Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a flair for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between ‘60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. 

Their sound provided a blueprint for both power pop and arena rock; it also had a long-lived effect on both alternative and heavy metal bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s (and beyond), who often relied on the same combination of loud riffs and catchy melodies. The band’s early albums were filled with highly melodic, well-written songs that drew equally from the crafted pop of the Beatles, the sonic assault of The Who, and the tongue-in-cheek musical eclecticism and humor of The Move.

After developing a cult following after three outstanding albums – 1977’s “Cheap Trick” and “In Color” and 1978’s “Heaven Tonight” – and relentless touring, Cheap Trick scored an unexpected hit with 1978’s “At Budokan”, a live album that became their international breakthrough. The band found commercial success with 1988’s “Lap of Luxury” and its high single “The Flame.” Soon after being elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, they kicked off a productive streak that saw them release three albums within 18 months, and while they were mostly dedicated to touring after that, they did return to the studio to produce 2021’s “In Another World”, yet another example of how their timeless sound fails to dim.