Rush: Worst to Best | Albums Ranked

[@NealKlein]

My God, you really love your subject. You did this with Jethro Tull, and you didn't give Rush any less of your mind and passionate articulation. It's a little intimidating at first to hear you wax lovingly about these albums. It almost sounds professorial until I realized how you are breathing life into each selection. Very compelling and well communicated.

[@classicalbum]

Thank you for your kind words

[@Baz63]

could not agree more. Of course one is compelled to revisit these albums given the wonderful disclosures, thoughtful insights and sheer naked enthusiasm Barry gives to all his exceptionally well crafted videos.

[@g1btwo539]

Hi kary. I am glad to hear from you.

[@jonybeam6997]

Everything before Grace under pressure is an absolute classic with not a bad song except the terrible digital man. Everything after Signals is either average are or at best good.

[@aidengrayson4056]

You prolly dont care but does anybody know a way to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb forgot my login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me

[@erikiversen408]

Being a lifelong Rush fan, I really liked their 80's synth period as much as any other period in their timeline. I always viewed it as a departure and experimentation from the previous sound they developed and I think they were very successful in their attempt. Almost every successful band develops their sound to the decade and this was the sound of the 80's. It's the typical Rush musicianship with an 80's sound. I feel if Hold Your Fire was their very first album it would have been hailed as extremely successful and the subsequent albums. With that being said, I believe Moving Pictures is by far one of the best rock albums of all time.

[@grindlayforrest109]

How we argued over Terry Brown's muddy production on Signals and what a sharp turn it was away from the slick guitar-focused sound of Moving Pictures. Geddy discovered the awesome power of all 16 oscillators on the OB-8 and he wasn't afraid to use them. Sure, Alex's guitar got a bit lost and had to take a back seat for an album, but I felt he came roaring back on GUP. As you say, the rest of the 80s synth-focused albums quickly found a balance and they all stand up perfectly 30-odd years later. I don't know about remixing them to make them sound less 80s, maybe as a technical exercise for someone like Steven Wilson but if ain't really broken then why try to fix it.

[@MrClassicmetal]

_Grace Under Pressure_ is one of my favourites. They put those synths to good use to create that darker, apocalyptic vibe. The songwriting is top notch, and as an added bonus the live album _Grace Under Pressure Tour_ is sublime and showcases their abilities when they were at their best.

[@2008PLS]

Grace Under Pressure, really aged well with me.. When I first got it and heard it I thought it was overly driven by synths and the melodies were cold and more monotone. I believed they seemed to go more and more toward a new wave synth market and were losing their identity as a band. But at the time, I forged on to give it more and more listening time and it really grew on me to the point where it is one of my favorites of the 80s. A really interesting album although the bleak messaging and atmosphere

[@geographyinaction7814]

I agree. They have some great albums but I very much enjoy this one in particular. Takes me back to high-school, and showed a slight change in direction while still an organic flow from Signals.

[@Balintawak72]

Simply the best album reviews on KZbin. Articulate, passionate, informative for the seasoned listener or newbie. You have become my “go to”. Love and respect from Detroit.

[@mattclarke6891]

Hugely enjoyable listen. I don't know any Rush fan that agrees with everything. My own personal favourite is Permanent Waves. It has everything I love about their music and words. Truly a band that speaks and resonates with their audience. Please keep up the interesting, enlightening and good work

[@DAMON409]

@@mattclarke6891 permanent waves is very good. I find it a little too commercial or poppy in moments but does have intensity as well. It is a rather short album.

[@Mark-sr3dk]

It's my second favorite after Hemispheres.

[@nightshift8249]

Rush is musically and intellectually ambitious, yet utterly without pretense. Subdivisions is one of my favorite songs by anybody.

[@scottthornley4287]

8iiu

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

Saw them on that tour- it was a fantastic show.

[@NightmareGPG58tREX]

Absolutely! Subdivision is my all-time favorite Rush song.... I love it passionately.

[@DAMON409]

You probably only heard of rush when signals came out. The start of their decline.

[@gregscott7992]

Well said! Rush has been my favorite band since my brother gave me 2112 for Christmas '77. Your articulation explaining why these album are worthy of our admiration is spot on. I've never been able to list my favorite albums because often times it depends on my mood. Thank you for expressing some feelings I have for this band as I can never find the words!

