Dream Theater Top 100 countdown - 2024 Version! (#01 Up!)

[pg1067]

88. This Is The Life

87. New Millennium

86. Constant Motion
Highest Finish: 18 (pg1067)

I had TITL at #97 and was actually a little surprised it made my top 100 (my list having been thrown together hastily at the eleventh hour).  It starts out nice but doesn't really go anywhere interesting.  TITL came in at #74 on the 2021-22 countdown, so this is a decent drop.

New Millennium is a bottom 5 DT song for me.  Just disjointed and annoying.  I can vividly recall standing in the living room at my wife's and my new apartment and hearing this.  Initially, I thought it sounded cool, but it just never went anywhere.  It came in at #90 on the 2021-22 countdown.

Constant Motion was one of the songs in my 11-20 range that I thought I had a chance to be the high ranker.  It's the best song on SC, and it's not close.  Just pure energy from start to finish.  It came in at #82 on the 2021-22 countdown.



List                                                    Not Ranked         
100                                                   Never Enough (100), The Gift of Music (98), Our New World (93), A New Beginning (91), New Millennium (87)
99
98
97  This Is the Life (88)
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84  Forsaken (95)
83
82
81
80
79  Vacant (97)
78
77
76
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65  Transcending Time (90)
64
63
62
61
60
59  Afterlife (96)
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46  Behind the Veil (89)
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31  The Looking Glass (92)
30
29
28  S2N (94)
27  Wither (99)
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18  Constant Motion (86)
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

[Revenge319]

S2N - My ranking: #58 (+1)
The bass leading into the full band is one of Dream Theater's most memorable song intros ever, and the instrumental TDEN-style outro is very enjoyable. Everything in-between is also great.

Our New World - My ranking: #100 (+3)
Just barely making the cut for my list, Our New World is far from my favorite song on The Astonishing but is still an enjoyable one. The chorus is fun to listen to, and I like the callback to A Savior in the Square at the end. After listening to TA again, I feel like Our New World and Astonishing should have swapped places in the track list. Astonishing makes sense as the closer, but I think Our New World would have ended things on a higher note, and the lyrics would flow together a little better narratively. (In the song order they went with, Faythe waits until after their repeated proclamations of building a new world to thank him for bringing her back to life?)

The Looking Glass - My ranking: #130 (+1)
Very reminiscent of Rush's Limelight, but still a good song in its own right. This is another song I don't listen to much, but despite the low ranking I enjoyed this one more than I usually do.

A New Beginning - My ranking: #37 (-7)
The best song on The Astonishing and one that I would've loved to rank higher. The highlight is the whole second half of the song, from the lyrical climax to the instrumental section to the long guitar solo. But I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention the first half of the song, which is of a similarly high quality. I love the energetic back-and-forth, and how the mood of the song changes depending on which character is singing. So many great moments in this song, I love it.

Transcending Time - My ranking: #71
A View from the Top of the World took a while for me to absorb, and my thoughts haven't changed all that much about it; it's a very solid album, though it has the lowest highs of any Dream Theater album. That being said, the songs here ended up ranking a little higher than I expected. Transcending Time lands in the middle of my AVFTTOTW rankings, and it's pretty good! I enjoy the light tone, it feels lively and brings to mind some pleasant, natural scenery. The lyrics are very good, the guitar solo is cool and adds a brief metal spin to the song, and "traaa-a-an-scending tiiiime" is one of James' better moments on the album.

Behind The Veil - My ranking: #123 (-2)
Not much to say about this one. Very similar to my thoughts on The Looking Glass, minus the Rush comparison.

This Is The Life - My ranking: #84 (-12)
I'll try not to repeat myself too much about this, but the problem with doing a Dream Theater ranking is that there will inevitably be songs I feel like I ranked way too low because pretty much all of their songs are great. Case in point, This is the Life is one of those songs. I wouldn't rank it super high, but #84? Really?? Every section of this song is great, I love the melancholic yet hopeful and inspirational tone of both the music and lyrics.

New Millennium - My ranking: #148 (-8)
Just Let Me Breathe used to be my least favorite song from Falling Into Infinity, but now it's this one. My thoughts are similar to Indiscipline's, in that there's a couple parts I like but is overall not all that interesting. For being my second least favorite Dream Theater song, though, it's not bad. Just not all that remarkable.

Constant Motion - My ranking: #35 (+29)
Constant Motion is awesome, I never got the complaints about this one. The instrumental section and solos are excellent, but everything before and after is just as great. The lyrics are good as well, and in recent years I find that there's a lot that I relate to. Also, I've heard people compare this song to Metallica a lot, but after becoming very familiar with Metallica's first few albums, I don't really hear any Metallica inspiration in Constant Motion.

