Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick is an American rock band formed in Rockford, Illinois, in 1974, made up of singer Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Emerging in the late 1970s, the band became one of the defining acts of power pop, blending crunchy guitar riffs, hook-laden melodies, and a flair for theatrical showmanship, with Nielsen's outlandish guitars and stage antics contrasting Zander's soaring, melodic vocals.

The band's breakthrough came with the 1979 live album Cheap Trick at Budokan, recorded in Japan where their popularity had exploded ahead of the US, and which became a massive commercial success. It launched hits like «I Want You to Want Me» and «Surrender» into the American mainstream. They followed with a run of successful albums and singles through the late '70s and '80s, including «Dream Police» and the power ballad «The Flame», which topped the charts in 1988.

Cheap Trick's catalog spans decades, with the band continuing to record and tour well into the 2000s and beyond, cementing their legacy as pioneers of American power pop and arena rock. Their influence can be heard across generations of guitar-driven rock bands. In 2016, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of their lasting impact on the genre.