History AwesomeMusic / RushBand

This Canadian power-rock trio has 19 albums worth of proof that they're the best band from CanadaEh. But here are just a few examples:

** [[https://youtu.be/-YBp4hv91CI "Finding My Way"]], the opening track on the album. A great way to introduce the band, with its fade in intro setting the tone for a great rocker.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YBp4hv91CI "Finding My Way"]], the opening track on the album. A great way to introduce the band, with its fade in intro setting the tone for a great rocker.
** Live staple [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RIJsQsdgiw "In the Mood"]], thanks in no part to its chorus. "Hey baby it's a quarter to eight..."
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBBUOVx8P5s "Here Again"]] has a nice bluesy melody, but Geddy's raw, passionate singing secures a place here.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrxzRFj03Ro "Working Man"]], which brought Rush to mainstream attention. With its great heavy metal riff and awesome instrumental jamming, it's not hard to see why. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70jQ2uPO_Q The version]] played on the Time Machine tour is also great. It starts off as reggae, until Geddy realizes that he could live his life a lot better than he thinks he is. The ending is also fantastic. "They call me the working MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN..."

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9h2H5Sgzfw "Anthem"]] blasts right out of the gate with its heavy riff (Some even say it's the first ThrashMetal song!) and great vocals. "Wonders in the world they... WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGHHHHHHHHHHHT!"
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT7dciHZGfg title track]], Rush's highest selling song, is another classic earworm.
** And then we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL1zl-K8fF8 "By-Tor and the Snow Dog"]], their first multi-part song. It has a similar structure to "Working Man" (brief vocal part, instrumental jam, another brief part) and works just as well.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW72Gmqjse4 "Bastille Day"]], which proudly continues the tradition of opening with a hard rocker, and it really works.
** The first of the band's 20-minute epics, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mC7j-fxqfs "The Fountain of Lamneth"]], is also awesome, if a bit less well-known than the later epics.

** The legendary [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZm1_jtY1SQ title track]], particularly the "Overture/Temples of Syrinx" section, is nothing more than pure awesome, from its whooshing synth intro to the distorted vocals at the end.

* From ''Music/AFarewellToKings'': the epic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLh3A6AqmUs Xanadu]]", one of the band's most highly-regarded epics inspired by a [[WhatCouldHaveBeen legendarily unfinished]] [[Literature/KublaKhan poem]] by Creator/SamuelTaylorColeridge, and the perennial rock radio staple "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDRPtg0kmJU Closer to the Heart]]".

** The album provides Rush's third [[EpicRocking 20-minute]] epic with the album's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_6N0osLCI title track]], which opens with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkIIlkyZ328 "Cygnus X-1 Part 1: The Voyage"]] (from the previous album, ''Music/AFarewellToKings'').
** The B-side gives us the epic {{instrumental}} "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWue-XcFFxw La Villa Strangiato]]", which may be even more complicated than "YYZ" (whose difficulty to perform is a RunningGag in Creator/{{FX|Networks}}'s animated comedy ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'').

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBinohXHLc "The Spirit of Radio"]], from the album ''Music/PermanentWaves'', is an anthem for radio music in all of its glory, and all of its sellouts. It's both a criticism of rock music, and a celebration of how it makes us feel, wrapped between layers of [[EpicRiff prog rock guitar]].
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auLBLk4ibAk "Tom Sawyer"]]. Think about every movie or TV show you've ever seen it in. It's always used to accompany some badass moment. In fact, the whole ''Music/MovingPicturesAlbum'' is a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for rock music as a whole. ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jr7llQ6gNQ YouTube link of whole album]]).