[jingle.boy]

New Millennium - My ranking: #148 (-8)
Just Let Me Breathe used to be my least favorite song from Falling Into Infinity, but now it's this one.

Worse than YNM AND BMS!?!?  now there's a hot take.

[Wim Kruithof]

New Millennium is a bottom 5 DT song for me.  Just disjointed and annoying.

Could not agree more with pg1067 in here and I rarely ever think a Dream Theater song 's bad. But this one seems appropriate.

My own 100:

094: S2n (Distance Over Time) #94
093: Never Enough (Octavarium) #100
087: Forsaken (Systematic Chaos) #95
084: Constant Motion (Systematic Chaos) #84
078: Behind the Veil (Dream Theater) #89
077: Afterlife (Dream and Day) #96
054: The Looking Glass (Dream Theater) #92
050: Wither (Black Clouds) #99
048: Transcending Time (A View From the Top) #90


not rankend: #6 The Gift of Music / Vacant / Our New World / A New Beginning / This Is the Life / New Millennium

15 Songs in and already 6 didn't make my list. Which also means, 6 of mine didn't make the list eventually.

[HOF]

I made an edit of New Millennium without the second verse, and I like it much better. I also think that song could have worked better as just an instrumental. I still like it though.

[Puppies_On_Acid]

A little bit of catch up to do.

A New Beginning - This just barely squeaked into my list at 100. There are plenty of interesting musical passages, but the lyrics are just......not good. I just wish James had some better lyrics to sing here.

Transcending Time - I had this at 73. Just a good shorter song. I don't really care for the lyrics too much. Maybe I'm just not into Petrucci's lyrics these days. I don't know. I really like Mangini's drums here. The instrumental passage seems a little forced, but I enjoy it anyway.

Behind the Veil - This landed at #88. I actually don't mind the slow build up in the beginning. Petrucci's guitar work is wonderful throughout as is the interplay with Myung's bass. It does unfortunately suffer from the DT12 production and the lyrics are a little meh.

This is the Life - This didn't make my top 100, landing at #111. It's a fine song, perhaps a little too long for what it is. I do love the piano throughout and the guitar leads. James sounds fine here with some good vocal melodies.

New Millenium - This song has surprisingly grown on me a lot over the years. I actually had it at 81. A few years ago I doubt it would have cracked my top 100 and might have been below 125. The only things really holding back this song are the keyboard patches and the length being too long. John Myung is definitely the star of the song though.

Constant Motion - On the other hand, this is a song that has fallen off for me over the years. Now down at 106. Everything is played well, but it's perhaps a bit too straightforward, plus a few sections being technical just for the sake of being technical. Then there's the vocals, I just don't like them.


143 - Vacant
111 - This is the Life
108 - Wither
107 - Never Enough
106 - Constant Motion
100 - A New Beginning
91   - Forsaken
88   - Behind the Veil
81   - New Millenium
76   - Our New World
73   - Transcending Time
68   - S2N
58   - The Gift of Music
50   - The Looking Glass
30   - Afterlife

[Revenge319]

New Millennium - My ranking: #148 (-8)
Just Let Me Breathe used to be my least favorite song from Falling Into Infinity, but now it's this one.

Worse than YNM AND BMS!?!?  now there's a hot take.

You Not Me is only a couple spots above New Millennium, and Burning My Soul made it to my Top 50.

[Jamesman42]

BMS isn't that bad.

[TAC]

BMS isn't that bad.

Neither is PMS.

[Jamesman42]

BMS isn't that bad.

Neither is PMS.

Agreed, it has a good flow.

[JiM-Xtreme]

88. This Is The Life - this was my second-lowest ranking song excluding NOMAC tracks. Ever since Thiago made that post comparing this album to I&W, I've never been able to get past the structural similarity to Another Day which is a superior song in every way. As a result, I have no reason to ever go back to this one.

Does that in itself make it a bad song? No, but for me it does rob it of a unique identity which almost every other song in the DT catalogue has.

87. New Millennium - didn't make my list either. It's fine and has a nice groove and one of only a few occasions where JM brought out the Chapman Stick. Now this one DEFINITELY has a unique identity. But still... I just don't love it. At 8 and a half minutes long and an underwhelming chorus, it outstays it's welcome.

