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REO Speedwagon on Ozark: Who are they?

REO Speedwagon on Ozark: Who are they?
REO Speedwagon appeared on Ozark. Pic credit: Netflix

Season 3 of Ozark is here on Netflix and fans of the ’80s get a chance to see REO Speedwagon make an appearance on the series.

While it may seem like a strange addition, it actually makes sense when you think about it.

REO Speedwagon on Ozark on Netflix

The plot of Ozark follows Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrd (Laura Linney), a husband and wife who moved from Chicago to the Ozarks.

Once there, Marty gets in too deep with a local drug lord and is forced to launder $500 million over five years to make him happy. Eventually, Wendy gets involved and when the bodies start to pile up, they realize there is no way out.

When Season 3 of Ozark arrived on Netflix, the Byrd’s casino is up and running.

Anyone who has ever been to a casino in the midwest knows to expect one thing — concerts involving classic rock bands.

That is where REO Speedwagon made their appearance, putting on a show at the Byrd’s casino during the third episode of the new season.

That episode was titled “Kevin Cronin Was Here,” which happens to be the name of the band’s lead singer.

This happened because Wendy was trying to convince Dr. Fred Meade to hold his convention for dentists at the casino and he said all it would take was for REO Speedwagon to play there during the convention.

The band performs their hit song, “Time For Me To Fly,” during their moment on the show.

Who is REO Speedwagon?

For anyone who wasn’t alive in the ’80s, REO Speedwagon was one of the most successful rock bands of that era.

Even kids who never lived through their heyday might recognize some of their biggest hit songs.

The band debuted in 1967, but they didn’t reach huge mainstream success until 1980 when they released Hi Fidelity, an album that added some pop sensibilities into their regular hard rock sound.

That album featured two of their biggest hits in “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” “Keep On Loving You” hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts and is certified platinum, while “Take It On The Run” reached No. 5 and is certified gold.

That album was massively successful and certified Diamond, meaning it sold over 10 million copies. That puts it on the same level as albums like Garth Brooks’s debut album and Madonna’s Like a Virgin.

The next two REO Speedwagon albums, Good Trouble and Wheels Are Turnin’, were both certified double-platinum. In 1987, they released Life As We Know It, which reached gold status.

Their next four albums failed to crack the Billboard Top 100.

Ironically, “Time for Me to Fly” was from the band’s 1978 album, You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can’t Tuna Fish, and topped out at No. 56 on the Billboard charts.

However, since this season of Ozark premiered, Headline Planet reports that “Time for Me to Fly” hit the No. 38 spot on the all-genre charts the Monday after the show hit.

Ozark Season 3 can be now be streamed on Netflix.

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Tony Ryan
Tony Ryan
4 years ago

I was 16 when hi infidelity cam out. I remember driving in my 69 Camaro waring that cassette out !! Actually I think I wore 3 of them out.great times great band !!!!!