** The '80s high school nerd anthem, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhF1Z40Ua20 "Subdivisions"]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQRShD0xuAk "New World Man"]], the band's only Top 40 hit in the US and number one hit in Canada.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYlhiLEN_dI "Digital Man"]] has one of the best basslines in the band's history, which is REALLY saying a lot.
** The song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5vPrrnb6tw "Countdown"]] would be cool by itself with wicked drums, a lot of cool synthesizer bits, and the lyrics themselves, not to mention the fact that it's about the flipping first ever space shuttle launch- but what makes it truly awesome is the pitch-perfect integration of the actual launch audio!
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFykNMqaws Losing It]]. A depressing song about breaking down, but contains an amazing violin piece.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrDj5XvZXX4 Distant Early Warning]], anyone? If that song doesn't make you "air-keyboard", nothing will.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXDi_f9PUY Red Sector A]]", a heartbreaking song inspired by the Holocaust (although with lyrics intentionally ambiguous enough to refer to any prison camp scenario), is one of Rush's finest songs of TheEighties.
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aalJT3GS_m8 Afterimage]].
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6-ViPrEeFk THE ENEMY WITHIN]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQgu0MpnKq8 "The Big Money"]], a very catchy MoneySong with some great guitar, bass, and synth riffs.
** Anyone wish to deride anything Rush did after ''Signals''? Here, try [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYiFrb7tWEM "Mystic Rhythms"]] on for size. Yep, the thickest of the thick '80s, but still an awe-inspiring racket...
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvM387NJTYg TERRITORIES.]] ''Especially'' the repeating slap bass solo at the end of the song.
** Ignoring the cheesy '80s synths, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4gG4F5z4OI "Emotion Detector"]] has some the best lyrics Neil Peart has ever written and contains one of Alex Lifeson's best guitar solos. Geddy Lee's singing on this song is really good as well.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLgkJ5Gtwos "Mission"]] is the zenith, with a massive synth pad filling out the choruses and a part in the interlude which appears to be a reference to the ''Series/MissionImpossible'' theme. And the lyrics aren't bad either.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGsQ5n9Qu0A "Time Stand Still"]] is pretty much a straight up pop-rock song, but the lyrics and the beautiful voice from collaborating singer Aimee Mann makes this one of their all time best songs. Even fans who hate on the "synth-era" material absolutely adore this song.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCn7DyDCLyc "Force Ten"]] is impossible not to sing along to. Tough times demand tough talk, indeed.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1BJITyRQ8s "Prime Mover"]] is easily one of their most uplifting songs ever. A Rush song that is guaranteed to make you dance.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLGgzN8Kd7Q "Lock and Key"]] is a dark track with a very catchy chorus. You also can't forget Alex Lifeson's absolutely ''wicked'' guitar solo.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfT2jg4yww "High Water"]] is the closing track for ''Hold Your Fire'' and it is definitely one of the more unique songs the band has done. Special mention goes out to the opening drum beat and how the guitars get heavier and heavier each verse. A perfect end to Rush's "synth era".

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbBf0c-NaN4 "The Pass"]]. If the lyrics don't give you chills after listening to this song, then you may not have a soul. The band themselves consider it one of their personal favorites and Neil Peart in the "The Boys in Brazil" documentary on the ''Rush in Rio'' DVD mentions that he can never play the song without getting emotional and calls the song "one of our better crafted ones".
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuqSjKgq3Sk "Chain Lightning"]]. The opening guitar riff alone makes this song one of their most beautiful compositions and the lyrics are a real tear-jerker since Neil wrote it about watching a meteor shower alone with his late daughter.
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNLc41ArS-k title track]] of that album is also severely underrated - it was not performed live for 21 years after the release of the album, but when it was brought in on the Time Machine tour, it was suitably epic.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHp2tgYYxc Available Light]] can give someone chills, especially on that mournful high note Geddy hits every time he sings "in the available light."

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiIPe9ow-BI "Show Don't Tell".]] For years, fans had been disappointed by how Alex was taking a backseat to the synthesizers. Well, the opening beings with a soft, quiet synth part before suddenly, Alex JUMPS right in with an {{epic riff}}. Taking it a step further, every instrument is playing the exact same riff!
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYP5XP0Rlk "Superconductor"]]. An upbeat pop song that is just plain fun to play over and over again.

** The awesome opener [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYCOCIHObtg "Dreamline"]], the lyrical masterpiece [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8IUJBgy4-c "Bravado"]], the badass instrumental [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOj0eO3zCbc "Where's My Thing?"]], and the gorgeous [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgqkhArHBHM "Ghost of a Chance"]] are the must-listens off this album.
** Then there is the most controversial song in the band's career, the title track [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkiYZz_ieyg "Roll the Bones"]]. The song is (in)famous for the rap verse and the video with the rapping skeleton. Love it or hate it, you can't deny it is very funky and catchy as well.

** The lesser known [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6D4mxbUnmg "Double Agent"]] has an AMAZING chorus and these spoken parts in between the bridges and chorus, that sound like they are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBXWkV9yOJE "Stick it Out"]] has some wonderfully heavy, {{grunge}}-inspired riffs on guitar and bass.
** And then there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULLZJfwvJXk "Cut to the Chase"]]. Not recommended for driving, it may end up with you being pulled over for speeding. Seriously, it's that adrenaline pumping.
** Pretty much all of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH8n-_HRnZc Counterparts]]'', really, starting with Neil's face-smacking drum intro on "Animate".

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw4nCUnqXuw "YYZ"]] from ''Rush in Rio''. This was the first time Rush ever played in Brazil and the screamingly eager 60,000 fans filling the soccer stadium are all joyously singing along -- to an INSTRUMENTAL.
* Pretty much all of ''Music/VaporTrails'', especially in context with what happened before: Shortly after the release of the extremely weak ''Music/TestForEcho'', Neil Peart suffered two back-to-back tragedies, as his daughter died in a car accident, and then his wife died of cancer. For a few years, it seemed as though Rush was done, until they got back together, and recorded ''Vapor Trails'', a comeback in every sense of the word, to the point of even being lampshaded by the song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3P7u4JuqdY Sweet Miracle]]".