86. Constant Motion - this ranked quite a bit higher for me at 58. Great tune! The song has a great driving energy throughout, an awesome Metallica-influenced verse and some insane riffs! The highlight for me has to be the instrumental bridge that develops into the guitar solo section - but it's not the guitar which is the highlight here, but the rhythm section. The way that relatively simple bass line develops into another fast and crazy line doubled by the other instruments, and how the drum pattern gradually develops and gets busier, and busier... MP is all over the kit by the time and it peaks, and it's simply mind-blowing. I'm glad he's coming back... 

[jingle.boy]

BMS isn't that bad.

You're right ... it's ALL bad.   

[TAC]

88. This Is The Life
Highest Finish: 4 (Evermind)
Number of Top 10 Finishes: 2 (Evermind, Stadler)
Number of Lists appeared on: 42 (Animal, Awaken, Ben_Jamin, CanuckChum, Cool Chris, devieira73, DragonAttack, Dream Team, DTwwbwMP, energythief, Evermind, Fonzie, geeeemo, hefdaddy42, Indiscipline, Jamesman42, jammindude, jeff_kinsley, jingle.boy, jonny108, KevShmev, Lethean, lucasembarbosa, Mosh, nobloodyname, Peter Mc, pg1067, Podaar, ReaperKK, ReaPsTA, Revenge319, Setlist Scotty, Stadler, TAC, The Realm, Trav86, twosuitsluke, Vmadera00, WardySI, weirdo, wolfking, Zydar)

87. New Millennium
Highest Finish: 13 (WardySI)
Number of Lists appeared on: 37 (Adami, Awaken, bosk1, CanuckChum, CharlesPL, Dave_Manchester, devieira73, Dittomist, DTwwbwMP, energythief, Fonzie, geeeemo, hefdaddy42, jammindude, jeff_kinsley, jingle.boy, jonny108, King Puppies and the Acid Guppies, Lethean, mariner, Mosh, MustActFastToCoverUp, nobloodyname, NoFred, OpenYourEyes311, Peter Mc, PixelDream, porcacultor, ReaPsTA, romdrums, Stadler, Toro, Trav86, twosuitsluke, Vmadera00, WardySI, Zydar)

86. Constant Motion
Highest Finish: 18 (pg1067)
Number of Lists appeared on: 42 (Adami, Awaken, axeman90210, bosk1, Dave_Manchester, devieira73, Dittomist, DragonAttack, Dream Team, DTwwbwMP, energythief, Evermind, Fonzie, geeeemo, Jamesman42, jeff_kinsley, JiM-Xtreme, jingle.boy, jonny108, JPZealot, lightningbolt, mariner, Metro, Mladen, Mosh, MustActFastToCoverUp, nobloodyname, NoFred, pg1067, PixelDream, porcacultor, ReaperKK, Revenge319, Stadler, The Realm, twosuitsluke, Vmadera00, WardySI, weirdo, Wim Kruithof, wolfking, Zydar)

I had This Is The Life at #73.

I consider this a perfectly written composition.

I had New Millenium as Not Rated.

I was so excited to finally get FII, so when I first heard New Millenium, it sounded to me like they were trying too hard to make another Metropolis. The whole song is flat to me.

I had Constant Motion as Not Rated.

I don't hate it. The solo section is excellent, but the verses are too close to Anthrax's I Am The Law it's uncomfortable.


List                                                    Not Ranked         
100                                                      Wither
99                                                        Vacant
98                                                        Our New World
97                                                        The Looking Glass
96                                                        Transcending Time
95                                                        Behind The Veil
94                                                        New Milenium   
93                                                        Constant Motion
92
91
90  Forsaken
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76  S2N
75
74  Afterlife
73  This Is The Life
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60  Never Enough
59  A New Beginning
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
36
35  The Gift Of Music
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

[Jamesman42]

BMS isn't that bad.

You're right ... it's ALL bad.   

Giving it a listen for the first time in over a decade. It's not good, but I still like the chorus and some of the verses. The best part is the lead in to Hell's Kitchen, the best song on the album.

[twosuitsluke]

BMS isn't that bad.

Neither is PMS.

Agreed, it has a good flow.

You're about to summon Glasser with talk like that.

[geeeemo]

88. This Is The Life - 23 for me. I love this song (lol - I will say this many times).  I don't usually rate ballads as high, but it has an emotional attachment. It is
      always worth listening to. Except for hard days, when it will make me cry.

87. New Millennium - 72.   This is a groovy song.

86. Constant Motion - 44.  This one is getting better and better for me. The opening riff rocks and the middle instrumental part does too.

[ReaperKK]

New Millennium - My ranking: #148 (-8)
Just Let Me Breathe used to be my least favorite song from Falling Into Infinity, but now it's this one.

Worse than YNM AND BMS!?!?  now there's a hot take.

