Genesis: Albums Ranked | Worst to Best

[@CaseAgainstFaith1]

Many fans of the early work are very disdainful of the Collins era. I'm happy to see that you enjoy both.

[@aaarauz1]

First two or three Collins era albums are still quite good- i mean those where Hackett is still around. :)

[@turntabillist]

Supper's Ready is THE GREATEST prog piece/song ever created. Nice to see A Trick Of The Tail up there in the higher rankings.

[@danasteve524]

It would’ve been that much better if they did a follow-up album! I enjoyed many tracks also on Calling All Stations

[@PB-0116]

What a pleasure your videos are, such vast knowledge and so eloquenty delivered, not a wasted word. Thank you sir

[@classicalbum]

So nice of you to say so.

[@NicholasSadlier]

I second that. Magnificent every time.

[@bertbecker7532]

Indeed, your power of expression and genuine thoughtfulness are unparalleled. Thank heavens you like prog!

[@paulcassidy8130]

Well what a surprise - the top 8 slots taken up with the entire 1970-77 canon! And who could disagree?

[@johncassidy3071]

I have to agree that Hackett's guitar is time after time my favorite part of the Genesis sound.

[@frippp66]

Betty Swanwick the artist who created the cover of 'Selling England by the Pound' was a friend of my Mother's, who was taught by her at Goldsmith's art college. Swanwick (b. 1915) was of relatively mature years by the time Genesis commissioned the cover, but was delighted that her work would reach a wider audience. My Mum always recalled that her house was crowded with an eerie collection of Victorian dolls, and saucers filled with detached doll's eyes adorned several window-sills.

[@robbieclark7828]

I love that the album represents the perceived loss of a classic England that never really existed, yet Betty Swanwick was the genuine article all along.

[@TheLastOilMan]

Many thanks , I love the personal inputs

[@jamesphillips2609]

Longtime Genesis fan and this is one of the very few ranking videos that’s genuinely made me rethink my own. The reasoning behind your choices, the attention to detail behind the production trivia… Second to none, my friend! An exceptional video from what is clearly an exceptional mind.

[@tonyyeatropoulos6829]

Finally!! I have sat through many a Genesis ranking, but this is the very first time that my ranking has mirrored the video to a tee. I could not agree more with your ranking and passion for the albums. Each album was reviewed with well crafted precision and with the utmost respect it deserved. Well done!!! The only personal issue that I have is an inner torment to not raise "A Trick Of The Tail" even higher, as it remains one of my most played Genesis albums to date; precipitated perhaps by the over playing of the Gabriel era Genesis during my youth. However, "A Trick" now also falls into the category of 'my youth' as well.

[@fogzax]

Nice to see you placed Genesis self titled higher than most - It's a great album and Home by the Sea is stunning stuff.

[@ballhawk387]

Yes, a solid return to a very different, but also excellent form.

[@rk41gator]

Only recently discovered your channel. Love your description of 'The Lamb' and 'Selling England' albums. These guys were true musicians and an incredible ensemble.

[@classicalbum]

Welcome aboard!

[@NmDPlm31]

Nice list, sir. Of course everyone will have their own quibbles and their own rankings. Personally I think Foxtrot is their best, though I hold Wind & Wuthering as my favorite. I also think Calling All Stations is oft unfairly maligned, as is Invisible Touch. As a Genesis fan, I love all the eras, and love exploring their creative arc through the ages. One of the very few bands where I can say every album leaves me glad to have it in my collection.

[@mathematrucker]

My favorite is Nursery Cryme. It has a unique quality that literally sends pleasurable chills up my spine. It's quite possibly my favorite album of all time.

[@SoundlabStudios63]

Invisible Touch is my favorite Genesis album

[@jamesbatcho]

Wind & Wuthering is my favorite as well, but I can understand Selling England by the Pound as No. 1. My top 5: 1. W&W 2. Seconds Out 3. Lamb 4. Selling England 5. Trick of the Tail

[@SpaceCattttt]

Very good to hear you say that. So often, I hear Genesis "fans" loudly shout that one era of the band's career is superior to another, but I've always loved all their eras. It's commonly said that they sold out during the 80s, but that's not how I see it. They changed their sound, yes, and they became more commercial. But since when is that a (nursery) cryme? The way I see it, it only proves that the band were masters of both the prog epic and the all-conquering, global pop hit. And none of those are exactly easy to write! So if anything, I'd say that what the band achieved throughout their career is hugely impressive.