[@bluraynation5188]

Another thing that sets Signals apart from all other albums in the synth period is the sheer emotion that is present throughout the album. The increased presence of synths doesn't sound cold or intrusive in any way. It's just another layer of musical expression. Synths have a bad reputation of being a cold, emotionally distant instrument, and that case can certainly be made with many albums that were released in the 80s. Signals on the other hand, uses these distant qualities to its advantage by expressing the wide range of emotions that we feel as humans. Songs like Subdivisions and Losing It are so beautiful that they bring tears to my eyes to this day. Signals might not be their best album, but it's my favourite and will always have a special place in my heart.

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

I know Subdivisions was a staple in their live shows but my hands down favorite track is Analog Kid!

[@DionysusAlS]

Signals has an overarching spirituality that few of their other albums can match. That's why I love it so dearly.

[@curly_wyn]

I fully agree. I LOVE Signals and it’s my favorite Rush album with Losing It being my absolute favorite Rush song!!

[@2008PLS]

You described it very well! With Rush it's very difficult at least for me, to rank their albums. But I would say Signals is probably their best 80s album for sure, with PW and GUP following in that order. The band were really peaking in their live playing on that tour and what they did in the studio. A very balanced and more melodic album!

[@DAMON409]

The big difference between early Rush and the later stuff is the intense vocals were gone. Rush just became soft, comfortable middle aged , family guys who had no reason to fight or prove anything anymore. They forgot they were supposed to be a rock band.

[@Fastnbulbous1969]

Just watched this, relieved to finally find someone who doesn't dismiss Grace Under Pressure!

[@dusty3913]

The title is a fallacy: You addressed that in the beginning. Well done. When we talk about things in relative terms, the big picture gets lost-every Rush album is a collection of high quality songs. I don't agree with your order; but then, that's what opinions are for.

[@lucasbeer353]

The 80's production was better than is now. More dynamic. New music is compressed to the point of ridiculousness. And everything sounds similar.

[@WallOrange]

this so much. weezers pinkerton was a great example of recording old school with a million mics and the whole band playing!

[@wavestbsf343]

Great listen! My current top 5 is: 1. A Farewell to Kings 2. Grace Under Pressure 3. Signals 4. Hemispheres 5. 2112

[@mattrogers1946]

Great video! Caress Of Steel is my favorite, and I feel it certainly rates higher than Grace Under Pressure.

[@peterjohansen3853]

19:53 me too caress of steel is a Master piece no1😊

[@EyeTunz]

I have it this way: 1. Moving Pictures 2. Hemispheres 3. 2112 4. Fly By Night 5. A Farewell to Kings 6. Caress of Steel 7. Rush 8. Power Windows 9. Permanent Waves 10. Grace Under Pressure

[@jonnuanez7183]

Signals is my #4 album of all time. I've never ever heard drums sound better.

[@DAMON409]

@@jonnuanez7183 you cannot rate music on the sound of the drums

[@BJM3497]

@@DAMON409 one can rate anything based on anything as " liking it or not" is inherently a subjective experience.

[@BJM3497]

I agree with you as I stated in my comment a while ago. Neil's drums sound the best among all Rush albums on the Signals album.

[@DAMON409]

@@BJM3497 irrelevant

[@OMW66]

Rush is one of very few bands where i love all albums. I really do. And they are all getting better as time passes by. Extraordinary.

[@claytonchaney9171]

As a keyboard player caught in a heavy rock band ...those 80's keyboard albums were very influential to my learning how to blend textually with a loud guitar....

[@Jer0da0sniper]

I’m a lifetime rush fan, started listening at birth from my dad, was in love with it by age 4 and started playing guitar by age 7. They are my favorite band, and you did them well with this review. Thank you for taking the time to really listen to what rush has to offer. The only thing I would change is move ‘moving pictures’ to 3 and bump up ‘a farewell to Kings’ and ‘hemispheres’ to 2 and 1.

[@woohoo273]

I’d put Hemispheres one ☝️ and move Permanent Waves above Signals.

[@shawnminnier6117]

Well done... I appreciate the attention you bring here to Cut To The Chase on the Counterparts album. It's my favorite Rush deep cut. I love Counterparts and could never rank it below Caress, Snakes, or Presto, but I respect your opinion.

[@davido4425]

Nobody's Hero is a gem !

[@richardabazley]

Counterparts definitely one of my favourites...

[@bmardon2112]

Cut to the chase guitar solo, that high bit.... stunning, and Alex's best solo.

[@shanewilson199]

I alternate between counterparts, clockwork angels and hemispheres as m favorite album. Alien shore is one of their best songs.

