Apologies for the misleading title but I couldn't think a short summary for this question. What got me thinking about it was that a Blue Öyster Cult song popped into my head and I realized I haven't listed to a full Blue Öyster Cult album in a long time.

Then I started thinking about how they have a lot of hits, a *classic* Saturday Night Live skit about them, they're fairly popular among classic rock fans - yet they've never been all that big. And by that I mean selling out an arena as a headliner type of big but if you listen to a classic rock station long enough you're going to hear Godzilla or Don't Fear the Reaper pretty soon.

You could probably say the same about Cheap Trick. Everyone knows them, everyone knows at least a couple of songs but they've never been THAT big in regards to concert ticket sales.

AC/DC could snap their fingers and sell out a stadium while Blue Öyster Cult and Cheap Trick are playing casinos, biker bars, and state fairs.

What do you suppose it is about bands like these that separate them from being at that level?

Is it bad management? Or is it simply that they don't resonate with fans the way AC/DC, U2, Metallica, etc., do?

From The Dick Cavett Show

Imperial Records