Rush Albums Ranked

Rush was a Canadian rock band consisting of Geddy Lee (bass, vocals, keyboards), Alex Lifeson (guitars), and Neil Peart (drums, percussion). Formed in 1968, the band went through several configurations until arriving at its longest and classic line-up when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group’s first tour of the United States.

Rush is known for its musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy. The band’s musical style has changed several times over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, and including a period marked by heavy use of synthesizers. In the early 1990s, Rush returned to a guitar-driven hard rock sound, which continued for the rest of their career. Rush announced plans to cease large-scale touring at the end of 2015, following the conclusion of their R40 Live Tour. After nearly three years of an uncertain future, Lifeson reluctantly announced in January 2018 that the band was not going to continue. Here are all of Rush’s albums ranked.

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19. Test for Echo (1996)

“Part of Rush’s 90s output & I think the more knowledgeable Rush fans know why they went on hiatus, so fast forward to the album itself. Following “Roll the Bones” and maybe the masterpiece “Counterparts,” T4E isn’t bad at all as a follow-up. If there’s one Rush track to throwaway (hard to believe) maybe it’s Dog Years–but, aside from that–the track list is superb; the closer “Carve Away the Stone,” being one of the tracks they never did onstage; or kept “Time and Motion,” around a little longer.”

18. Snakes and Arrows (2007)

“This is incredible. I am a long time Rush fan who loves the early stuff and the 80’s synth period as well. I like alot of the newer Rush material from the 90’s on but alot of it for me is either hit or miss with quite a few filler songs on Counterparts and Roll The Bones. Starting with Test For Echo (their strongest effort of the 90’s) things picked up a bit and let me say Snakes and Arrows delivers in a huge way. The sound of this album is amazing, all instruments very clearly defined (not the muddled sound of Clockwork). The first 6 tracks are simply amazing. Far Cry is one of the greatest Rush songs ever written. The instrumentals are insanely bad-ass. I highly suggest picking this up if you are a Rush fan. This is the real deal!”

17. Hold Your Fire (1987)

“As a Rush fan, it is hard to write a negative review of anything that they do, but Hold Your Fire is not great album. Sure, there are a couple of “popular” type songs like Force Ten and Time Stands Still that have made it onto Rush greatest hits albums, but songs like Tai Shan are ones that Geddy himself pokes fun at till this day. Rush even skipped over it completely, not performing a song from it on their final R40 tour.”

16. Vapor Trails (2002)

“One Little Victory, Ghost Rider, Vapor Trail, Secret Touch (personal favorite) and Earthshine are complete standouts to me and I’d love to hear Rush play these songs live in an upcoming tour. Other awesome songs include Ceiling Unlimited, Peaceable Kingdom, The Stars Look Down, How It Is, Sweet Miracle, Nocturne, and Out of the Cradle. I guess the only song on this album that I don’t care too much for is Freeze (but that’s just my opinion, of course).”

15. Grace Under Pressure (1984)

“Grace Under Pressure” has them using a different soundscape than I was used to, with its heavy use of synthesizers and keyboards. However, I actually generally prefer bands who make good use of keyboards as I think it adds interest to the sound. Rush seem to have integrated them pretty well on this album, the songs are, if anything, slightly catchier in general than in their 70s work but the band remain recognisably Rush. So, to my ears, the addition of the keyboards is actually an improvement!”

14. Counterparts (1993)

“When this album came out in 1993, it marked, for me, The Return of Rush- in all their Big Sound Power Trio Glory. You might have heard the stories about slick production (Hold Your Fire) and thin sound (Presto, Roll the Bones) getting in the way of showcasing otherwise decent song writing and top musicianship. Well, thanks to the right engineer and production team, Counterparts puts the package back together the way Rush is meant to be. Put it right there next to Moving Pictures (no, I’m not crazy enough to say it or anything else is better) but like MP, Counterparts is the Real Deal. Turn it up and Geddy, Alex, and Neil are right there in the room with you.”

13. Caress of Steel (1975)

“My best friend and I have thought we were going bald for years. I paid attention to French history only because of Bastille Day. This is my favorite Rush album. I have to force myself to stop listening to it. Geddy, Neal and Alex are freaking amazing. The music in this album is as killer as anything in the classic rock world. I mean turn it up in the car and let them transport you to wherever your imagination wants to go. Sometimes I listen to Rush while laying out pages. I work for a newspaper, something I’ve been doing since 1982. Rush is an amazing band. Ask the guys who make “Trailer Park Boys.” Even if you prefer more modern stuff, this is one to have in the collection.”

12. Presto (1989)

“PRESTO begins with “Show Don’t Tell” complete with the band’s signature complex time changes. Other highlights include “The Pass” an anti-suicide song beautifully written musically and lyrically. (You should see the video) “Scars” simply rocks with its anthemic chorus and tribal beats. The title track gives Alex Lifeson a chance to shine. “Superconductor” is the heaviest track on the album; although it rocks, YOU should hear it live! “Anagram (for Mongo)” Uh, I still don’t know the parallel between the lyrics and the title, but it’s still great. “Hand over Fist” is another catchy tune with great lyrics and sing-along chorus. The final track is the beautiful “Available Light”. I cannot recommend this album enough. I surprisingly heard a lot of people complain about the album being not heavy enough and lacking another “Tom Sawyer” or “Spirit of Radio”. Cry me a river.”

11. Clockwork Angels (2012)

“This is the band’s nineteenth and last studio album. It was released in 2012. It features several interesting and good tracks especially the last two. The only observation is that the whole work gives an idea of an exaggerated and perhaps tiring extent. OK! Note 7.0.”