[@davidwoolbright3675]

Interesting…counterparts is easily my least favorite album they have done. I’ve tried to like it but can’t connect with it at all!

[@metalheadmalta]

As a very old RUSH fan, I can mostly concur with your listing, although I would push Power Windows and Hold your fire further up the ladder....but where? I'd move Roll the Bones a bit down, and fit them in... however, what has captivated me is your deep passion... and I feel it... They have always been there for me, and every album is significant to a time-frame in my life... Thanks. AWESOME AWESOME post. 10/10

[@classicalbum]

Thank you

[@DAMON409]

Hold your fire was soft rock garbage.

[@TeeMost]

Brilliant analysis and synopsis! Vapor Trails is much higher up on my list. It’s the #1 album I listen to of post ‘80s Rush. The remix absolutely cleans it up wonderfully, although I liked it before that. Listening to the remix was like hearing a whole new album. My woofers appreciate that as much as my ears do. The music is wonderful, and the lyrics are written from a very personal place from Neil’s post-tragic journeys. There’s a lot of existential reckoning that he describes so beautifully, punctuated by killer rhythms. For example, the way Geddy sings Neil’s desperate ‘pleading with a higher power’ chorus in “The Stars Look Down,” only to be met with silence as his answer. All three musicians are on-point and the resulting music is a very well integrated whole, much greater than the sum of its parts. I also consider ‘Caress of Steel’ as a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s terribly dated but captures so much of the ‘coming of age’ apprehension of growing up while longing for the simplicity of childhood, in ‘Lakeside Park’ and ‘I think I’m Going Bald’ (later lyrically further developed in ‘Signals’). Mix that in with Tolkienesque fantasy and it’s a wonderful listen.

[@richardtyson8258]

I like that you put Caress of Steel at number 8 : its very underrated and yes misunderstood. Its heavy too..I like that...

[@brucedickinson12]

Love it my fave

[@DAMON409]

@@richardtyson8258 caress of steel is a metal album . raw intensity that paved the way for 2112.

[@russellthechemist8291]

I don't know any Rush albums, but this chap (Barry, I think), knows his stuff, is an excellent critic imo and that's why this channel is the start of my Rush journey.

[@davidmartinez2833]

For me, the synth era added another complex layer of sound on top of the signature songs that came before that. For this reason, my favorite Rush album is Signals followed by Counterparts

[@kevinturchin]

Great video. I’m 41 years old and never got into Rush until very recently and videos like this are invaluable. What’s interesting is since I have no past with Rush I find some of the later albums very satisfying. Vapor Trails, Counterparts, Clockwork Angels are all great to me. I think that is due to Geddy’s voice. I think it sounds better on the later albums. But of course you can’t argue with the late 70s early/ 80s albums. There are multiple masterpieces during that period.

[@eltorpedo67]

" ...the music press certainly don't seem to like Rush, which means that any self-respecting music fan must become a passionate devotee of this band." lol - perfect.

[@davidholman3470]

Excellent review of Rush's albums. Me...I love Grace Under Pressure and Signals. They are the 2 that I listen to the most.

[@sspbrazil]

It’s good to see “Grace Under Pressure” ranking so high on your list Barry, I love that album. That old Rolling Stone review you read on it was hilarious and stupid all at once. Rolling Stone had already become a wet blanket as music rags go by that time.

[@DAMON409]

Grace under pressure was and remains terrible. How does a band that put out 2112 and moving pictures , also put out such garbage.

[@sspbrazil]

@@DAMON409 Grace Under Pressure is not terrible, it’s their last really great album. I like it better than 2112 which is very dated for what it is and the tracks on side 2 are hit and miss, it’s a very uneven album. It doesn’t even rank in my top 5 Rush albums. So, I don’t agree with you at all.

[@DAMON409]

@@sspbrazil stats say you are wrong. Without 2112 Rush was over. It put them on the map and gave them a career. Grace under pressure marked no such milestone whatsoever and record sales indicate a steady decline.

[@sspbrazil]

@@DAMON409 I don’t care about what stats say. Lol. I care about what I like and I never go back to listen to 2112 if I want to listen to Rush. I know the album saved them from getting dropped by the label and it did the job and saved them, but it’s a dated album and the concept is kind of daft, if I want to listen to Rush, my go to albums are Hemispheres, Farewell To Kings, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals or Grace Under Pressure, sometimes I listen to Fly By Night or Caress Of Steel, but not all the songs, but I almost never go back to listen to 2112, it’s an album that I don’t connect to anymore and haven’t in many years. Lyrically, Grace Under Pressure is miles more mature than 2112 and they utilized the technology of the time to make a solid and relevant album and their last great album. You’re welcome to you opinion and your “stats”, I’ll stick to what I like.

