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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@paulayers1111]

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

[@matthewspaltro7142]

Ha ha!

[@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.

[@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.

[@woohoo273]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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😊

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@dt6949]

Great review but just can’t get my head around the placing of the debut, Fly By Night, Snakes & Arrows and 2112... All should be much higher up in my view. Also, as much as I love Signals, I think it would fall a couple of places in my list. I suppose it’s all just personal taste really. Anyway keep up the good work and keep on rockin’! :-)

[@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.

[@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....

[@lucasbeer353]

1. Hemispheres 2. 2112 3. Power Windows 4. A Farewell to Kings 5. Signals 6. Fly by Night 7. Caress of Steel 8. Moving Pictures 9. Presto 10. Grace Under Pressure 11. Hold Your Fire 12. Roll the Bones 13. Permanent Waves 14. Rush 15. Counterparts 16. Vapor Trails 17. Test for Echo 18. Snakes & Arrows 19. Clockwork Angels (still their worst and the only Rush album I don't like)

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Good to see 'Power Windows' so high on your list ... I love it !

[@stephensdygert7600]

100% wrong on Clockwork. This album took them back to their roots. Heavy Rocking record!

[@lucasbeer353]

It's 100% away from their roots. Modern shit rock.

[@stephensdygert7600]

@@lucasbeer353 its really like their first album. The riffs and scales. Just a new, fresh approach. I did not like snakes and arrows, except "Monkey Business" and "Hope" After 2112. Most Rush albums usually had four great songs on each. They kind of lost me. They were too experimental, yes and Gensis influence. Key boards were good somtimes. Alex didn't really like them. I liked Rush the best when his guitar playing dominated the band. I was expecting to hate ⏰ angels. I love it. Cities of Gold, Wreckers, ect.ect. I like the unbridled guitar phrasing. I believe they'll find a drummer. And record again. Geddy doesn't know what to do with himself. Alex wants too. Time will tell. The garden is a cool song.

[@stephensdygert7600]

@@lucasbeer353 I was going to mention. There is a song on Clockwork, that sounds alot like Bastille day. Crazy cool guitar. Some wierd voice comes in the end of song. I forget the name. I surprisenly like 7 songs. I recommend some of bluray audio disc in 96khz-24bit 5.1 I have "Fly by night" "Farwell to Kings" and "2112" Amazing in 5.1

[@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!

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

Vapor Trails... yeah, poor production. Not too soon after there was a fan made "remastering" that helped quite a bit (subtitled "More Trails, Less Vapor") but thankfully the official re-release came along!

[@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.

[@woohoo273]

Oh no 🤦‍♂️ Vapor Trails is my favorite post Moving Pictures album. It sounds the least pretentious and hardest rocking of them. Also I love Geddy playing around with the falsetto not that Geddy needs to sing in falsetto but it added a different texture that I enjoyed.

[@JCStorm76]

Woo Hoo I agree. It’s better than Snakes and Arrows anyway. That’s boring

[@youtoo2233]

I agree. Presto is one of my faves

[@michaelbeaule1966]

Love the Vapor Trails remix album. The original was just too loud and muddled sounding. I agree, best album of theirs since MP.

[@youtoo2233]

@@michaelbeaule1966 same here. Presto and Vapor Trails are easily my faves after Signals

[@woohoo273]

@@michaelbeaule1966 Fortunately I missed the original. As a former mastering engineer it sounds like they tried to jack up the volume too much and over-compressed it to the point of distortion. The trend at the time was to try to out loud the next guy. It was a horrible idea.

[@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.

[@rhetinq8559]

The music is good. The Ayn Rand themes are regrettable.

[@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!).

[@keithrichman6918]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.😉

[@humanbeing2420]

None of the studio albums after Presto do anything for me. I've listened to all of them and I just can't find any tuneful songs on the late period records - there are absolutely no hooks whatsoever on those albums. Rush is known primarily for their technical musicianship, as they should be, but what made them successful was their ability to come up with great melodies - their classic albums of the late 70's through the mid-80's are packed with them. By the 90's those melodies are gone....

[@briancox8518]

There is no such thing as a bad rush album amazing band who can play anything from heavy metal to blues rock to electronic music and progressive rock music

[@DAMON409]

They put out many bad albums. Identity crisis. Record sales tell the truth.

[@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.

[@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?

[@philfyphil]

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

[@Twotontessie]

Roll the Bones - please dude. Their very worst album in my view. Good first song, next one sure, then .... off the cliff.

[@mikevieira8583]

I only like a couple of songs on RtB. Some make me cringe.

[@Twotontessie]

Mike Vieira the thing is I love parts of Presto, and I like Counterparts well enough ....

