Kansas

Kansas built a lasting classic-rock radio presence with “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind,” two songs that carried the Topeka band from album-oriented rock success to major hit singles. Formed in Topeka, Kansas, in 1973, the group became one of the prominent American rock acts of the 1970s, blending hard-rock weight with progressive and symphonic elements.

The band spent more than 200 weeks on the US Billboard charts across the 1970s and 1980s, while touring sold-out arenas and stadiums in North America, Europe, and Japan. Its commercial run included nine gold albums, three multi-platinum releases, and additional platinum records. Leftoverture was certified five-times platinum, Point of Know Return four-times platinum, and The Best of Kansas four-times platinum. Monolith reached platinum status, as did the live double album Two for the Show.

“Dust in the Wind” became a million-selling single. “Carry On Wayward Son” remained especially durable on American classic-rock radio, ranking as the second-most-played track in 1995 and reaching No. 1 in 1997. AllMusic writer Jason Ankeny called Kansas “staples” of classic rock radio, a description supported by the continued visibility of the band’s best-known recordings.