Rush are Canada’s mighty power trio — one of progressive rock’s most beloved and influential bands, equally at home with sprawling sci-fi epics and tight, brainy radio anthems. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a handful, make them “Tom Sawyer”, “2112”, “The Spirit of Radio” and “Xanadu” — the signature anthem, the career-defining epic, the radio classic and the prog peak. The full ranking is below.

Canada’s power trio

Formed in Toronto in 1968 and transformed by the arrival of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart in 1974, Rush spent four decades fusing jaw-dropping musicianship with real brains and heart. Across nineteen studio albums they moved from hard blues-rock to side-long prog epics to lean, synth-driven anthems — always sounding unmistakably like themselves. Their catalogue runs from the 1974 debut to 2012’s Clockwork Angels, and the fifteen songs below are our pick of the very best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing songwriting, ambition, musicianship and lasting impact across their whole career. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Tom Sawyer” (1981), their signature anthem and the perfect distillation of everything Rush do. Beside it stand “2112” (1976), the career-saving, 20-minute sci-fi epic; “The Spirit of Radio” (1980), the joyous, genre-hopping hit that carried them into the 1980s; “Limelight” (1981), Peart’s clear-eyed meditation on fame; the dazzling instrumental “YYZ” (1981); and “Xanadu” (1977), eleven minutes of Coleridge-inspired prog at the peak of their powers.

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Reliably great

The next tier is full of classics. “Closer to the Heart” (1977) is their warm, singalong anthem; “Freewill” (1980) pairs tongue-twisting lyrics with a soaring chorus; “Subdivisions” (1982) is the synth-driven anthem for every suburban misfit; “La Villa Strangiato” (1978) is their greatest ensemble instrumental; and “Red Barchetta” (1981) tells a thrilling little story of a forbidden drive.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Working Man” (1974) is the blue-collar debut classic that first got them noticed; “The Trees” (1978) is a beloved allegory wrapped in a forest; “Natural Science” (1980) is a hidden prog epic in three movements; and “The Garden” (2012) is the graceful, deeply moving closer of their final album.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with “Tom Sawyer” — four tight minutes that capture the whole band. From there, “The Spirit of Radio” and “Limelight” show their melodic side, before “2112” opens the door to their full epic ambition.

The players

Rush were always a trio: Geddy Lee on bass, vocals and keyboards, Alex Lifeson on guitar, and Neil Peart on drums. Peart joined in 1974 and became the band’s primary lyricist as well as one of the most admired drummers in all of rock, until his death in 2020. After a long silence, Lee and Lifeson returned to the stage in 2026 with a new drummer — a moving new chapter for a band that means so much to so many.

Why they still matter

Few bands have inspired such fierce devotion. Rush turned virtuosity into something heartfelt and human, and their influence runs straight through modern progressive rock — from the prog-metal of Dream Theater to countless players who picked up an instrument because of them. They carried the torch lit by British giants like Yes and Genesis and made it entirely their own. For musicianship, ambition and sheer staying power, they have few equals.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Rush albums, find an entry point with where to start with Rush, or dig into the underrated Rush albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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