[@mikevieira8583]

@@Twotontessie Presto and Counterparts both have roughly 8 songs I really like. So, a respectable album length if I just skip the tracks that don't do it for me. RtB is just... yeah. Can't do it.

[@seamus2112ophelan]

Can't argue with anyone's opinion regarding rankings, but my tastes would put Roll The Bones and Presto much lower and Clockwork Angels, Counterparts and T4E higher.

[@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

[@nickavenoso7851]

My number one Rush album is Hemispheres. Even Though It Was Released In 1978, not 1979 lol

[@DAMON409]

When their best 4 or 5 albums were recorded while they were still in their 20s and the subsequent albums were their worst, it tells me something went very wrong with Rush. After moving pictures Geddy's voice was gone, which changed the sound drastically. They were suddenly keyboard based, but didn't have a legitimate keyboard player. The guitar was now only for texture. Neil was playing electronic drums and started overdoing reggae beats.

[@perfectionbox]

Rush was too great to get upstaged by synthesizers on Signals, they instead bent them to their genius and will.

[@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.

[@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.

[@wavestbsf343]

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

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@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

[@justmike2944]

Grace under pressure is extremely underrated. 2112 not #1...LOL It is #1 but no one wants to admit it. It makes them look to ''pedestrian''...I've been a big fan 40 plus years and i will say it .if you are young and want to get to know Rush get 2112 and with in a short time you'll have more Rush albums . Thank for the vid . 👍

[@jc3drums916]

Or maybe, god forbid, people have different tastes. 2112 the song is great. The rest of the album...not so much. The songs aren't terrible, but they almost seem like an afterthought compared to the title song. And compared to the next few albums, everything on 2112, even the title track, sounds a little too raw and immature. A lot of that has to do with the production, which isn't very good IMHO, in the complete opposite way the production on Hold Your Fire isn't good.

[@thomasgoshaw6406]

Don't ever again use the word, "husbandry" when describing Rush. I'm just kidding. I like your opinions. I absolutely love Caress of Steel and I'm happy you rank it higher than most do when ranking this band's albums.

[@adamfindlay7091]

Clockwork is so cinematic. Hard to stop listening to...sucks the bystander in like a powerful whirlpool; chaos, but beautiful.

[@walkerstark4564]

My block towards prog rock most of the lead vocalists like Geddy Lee, Jon Anderson have such ANNOYING voices. Would Hawkwind qualify as prog? The Stooges, Spinal Tap, Sun Ra of prog? Back to Rush Subdivisions and Working Man are good songs but no thanks Tom Sawyer

[@klstay]

Something has to be number 1 and it feels like Moving Pictures is it, but at the same time can just words describe the towering achievement of Hemispheres?

[@XaoFakeNick]

Thank you for saving Roll the Bones, it's brilliant IMO... and yes, it's cheesy but awesome.

[@geddeeee]

I hated Clockwork Angels. So much so, I binned my copy. I cannot listen to it because of the awful production and lacklustre songwriting. The live versions of Caravan and BU2B from Time Machine are superb, but the others.... No thanks!!!

[@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.

[@zachleary108]

You are very kind and constructive (how English) in talking about the bad albums. I recently revisited the mid 80s -> 90s Rush catalog, and goodness - they are bad. They just aren't good. Thin in sonic structure, poor choice of synth sounds and unapologetically cheesy. Most bands who last as long as Rush did are bound to turn in some duds, but Rush certainly makes it easy to choose their worst to best.

[@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

[@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.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

Disagree with you about the placement of the 1st album but then again...I am a Zep fan. For those who are into EARLY Rush, there are some great semi-legal radio performances that are now available. In fact, there's a great 6-CD set available..but there is some repetition on it that is for sure (several performances in Cleveland, OH at the Agora -yes, I live near Cleveland).

[@timothymorrismusic]

Rush are my favorite band, so I've probably given too much thought to this over the years. 19. Test for Echo (1996) 18. Snakes & Arrows (2007) 17. Rush (1974) 16. Vapor Trails (2002) 15. Presto (1989) 14. Caress of Steel (1975) 13. Roll the Bones (1991) 12. Clockwork Angels (2012) 11. Hold Your Fire (1987) 10. 2112 (1976) 9. Fly by Night (1975) 8. Permanent Waves (1980) 7. Power Windows (1985) 6. A Farewell to Kings (1977) 5. Signals (1982) 4. Hemispheres (1978) 3. Counterparts (1993) 2. Grace Under Pressure (1984) 1. Moving Pictures (1981)

[@bmardon2112]

I like Grace Under Pressure and Counterparts up high. Very nice Buddy

[@dpall38]

No disagreement here. You should rank the Rush live albums they are masterpieces as well.