[@Martroid]

Couldn't agree more, mate ... a stunning catalog of work 🤘👽🤘

[@davehandelman2832]

It ALWAYS comes down to the Lamb and Selling.... Sooooo many reviewers choose Selling but The Lamb is so incredible in scope, ambition and musicality, there's really no contest. But i could listen to you all day!!! Great list!

[@UncleTonyGuitar]

Wow, Barry! We agreed on all from #6 on, except we have The Lamb and Foxtrot switched. I love both albums, but I think Foxtrot is more important and Supper’s Ready is seismic. And that’s from someone who saw The Lamb every night they played in New York, end even covered “Silent Sorrows” on KZbin...

[@gwts1171]

My list: 15) From Genesis To Revelation 14) Calling All Stations (I don't dislike this, just not up to the quality of the others) 13) We Can't Dance 12) The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (I just got tired of this one. It was my intro to the band.) 11) Invisible Touch 10) Abacab 9) Genesis 8) Duke 7) ...And Then There Were Three 6) A Trick Of The Tail 5) Trespass 4) Nursery Cryme 3) Wind & Wuthering 2) Foxtrot (my #2-6 could move around easily) 1) Selling England By The Pound

[@Gazmonster1]

Great ranking video. I still don't really get The Lamb but I will persevere. Selling England is a remarkable album though, and Foxtrot is now challenging it for me after seeing Steve Hackett perform it on his current tour. Thank you for your insights - they really do help me to listen more (and to more!).

[@hoisin75]

It's Trick for me. I love it more with every listen. Goes in my top 10 albums, period.

[@GreatCosmicWebs]

I swear, only you can make me become truly obsessive over prog like I'm 16 again. First Tull and now this band. Another excellent video, as always!

[@danaaronmusic]

Very much enjoyed your commentary on this incredible band. Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot are still my favorites. If there were to be such a thing as the greatest Genesis song, it might have to be The Fountain of Salmacis, a song which miraculously keeps getting better and better no matter how many times I listen to it. But there are so many...

[@larrythomas3623]

Yes.

[@Silkyfur]

Nursery Cryme is my number one favourite Genesis album, and The Fountain of Salmacis is my number one favourite Genesis song.

[@riffrider3191]

This is a rare band where there's no wrong answer. Cuz you're right. And so is Firth, and Supper's, and Crawlers, and Box, and Knight, and Friday, and... But I agree, I think Fountain is the song you hear when you die.

[@danaaronmusic]

@@riffrider3191 Oh, I hope so!

[@Silkyfur]

@@riffrider3191 Oh, I absolutely agree. And all the songs you listed and so many more are of equal greatness.

[@colinbrown7010]

What a fantastic review of all the Genesis albums Just seen Steve Hackett playing Foxtrot in full at De Monfort Hall Leicester last night he still sounds great

[@michellebell5092]

Thanks for the critique of my Co-favourite bands albums. I don’t usually put Selling England at No. one , for me that goes to Foxtrot, or Lamb or Trick. But a thoroughly enjoyable run through.

[@thewinenut9800]

A pity you couldn’t include live albums. I think Seconds Out is one of the great live albums ever issued.

[@paulmortimer4131]

Barry I love your ranking of Genesis here is my 15 Number 1 wind and wuthering 2 lamb lay’s down 3 a trick of the tail 4 selling England by the pound 5 foxtrot 6 and then there were three 7 nursery cryme 8 genesis 83 9 trespass 10 duke 11 invisible touch 12 calling all stations 13 abacab 14 we can’t dance 15 genesis to revelations Great show 👍🤘

[@richardhamilton9936]

I was pleasantly surprised to see Abacab not buried at the bottom of the list as it usually is on other lists.

[@quaid667]

Yeah, Abacab is a great album

[@jayspeijer614]

