The ONLY Dream Theater Album Ranking That Matters |

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Subscribe to the channel, even if you disagree with my list. Make a list of your favorite albums below and/or make a tier yourself and share it with me on socials! 💪 tiermaker.com/create/dream-theater-album-tierlist-15394434

[@Javisebas26]

My ultimate DT ranking is: 1) Images and words 2) Scenes From a Memory 3) Awake 4) Six Degrees of inner turbulence 5) Train of Thought 6) Octavarium 7) Systematic Chaos 8) Black Clouds and Silver Linings 9) A dramatic turn of events 10) Distance over Time 11) Dream Theater 12) AVFTTOTW 13) Falling into infinity 14) When Dream and Day Unite 15) The Astonishing

[@wyldeman7]

I'd flop awake and train and that would pretty much be it. Nice list.

[@sashinjamir4863]

My favorite album is also Images and Words no doubt about it...❤🔥

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that! Do you like metropolis part 2?

[@sashinjamir4863]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar 2nd best for me...Both of the albums are too flawless...🔥🤟

[@karashimaoficial]

I&W def S tier. And so is Scenes. Absolute classics. And I'm glad you ranked Dramatic Turn of Events that high. Excellent album!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Agreed!!

[@krasimirmitev7713]

1.Awake🪞 2.View From Top Off The World🏔 3.Falling Into Infinity ♾ 4.Train Of Thought🚂 5.Metropolis Part 2🪦 6.Octavarium🎱 7.Images And Words 🖼🔤 8.6 Degrees Off Inner Turbulence 6️⃣🛫 9.Distance Over Time 💀🤖 10.Black Clouds And Silver Linings🌧🐣 11.Systematic Chaos🐜 12.Dream Theater🌎 13.Dramatic Turn Of Events🛫 14.When Dream And Day Unite💭☀️ 15.The Astonishing 🛸🛸🛸

[@brianales5489]

The view on top of the world is much better than D

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Hmmm. Maybe I'll give it a re listen

[@brianales5489]

@ZachAdkinsGuitar also the song of you on top of the world is great

[@vowel2]

When you put my two S tier albums in B tier I knew the video title was just to stab me in the heart

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I'm sorry 😭😭😭 I still care about you

[@AarosConcerts]

Black Clouds is actually my favorite DT album 🙌 A Rite of Passage is one of the finest tunes I’ve ever heard in my life!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that!

[@solarwinds5114]

I would say: S: Octavarium, Images, Scenes A: 6DOIT, Train (both A+), Black Clouds, Dramatic Turn (both A), Systematic Chaos (A-) B: Distance, View (Both B+), Awake, Self Titled (both B) C: Astonishing (C+/B-), Falling Into Infinity (C) D: WDADU (D+/C-) Nothing in F tier

[@OfficialDreamTheater]

I agree with this far more than this video. "Music is subjective," otherwise I would call him an idiot.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thank God I was saved by music being subjective. Otherwise my feelings would have been hurt 😭😭

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Killer list!

[@KISMET...]

I ALSO LOVE THE SELF TITLED, I NEVER KNEW WHY IT GOT SO MUCH HATE

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I know. Like WTF?

[@teeple1877]

Almost called it after you said the name of the first album wrong. But stuck it out because I love Dream Theater content and your videos rule! 🤘

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Well, I have dislexia. Reading sucks for me 🤣 Thanks for staying!

[@gabrieliusjurevicius]

Finally someone likes Self titled, anyway S:I&W, ToT, Metropolis 2, Awake A:DoT, Systematic Chaos, Self titled, Octavarium, Six Degrees B:ADToE, FII, Black clouds C:View, debut D:Astonishing

[@Tramaineguitar]

I actually agree with you on basically everything here 😂 I was kinda doing this along with you, and you ranked exactly how I’d have ranked, besides octavarium. I’d have put it in A, but I also understand your reasoning, the commercial sounding songs don’t bug me too much if they’re done properly.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that, dude. People said I'm an idiot. Welcome to the idiot club 🤣🤣

[@jamesgoldman6942]

Fantastic Ranking - IMO you nailed a Dramatic Turn Of Events EXACTLY how I viewed the album. Breaking All Illusions is EPIC possibly their best song ever. Beneath The Surface and Build Me Up were skip songs. My Rankings S - Metropolis Part ll, Images & Words, A Dramatic Turn Of Events, Train Of Thought A- Octavarium, Systemic Chaos, Self Titled Album B- Awake, Distance Over Time, A Change Of Seasons, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence C- A View from The Top Of The World, Black Clouds/Silver Linings D- Falling Into Infinity, The Astonishing, When Dream & Day Unite GREAT Watch Thank you

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thank you for your rank! A lot of people called me an idiot, but that's cool 😎

[@markovlasic1978]

LaBrie on The Astonishing sounds great, even maybe his best singing on the whole discography

[@nicholasgeorge4156]

One of my favorite solos ever is the best of times. The only thing I hate about it is that sounds too similar to intermezzo liberte by arch enemy but I didn’t know until some time later. It’s still amazing

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Interesting...

