Cornerstone (Styx album)
Cornerstone | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 1979 | |||
Recorded | 1979 | |||
Studio | Pumpkin Studios, Oak Lawn, Illinois | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 38:17 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Producer | Styx | |||
Styx chronology | ||||
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Singles from Cornerstone | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Record Mirror | [3] |
Rolling Stone | (mixed)[4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Cornerstone is the ninth
Cornerstone is best known for including the group's only No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 Single, the power ballad "Babe".[7] The album also includes the folk rock song "Boat on the River," which was a hit in Europe,[8][9] though it failed to chart in the United States.
Cornerstone became Styx's first US Top 5 album, entering Billboard on October 13, 1979,[10] and peaking at No. 2 in late November.
Background
The album represented a musical transition for Styx, as the band emphasized its pop sound more than the progressive rock influences that dominated their first eight studio albums.[11] Peaking at #2, the album was Styx's highest album chart peak until its successor, 1981's Paradise Theatre, which hit #1.[10]
From a songwriting standpoint, Cornerstone is dominated by Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw—each is credited as sole songwriter or co-writer for five tracks on the album (including two collaborations between the pair).
Consistent with most of Styx's catalog from 1975 to 1983, DeYoung's contributions to Cornerstone found the most success on the charts. The first single to be released was also to become Styx's only US #1 single: "Babe," which DeYoung wrote as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne.[12] The track was first performed and recorded as a demo with just him and the Panozzo brothers but A&M executives heard the track and insisted it go on the album.[12] Shaw overdubbed a guitar solo in the song's middle section.[12]
"First Time," another power ballad also written by DeYoung, was intended to be Cornerstone's second single. Shaw, however, expressed concern that releasing two ballads in a row would alienate the band's hard rock fan base. He felt strongly enough that he threatened to leave the band over the proposed release. [11] The upbeat song "Why Me" (once again written by DeYoung) was chosen instead, reaching #26 on the charts.[13] The division was strong enough that DeYoung was briefly fired from the band, although he was invited back before word reached the press or public.[14][15] "First Time" did get released as a single in the Philippines.
Shaw's major contribution to the album was the
James Young only had one song on the album, the hard rocker "Eddie," which was aimed at
Instrumentally, the record demonstrated the shift to a more pop-oriented and organic sound.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | " Lights" | Shaw, DeYoung | Shaw | 4:38 |
2. | "Why Me" | DeYoung | DeYoung | 3:54 |
3. | "Babe" | DeYoung | DeYoung | 4:25 |
4. | "Never Say Never" | Shaw | Shaw | 3:08 |
5. | "Boat on the River" | Shaw | Shaw | 3:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Borrowed Time" | DeYoung, Shaw | DeYoung | 4:58 |
7. | "First Time" | DeYoung | DeYoung | 4:25 |
8. | "Eddie" | Young | Young | 4:15 |
9. | "Love in the Midnight" | Shaw | Shaw | 5:25 |
Personnel
Styx
- Dennis DeYoung – vocals, keyboards, accordion
- James "JY" Young – vocals, electric guitars, guitar synthesizer, autoharp
- Tommy Shaw – vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, mandolin, autoharp
- Chuck Panozzo – bass guitar, string bass
- John Panozzo – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
- Steve Eisen – saxophone solo on "Why Me"
- Arnie Roth – strings and string arrangements on "First Time" and "Love in the Midnight"
- Ed Tossing – horns, horn arrangements on “Lights”
Production
- Styx – producers
- Rob Kingsland – engineer
- Gary Loizzo – engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York)
- Jim Cahill – promotion coordinator
- Mick Haggerty – design
- Aaron Rapoport – photography
- Derek Sutton and Stardust Enterprises – management
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[25] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[26] | Gold | 250,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[27] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ISBN 9780862415419.
- AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Robin (2 February 1980). "Styx: Conerstone". Record Mirror. p. 13.
- ^ Rolling Stone album review by David Fricke (13.12.1979): Styx - Cornerstone (1979)
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
rolling stone styx album guide.
- ^ "Styx". GRAMMY.com. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ "1979 Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ a b "Styx - Boat On The River - hitparade.ch". www.swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ a b "Top 200 Albums | Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ a b c Classic Rock (2016-02-06), Styx- Behind The Music (Full Documentary), retrieved 2019-07-24
- ^ a b c "Dennis DeYoung navigated Styx into classic rock history". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: 8th Edition. Record Research. p. 611.
- ^ "Hard Rock bio on Styx". Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-08-31.
- ^ VH-1: Behind the Music Remastered
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6915a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Styx – Cornerstone" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Styx – Cornerstone". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Styx – Cornerstone". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Styx Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. 1980. Archived from the originalon 21 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Styx – Cornerstone". Music Canada. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Styx; 'Cornerstone')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – Styx – Cornerstone". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
External links
- Styx - Cornerstone (1979) album review by Mike DeGagne, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
- Styx - Cornerstone (1979) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
- Styx - Cornerstone (1979) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
- Styx - Cornerstone (1979) album to be listened as stream at Spotify.com