Third Stage is the third studio album by American hard rock band Boston, released on September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. It was recorded at musician Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio over a long, strained six-year period "between floods and power failures".

"For me, the most remarkable aspect of this album is that the production is exactly the same as on the first two releases. Bearing in mind the detrimental effect technological advances had on music between 1976 and 1986, this is to Boston's credit, though it may have a lot to do with Tom Scholz's insistence in recording in his basement rather than a regular studio. Unusually, 'Third Stage' stacks most of its best material at the end of the album. Of course, the obvious hit, 'Amanda', opens proceedings. Despite a cloying, cliched lyric, the melody and Scholz's production skills make it irresistible. By contrast, the next five tracks are experimental by Boston's usual standards, particularly 'The Launch', which contains a particularly loud moment designed to make you jump. This series of tracks smacks of concept album. They snap out of it with 'To Be A Man' which seems to be a sequel to 'Don't Look Back''s superb 'A Man I'll Never Be' and is a worthy successor. The remaining three tracks are all of Boston's usual quality. Crucially, the only original band member retained by Scholz is Brad Delp, whose stratospheric lead vocals are irreplaceable. Proof that time waits for Boston."