10. Power Windows (1985)

“Rush for me was great until ‘Moving Pictures’, they have been changed and i didn’t like the change, i prefer the 70’s prog era which contain many classic. I can’t find any good song i can really connect with, i guess this is not my type. I still bought this album, i am Rush fan and real fans buying their albums, so like it or not, buy it.

9. Roll the Bones (1991)

“Rush’s first album of the 90’s is similar to 1989’s Presto and just as good. “Dreamline,” the album’s first track, is one of the best songs the group has ever written as it ties magic and mysticism with the subject of youthful minds wishing to stay young forever, plus it has a catchy intro, great hooks, and a solid guitar jam in the middle. All of the songs on this release have strength and will leave you with something to think about. Musically, the band mix the keyboard and synth sound with driving guitars, and continue their technique of showing how they can still evolve by adding a rap bit to the title track, and they pull it off with hipness and style.”

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8. Hemispheres (1978)

“It is difficult to define Rush – they are a rock band with a very sophisticated sound. This is not “heavy metal” and the lyrics are always amazing (thank you drummer Neil Peart!). Rush have created some 20++ albums over the years but for me the high point was the 5 albums series of 2112 (pronounced twenty-one twelve), A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures. Everything before then was still good…..but ascending, and since then also good but descending. Those 5 albums were Rush at their unbelievably greatest. Hemispheres was the third of the five. It’s hard to describe the genre – as I said before – it IS rock music, but rock with wondrous storylines, intricate build ups, atmospheric presence and soaring guitar breaks.”

7. Signals (1982)

“This album includes some of my favorite Rush songs, Analog Kid chief among them. Oft maligned, probably in part due to the shift in style and sound from more straight forward prog rock to using more synthesizers and keyboards and so on. The guys in Rush wouldn’t have reached 40 years in their career if they had not attempted to move in to so many different directions. Their changes before the 80s made them great, so too did the changes in the 80s and since that time.”

6. Rush (1974)

“A classic album that contains such anthems as Finding my way, Need some love,What you’re doing,In the mood and of course a classic Rush song Working Man.Although Neil Peart was not on this album it is a good measure of a band that was going places and were already writing classic rock songs delivered by very good musicians.Neil was the missing piece that enabled them to be so successful for so long after this album.It may be a shock for some that Geddy’s vocals are so high but it suited the sound they had at the time way back in 1974.Well worth a listen if not already familiar with Rush’s back catalogue.”

5. A Farewell to Kings (1977)

“very good album by a very good band, BUT look at the timeline – it’s sandwiched between the two stone-cold classic Rush albums of 2112 and Hemispheres and it pales somewhat in such exalted company. Obviously ‘Xanadu’ is one of the great Rush tracks, but to my mind completely outshone by the (live) Exit Stage Left version. Cygnus X-1 is epic sure, but not as good as Cygnus X-1 book 2 (from Hemispheres). And so we come to Closer To The Heart – listen; at a Rush gig I’ll be singing along with gusto, of COURSE, but is it a track I’d just put on of itself like Tom Sawyer, The Trees or By-Tor? Nope.”

4. Permanent Waves (1980)

“Permanent Waves” is filled with inspirational music in it’s short 38 minute running time. It has enough ideas to fill a recording two times it’s length. Here you’ll find some of Rush’s most complex playing, & Alex Lifeson really shows us what an all commanding monster on guitar that he really is! Many of his solos are brilliant ascending crescendos, of intuitive genius! Lifeson knows his guitar better than most people know their selves! Making his guitar an extension of his soul through his body in a monumental flurry of magnificent notes. This may be Lifeson best performance on album! Geddy Lee & Neil Peart are right behind him, laying down a massive foundation of solidness that will withstand the test of time for Lifeson’s soaring guitar! The combination of the three, a pinnacle of masterful talent!”

3. Fly by Night (1975)

“Rush’s self titled debut album was, to many people, not much more than a straightforward, Led zeppelin influenced rock album. While a good album, it wasn’t until they released their followup album, the excellent fly by night, that rush really started to show a lot of promise in the progressive rock genre.

This album contains many of the bands most well known tracks, that are still loved by many today. These tracks include the iconic title track, the eight minute epic, by tor and the snow dog, and also the superb, beneath, between and behind.

This album is also the first to feature Neil Peart on drums, and this definitely shows. This is because the album is much more intricate and interesting, both lyrically and musically.”

2. 2112 (1976)

“2112 was the first Rush album I heard, and when I did, I was instantly hooked, this album is probably my favourite progressive rock album ever. The main reason for this is the epic 20 minute title track, while this may seem a long length of time for one song, rest assured that this is time well spent listening. The track is split into seven parts, all with a running theme of temples, guitars and space federations.These sections are long enough to gain interest, but definitely don’t get boring. Speaking of guitars, they are fantastic on this track, ranging from heavy metal, to beautiful acoustic music, you can’t go wrong with this track. The vocals and drums also sound excellent thanks to Geddy Lee and Neil Peart’s superb musicianship.”

1. Moving Pictures (1981)

“A best-of record by other bands would not match the consistent quality of this; hard to believe that Rush were in such form that Tom Sawyer, YYZ, Red Barchetta and Limelight came from the same sessions. They’re followed by songs of the similarly ludicrous high quality of Witch Hunt, Vital Signs and Camera Eye. I imagine they felt pretty smug when this record wrapped. It is not only a highpoint for the band it is a high point for music.”