Self-described as “a rock band with horns”, the venerable Chicago is one of the best-selling rock and roll bands of all-time with over 40 million records sold. Their unique approach to consistent corporate branding, their remarkably consistent studio album output (one album released per year from 1969 to 1980), and focus on delivering a simply fun brand of rock music has made them a mainstay on classic rock radio and kept them in the public discourse for over 50 years. Chicago was one of those bands my dad would occasionally have on during my childhood and in retrospect it was one of my first experiences with horn sections in a rock and roll context. The fact that The Blues Brothers soundtrack would go on to be one of my all-time nostalgic loves is perhaps no coincidence considering how much Chicago created those pathways years in my formative years.
Standout Songs: “Introduction”, “Beginnings”, “I’m a Man”