[@nickfoster9350]

10:42 the self titles album is in my top three favourite DT albums. Nit a big fan of the snare sound, but JP's guitar tone on this album is godly, in my opinion, and his solo on "Behind the Veil" is probably my favourite JP solo of all time.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Dude. I was just saying that the guitar album was insane!

[@EveReznor]

My top 3 fav albums: Images & Words, Metropolis part 2 and Octavarium. The self titled album I really enjoy, I think I need to give it another listen, because for this moment is in A tier for me. Rest - I totally agree with you. When it comes to The Astonishing I'm kinda torn. One way I really appreciate the creativity and musicianship of it, but on the other side it's lengty. When I want to really relax and unwind, this album is perfect but in a case of really listen to it, ehhh... I don't know. It's a weird one. But it has few songs which I really enjoy. I really can't wait for the new one in February and see what did they cooked up. So far Night Terror really slaps and I'm incredibly excited to see thiem live this sunday.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That's badass. I'm gonna see them in March, Jordan and I are gonna meet up and have lunch before the show is gonna be a killer time, let me know what you think!

[@Axisjampa]

You said that you don't know if Mike has had something to say in Black Clouds. Well, he was the main producer and he even compose the whole six songs without James been in reahearsal. It's the most Mike albums of this century and yes, it felt weird, but because Mike wanted to control everything. That's why he ended up trying to go in hiatus with DT.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Ah. So there was something off, but the exact opposite of what I thought haha

[@dreamtheaterstryper]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar It’s not completely wrong but the reason Portnoy wanted a hiatus was a) because they were without any break on a album, tour, album, tour, album, tour circle for a quarter of a century since their teen years b) he had a lot (!!) going on besides DT. He had Neal Morse recordings and tours, Metal Allegiance, Transatlantic, occasionally The Yellow Matter Custard AND he had just played all the drums on Number One artists Avenged Sevenfold’s „Nightmare“ Album and went on tour with them. Not only was he a bit burnt out of doing too much of the same for 25 years and being responsible for 60% of everything but also was his backstage experience and friendship amongst the bandmates in A7X and Metal Allegiance and The NMB fresher and more joyful as the DT camp who really needed a break from each other just like a marriage needs some breather after more than two decades of literally almost being together 24/7. But I agree: Portnoy was very much in charge until and including and especially BCASL… and I love this record!

[@dreamtheaterstryper]

BTW: normally I don’t give my own comments or responses a like - but somehow this response seems not to accept the tagging of the comment I‘m responding to and therefore nobody will ever read it… 😭😅

[@Feninwish]

Self-titled is one of my favorites too 🔥🔥🔥

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Idk why people don't like it

[@gb9289]

Solid ranking, I have difficulties giving a position to Octavarium and Black Clouds because as albums they feel subpar, but they have Octavarium(song) and Count of Tuscany which are absolute masterpieces. Important note: I kind of agree on the rank for Falling into Infinity, but you forgot to menthon that Hell's Kitchen is the absolute best DT song, so your entire ranking is invalidated and you are wrong on everything else by default.

[@mariorossi5163]

Wow ADTOE in second position? YESSSSSSSS i love this album!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Dude. I've listened to that album so many times. Love it

[@mariorossi5163]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar I answered like this because many fans, when it came out, didn't like the album.....maybe because MP had left?. I immediately loved it! Ok greetings

[@mblair5327]

I also love the self titled.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Idk why it gets so much hate

[@dreamtheaterstryper]

The topic is so interesting that I even continued watching after you ranked Ace Frehley over Petrucci 🤯. Ace Frehley would have really good chances being on top of my „most overrated and actually really bad guitar players of all time“. But that’s not the topic and you didn’t ask for my opinion anyway (that’s why I‘m telling it here 😜). S: -Images and Words, -Scenes from a Memory, -Black Clouds and Silver Linings (AWESOME ALBUM!!) A: -Train Of Thought -Systematic Chaos B: -Awake -Octavarium C: -Falling into Infinity -Six Degrees of inner Turbulence D: -When Day and Dream unite -A Dramatic Turn of Events F: The last four MM albums and the rest of Music in the universe Mangini sounds very close to a drum computer and he‘s also almost as precise and fast. I don’t like drum computers. I didn‘t like his playing on some of Extremes Waiting for the punchline, I didn’t like his contribution to Steve Vai. He can play almost everything including stuff that Portnoy can’t… except the stuff that I love and in the way that I love drums being played. It’s like with Céline Dion: Hard to argue she can’t sing (she might even be one of the most technically skilled singer)… but I change station if she‘s on the radio! Horrible to me! PLUS: Thinking of Portnoy just as DT‘s drummer would be like thinking of Steve Jobs as just having been a Keynote presenter. Without Portnoy it’s simply not Dream Theater! (I‘m a die hard fan since 1992, have seen DT live 1993 for the first time and since for over 20 times more (and Portnoy for over 50 times - and I‘m a guitar player 😅). I went to two gigs DT with Mangini but that was like an empty shell to me! Heart and Soul and Balls were missing. I‘m soooooo happy they’re back together and I went to the reunion show in London and I will see them again in three weeks in Switzerland and in March in New York City. Thanks for the video. 🤘🏻