Nice list. We share much common ground, however here is my version, based on pure listening pleasure and the frequency with which I’ve reached for the various items in their esteemed catalogue, from best to worst: 1) Selling England: a prog masterpiece with so many shining moments, with the slightly flawed Epping Forest its only mild blemish; 2) Wind and Wuthering: fantastic instrumentation and mood, marred only by the syrupy Your Own Special Way, which overstays its welcome; 3) Trick of the Tail: Almost as good as Wind, but without those standout tracks such as One for the Vine and Blood on the Rooftops; 4) Trespass: I love this raw, unpolished gem from start to end, and Stagnation is a highly overlooked treat; 5) Foxtrot: Great album, however classic tracks such as Watcher and Friday just don’t please my ears as much as other similar tracks from the same era; 6) Nursery Cryme: Musical Box, Hogweed and Salmacis are standouts, but the rest is a tier lower; 7) And Then There Were Three: Great atmosphere here with Tony’s keyboards. The strong tracks: Burning Rope, Many Too Many, The Lady Lies, Follow You, Down and Out and Deep in the Motherlode are all really good; the others are okay; 8) The Lamb: Very cool concept album, with several highlights, but bloated and uneven, overall; 9) Abacab: My favourite of the pop era, largely on the strength of the musicianship on Abacab, Dodo/Lurker, Keep it Dark and No Reply; 10) Duke: Of similar ilk to Abacab but lacking a corresponding track with the same punch as the latter’s title track; 11) Genesis: Some really catchy hooks, and the proggier tracks: Home BTS and Mama are quite atmospheric; 12) Invisible Touch: There is no denying the quality of the songs here, but Phil’s vocal style started to become rather overbearing. I find it difficult to really enjoy tracks like Invisible Touch and Jesus He Knows Me for this reason; 13) Calling All Stations: I play this fairly often and rather enjoy it. Ray’s voice, while lacking the bombast of Peter or Phil, has a very smokey, smooth quality to it. Some of the jams harken to the classic days; 14) We Can’t Dance: Some nice deep cuts here (Dreaming While You Sleep, Driving the Last Spike), but for me the ‘hits’ are rather a miss as they are too much focused on Phil and not in a way that benefits the group; 15) From G to R: A pleasant listen; even the strings offer a unique, alternate sound texture to the discography, but definitely formative in overall sound and quality. That’s my take. I’m a long-time fan who favours the Hackett era the most.

[@keithf_]

Yep I also have 'Selling England' at the top. And I've ALWAYS loved 'Epping Forest' !

[@johnw706]

I agree with a lot of your comments . Although I would consider Seven Stones a top tier song on Nursery , and I would rank Duke above Abacab and Trespass . Interesting that we both have And Then There Were Three in the seventh spot . I think that it’s one of their most overlooked albums. .

[@keithf_]

@@johnw706 I've always loved 'Seven Stones', even though like 'The Battle Of Epping Forest' from the SEBTP album, it's somewhat unloved and overlooked.

[@xtstevie]

Brilliant video Barry & as a lifelong Genesis fan i don't buy the pro Gabriel garbage as most of his solo albums have been just as pop as latter day Genesis!! My worst to best is... 15 - From Genesis To Revelation 14 - Calling All Stations 13 - Trespass 12 - We Can't Dance 11 - Genesis 10 - Wind & Wuthering 9 - And Then There Were Three 8 - Nursey Cryme 7 - Invisible Touch 6 - Foxtrot 5 - Abacab 4 - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 3 - Selling England by The Pound 2 - Duke 1 - A Trick Of The Tail.... My number 1 is my favorite album of all-time & the greatest 51 minutes ever commited to vinyl.

[@seamuscolgan7654]

Great video 👏 Personally the run of albums from Trespass through to Wind & Wuthering are all essential and it's difficult to pick a favourite between Foxtrot and Selling England! With regards to those later Trio albums, I'd probably pick their self titled album from 1983 🤔

[@MartinKelly88Music]

Great to hear positive critiques of all the albums with a view that doesn't disrespect the craft that went into the later albums. As an "all eras" or "Banks Rutherford Era" fan, this was very comfortable, refreshing and very likeable viewing and listening. My heart was gladdened to hear every album so lovingly critiqued.

[@scotthersey4380]

Decent ranking! I'd promote Wind & Wuthering to 2nd or 3rd place, though.

[@Superbokka]

Yes I love 1983's Genesis too. Illegal Alien is still a firm favourite. A great video and I look forwards to many more.

[@kenm.3512]

I like and love them all. I was and am a big Genesis fan so I'd like to give my two cents. Here go's. 15. Calling All Stations 14. From Genesis To Revelation 13. Abacab 12. We Can't Dance 11. And Then There Were Three 10. Genesis (Shapes) 09. Invisible Touch 08. Duke 07. Trespass 06. A Trick of the Tail 05. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 04. Nursery Chryme 03. Wind and Wuthering 02. Selling England by the Pound 01. Foxtrot This list is subject to change over time. This is the way I view it in the present tense. Cheers and thanks. I enjoyed the clip!

