Live At Budokan

While their records were entertaining and full of skillful pop, it wasn't until At Budokan that Cheap Trick's vision truly gelled. Songs like "I Want You to Want Me" and "Big Eyes" were pleasant in their original form, but seemed more like sketches compared to the roaring versions on this album. With their ear-shatteringly loud guitars and sweet melodies, Cheap Trick unwittingly paved the way for much of the hard rock of the next decade and it was At Budokan that captured the band in all of its power.

Within months of the U.S. release of Budokan, originally intended only for the Japanese fans who'd made them superstars half a world away, tongue-in-cheek rockers Cheap Trick went from opening American arena shows to headlining them. Rather than remaining eternal could-haves, metallic pop nuggets such as "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender" instead became radio mainstays in these versions. This gold version of the title offers superior sound quality for a higher price than the standard-issue CD. --Rickey Wright