Just let me breathe and new millennium are awful songs imo

[pg1067]

New Millennium - My ranking: #148 (-8)
Just Let Me Breathe used to be my least favorite song from Falling Into Infinity, but now it's this one.

Worse than YNM AND BMS!?!?  now there's a hot take.

YNM and BMS are probably my #5 and #6 FII songs.

Just let me breathe and new millennium are awful songs imo

Yup.  My bottom 2 songs on FII.  JLMB is part 1 of the "MP Bitches and Moans About Stuff" trilogy.  Part 3 was the first song revealed in the countdown; hopefully, we won't be seeing part 2.

I had Constant Motion as Not Rated.

I don't hate it. The solo section is excellent, but the verses are too close to Anthrax's I Am The Law it's uncomfortable.

Drokk that!

[TAC]

I had Constant Motion as Not Rated.

I don't hate it. The solo section is excellent, but the verses are too close to Anthrax's I Am The Law it's uncomfortable.

Drokk that!

Respect the badge!

[pg1067]

I can't tell you how long it's been since I've heard that song!  Brings back memories.

[axeman90210]

This is the Life- Not rated for me. This one just missed the cut, it was in the final tier of songs that went into my top 100 but finished at #104. A nice ballad.

New Millenium- Not rated and not in consideration for my list. This one has never clicked with me at all.

Constant Motion- #77 on my list. A fun song with some very Metallica inspired riffage (not a bad thing) and a wild solo section

[WardySI]

This is the Life #74
Constant Motion #86
New Millennium #13

Was a little surprised I initially had top ranking of New Millennium but glad to see Fonzie shares the love well done.  I remember hearing the song for the first time thinking it was the shit and (obviously) still think it's a killer song 

[Deadeye21]

Awww no. I missed the chance to participate. Now I gotta wait a whole extra year. Boo!

[energythief]

Rank - Song Name (My Ranking)
100. Never Enough (59)
99.   Wither (92)
98.   The Gift Of Music (No ranking)
97.   Vacant (29)
96.   Afterlife (No ranking)
95.   Forsaken (21 - I was the high vote for this one!)
94.   S2N (No ranking)
93.   Our New World (No ranking)
92.   The Looking Glass (83)
91.   A New Beginning (No ranking)
90.   Transcending Time (No ranking)
89.   Behind The Veil (No ranking)
88.   This Is The Life (82)
87.   New Millennium (16)
86.   Constant Motion (84)


Interesting that of the bottom 15:

   
• 5 were lower than #100 for me
• my sequence of 82-83-84 all showed up
• I had the high vote for one song.

Interested to see how much forther my tastes diverge from the average. Surprised how low New Millenium is - I LOVE the track, such a great groove.

[porcacultor]

88. This Is The Life - 109. Barely missed the top! I do dig it, but I can live without it too.

87. New Millennium - 26. I get the impression a lot of people really dislike this track, but I always have a lot of fun with it. When I read that they wrote it without JP in the room I thought "it shows". Not really guitar-driven (though the guitar parts are still great).

86. Constant Motion - 50. Perhaps my favorite LaBrie + Portnoy duet! Like Metallica, but better 

[wolfking]

I had TITL at number 93.  Yeah, put me down on the not really getting the hype of this one.  The JP solo and the lead in to it is excellent though.  I will say, it was better than I remembered when I checked the album again a couple of weeks ago.

NM didn't rank for me.  Never did anything for me at all.  It's fine I guess but meh.

CM came in at 98.  This dropped from my last list I believe and listening to SC again I realised it's actually not that great.  The instrumental section fucking rips though and does enough to make the 100.



List                                                        Not Ranked         
100                                                    The Gift of Music
99                                                      A New Beginning
98 Constant Motion                             New Millenium
97
96
95
94 Our New World
93 This is the Life
92
91
90
89
88 Vacant
87
86
85
84
83
82 Transcending Time
81
80
79
78 Wither
77
76
75
74
73
72
71 Forsaken
70
69
68
67 S2N
66
65
64 The Looking Glass
63
62
61
60 
59
58 Afterlife
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42 Never Enough
41
40
39
38
37
36
35 
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20 Behind the Veil
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

[Cool Chris]

100. Never Enough #68 - I never took the lyrics personally and was not familiar with Muse, so thought this song was strong out of the gate, on a very uneven album after the first couple listens.
99.   Wither #90
98.   The Gift Of Music NR
97.   Vacant #37
96.   Afterlife #97 - Great performance on SCORE, but ranked songs based on their album recording.
95.   Forsaken #57 - Not a song I listen to much - on SC I usually go straight from ItPoE1 to TMoLS - but enjoy it when I do.
94.   S2N NR
93.   Our New World NR
92.   The Looking Glass #64
91.   A New Beginning #77

[The Realm]

This is the Life - a really nice ballad, but not one I really return to often I ranked this 79.