[@gustafcederborg9744]

Your videos are always as lovely to watch , also you have an amazing voice

[@roblee7309]

Beautifully done, with great rationale, and it's hard to quibble much with the order you've chosen! One For The Vine is probably my favorite Genesis song, but so many others battle it for position. You've prompted me to pull up Unquiet Slumbers today and play on repeat.

[@davidaviles9764]

So awesome this got up despite your laptop problems! I've been on a big Genesis kick lately.

[@MetalMan73100]

Being a casual Genesis listener as opposed to actual fan of the band, I actually somewhat enjoy Calling All Stations, even if it suffers from the CD age syndrome of being far too long. Diminishing my credibility even further, I just found out I don´t actually own all the studio albums by Genesis; And Then There Were Three is missing on my shelf, so had to pay a visit to Discogs earlier in the week to rectify the situation. Great episode, thank you!

[@BentendoFR]

Very nice list. I’m glad you gave songs like Domino and (both) Home By The Sea a shout-out, it’s two of my favorite Collins era Genesis songs. My top 3 albums would be Selling England, Nursery Cryme (underrated imo) and Lamb Lies Down

[@robertmitchell9123]

Excellent ranking video and I would agree with your top 5, just in a different order. 1. Foxtrot; 2. SEBTP; 3. Nursery 4. Lamb; 5. ATOTT

[@Doc_Tar]

I've been listening to them quite a bit lately. This list will help me catch up on what I haven't heard before.

[@blatherskite3009]

If a law was passed that said you could only own 1 Genesis album, for me it would have to be "Trespass." I love every track on that album and there's something beautiful about the innocent and honest way they throw themselves completely into the concepts and stories. It just feels like a young but talented band making the music they want to make.

[@jonathonjubb6626]

TTOTT for me..

[@seankayll9017]

Seconds Out.

[@philipnunn4119]

Selling england by the pound for me

[@growlerthe2nd712]

Nursery Cryme 😜

[@willstooksbury1477]

Me too white mountain and the knife are my favorite Genesis songs

[@ambientideas1]

A well reasoned, thoughtful list. I struggle with Lamb Lies Down, which for me has some of their best moments as a band, but also some of their weaker moments. If I could trim it to one album, it would likely be my favourite, alongside Foxtrot. As for concept albums of that era, I like the Who’s Tommy a bit more than Lamb.

[@larrysmith5249]

I agree with your comments about Lamb.

[@huwadams9521]

I saw Genesis live with Ray Wilson and I have to say as a life long Genesis fan Ray did a great job!

[@progmonster4]

A very nice analysis of such a legendary band

[@fabiohaddad2531]

Thank you for sharing this video, We loved so much this band, I wish I could count how many times we used to listen Genesis, and all discussions about the songs and albums.

[@tomhenninger4153]

Well done! I have to say, I pretty much agree with your list... which is kinda weird. Hahaha! Lamb is so different also because they basically recorded much of the music without Pete being there. I think his wife was having a baby or something. But you can hear how much influence Phil's drumming has from playing with Brand X. Lamb has a lot of fusion blended in... Hard not to pick Selling England... Wonderful! But Yeah... great list! Thank you!

[@falcodog2917]

Wow! What a great deep dive into one of the most interesting and evocative bands of their time. I seriously enjoyed listening to your commentary. While I might move a few albums up or down a notch, in 2022 retrospective terms, this list is spot on!

[@slowmarchingband1]

Really good list. For me, Selling England and TOTT is all the Genesis I need nowadays.

[@backrowbrighton]

Me too. Those are the Genesis albums I always go to first.

[@jornfox3545]

I would put 'And then there were three' in there top 5. Way back when, I used to give away this album on cassette and cd to friends, and suggest that they really give this album a chance and a good listen to. Many of them still to this day rank it as one of there favorite albums by any band.

[@patrickmccarthy7068]

Can’t agree more,have all these albums on vinyl only, the only album i never got round to is Selling England by the Pound, but saying that the album that is special with wonderful memories is the album genesis from 83 especially Mama wonderful song , reminds of the older girl who worked part time at the chip shop who i was totally in love with, i was sixteen at the time.. mama don’t take it away… also discovered Dark side of the moon and bought The final cut, in those wonderful moments in time! Love your chat, could listen to you all day!

[@asymptoticspatula]

This is a great video, and a very respectable ranking. My personal favorite is Foxtrot, followed by Selling England, and then The Lamb, but I like your list too.

