The Mission is Styx's fourteenth studio album, released on June 16, 2017. It is a concept album that tells the story of a fictional mission to Mars in the year 2033. It was the band's first album in 14 years, since Cyclorama, and the first with drummer Todd Sucherman as a full member on a studio album.
The album was recorded at Tommy Shaw's personal studio in Nashville, with production by Will Evankovich and the band. Mixing was handled by Evankovich and engineer Jim Reitzel. The story was developed by Tommy Shaw and Will Evankovich, inspired by space exploration and classic science fiction.
The Mission received generally positive reviews, highlighting its conceptual ambition and the quality of the compositions. It peaked at number 45 on the Billboard 200, the band's best performance in decades. The single 'Radio Silence' was well received on radio. 'The Mission Tour' featured a thematic stage production.