[@DAMON409]

@@sspbrazil what do you mean by dated? So mozart is crap? 2112 is simply far more musical than garbage under pressure. It is monotonous without any dynamics. stats say nobody liked garbage under pressure. So your Subjective view is almost meaningless.

[@strabel803]

👍I'm late at the party,but,hey,it's Rush. 😆 End 70's my older brother (i was +/- 16) had "Hemispheres" on his player,i was blown away,just so different of what music was played at that time. Later i understood,from a interview,that they NEVER gonna do something like that again,becouse of the very intensif,brain draining work,they had with this album.For me,still nmbr 1.🤘 And yes ,"The trees" one of my favorits to.😉

[@NicholasSadlier]

If Geddy or Alex watch this I am sure they will be truly honoured by this meticulous, multi-layered, incredibly thoughtful and amazingly expressive review of their work. I would ask if you deliver these delightfully deep and enriching reviews largely without at least some sort of tele-prompting, but am almost afraid to hear the answer.

[@keithrichman6918]

I remember buying Presto while in college. I was immediately blown away and listen to this album regularly!

[@analogwavelength]

Though I'd never argue it to be their best, I think my favorite Rush album will always be Hold Your Fire. It's got a certain je ne sais quois that just resonates with me. I think Time Stand Still is one of their all-time greatest songs as well. When I get in the mood for Rush, I go for Hold Your Fire more times than not.

[@pal-of-pals]

As someone who has only recently started listening to Rush, Signals sounds absolutely amazing and I absolutely love it.

[@onebadpuffin2170]

1. A Farewell to Kings 2. 2112 3. Clockwork Angels 4. Hemispheres 5. Grace Under Pressure

[@GreatCosmicWebs]

Also, I cannot tell you how much respect I have for you for dropping a Lemmy quote when talking about 2112, I'd like to see your ranking of Motorhead: Good, Great and Greatest, because just like Rush, I don't feel Motorhead have any bad albums either. Cheers!

[@classicalbum]

My Motorhead video is on my channel

[@GreatCosmicWebs]

@@classicalbum I'll be sure to give it a full view!

[@davidreichert9392]

I used to rate the debut album rather low myself, in fact I went over 20 years without listening to it even once. A few years ago I decided to give it another listen and found a new appreciation for it. A lot of that has to do with with the fact that I myself am from Toronto and once made an attempt at becoming a musician. I felt a bit more connected to this album. Of course pretty much every stage Rush ever played in their early days was long gone by the time I was at it (I was born in 1971), but I was still basically dragging my gear through the same streets and places that they did. So now listening to that album I get a sense of how they were feeling at that time, making it a little more relatable.

[@kevinbrown1893]

1. 2112 2. Moving Pictures 3. Hemispheres 4. Permanent Waves 5. Grace Under Pressure 6. Fly By Night 7. A Farewell to Kings 8. Signals 9. Power Windows 10. Clockwork Angels 11. Rush 12. Caress of Steel 13. Counterparts 14. Test for Echo 15. Roll The Bones 16. Snakes and Arrows 17. Hold Your Fire 18. Presto 19. Vapor Trails

[@georgewashington7444]

“Time Stand Still “ is my favorite song of all time. It has been a common thread running through my life. It will be the last song my body hears before the casket is closed. Hopefully a long time from now!

[@garretts.2003]

Ive heard Tom Sawyer 100s of times throughout my life and found it mildly annoying at best until yesterday I HEARD Tom Sawyer. It was kind of a holy shit moment and I'm excited to dig into their discography.

[@DAMON409]

@@garretts.2003 i think it is over rated. Not much melody, just talking. But has a lot of energy in the solo section.

[@cubbykovu8955]

Interesting Ranking :) I was not expecting it in this order :) By the Way OF COURSE I will indulge you I wouldn't be watching if I wasn't indulging you. and your not gonna die if you refer to your notes XD :) awesome ranking dude but don't worry about being indulged :)

[@robyn8842]

Thanks so much! I had only heard Rush on the radio before (no one's hits on the radio are ever the best), so this gave me a good place to start. They are a very complex, intelligent band. Very impressive.

