Steely Dan is an American rock band founded by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen in the early 1970s. Known for their sophisticated jazz-influenced sound and complex studio production, they achieved critical and commercial success with albums like Aja and The Royal Scam. Their music often features intricate arrangements and cryptic, literate lyrics. Steely Dan's style blends rock, jazz, and blues, setting them apart from many of their contemporaries. Despite several lineup changes, Becker and Fagen remained the core of the band until Becker's death in 2017.