Paradise Theatre  by Styx

In January 1981, Styx released Paradise Theatre, their tenth studio album. Paradise Theatre is a concept album that narrates the rise and fall of the theater of the same name in Chicago (opened in 1928, demolished in 1956). It is used as a metaphor for the decline of American society and the "American Dream" during the transition from the late '70s to the '80s.

The singer and keyboardist of Styx, Dennis DeYoung, conceived the idea after seeing a piece of art depicting the theater in a state of decay. Paradise Theatre combines progressive rock with AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) and arena rock, with intense use of keyboards and theatrical elements. The album was recorded in 1980 at Pumpkin Studios in Oak Lawn, Illinois. The main creators of the album were Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, and James "JY" Young. The production was done by the band itself in collaboration with Gary Loizzo. Paradise Theatre includes the hits The Best Of Times (No. 3 on the Billboard) and Too Much Time On My Hands (No. 9). Despite its enormous success, artistic disagreements (mainly between DeYoung and Shaw) intensified. This led to the even more theatrical (and controversial) Kilroy Was Here (1983) and the eventual breakup of the group's classic lineup shortly thereafter.

The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard for three non-consecutive weeks in 1981.