[@WritteninBlood]

If memory serves me correctly, and I am showing my age here, but when Rolling Stone released their very first "Record Guide" I believe they gave every one of Rush's albums at the time the ranking of ■, or worthless. After I read that I haven't put much faith in critics opinion of Rush, or any band for that matter, ever since. I've been subscribed to you for a couple of weeks now and I love what I've been seeing.

[@MichaelKurse]

Jann Wenner hated them. Ahmet Ertrgen hated them ,as well, and kept them out of the Hall. They started to get better reviews in Rolling Stone,from Signals on,by that time Wenner wasn't concentrating on RS exclusively.

[@glenmurschel5939]

Great reviews! Like how you look beyond the music. My favs Farewell, 2112, Caress. If you're in London, I may go in Oct. Beers on me!

[@jm2953]

the amount of thought u put into all your content is amazing! keep up the great work😎

[@classicalbum]

Thanks - do subscribe a keep checking out my channel

[@lipsterman1]

I bought Presto but didn't get into it at all. I was at that point a "classic" Rush fan and didn't listen to the "newer" albums. After a few years on the shelf, I listened to it again. After about 5 plays, I started to thoroughly enjoyed it. At that point, I bought the newer albums. I'm so glad I gave the album another try or I would have missed out on so much good music.

[@catjudo1]

Favorite Rush albums/favorite song on album 1. Moving Pictures / Red Barchetta 2. 2112 - A Passage To Bangkok 3. Hemispheres / La Villa Strangiato 4. Grace Under Pressure / Red Sector A 5. Signals / Losing It 6. Rush / Working Man

[@philfyphil]

Presto is a beautifully produced crisp sounding album. Totally agree with your number 1. Glorious performances throughout with amazing catchy moments.

[@NicholasSadlier]

I was supposed to be going to bed 42.42 minutes ago but chanced upon this wonderful reflection of Rush's albums, just as I have, only now, been discovering their body of work for myself after all these years. I've asked myself repeatedly why on earth I hadn't taken the journey through the band's music while they were still recording and touring, but on reflection I'm rather glad I didn't, as I truly believed there was no irresistible musical mastery of such epic proportions left to unravel and completely floor me.

[@classicalbum]

I must admit I also came to the Rush party fairly late. I did get the chance to see them though on their last tour which I'm grateful for

[@TB6791]

👍 Well done... True Rush fans have always known this from the start. Each album has many interpretations to each of us and the experience of rediscovering something new and different with another listen. It truly amazes me to how many people are just now getting it🤘!

[@DAMON409]

Not true. Rush started to get comfortable and lazy after the success of moving pictures.

[@richarddeese1991]

Thanks. Rush was a truly incredible band with an amazing legacy of great music. I agree with you fully on 'Presto!'. It's actually one of my favorite Rush albums. tavi.

[@davidl570]

Glad I found another Rush fan who actually LIKES Presto! I think it's unfairly bashed online--heck, it even includes Geddy's favorite Rush song (The Pass). Yeah, the production leaves something to be desired, but it still sounds decent enough to my ears! Will take it over the overrated Roll The Bones anytime (YUCK!).

[@mdunawaym]

The clock on the cover of Clockwork Angels is set at 9:12, or 21:12 if your reading it in military time PM.

[@littleheroes8807]

Wonderfully literate review of a wonderfully literate band! 1. A Farewell to Kings 2. Hemispheres 3. 2112 4. Moving Pictures 5. Permanent Wave 6. Caress of Steel 7. Fly by Night 8. Power Windows 9. Signals 10. Rush

[@classicalbum]

Thank you

[@floydcooley1]

I might shuffle a couple but great list.

[@brianparsa7794]

Where is Grace Under Pressure? Like yourself, I did not like "Signals," in fact I'd rank "Signals" last among the early albums.

[@trondsi]

Wow thanks for all the background info! Personally I like the songs on 2112 better on live records. I think Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are my favorites, but I actually really like the later 80s albums too. For some reason I don't mind the 80's sound of Rush (I think many others sounded far worse in that era). I completely agree with your pick of Time Stand Still, and Emotion Detector as among the best. Those lyrics are fantastic, with each word fitting like a glove with the next.

[@BushcraftingBogan]

Only my opinion, The debut album established Rush as a band. Peart's arrival established them as musicians.

[@rhugh02]

Great RUSH opinions, I have been driven to tears when hit by the musical sadness and beauty of it all...

[@63mckenzie]

It's strange how you can tell the era fans first got into Rush by their favourite album. The 70s and early 80s was my favourite period. Exit Stage Left is one of may favs (because I'm on it! All together now 'And the men who hold high places...)