[@cbr9914]

peart's drumming was always very clunky....it wasn't until hold your fire that he really excelled in every way shape and form as a drummer. it's really the only album where he sounds completely comfortable. his best playing on tape is on a show of hands. don't get me wrong, i love all the records, but if we're being honest........

[@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' !

[@Dutchman536]

The man with depth in views , very nice to listen to , even Dickens passes by , It was the best of bands , it was the death of Neil ..................

[@Massivehero1]

For me 2112 is number 1. Rush are phenomenal but the 2112 overture is another level. Only rivalled by pink floyds atom heart mother or echoes.

[@thelastnic]

I would put Roll the Bones, Presto, and Hold your fire below test for echo. The synth period went way overboard in the 80's and I stopped listening to them for well over a decade as a result

[@matiasmov1]

Signals first, my only disagreement, thanks for the thoughtful review.

[@Muni517]

Test For Echo, Vapor Trails - I have the same feelings about these Albums. And I like Roll The Bones a lot!

[@shanewilson199]

I love how the reviews are so off the mark. The review for grace under pressure is particularly crap. And how eloquent is this guy.

[@briancherry8088]

I love the idea of Caress of Steel, but not the execution. I love the sound of the album, but not the subject matter. It sounds dark, and there is some great imagery... but there's Bastille day, Im going Bald, and Lakeside park..... yuk.

[@Matt-fs1yy]

It seems as if Rush's music will decline in stature as time goes by. The hardcore fan base will disagree with this, but it was bound to happen.

[@knowsmebyname]

I really enjoyed Clockwork Angels. Lot of life in this music and just wanted to take a moment to fly the flag for one of my favorites.

[@bmardon2112]

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

[@anthonyburgess3683]

Hold Your Fire was a disaster but Presto was worse. We were told at the time the guitars were back but were lost in a terrible production. For the best, Hemispheres was never bettered.

[@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.

[@cyclesgoff9768]

IMHO “Fly By Night” is the best album cover. 😍

[@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.

[@adrianokury]

I suspect there is no way of counteracting the familiarity effect. My first Rush album was Caress of Steel and it is still my fave. Must be mainly because of pleasant associations with my youth.... Who knows? With The Necromancer they created a fantastic atmosphere, culminating in the epic part Return of the Prince: a basic yet powerful chord progression I-V-IV-V cannot go wrong. The B begs to resolve in E.

[@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

[@WheelsWithinCosmicWheels]

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.

[@pal-of-pals]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@ZiggieZoo]

1) Moving Pictures 2) 2112 3) Permanent Waves

[@neighbourhoodmusician]

Vapor Trails is massively underrated in my opinion. I actually prefer the original. It's a raw sound but it IS powerful and gives the album a forceful identity. The lyrics are great and meaningful and both Geddy and Alex are making real efforts to play and write in a different and unique way. Secret Touch, Sweet Miracle, One Little Victory, Nocturne, Ghost Rider.... loads of standout moments. The remix is fine but it loses all the power and changes the balance of what you focus on during the songs.

[@Brad-S]

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

[@sebastiancrow7815]

Why does Geddy Lee always sing like he's summoning his Gnome army?

[@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.

[@occupywallets9096]

ironically you skipped mentioning Circumstances, my absolute favorite Rush song... WHY???

[@classicalbum]

Too much great stuff to mention.

[@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.

[@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 👍🏻

[@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

[@williamashford2057]

Neal peart was a Awesome drummer.

[@classicalbum]

Indeed he was

[@LesPaul3399]

ya think?

[@gordonmcinnes5055]

Test for echo is standing back, putting something out there and almost finding yourself in the response. A.L. also asserts himself with a fk you, guitars will be prominent approach. An episode of trust? Vapour Trails is possbly just about sky... big and open and motor-biking. Disagree very much on Hold Your Fire (too many good songs) but understand why you say what you do, way better than Counterparts/Snakes & Arrows/ FOR INDIVIDUAL SONGS. Power Windows is an album of conceits - the ideas in the songs are huge. Clockwork Angels, I agree is a farewell, the 2 last concerts I saw them on felt very much like a goodbye (a typo there - GODBYE), yes it feels like a good/godbye. Love this album. Presto sorry, further down my tree, but indulged your comments thank you. The early albums are invested in, in all senses but Caress of Steel would be lower (Collosal? Sadly yes and also no), Roll the Bones sorry no, not a patch on Clockwork Angels (but my brother loves this). Rolling Stone cn go fk themselves, for the record. 2112 is a core part of my childhhood so I/we are bias. Permenant Waves for me is just perfect, as is Moving Pictures, yes this is the sweet spot. Hemispheres is my teenage years and first amazing concert rolled into one, epic yes.