Thoughts on Beats Music's "Intro to Dream Theater?"

[Shine]

I just started a trial for the Beats Music app on my phone and found they had a curated playlist called "Intro to Dream Theater." Naturally I had to take a look and see what they considered to be the quintessential listening for someone who was just exploring the band. Here's what they have, in order:

1. Pull Me Under

2. As I Am (Remastered)

3. Panic Attack

4. Forsaken

5. Lie (Edited)

6. On the Backs of Angels

7. Burning My Soul

8. Another Day

9. Wither (Album Version)

10. Scenes From A Memory, Act II, Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity

11. Take the Time

12. I Walk Beside You

Personally, I think it's a pretty good list. 3 songs from Images and Words seems like a bit much, and I'm surprised at the inclusion of an instrumental. I also think Burning My Soul was not the best choice for a FII song, but whatever. Also the edited version of Lie upsets me.

[Zook]

It pretty much has all their styles. I assume the remastered As I Am is the censored version from Greatest Hit, but was there another version of Wither?

I'd say it's a pretty good intro.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I feel like their epics should be represented, but I suppose that's hard to do while keeping the playlist length under control.

[OpenYourEyes311]

It pretty much has all their styles. I assume the remastered As I Am is the censored version from Greatest Hit, but was there another version of Wither?

I'd say it's a pretty good intro.

There was the piano version and the JP vocal demo, both included on the Wither EP...

good list, I think, other than the lack of Six Degrees... I'd take out Panic Attack and put in The Test That Stumped Them All

[Zook]

It pretty much has all their styles. I assume the remastered As I Am is the censored version from Greatest Hit, but was there another version of Wither?

I'd say it's a pretty good intro.

There was the piano version and the JP vocal demo, both included on the Wither EP...

good list, I think, other than the lack of Six Degrees... I'd take out Panic Attack and put in The Test That Stumped Them All

I knew about those, but aside from being on the EP, they were never used for anything. It would make more sense if there was a radio edit or something.

[ReaPsTA]

Not a bad list.

[Big Hath]

yeah, I don't really see anything wrong with it, especially for a brand new listener.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

For a new listener, it's a nice list. It's got the proggy (PMU and OTBOA), the heavy (As I Am, Panic Attack), the more commercial/melodic (Another Day, Wither, I Walk Beside You), and the completely wacky (TDOE). Overall, a nice representation of the band's sound, and they spanned it from a good chunk of their albums and not just from a select few, so that's great.

I don't think a new listener should get into the epics until being a little more familiar with the band as well, so the omission of, say, Octavarium, isn't a total loss. I feel that once someone knows they have these 20+ minute epics, they're gonna wanna check them out pretty quickly anyways just for the marvel of it.

[BlobVanDam]

I'd say for a new listener it's a good list. About half of it is great introduction, and about half isn't among DT's better stuff, but for a new listener, they're not bad choices at all.
It's not fully representative of DT's range, but I wouldn't go and show a newbie one of DT's more complex songs right out of the gate anyway, so I don't think that's a problem here.

[Sycsa]

If I were a first listener, I'd never get into DT popping in that playlist. Although it was The Dance of Eternity that got me interested in the band in the first place and Take the Time sealed the deal, dragging me in irrevocably, I wouldn't have made it that far, probably opting to shut it off somewhere between Panic Attack and Lie.

[?]

The selection of songs is alright, but I think the order should be tweaked, because IMO it's not a good idea to have all the metal songs at the beginning of the list.

[hefdaddy42]

I think it's great for a new listener.

[mikeyd23]

I'd say this is a good list for a first time listener.  There are a few songs I might take off this list and replace with others, but overall it seems like it would serve as a pretty good introduction to the band.

[gentaishinigami]

Needs more Home.  Every introduction to DT goes better when you have Home in the mix.  I've seriously never met a person who disliked that song, but plenty of them dislike DT outside of that song.

[lithium112]

Needs more Home.  Every introduction to DT goes better when you have Home in the mix.  I've seriously never met a person who disliked that song, but plenty of them dislike DT outside of that song.

Interesting. It's a great song but I would have thought the porn interlude wouldn't sit well with some people.

[gentaishinigami]

Needs more Home.  Every introduction to DT goes better when you have Home in the mix.  I've seriously never met a person who disliked that song, but plenty of them dislike DT outside of that song.

Interesting. It's a great song but I would have thought the porn interlude wouldn't sit well with some people.

It's been a bit awkward at times but hasn't seemed to turn anyone off the song. 

I did have a really awkward moment one time where I was listening to SFAM at work (I worked in a photo studio, it was laid back) and this older lady comes in in the middle of Home and about the time she hit the chair the sex noises started. That was a very awkward moment for me...

[Ben_Jamin]

That's pretty much single songs...not bad at all though
Adding in The Dance of Eternity is the best to showcase their complex stuff.

[Rodni Demental]

It's a fairly impressive set of songs. I know I'd have gotten right into DT if I heard these songs. I do think the more mellow songs should be mixed up a bit instead of all being near the end but that might have been intentional to try and appreciate those after the more in your face songs knock you out. One gripe.. Lie, edited version? Really? Cutting out the best part of a song (The Mirror Reprise and guitar solo) is not a good way to make an edit.

[Daso]

Panic Attack, Forsaken and Burning My Soul could be replaced. The three of them are rejected to a certain extent by a relevant part of the fanbase and while they're good enough to be representative of huge chunks of DT music, I'd really use some other stuff above those.

[robwebster]

It's a fairly impressive set of songs. I know I'd have gotten right into DT if I heard these songs. I do think the more mellow songs should be mixed up a bit instead of all being near the end but that might have been intentional to try and appreciate those after the more in your face songs knock you out. One gripe.. Lie, edited version? Really? Cutting out the best part of a song (The Mirror Reprise and guitar solo) is not a good way to make an edit.

It's a great way to make an edit! The Mirror reprise isn't really as good without the context, and it keeps Lie on-message. Think the edit does have the guitar solo, anyway, doesn't it? I always picture JP playing it on top of that taxi.

[Rodni Demental]

Yeah yeah, you're right it has a guitar solo, the one that Jordan likes . But it's the short one before the mirror reprise, and not the epic climax that occurs afterwards with an even more epic guitar solo (the one that slightly sounds like Constant Motions solo when it begins). You might have a point and it's probably why they put this version on the list, but I don't think it necessarily needs The Mirror to have context, I think it's still a badass riff and epic section without ever having heard The Mirror, and so is an unfortunate loss for Lie imo because it's probably my favourite bit of the song, leaving not as much to look forward to.

[Flacracker]

I would put Take the Time up more. That is the song that really got me into DT.