[@stevesorrell9835]

Awesome video! Rush defined me as a musician, when A Farewell... came out. I gave up on them, after Moving Pictures, but you have inspired me to dig deeper. Thank you 👍🏻

[@chrismatthews8717]

Thanks for this. It's always interesting to hear someone else's considered opinion. The only significant difference I have with your list is that I would put Permanent Waves at the top of mine, although La Villa Strangiato from Hemispheres is my favourite track, perhaps because Permanent Waves was the first Rush album I listened to.

[@DAMON409]

I now find la villa strangiato pretty dull and pretentious, and quite basic, but at the time it seemed amazing.

[@neonskyline1]

Your description of the albums is amazing, hopefully explains everything to the fans with open ears

[@davoshaunessy7481]

1- fly by night 2- 2112 3- caress 4- all the worlds a stage ( it is what a cut my teeth on ) 5- RUSH ( working man ) 6- permanent waves 7- moving pictures 8- signals 9 - hemispheres 10- farewell to kings

[@nimzyzamzam431]

Rush is special. What a gift to those who connect with them. I had stopped listening to new material for about 15 years after Signals. Not sure why now looking back. For some reason I picked up Test for Echo when it came out to take a peek. I really enjoyed it and got me exploring all the music I missed. Imagine my horror when TFE was dead last on your list! Funny, but I guess something has to occupy that spot. I enjoyed your support for Presto which I find to be quite enjoyable too. It gets a bad rap. You also inspired me to sit down and give Clockwork Angels another go. I was pleasantly surprised. I really didn’t care for Geddy’s aged vocal prowess at first, but it’s much better than I remembered. I was fortunate to see them once back in the 80’s, but unfortunately only saw them once. I really enjoyed the show. Fun to go through such an impressive catalog and realize they never mailed in an album. There is something to enjoy about each release. Hemispheres tops my list. You make a compelling argument for each. Keep up the good work. Cheers!

[@stephenlegg262]

Hi Barry that was a great in depth video. I have a number of Rush albums and CDs. Will definitely invest in more of them.

[@simonrogers894]

The care and attention and knowledge you bring to these reviews is very much appreciated plus opinions certainly in respect of Rush are balanced but for me very nuanced and informed

[@RushfanUK]

I have always put Hemispheres at the top and would have a very different list, when I go to put an album on without any specific desire to listen to one I would be more likely to choose Test For Echo than Moving Pictures, I've never engaged with Vapour Trails and Snakes 'n' Arrows along with Clockwork Angels outside of a few tracks really don't provoke any excitement either, as ever each to their own and well done for taking this on again.

[@DAMON409]

Side one of hemispheres is very strong.

[@gregorykrug8034]

Great ranking! Mine top five... 1. Hemispheres, 2. 2112, 3. A Farewell to Kings, 4. Moving Pictures, and 5. Permanent Waves.

[@classicalbum]

Thanks... please share this with other Rush fans

[@jefftide2166]

Great presentation as usual. I rank Permanent Waves 2nd, just getting beat out by Pictures. Freewill and Spirit of Radio are my 1st and 2nd Rush songs. Lifesons guitar solo in Freewill is soooo underrated. Hemispheres 3rd, their best concept album easily.

[@paradisi12]

Absolutely stunning reviews 💯

[@classicalbum]

Glad you like them!

[@Brad-S]

Must say I agree. Roll The Bones is under rated as a album. Glad to see where you ranked it.

[@bricenelson918]

1.Moving Pictures.2.Permanent Waves.3.2112.4.A Farewell to Kings.5.Rush.6.Signals.7.Fly by Night.8.Hemispheres.9.Caress of Steel.10.Roll the Bones.11.Presto.12.Grace under Pressure.13.Hold your Fire.14.Counterparts.15.Test for Echo`s.16.Snakes and Ladders.17.Clockwork Angels.18.Vapor Trails.19.Power Windows.

[@bdlenz]

This is great, thoughtful list. Things i particularly agree on… Roll the Bones IS a great album… your love of Signals and “Subdivisions.” Well done sir 👍🏻

[@lorisrizzardo4262]

Wonderful review, you obviously love the subject matter. As a Canadian we heard a lot of Rush growing up. They are my second-favourite band (after Genesis). My list is a little different than yours but I love it nonetheless. Keep up the great work!