[@Paul91-]

My ranking: 15: Abacab (Feels more like a Phil Collins solo album than an actual Genesis album). 14: We Can't Dance (I Can't Dance is annoying but Jesus He Knows Me is good and No Son of Mine is really good). 13: From Genesis to Revelation (Generic 60s pop but the band did make this album when they were teenagers so I can understand why it's flawed). 12: Genesis 83 (A mixed bag. Has a strong 1st half but the 2nd half is all over the place). 11: Invisible Touch (Too 80s mainstream rock for me but I do like Tonight Tonight Tonight, Throwing it all Away and The Brazilian). 10: Calling All Stations (Underrated and overhated. Ray Wilson should have done more albums with the band). 9: Trespass (The Knife is the only memorable and great track on this tbh). 8: Duke (A fantastic blend of prog and pop). 7: And Then There Were Three (A decent effort. Despite the loss of Steve Hackett). 6: Wind and Wuthering (Hackett went out with a bang on this one). 5: Nursery Cryme (The album that introduced me to Classic Genesis). 4: A Trick of the Tail (Showed that despite Peter Gabriel's departure, Genesis can still produce quality music). 3: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Great but overly long). 2: Foxtrot (Whenever I'm down and depressed, Horizons always cheers me up). 1: Selling England by the Pound (A near perfect album).

[@VegasAlien1]

They kicked off the Genesis/Mama tour in '83 in my hometown of Normal, IL. They did 2 shows there. The first night, I was delivering pizzas and saw the lights on the roof of Horton Fieldhouse. I bought a ticket the next day for show #2 when the obstructed view tix became available. Phil played there with Robert Plant, knew the sound sucked, so they hoisted the speakers from the ceiling and it sounded great for that barn of a building. Good place to test the whole show before the American tour. I saw them again 3 months later in Peoria and it was a totally different set list. Amazing lights. Strong acid.

[@rogerbell2]

Thanks for this - I really enjoyed watching this video. I don't necessarily agree with one or two of the rankings - for instance I would have the Abacab album much higher. However, isn't that the nature of these listings - all in all hugely enjoyable and thank you. Have a great day and stay healthy.

[@robison5396]

Fascinating and detailed ranking of Genesis' discography. Definitely agree on the top two although The Lamb would have to be my number 1. I'd love to hear you talk about Peter Gabriels' wonderful debut sometime.

[@Baz63]

extraordinary erudition full of descriptive imagery underpinned by the odd humorous analogy. Another masterpiece Barry which now motivates me to revisit your most favoured of Genesis albums instead of the usual dreary weekend pastime of washing the car and attending to gardening duties. My thanks again sir.

[@palacerevolution2000]

Great clip. You make your points so well. I myself, have a love/hate relation with the band because I am not a fan of late era stuff at all. On the other hand, their earlier albums are some of my alltime favorite of anyone. The material, and musicianship is outstanding. Collins was one of the finest drummers ever to pick up the sticks.

[@painless465]

I really enjoyed the video. I think your top 4 are spot on,although I might put Foxtrot at 2,Lamb at 3,just due to Watcher of the Skies and Suppers ready. I would actually put Duke at 5, a fine balance between their later pop leanings and some of their more high energy rock(Behind the Lines,Turn it On Again)

[@VultureClone]

You are genuinely brilliant at perfectly describing any prog album/song/musician/band. Always a pleasure to listen to!

[@stewartconacher6552]

An excellent ranking video well argued and informative.

[@peteshallcross787]

Hey Barry, another fine video this time featuring my all-time fav band and I always respect your opinion . We all have our tastes and they rarely align. However, Imo, this one you hit out of the park from start to finish! Nice job and commentary and cheers from across the pond in Wisconsin.

[@stuartwigmore3738]

Good ranking. Well thought through narrative. Genesis through the decades are without doubt my absolute favourite band, so my own personal ranking of thir albums varies on a daily, and probably hourly, basis. I couldn't pick a single "best" album, but the two I couldn't live without on a desert island are Foxtrot and Trick. Seconds Out as a live album is right up there for me as well - a majestic document of a band at the height of their power, despite the well publicised studio editing.

[@PhilWare1]

Funny how nostalgia plays a huge part. Shapes/Genesis (1983) is also my favourite and one that keep coming back to. I agree its probably not their technical best, but it got me into the band when I was at at an impressionable age. Home by the sea is simply phenomenal and as good as prog song as they have ever written.

