE MISSION’s chart positions:
#6 Top Rock Albums
#11 Physical Albums
#11 Vinyl Albums
#13 Current Albums
#14 Billboard Top Albums
#16 Retail
#17 Mass Merch/Non-Traditional
#29 Digital Albums
#45 Billboard 200 (includes catalog and streaming)
THE MISSION--which was recorded over a two-year period at Blackbird Studios, The Shop, and 6 Studio Amontillado in Nashville--displays the best aspects of the ongoing in-harmony musical intersection of the six-man STYX team: the guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, drummer/percussionist Todd Sucherman, and bassist Ricky Phillips.
The term “masterpiece” has shown up in many rave reviews of THE MISSION right out of the gate:
“The entire band is firing on all cylinders...There is a theme and flow here that is edgy yet comfortable, astral yet grounded...The band gives us so many places to live, and we can call each of them home. It may be too early to call it a masterpiece, but I can safely say that Styx has released one of the best albums in their catalog, and that’s saying a whole lot.” -- Scott Itter, DrMusic.org, May 18, 2017
“Overall, 14 years is a wait but it is worth the wait. It really showcases that Styx is extremely prudent about their craft, how each part is interwoven like the finest silks to a tapestry in order to present that tapestry to the Emperor of an empire. The harmonies, arrangements, progression, and the story telling is something that Styx longs for in an album. In a world of instant gratification and that “here today, gone tomorrow” mentality of the music industry, Styx has shown why they have been a band for 45 years... masterpiece known as THE MISSION... --Matty Douglas, Muenmagazine.net, June 13, 2017
“THE MISSION is quite simply a musical masterpiece. Kudos to Styx for putting out a record this bold and this brilliant after 45 years.” -- David "Gus" Griesinger, Backstageaxxess.com,
June 16, 2017
Meanwhile, STYX, REO SPEEDWAGON and very special guest star DON FELDER—formerly of the Eagles— kicked off the “United We Rock” U.S. summer tour last week to packed houses and rave reviews. Produced by Live Nation, tickets for various cities are on sale now. A video trailer can be seen here.