[@TonysMusic1974]

Great list. I am the guy who has counterparts has his favorite RUSH album. So, I take a but of umbrage about where you placed it, but otherwise, no Rush album is bad!

[@paulayers1111]

While they’re still finding their way...no pun intended..” 😂

[@matthewspaltro7142]

Ha ha!

[@sharky0873]

My list: 1. Hemispheres 2. 2112 3. A Farewell To Kings 4. Permanent Waves 5. Moving Pictures 6. Caress of Steel 7. Fly By Night 8. Signals 9. Grace Under Pressure 10. Rush 11. Power Windows 12. Counterparts 13. Hold Your Fire 14. All the rest of the 80s and later stuff. It’s hard for me to put the debut album below Grace Under Pressure, but I think that’s the way I feel right now.

[@DAMON409]

Please. At least the first album was rock, unlike the depressing , low energy electronic crap on grace under pressure

[@jeffmurphy3179]

1.) Hemispheres 2.) Permanent Waves 3.) A Farewell To Kings 4.) Moving Pictures 5.) 2112 6.) Caress Of Steel 7.) Signals 8.) Fly By Night 9.) Rush (1st) 10.) everything else

[@clouddog2393]

"Moving pictures " was their best album but l have a soft spot for " Fly by night ". Afraid to say it but their later '80,s output left me cold but their 70's music with their transision from heavy rock to full blown prog summed up the band at their best .

[@DAMON409]

Moving Pictures wasn't very prog. Excellent album though. Still demonstrated rock roots, unlike the crap that followed, but it indicates signs of a wrong direction into new wave sounds on a couple of the tracks. 2112 is probably their strongest album. They didn't compromise their sound, had a lot of dynamics from quiet to intense, and was thematically engaging.

[@OutOfAmmoOutOfTime]

Peart barreling down the highway, pursued by an enraged Greta Thunberg - i spat my wine out on that one….so funny. I’m really impressed with the thoughtfulness of this list….I might at a pinch place Clockwork angels higher, probably more for sentimental reasons, but I really admire your depth of analysis and thoughtfulness. Thank you!

[@bmardon2112]

Resist is an absolute mandatory Rush track, whether from the 96 album or live acoustic

[@dusty3913]

The first Rush album I owned (on cassette) is A Show of Hands. Consequently, I very much love the synth period and more often than not reach for GUP, Signals, or Power Windows as much as Moving P or Perm Waves.

[@cbciosubs]

Enjoyed the commentary. 1. Moving Pictures 2. 2112 3 Farewell to Kings 4. Permanent Waves 5. Hemispheres 6. Clockwork Angels I would put Vapor Trails in my top 10. Scrap the album recording those songs were incredible live. I do agree that Presto and Roll the Bones are higher quality than many think. All rankings aside the studio albums I most frequently reach for these days are probably Signals, Clockwork, and recently Hold Your Fire, while not the most rocking Rush album perhaps some of their finest lyrical work: Time Stand Still, The Mission, Second Nature.....as you said this is a good, better, best situation.

[@robinhazell6019]

I was 16 back in 1977 when Rush came to the UK for the first time. I was offered a free front row ticket at the Hammersmith Odeon. Same it was My elder sister's wedding. That day, I was also aggered a ticket for Englanf v Scotland at Wemnly by a mate of my dad, and lastly, UFO were playing at Southend Kursaal. Basically a bum day for me.

[@TheABElia]

Thank you for giving ‘Presto’ some respect. I personally love that album and can never understand why it’s at the bottom of Rush fans tier list?

[@jeremycagle19]

Roll the Bones was my introduction to Rush in 1991. ❤ It was love at first listen and a band that is an all time favorite.

[@grindlayforrest109]

Great video, thanks for making it. Your passion for the band shines through and you hint at the difficulty of ranking the studio albums when they're all so good. It's a bit like ranking your favourite children, but harder. In quality terms, you can barely slide a credit card between Moving Pictures and TfE. Even Vapor Trails which was perhaps the least well-received, benefited massively from the remix and is always worth a visit. Challenge any music critic to name a band that produced five albums of the quality of 2112 to Moving Pictures *on the bounce* and you'll generally encounter bemusement, beard scratching and incoherent mumbling about The Beatles or the Rolling Stones, neither of whom achieved anything close to Rush's epic musical pantheon.

[@bumsharvest5493]

I've seen this video several times and skipped over it, thinking it will likely be something written by a fan who knows less about Rush than I do. Oh contraire! You sir, did a really insightful look at all the albums, and it was deep! It was one of the very best overviews I've seen on KZbin. Thank You!!

