Cheap Trick have never stopped. Since 1974, those familiar faces – drummer Bun E. Carlos, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson and singer Robin Zander – have become part of rock 'n' roll's fabric and a pop-culture staple.

Unlike so many other bands that have broken up, reunited, cashed in, traded up, fell apart and reunited again, Cheap Trick have just always been there – whether they sell millions of albums or struggle to dent the charts, and delivering great live shows all the while. Few, if any, other bands have that kind of track record, and its most dedicated fans have stuck by the group though its massive arena gigs and even the small club shows.

Cheap Trick's recorded legacy is full of genius-level highs and somewhat embarrassing lows. Thankfully, the ups outweigh the downs for Rockford, Ill.'s most famous export. From that first album in 1977, right up through 2017's We're All Alright!, the band has continued to deliver high-energy rock 'n' roll songs stocked full of melody, anger, sweetness, absurdity, cleverness and, most of all, great hooks.

As we rank Cheap Trick's albums from worst to best, we uncover a long and fruitful legacy. And yes, we're aware that by sticking to just their studio albums we're leaving out their bestselling album, 1979's live At Budokan. Dig deeper with this list, and you'll uncover plenty of other gems from their vast catalog.

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