[@ocean686]

Nice ranking but nostalgic. Michelle (below) nails it for me. Fav was my first bought (Wind and Wuthering) but then got into the whole thing, and never left. All good from Revelation on, but move with the times and Marillion are the current Genesis - prog and outstanding live 21st c. Saw them 2 weeks ago with fresh set - unreal. Check out their last 2 albums and my fav ' Marbles' guitarist is comparable with Hackett and played Firth with him at one of his gigs.

[@romuloromano]

As I commented here a few months ago, I love the way you gesticulate, expressively like an Italian fish-monger at his best. You should be made honorary citizen of Sicily. I subscribed to your channel, watch many of your videos precisely because I enjoy your eloquence, your broad vocabulary, your humour - and your gestures. And because you‘re a great guy to have a pint with, I‘m sure. Couldn‘t care less about Genesis, Phil Collins etc, (classical) rock music in general, I have to confess.

[@robweeks1974]

Incredible... your order is almost the same as mine - first time I've ever seen someone agree with me. You've persuaded me to raise Invisible Touch a little bit, although I insist Trespass is better than Nursery Cryme! But top 4 spot on!

[@jtt8886]

Years detached from their last music, I think the overall catalog of Genesis is as well as a band can get for a 20+ year run. Of course the 70s stuff has some prog rock classics, but their mixture of well done pop/rock sensibilities struck a nice balance with stabs at prog considering the excesses of the 80s. Great list.

[@georgespottiswood4660]

AWESOME job as always, mate.......really enjoyed this.....thoughtful and studious all at the same time.....seeing your t-shirt.....howz'bout a Robert Cray worst to best? Keep up the awesome work! CHEERS!

[@nicoladolby2154]

Great list, however for me Selling England By The Pound isn’t just one of the best prog albums of the 1970s, it’s one of the best albums ever! Also ABACAB would be in my top 3, as it’s stripped back sound was the forerunner for songs like Mama, Home By The Sea, I Can’t Dance and the brilliant Fading Lights. Also in my top 3 would be Wind and Wuthering. A beautiful evolution from A Trick Of The Tail.

[@MrFtoudalk]

I completely agree with your ranking! This is a first for me, wow! Of course, I would have liked you talked a little more about The Moonlit Knight, the progression in this song is outstanding IMO.

[@pdcrmr]

Wonderful list! Funny you should wax poetic about the “Genesis” album. I feel the same way about “Abacab.” It was my introduction to Genesis and like all first loves holds a special place in my heart.

[@davidsimon2096]

Thanks for your as always, excellent insight. I have always maintained Genesis produced an unbroken series of excellent albums starting with Nursery Cryme and ending with Wind an Wuthering but I find it almost impossible to rank even these 6 albums from best to worst. Certainly, my favourite and the one which seems to rank behind the other "Classics" is Wind and Wuthering. For me it is the best produced albums the classic line up recorded and I particularly loved the sound of Steve Hackett's guitar playing .Trick of the Tail is compositionally damn near perfect but I always feel lacks the detail and ambience of the later album. Selling England should really be top of my list especially as it includes many of my favourite Genesis songs most notably "Firth Of Fifth" but as a listening experience it always seems slightly bloated in places. Of the other three ("Classic") albums ie the ones with Gabriel as frontman, Foxtrot would be my favourite-even though the production and instrumentation always seemed a bit clinical, like TOTT the actual compositions are just magic. Lamb Lies down actually sounds great and the producer John Burns gave the recordings a great "live" feel. Even though the album has some great tracks on it (The title track ,"Fly On A Windshield", "Carpet Crawl", Chamber of 32 Doors", "Counting Out Time"....)there are just a few too many bits of "filler" which pull it back a little. I really enjoy "Nursery Cryme" as well but to be honest I always felt the group were still finding their way when they recorded it and it was quickly overshadowed by the release of Foxtrot by which time they had well and truly arrived.

[@larrysmith5249]

Very interesting ranking and video. Thanks!

[@classicalbum]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davidwright9318]

Selling England….has always been my favourite too. Have you heard or seen Steve Hackett’s more recent efforts on this material with his Swedish singer Nad Sylvan? Of course, you have..I just heard you mention an interview with him.

[@meltedfingers8607]

Thank u. I agree with most of yr list but I could never be able to explain it so well

[@murdockreviews]

Great video and ranking. 'Selling England...' would be my no. 1, too. 'Duke' ranks higher for me.