New Millennium - from my point of view this is DTs worst song. Just horrendous. Happy to see some others also don't like it. Unranked.

Constant Motion - Kind of a bit of a mess and I don't like the chorus but still good enough overall to make my top 100. I ranked this at 90.

[twosuitsluke]

86. Constant Motion - 50. Perhaps my favorite LaBrie + Portnoy duet! Like Metallica, but better 

Let's not get carried away now.

[HOF]

Been jamming out to New Millennium all night. This is one of my favorite DT instrumental sections for sure. It's unfortunate you have to tread through the verses to get to it. 

[The Realm]

86. Constant Motion - 50. Perhaps my favorite LaBrie + Portnoy duet! Like Metallica, but better 

Let's not get carried away now.

This is a classic comment. Love it.

[wolfking]

86. Constant Motion - 50. Perhaps my favorite LaBrie + Portnoy duet! Like a very average Metallica tribute band, but better 

I brought this back down to earth for you.

[Mladen]

I didn't rank This is the life, although I do like it. New millennium is another one I'd save for my list of lesser favorite Dream Theater songs. 

Constant motion was my #71. It's fun. 

[ReaperKK]

I'm running a bit late for work so I'll update OP during lunch, but here are today's updates!

85. Sleeping Giant
Highest Finish: 4 (jonny108)
Number of Lists appeared on: 37 (Animal, Awaken, bosk1, CanuckChum, Cool Chris, Dave_Manchester, devieira73, Dittomist, Dream Team, DTwwbwMP, geeeemo, hefdaddy42, jeff_kinsley, JiM-Xtreme, jonny108, KevShmev, King Puppies and the Acid Guppies, Lethean, lucasembarbosa, mariner, Metro, MustActFastToCoverUp, nobloodyname, NoFred, PixelDream, Podaar, ReaperKK, ReaPsTA, Revenge319, romdrums, Setlist Scotty, SwedishGoose, TAC, The Realm, Toro, Trav86, Wim Kruithof)

When I was listening through some tracks this one actually stood out to me. I guess it's been a while since I've heard the song but I really enjoyed it.

83t. The Enemy Inside
Highest Finish: 10 (Animal)
Number of Lists appeared on: 48 (Animal, Awaken, Ben_Jamin, bosk1, CanuckChum, Cool Chris, Dave_Manchester, devieira73, Dittomist, DragonAttack, Dream Team, DTwwbwMP, energythief, Evermind, Fonzie, hefdaddy42, Jamesman42, jammindude, jeff_kinsley, jonny108, lightningbolt, lucasembarbosa, mariner, Metro, MirrorMask, MoraWintersoul, Mosh, MustActFastToCoverUp, nobloodyname, NoFred, OpenYourEyes311, Peter Mc, pg1067, PixelDream, ReaperKK, Revenge319, Setlist Scotty, Stadler, TAC, The Realm, Toro, twosuitsluke, Vmadera00, WardySI, weirdo, Wim Kruithof, wolfking, Zydar)

Out of all the DT songs this one gets stuck in my head the most, and it's not even close to a favorite

83t. Surrender To Reason
Highest Finish: 12 (Vmadera00)
Number of Lists appeared on: 42 (Awaken, Ben_Jamin, bosk1, CanuckChum, Cool Chris, Dave_Manchester, devieira73, Dittomist, Dream Team, energythief, Evermind, geeeemo, hefdaddy42, Indiscipline, Jamesman42, jammindude, jeff_kinsley, jingle.boy, jonny108, JPZealot, KevShmev, King Puppies and the Acid Guppies, lightningbolt, lucasembarbosa, Metro, Mladen, Mosh, nobloodyname, OpenYourEyes311, pg1067, porcacultor, ReaPsTA, romdrums, Setlist Scotty, SwedishGoose, TAC, The Realm, Toro, twosuitsluke, Vmadera00, WardySI, Wim Kruithof, wolfking, Zydar)

Kind of surprised to see this song so low. I thought it was more liked around these parts. I think this is a great, straight ahead song from DT. Killer drums from MP and blistering solo from JP.

[Podaar]

85. Sleeping Giant 58 on my list. Great riffs, and even better keyboard work by JR.
84. The Enemy Inside Did not rank. Never liked this one from the get go.
83. Surrender To Reason Did not rank.