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiwmOAJs67g The title track]] is nothing short of amazing. It's EXTREMELY dynamic, and if you've never heard it, your mindset will change maybe once every 30 seconds or so. Then there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JUK-P1_xqw the live version]], now with 100% more string ensemble. If you don't have goosebumps by the end of this, you're lying.
** The last song in the band's repertoire, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cosJSZrBffk "The Garden"]], is a beautiful TearJerker that makes for a perfect closer to the band's epic career. It would also be a great pick for a song to play at Rush fan's funeral.

* Off the very underrated ''Music/{{Presto}}'' album:

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auLBLk4ibAk "Tom Sawyer"]]. Think about every movie or TV show you've ever seen it in. It's always used to accompany some badass moment. In fact, the whole ''Music/MovingPictures'' album is a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for rock music as a whole. ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jr7llQ6gNQ YouTube link of whole album]]).

* ''Music/{{Hemispheres}}'' provides Rush's third [[EpicRocking 20-minute]] epic with the album's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_6N0osLCI title track]], which opens with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkIIlkyZ328 "Cygnus X-1 Part 1: The Voyage"]] (from the previous album, ''Music/AFarewellToKings''). As for the B-side of ''Hemispheres'', it gives us the epic {{instrumental}} "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWue-XcFFxw La Villa Strangiato]]", which may be even more complicated than "YYZ" (whose difficulty to perform is a RunningGag in Creator/{{FX|Networks}}'s animated comedy ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'').
** ''The Trees'' has an awesome story with a humorous twist, with Alex playing some fine acoustic guitar before belting out some great electric guitar playing. Geddy’s vocals fit right in with a wink and a “They got what they asked for” attitude. Also notable for being different type of song that is still noticeably Rush.

** Even Bubbles from ''Series/TrailerParkBoys'' gets to make a [[https://youtu.be/HIT9l0l_UD4?t=229 vocal cameo]] in the R40 version with "Who's in a Rush song?"

* Their second album, ''Fly by Night'', brought in new drummer Neil Peart, a more progressive sound, and awesomeness aplenty.

* ''Caress of Steel'' was poorly received, but still gave us some awesome tunes.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYlhiLEN_dI "Digital Man"]]. DAT BASS LINE.

* Anyone wish to deride anything Rush did after ''Signals''? Here, try [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYiFrb7tWEM "Mystic Rhythms"]] on for size. Yep, the thickest of the thick '80s, but still an awe-inspiring racket...

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvM387NJTYg TERRITORIES.]] ''Especially'' the repeating slap bass solo at the end of the song.
** Ignoring the cheesy '80s synths, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4gG4F5z4OI "Emotion Detector"]] has some the best lyrics Neil Peart has ever written and contains one of Alex Lifeson's best guitar solos. Geddy Lee's singing on this song is really good as well.
** The entire ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7WAmYykwyk Power Windows]]'' album is 100% awesome from start to finish. The "Show of Hands" version of "Marathon" in particular is more epic than the studio recording.

%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQgu0MpnKq8 Big Money go AROUND THE WORLD! Big Money underground!!]]

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBXWkV9yOJE STICK IT OUT! DON'T SWALLOW YOUR ANGER! SPIT IT OUT! DON'T SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE!]]

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiwmOAJs67g The title track]] is nothing short of amazing. The song is EXTREMELY dynamic, and if you've never heard the song, your mindset will change maybe once every 30 seconds or so. Then there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JUK-P1_xqw the live version]], now with 100% more string ensemble. If you don't have goosebumps by the end of this, you're lying.

* The title track of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiwmOAJs67g Clockwork Angels]]'' is nothing short of amazing. The song is EXTREMELY dynamic, and if you've never heard the song, your mindset will change maybe once every 30 seconds or so. Then there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JUK-P1_xqw the live version]], now with 100% more string ensemble. If you don't have goosebumps by the end of this, you're lying.

* From ''A Farewell to Kings'': the epic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLh3A6AqmUs Xanadu]]", one of the band's most highly-regarded epics inspired by a [[WhatCouldHaveBeen legendarily unfinished]] [[Literature/KublaKhan poem]] by Creator/SamuelTaylorColeridge, and the perennial rock radio staple "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDRPtg0kmJU Closer to the Heart]]".

* ''Music/{{Hemispheres}}'' provides Rush's third [[EpicRocking twenty-minute]] epic with the album's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_6N0osLCI title track]], which opens with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkIIlkyZ328 "Cygnus X-1 Part 1: The Voyage"]] (from the previous album, ''Music/AFarewellToKings''). As for the B-side of ''Hemispheres'', it gives us the epic {{instrumental}} "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWue-XcFFxw La Villa Strangiato]]", which may be even more complicated than "YYZ" (whose difficulty to perform is a RunningGag in Creator/{{FX|Networks}}'s animated comedy ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'').