Time for a new Rush thread. These are my 10 favorite records by the greatest rock trio of all time in order, though the order changes from time to time.

1. Hemispheres
The perfect Rush album. Imo, the best Rush "story side", the best instrumental ever, and 2 classics in between.

2. Moving Pictures
Obviously the greatest commercial Rush album, and still never gets old.

3. Permanent Waves
Another perfect album.

4. 2112
Perfect ending to the first Rush 4-album era, and the perfect start to the next phase.

5. A Farewell To Kings
Speaking of the next era... My favorite Rush song is on this album.

6. Grace Under Pressure
Never get tired of side 2.

7. Power Windows
Again, love side 2.

8. Signals
Start of era 3, and all songs are great.

9. Presto
Underrated, imo, but full of great songs.

10. Vapor Trails
Again, underrated, but packed with songs I never get tired of.


Had to leave off some great albums, but that's my list.

I will disagree with you:

1) 2112- such a fantastic job of writing and music. So different from almost everything else.

2) Clockwork Angels- a real return to rockin Rush with complex drum/bass and meaningful and moving songs.

3) Moving Pictures- nothing to add on this one

4) Signals- really started to lean into their proggy side on this one

5) Hold Your Fire- tons of catchy great songs on this one.

After that they all kind of even out for me.

I first heard of Rush in 1980 when I was 10 and Tom Sawyer was getting Top 40 airplay.

Later, in Saudi Arabia, I got into some of the earlier tapes and working in Austin in the 1990s, bought all the Rush CDs I could get my hands on so, for some of the albums, it kind of depends when I learned about them and listened to them a lot.

Flame away, I'm going:
1 - Moving Pictures
2 - Rush
3 - Signals
4 - Test for Echo
5 - A Farewell to Kings
6 - Hemispheres
7 - Permanent Waves
8 - 2112
9 - Grace Under Pressure
10 - Counterparts

First exposure to Rush was 1979. I had been a drummer for about a year. Another drummer introduced me to 2112. That was it. Hooked.

-------- Fair to say my top 5 are all from one era1976-1981 ----------------------


Moving Pictures - just right in my wheelhouse, 15 when it came out. I consider the A side perfection.

2112 - again that A side I listened to it over and over again

Permanent Waves - a little more radio friendly but it worked

Hemispheres - absolute classics

A Farewell to Kings - not quite as epic but signs of what ws to come


------- then this one -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Clockwork Angels - this was so unexpected at that point in their careers and they absolutely nailed it. A true concept album and complete story. They did the entire album in the CA tour (except for BU2B and BU2B2)

-------- the rest are from the 80s era after MP -----------------------

Grace Under Pressure

Power Windows

Signals

Hold Your Fire


Of the remaining: I like the first three classic albums a lot more than the next four released - Presto through Test For Echo. those really tested my resolve but I like some stuff from them. Vapor Trails was a return to a harder rock sound and better. Snakes and Arrows was ok.

If I was to rank those it would be

Rush
Fly By Night
Caress of Steel
Vapor Trails
Snakes and Arrows
Presto
Roll the Bones
Test for Echo
Counterparts

You must have been in the fan club and got an early preview of Tom Sawyer since it didn't come out until 1981.

My favorite albums list changes over time. I can do the list today and next year do it again and it will be different.

maroon barchetta said:

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You must have been in the fan club and got an early preview of Tom Sawyer since it didn't come out until 1981.

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Cold busted. Faulty memories of a 10 year old.

Moving Pictures came out in Feb. '81. I was still 10 y/o when Tom Sawyer was released as a single in May '81.

I knew it was before 6th Grade in KSA.

Somewhere in those top 10s should be ESL.

I always thought the initial album was their best. Obviously, when Neil came on board they really became popular and took off, but always wondered how they might have evolved if they had stuck to the raw, non-psuedo intellectual progressive genre they helped create.

It was some of the best sounding stuff KMAC, 630AM was broadcasting at the time.

Sounded great in the Corvair Spyder whilst cruising around BCS...

Mathguy64 said:

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Somewhere in those top 10s should be ESL.

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This is a good point.

Live albums.

The A team

Hemispheres
A Farewell to Kings
Permanent Waves
ESL
Moving Pictures

Next up

Moving Pictures 40
CA
2112
R40. Not because it's the best. But it's the last. The last album and the last time I saw them.
Rush in Rio. Because you can't have a top 10 without a 10 minute long Neil Peart solo.


Best song: Xanadu. Rick Beato and I agree 100%.
Most underrated album: Caress of Steel. The studio execs hated it and it got them to make 2112 as a great big FU. And it was so big it gave them the freedom to blaze their own trail.

The videos are a whole different category.

When I was in the Disney Computer Operator poker game, one of the guys who would host in Anaheim would put on various live DVDs while we were playing. I never minded busting out when Rush in Rio was on.

Rush in Rio is such a good concert. Best crowd ever.

Everything up to and including Power Windows. Thats top 13 technically, but who's counting?

Permanent Waves is my number 1 of that bunch.