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thank you for the killer comment!! Very thorough. Also, I didn't necessarily rank Ace as a better guitarist. John is a bajillion times better than Ace. But, Ace is just an important player to me. 🙏🙏🙏

[@dreamtheaterstryper]

@ I love your passion!! I would never wanna take someone‘s passion away! If Ace is important to you I completely support that! Passion and love! That’s what life‘s all about! You gotta support your artists! I‘ll keep an eye on your channel and I will subscribe just now! Dedication deserves impact and support! 🤜🏻🤛🏻🤘🏻

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

@dreamtheaterstryper thanks so much!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@GamingDrummer89]

Hmmm...never heard of "When DAY and DREAM Unite" before, lol. In all seriousness, though, I agree that it's weird how much hate the self-titled album gets. I think it's excellent!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Yea I kinda fucked that up 🤣🤣 I should really script my videos

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I'm also dyslexic

[@Buckeyefarmer]

Crazy to see View From the Top of the World that low. I thought that was the best of the Mangini albums, but then again I think I need to revisit the self-titled one again after this review. Something about the production on that one always rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, yes A Dramatic Turn of Events was modeled after Images & Words. My friend who is also a big fan, we heard that immediately with the opening track being structured after Pull Me Under. We all know what Lost Not Forgotten was modeled after right? Breaking all Illusions? Interesting enough, there was a discussion forum somewhere years ago where people were talking about it and Portnoy himself said he noticed it too. I honestly thought it was a very clever thing to do because they didn't really plagiarize themselves as much as just kind of played off of the structures which honestly gave them an Images & Words Part II in a way. It really was what the fans wanted at that point. Only issue with that album for me is it doesn't sound as punchy and organic as DT albums normally do, but of course, it was all done with programmed drums before Mangini even got there to lay down his parts.

[@dantannebaum5354]

I have to say I heavily disagree with you on most of their albums. My rankings S- Images and Words, Metropolis SFAM A - SDOIT, Train of Thought, Black Clouds and Silver Linings B- Octavarium, Awake, Systematic Chaos, Dramatic Turn of Events, Distance of Time, AVFTTOTW C-When Dream and Day Unite, Falling into Infinity, 2013 Self Titled Album, D- The Astonishing

[@wyldeman7]

images - SSS Change - S Scenes - SSS 6 degrees- S Train - S

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

💪💪💪

[@wyldeman7]

​@ZachAdkinsGuitar oh yea, dark horse on 6 degrees is solitary shell. One of their better light poppy songs. Probably the best one honestly. Kinda gets lost in the mix because it's in the middle of the concept side of the album.

[@ghettostreamlabs5724]

My lists is close. I think 6 degrees is higher, but I'm a drummer and Portnoy is doing some sick stuff on that album which gives it a bump for me. I hate to admit it, even after seeing DT 5 times over the last 35 years, Wait for Sleep is probably my favorite song. No guitar, no drums - just Kevin Moore and James Labrie doing a perfect 3 minute song.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That song kicks ass. The whole albums does. If you could, put yours in a list 💪💪

[@ghettostreamlabs5724]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar S: Scenes, Images, Train A: Six Degrees, Awake, Chaos, Self-Titled B: Day & Dream, Infinity, Dramatic Turn, C: Octavarium, Black Clouds, Distance, Top of the World D: Astonishing (ly bad) F: (none) Notes - I went back and listened to all of Falling Into Infinity and was kinda surprised you didn't like it more. I also have a special place for When Day & Dream Unite which has such a nostalgia factor for me - most prob wont rank it as high as I do but that was my first exposure to the Portnoy/Petrucci combo thats inspired me for 40 years.

[@wyldeman7]

​@@ghettostreamlabs5724wait for sleep + learning to live is as good as it gets. That melody is insane

[@robinzuiderveld]

I think Awake absolutely kicks S

[@gregjgman]

I would have rated Awake & Falling Into Infinity higher. You don’t dig New Millennium, Lines In The Sand, Hell’s Kitchen and Trial of Tears? The same for the last 2 albums. DT got better as the MM era progressed.

