BLABBERMOUTH.NET
A group of
STYX fans has organized
an online petition lobbying the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame to recognize the '70s and '80s superstars by inducting them.
STYX released its self-titled debut album in 1972 and first became eligible for induction into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997. The legendary group's legacy encompasses a string of multi-platinum and enduring albums that include
"The Grand Illusion" (1977),
"Pieces Of Eight" (1978),
Grammy-nominated
"Cornerstone" (1979),
"Paradise Theatre" (1981) and
"Kilroy Was Here" (1983). They wrote and produced a long list of evergreen hits and classic songs that include
"Lady",
"Lorelei",
"Suite Madame Blue",
"The Grand Illusion",
"Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)",
"Come Sail Away",
"Miss America",
"Renegade",
"Blue Collar Man",
"Babe",
"Borrowed Time",
"The Best Of Times",
"Too Much Time On My Hands",
"Snowblind",
"Mr. Roboto",
"Don't Let It End",
"Show Me The Way" and more. Despite that,
STYX has yet to even appear on a ballot for consideration.
"For 20-plus years
STYX has been eligible for induction into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Their influence and accomplishments warrant their induction alongside their peers," stated
Ken Shafer, one of the fan organizers who spearheaded a
Change.org petition to appeal to the
Hall Of Fame on
STYX's behalf. "We created our online petition to demonstrate to the
Hall that fans of
STYX want to see them receive this recognition. Our hopes are that the
Hall will recognize this and at the very least put
STYX on a ballot for inclusion."
"We all feel the band deserves to be in the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and would like to see the band inducted while many of the band members are healthy enough to attend a ceremony if there indeed will still be ceremonies," commented
STYX manager
Charlie Brusco in reference to 2020's virtual induction. "We welcome the fan support."
Former
STYX singer, keyboardist and co-founder
Dennis DeYoung also weighed in on the fan petition, saying, "Thanks for your support, it's much appreciated." Referencing the successful fan-driven campaign that helped
RUSH get inducted into the
Hall Of Fame,
DeYoung quipped, "Hey, it worked for
RUSH, why not
STYX? They both have four letters."
"In recent years we've seen some of the internal politics of the
Hall change, and they've finally inducted some long-overdue artists including
GENESIS,
ALICE COOPER,
KISS,
JOURNEY,
RUSH and
YES," said
Sterling Whitaker, author of
"The Grand Delusion: The Unauthorized True Story Of Styx". "
STYX has long been one of the most critically misunderstood, under-reported and incorrectly reported bands in rock music history. But the music has always been enough to carry the day with the fans, who have supported the band religiously for nearly fifty years now. Their legacy touches on progressive rock, hard rock, arena rock, ballads, folk, blues, European and American influences ... it really is a band with something for everyone , and the music still plays all day, every day across multiple radio formats all across the U.S. and the world," he added. "It's also a fixture of television and movies, a testament to how ubiquitous the music of
STYX has truly become.
STYX for the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is the easiest argument in the world to make. Not only is it high time, it's way past time."
Fans can support
STYX for the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by adding their names to the
online petition.