AMG Review of 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Styx

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

Assembled with the cooperation of the band, Styx's entry in Universal's 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection series of discount-priced best-of's, surveys the group's tenure at A&M Records, where they scored most of their popular success. Of course, the early hit "Lady," recorded for RCA-distributed Wooden Nickel Records (and thus in the vaults of rival major label BMG), is not included. Neither are the Top Ten hit "Don't Let It End," or the Top 20 hit "Renegade" (mistakenly called a Top Ten hit in the liner notes). But the rest of Styx's big A&M hits -- "Too Much Time on My Hands," "Come Sail Away," "Mr. Roboto," "The Best of Times," "Babe," "Show Me the Way" -- are on the disc, along with several Top 40 entries and the popular album track "Boat on the River," from 1979's Cornerstone LP. Now, fans reluctant to put out the money for Styx's two volumes of Greatest Hits can have the bulk of their radio hits on one inexpensive album.