[@Metalfan81-q6t]

My ranking is almost similar to yours.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Welcome to the idiot club, apparently that's what others call me based on this list 🤣

[@Metalfan81-q6t]

They cant tolerate other people's opinion.

[@dietersmit6639]

Noooo! You're wrong! I would put dramatic turn of events under S.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

It is under s

[@GLENLYNAS]

​@@ZachAdkinsGuitar 😅....i think he means IN S. Absolutely love ADTOE ❤

[@jedimasterthrash2761]

Too many S-tiers, depending on how you define S-tier. But Images and Words is beyond just the greatest DM album, it's one of those rare albums that transcends the definitions of "metal" and sits up with Angels Cry, Seventh Son, Empire, MJ Bad, as greatest "music" of all time. All the albums post Metropolis pt 2 if you look outside the DM box, they don't stand up to anything produced by their contemporaries such as Pagan's Mind, DGM, Seventh Wonder, Fates Warning, Circus Maximus, Symphony X, Kamelot, etc. Train of thought is the best of those. But the creative spark that made dream theater "dream theater" was lost after metropolis pt. 2. The best tracks after that sound like they're trying to copy metallica or the latest nu-metal band, or compete with A7X. Endless meandering songs with weak vocals without any powerful singalong chorii. They could totally figure out how to make Labrie's voice work with the song if they tried. But the last 20 years he sings the same way my college roommate sang, leading all his vowels off a pushed consonant like he's slurring into correct pitch.

[@diggerd6489]

About right except debut should be higher 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Fair enough

[@Racar420]

Aliens was pushin a agenda and as far as your list it was pretty solid. Except view from to of the world was more of a B to me and astonishing was a C.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that. Thanks!

[@Stev0BabaGhanoush]

No love for Hell’s Kitchen and Burning My Soul? 😢

[@brianales5489]

How you don't mention the Count of Tuscany one of their best songs ever

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Idk 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@brianales5489]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar I mean I think it's one of their best epic songs

[@collinreardon79]

This list is mostly fine tbh. ST in S is awful, it’s B at best and C at worst. Every song is fine but mediocre except False Awakening, The Enemy Inside, and Illumination Theory, which still aren’t like top SS tier of their songs or anything. Also Black Clouds should be at least in B, if not A. Nightmare, Shattered Fortress, and Count of Tuscany are just that good alone tbh, which is over half the album length (which even with only 6 songs, maxes out the time for one audio CD actually). Rite of Passage has a good solo section, although the rest of the song isn’t that good. Wither is good but just kinda sucks when played live. The Best of Times is the worst, but has one of JPs best solos of all time, if not the best. It’s just too good of an album to not be higher.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Appreciate your comment!!

[@adamsilva711]

Disagree with many of these. Especially for distance over time. But it's his channel. Whatever

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Ex-zach-ly

[@leeDs718]

Self-titled, in my opinion, had a very digital and "plastic-y" feel. Coupled with the horrible snare sound Mangini went with (or the band's decision, or Rich Chiky's) was insanely distracting and off putting. The songs are excellent, but no where near an S for me. Maybe a B tier. Lastly, JP's solos were a little underwhelming, and too FX-rich.

[@brandon_925]

S: Scenes From a Memory, Awake, Images & Words A: 6 degrees, A Dramatic Turn of Events, Train of Thought B: Black Clouds & Silver Linings, Systematic Chaos C: Falling Into Infinty, Octavarium, Dream Theater D: Distance Over Time, A View From the Top of the World F: When Dream and Day Unite, The Astonishing

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I can get behind most of this!

[@Rich-jd9up]

Yes. Remember nobody asked you to do it. 😂😂😂 -IMAGES AND WORDS is their peak. AWAKE is a close second. 😉 SCENES FROM A MEMORY , While SOLID , DOES NOT EQUAL QUEENSRYCHE 'S PINNACLE " OPERATION : MINDCRIME ". 😉

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

It's better than Operation mind crime

[@JordanNewill]

"If you don't agree get out" Ok bye 🤣

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Ok byeeee 🤣

[@flrpitflrp1965]

I stopped watching after second album ranked🤣🤣🤣

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Good

[@AarosConcerts]

You’re mental

[@titoxprogr11]

A change of seasons its not considered an album?

[@brandon_925]

A change of seasons is an EP, not considered a full length album

[@ghettostreamlabs5724]

It was so hard for me to remember what was an album. I bet I have a hundred bootlegs (video and audio) and all the concert VHS and DVD's that I've collected through the years. Then Portnoy names all his drum videos something close to the album title lol - it all ran together into a giant Proggy mess in my head lol.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

It's an EP to I didn't include it

[@Dylan-sx4mt]

Nothing definitive about this list

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Ok

[@danielagui83]

Thi inly Driim Thiitir ilbim rinkin thit mittirs

😂

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

🤣