[@classicalbum]

My pleasure. Do check out my other videos

[@JohnBarrow1961]

This is the second time I've watched this video, at least a couple of years apart, and I really enjoyed all of your analysis and agree with almost all of it. Yes, I've been a huge Rush fan since Permanent Waves came out in early 1980. Well done.

[@thomaswery3087]

i've been into Rush from the beginning.There one of the few bands I have I can close my eyes pick out any album and love it .I've seen Rush several times didn't matter what they played in concert my friend and myself always hoped for deep tracks.So my number one could be any of them on any given day

[@davidrobertson5996]

This was truly wonderful. Could you please just talk about Rush for another few hours? Given the depth and breadth of nonsense that is gushing out onto the Internet every day, this was a real breath of fresh air. I waited for twenty five years to be able to finally see Rush live, on their final tour in Calgary, and can honestly say that they have never disappointed me. The best gig I have ever been to, bar none.

[@andyhopton]

HYF & Power Windows were my first 2 Rush albums and what made me a Rush fan and so make my top 5, The first album RUSH as it is where it started and it has no bad songs, 2112 as it is what made the band plus it has Tears on it #epic and Moving Pictures which is Rush's "Dark Side Of The Moon" having been played all the way through Live. My least played albums are Snakes, Clockwork and Caress

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

I love 'Power Windows' !

[@barrypeirson3710]

Awesome list and commentary. I love "Vapor Trails" probably my only big difference here. Always cool to see another Barry too

[@classicalbum]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GreatCosmicWebs]

I greatly appreciate the fact that you make sure to denote that you can't really do a Worst to Best with Rush because they have no truly bad album. Rush, in my opinion, is the greatest progressive rock band ever formed, and this is a brilliant video, in my opinion.

[@Aeyrie1]

I agree with you about Roll The Bones. It's that album that got me into listening to Rush and I just adore it.

[@nicksallnow-smith7585]

A couple of other thoughts. You might do a ranking of the album sleeves! I too quite liked the first. My favourite would be Farewell to Kings. My final thought relates to a general sense I get from many hard-core fans of many bands. This is they are regularly hated for getting too "commercial". More melodic material ,which is more comfortable to listen to, is often denigrated by hard-core fans. It seems they react against the idea of the favourite group being liked by too many people. Yet when one revisits this material years later, I certainly find that I listen to the more melodic material much more often.

[@erikmerchant567]

Very good video and I can appreciate your rankings. I do find it fascinating how many of your favorite songs on a particular album are some of my LEAST favorites, at least until you get closer to the top of the list. I think that highlights just how great Rush was at creating their albums so that almost every song can appeal to fans as a potential favorite.

[@eigrp]

Best "Rush albums ranked" video out there. Well done. And we both share an unusually high opinion of Signals. Please consider ranking their live albums as well. I think I'd want you to do it before anyone else.

[@progmonster4]

I love your take on Caress of steel which has long been one of my favourite rush albums. It alone has a quality of inventiveness and a classical feel that is furthered on a Farewell to kings. Were as 2112 furthers the heavy side of rush

[@classicalbum]

This album has moved up in my estimation since I made this video. I did an album review of it on my patreon last year.

[@stevetobin7495]

I bought presto the day it came out and just couldnt get into it..hated the dry lifeless production more than anything..permanent waves must be my favourite as i play it the most

[@sspbrazil]

steve tobin the production is both dry and thin.

[@russell_szabados]

steve tobin well said. I’m a 40+ year Rush fan, know every album & song, and Presto is the only record I put away after buying it and rarely revisit.

[@Katehowe3010]

It may have something to do with the fact that 'Permanent Waves' was the first Rush album i purchased at the time of release, but it's certainly the one i play most!

[@krone5]

The songs are solid and don't skip a beat here,

[@dougyuck]

personally i love presto, especially the pass and the title track

[@jtoms3]

I actually love Hold Your Fire and the other 80's Rush albums, along with the vast majority of 80's albums by all the bands I love (Maiden, Priest, AC/DC, etc.) A big part of that is the fact that I was 17 when Hold Your Fire was released. Sometimes, I think our personal fondness for certain albums is related to other things that were going on in our lives at the time. Also loved Presto and Roll the Bones from the beginning.

[@ricdoliveira3075]

I’m impressed! A favorite band of mine. Again, nicely done. Subscribed, and looking forward to more.

[@classicalbum]

Thank you