Steely Dan is an American jazz-rock band centered on the songwriting partnership of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Active during the 1970s, the group became renowned for their sophisticated musical arrangements, blending elements of jazz, rock, and pop with complex instrumentation including bass, guitar, piano, and occasional string sections. Their lyrics often carried sharp, critical commentary on contemporary culture and media.\n\nA key milestone in their career was the creation of "FM (No Static at All)," written as the title theme for the 1978 film FM. Recorded during the same studio sessions as their highly successful album Aja, the track showcased the band's collaborative approach, utilizing prominent session musicians like saxophonist Pete Christlieb, drummer Jeff Porcaro, and backing vocalists from the Eagles. The song's critical take on album-oriented rock radio contrasted with the film's celebratory tone, yet it achieved significant commercial success.\n\nBecker and Fagen's cinematic contributions began prior to Steely Dan's official debut, with their work on the 1971 film You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. Their meticulous attention to audio fidelity, a hallmark of their era, was highlighted when engineer Roger Nichols won a Grammy Award for his work on "FM."
