R.E.O., the fourth studio album by REO Speedwagon, was released in July 1976 by Epic Records. It was produced by John Stronach in collaboration with the band, and recorded at Record Plant studios in Los Angeles. This album marked a shift towards a more polished, melodic rock sound, moving away from the hard rock of their early work.
The album includes the single 'Keep Pushin'', which became the band's first charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 57. Another notable track is 'Like You Do', which also received FM radio airplay. 'R.E.O.' was an important step towards the commercial success the band would achieve by the end of the decade.
The lineup for this album consisted of Neal Doughty (keyboards), Alan Gratzer (drums), Kevin Cronin (vocals and rhythm guitar), Gary Richrath (lead guitar), and Gregg Philbin (bass). Kevin Cronin had replaced Mike Murphy as lead vocalist in 1972, and his more melodic vocal style defined the band's new direction.