[@normanmacfarlane6724]

I possess three of the 4 Genesis box sets . Unfortunately I missed out on the live set . Thank you so much for reinvigorating my deep love for this band ❤😂

[@ianp9086]

Great ranking that I almost entirely agree with. I might have swapped TOTT with the Lamb just on the basis that I play the former so much and hardly ever play the Lamb, but I agree with your comments. Collin’s drumming deserves more comment perhaps - and his efforts are extraordinary on Selling England - especially on the wonderful Cinema Show and Battle of Epping Forest.

[@stuartmiller7419]

Great video, topped off by the fact that you are wearing the coolest of the Robert Cray tour T-shirts (from the 2015 tour), which washes like a dream and gets many, many comments when worn in public! 😀

[@raymondboakes]

It certainly was worth the wait Barry ,excellent view on Genesis .I never did see Genesis live but,i saw Peter Gabriel on his first solo tour in 1977,that was amazing.Thanks mate enjoyed that ,cheers👍

[@briancox8518]

Excellent review I wish people wouldn't be so harsh on calling all stations My favourite album is selling England by the pound unfortunately I struggle with some of the lamb /my top 10 Genesis album Abacab Duke Lamb Then there were 3 Wind and the wuthering Trick of the tail Nursery crime Foxtrot Selling England by the pound

[@macheesmo3]

As someone who grew up in the 80's, I only knew Genesis for their vanilla pop stuff. It was quite a revelation when I discovered their proggy 70's output. I had grown up thinking they were kinda beige dad rock.

[@keithf_]

Congratulations on using your metal detector to unearth the earlier Genesis prog classics.

[@Aquatarkus96]

That was me. Growing up I always wondered how Phil Collins was as famous as he is, and it all clicked when I heard Trick of the Tail for the first time.

[@Wayner71]

I'm still "clinging to The Lamb" now. I have a theory that Banks and Rutherford always had MOR tendencies. Gabriel and Hackett identified this and realized that art would have to be resumed elsewhere. Without Gabriel writing the narrative landscape, a diminution was evident after his departure. For me, Foxtrot, Selling England and The Lamb are almost interchangeable as zenith creations of this band. Yours is an enlightened and welcome review.

[@classicalbum]

The top three albums are fairly interchangable in my opinion. Love them all equally

[@hibee72]

I love every Genesis album from Trespass to Duke almost equally. As if they all were my children. 😁

[@BrutalDread]

Your ranking is almost perfect, good job and great video !

[@classicalbum]

Glad you think so!

[@stuartwexelbaum9070]

Loved the show..Been a Genesis since the early 70's For me Lamb is No.1 Foxtrot is No.2 Selling England No.3 Nursery Cryme No.4 Wind & Wuthering No.5 Trick of the Tail No. 6 Duke No.7 Then There Were Three Not 8 Abacab No.9 Invisible Touch No. 10 Genesis S/T No 11 From Genesis To Revelation No 12 We Can't Dance & No.13 Calling All Stations..Even the last 2 picks like you said have their moments..Seconds Out as a Live Album ranks as one of the best Live Prog albums of all time..Looking forward to your next listing show..

[@johnbeagley1195]

Lovely review. Im shocked how much you liked the 80s stuff! Yes! Really great review again! Well done Barry.

[@mrkitewine7700]

Thanks for doing this, it has certainly made me wonder how I’d rank them. I’d definitely have Selling England in the top spot; The Cinema Show and Firth of Fifth permanently cement its place there. I’ve never been a big fan of Foxtrot, so that would be fairly low down on the list. A trick of the Tail, The Lamb and Tresspass would be pretty high up. I’d have to revisit each album to work out where I’d place them. Thanks once again.

[@sidviscous5959]

A Trick of the Tail I've always thought was sadly underrated. In its own way a minor masterpiece.

[@davidwright9318]

Totally in Agreement with your assessment of Selling….

[@Sprenklefish]

I guess the live albums don’t need to be included here, but Genesis Live was my first exposure to the band. I enjoy the live versions of the songs a bit more than the studio versions. The cover shot and the background pics along with the short story really piqued my preteen imagination and I was hooked. Anyway, really great rating and video! I stayed all the way through!

[@maraboo72]

I had a similar story with this album: an appearance on stage that I had never seen before, the unusual titles of the songs and especially the weird story on the back made me curious and after I came home with the album and heard the first chords it was so much more than I expected. I also like the live versions a little bit more than the studio versions notably the incredible finish of the hogweed.

