Steely Dan's last US Top 40 hit sounded peppy enough. You can almost miss the references to addiction in the lyrics.

We tend to think of Steely Dan as a sophisticated band that played cerebral music, and that’s certainly true. But that didn’t preclude them from being a force on the pop charts in their heyday. Ten ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts. Steely Dan's Katy Lied launches on a trio of charts in the U.K.

Well into his 70s, Steely Dan cofounder Donald Fagen remains a contrarian. Along with the late guitarist and songwriter Walter Becker, Fagen wrote and sang some of the most biting and caustic lyrics ...