[@riffrider3191]

Same here! That cover got me as a kid. And when I finally heard it in high school in 79... Boy oh Boy! What a time for music like that! And seeing all those solo Gabriel shows through the 80s! I guess we all got lucky! :-)

[@Sprenklefish]

@@riffrider3191 I even found a big poster of the cover that I had hung in my basement! It really had an effect on my daughter who was just a toddler at the time.

[@KennCramerHanberg]

Thank you too. Normally i think it´s pretty silly to rank music, because you can just listen to the music that you like according to different situations and so. I dont need any ranking. Anyway thanks to your great insight and overview and the ability to express all this with such an ease. I enjoyed to listen to you just as I enjoy listen to music. You are a great story teller I imagine...Bu the way you accomplished to end up with the same three or five albums i would have picked. Maybe i would have ranked and then we were three higher up, because i love the sound of that album and the drama

[@keithf_]

Loved your musings here. On much we concur. 'Selling England' will always be my No. 1 Genesis album, and is also my favourite album from any band. ('Cinema Show' & 'Firth of Fifth' being my two favourite tracks of the whole Genesis canon). The 'Lamb' I have some trouble with these days. As a result I place it 6th on my list. Like you, 'Duke' is also my favourite album from their threesome era ... 'Duke's Travels / Duke's End' being the best thing they ever did post-Hackett. Whenever I listen to the great 'Home By The Sea' / 'Second Home By The Sea' I'm always reminded - lyrically anyway - of The Eagles' 'Hotel California'.

[@adamgrant7951]

As usual, very insightful analysis. Agree with the number one. You mentioned Gabriel's influences on Nursery Crimes, can't help thinking songs like Musical Box owe alot to Piper's at The Gates of Dawn.

[@jdiona]

I simply adore your videos, Sir Barry !!!!

[@alisonhorton2180]

O I have learned so much from you - I love all music and was born 1962 it’s so amazing to listen to such a wealth of knowledge

[@keithbutler2222]

So glad that you stood up for genesis genesis while other reviewers have downgraded it. I remember mama being a revelation when it came out. Like you, this album has great significance for me

[@marchirstmusic]

All these kind of lists are very interesting. Personally, as with The Beatles also, I find it impossible to rank the albums as, apart from Calling All Stations, they all have brilliant tracks on them.

[@donaldanderson6604]

I was at the Rainbow gig when Chester made his debut in 77 . It was a wonderful gig although I prefer the Hammersmith Odeon gig six months previously as it was the test of whether the fans would accept Collins on lead vocals. There was a lot at stake but A Trick of the Tail was such a strong album and my equal favourite with Selling England.

[@bonedog5130]

Amazing video love the analysis!!

[@thrilledicons]

Thank you for this fantastic review, for this colorful journey through the history of a stand-alone-band. I absolutely subscribe to your ranking.

[@classicalbum]

I hope you can take a moment to subscribe to my channel as well. Thanks for watching

[@marcusistic]

I think I pretty much agree with all of your rankings Barry (although I might have put ATTWT slightly higher)..... Nice one X

[@Adam-ov5ie]

I really love 'We Can't Dance' and the Collins era which I know is heresy to some 😄but that's alright. I don't dislike what came before (I love Trespass especially) but I am a sucker for a catchy tune that I can whistle and that makes me want to move. What I enjoy about Genesis is that there are two defined eras of the bands hsitory which you can enjoy, or pick and choose from, but still be a fan of Genesis regardless of whether you prefer the bands early or later work.

[@Martin2153]

I saw Steve Hackett in Sydney a few months ago playing Seconds Out and Selling England. It was superb and I can only agree with your comments about his playing on Firth of Fifth. That night it brought a tear to my eye when I heard it. My favourite albums are divided into the Gabriel and the Collins eras. Selling England is the top one with honourable mentions to Foxtrot and Lamb. For later on it is Duke, closely followed by Trick of the Tail. Interesing comment about Selling England being one of the greatest prog albums of the 1970s. Well yeah, of course. How could you separate if from Close to the Edge and Dark SIde as the triumvirate of enduring classics of the era?

[@glenrotchin5523]

Behind The Lines is the standout track on Duke, compositionally, lyrically and in musicianship.

[@JimNaylor]

I love Heathaze. Not many mention it, but for me it is one of the very best Genesis tracks.