Favorite Artists Top 50

[KevShmev]

That builds up the suspense. I cannot wait for the number one. If it is Rush as everyone suspects, then disappointment shall ensue.

Shhhhhh! 

[contest_sanity]

1. Rush

The greatest band ever. 

That is all.

NOTE: Their greatness goes without saying and requires no other words.

I was actually hoping to see a long-ass dissertation describing Rush's unequivocal awesomeness.  Seriously. 

[KevShmev]

I was actually hoping to see a long-ass dissertation describing Rush's unequivocal awesomeness.  Seriously.  

I thought about pulling a David Chase and just never putting number 1 and leaving it hanging, like Chase did with The Sopranos, but did not.  Just like we know Tony Soprano died, you all would have known Rush was number 1.  

Oh, and for a long-ass dissertation on Rush's unequivocal awesomeness, listen to their entire catalog from start to finish today and then report back.

[Nick]

Kev is correct in knowing that awesomeness of Rush does not require words.

[contest_sanity]

I was actually hoping to see a long-ass dissertation describing Rush's unequivocal awesomeness.  Seriously. 

I thought about pulling a David Chase and just never putting number 1 and leaving it hanging, like Chase did with The Sopranos, but did not.  Just like we know Tony Soprano died, you all would have known Rush was number 1.  

You should have just posted a transcription, without the title, of all the parts to La Villa Strangiato and left it at that.

Kev is correct in knowing that awesomeness of Rush does not require words.

But it does require notes.  Lots of notes.

[glaurung]

The whole list for people's convenience:
50. Simon & Garfunkel
49. Boston
48. Metallica
47. Godspeed You! Black Emporor
46. Wilco
45. Sigur Rós
44. David Bowie
43. Talking Heads
42. The Who
41. Heart
40. Dredg
39. Billy Joel
38. Jethro Tull
37. The Police
36. Triumph
35. The Flaming Lips
34. King Crimson
33. Van Halen
32. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
31. Jeff Beck
30. Neal Morse
29. Spock's Beard
28. Styx
27. Queensrÿche
26. The Moody Blues
25. Frank Zappa
24. Death Cab for Cutie
23. Black Sabbath
22. Camel
21. Judas Priest
20. Muse
19. Transatlantic
18. Dave Matthews Band
17. Peter Gabriel
16. Opeth
15. Genesis
14. Led Zeppelin
13. Blue Öyster Cult
12. Kansas
11. Devin Townsend
10. U2
9. Queen
8. Yes
7. The Beatles
6. Dream Theater
5. Radiohead
4. Pink Floyd
3. The Flower Kings
2. Porcupine Tree
1. Rush

[contest_sanity]

Oh, and for a long-ass dissertation on Rush's unequivocal awesomeness, listen to their entire catalog from start to finish today and then report back.

That would take, according to my itunes, exactly 14 hours, 13 minutes, and 34 seconds (studio albums only, including Feedback).  161 songs, 832.3 MB.

[KevShmev]

Thanks, glaurung.

You should have just posted a transcription, without the title, of all the parts to La Villa Strangiato and left it at that.
 

Or just this picture:

Oh, and for a long-ass dissertation on Rush's unequivocal awesomeness, listen to their entire catalog from start to finish today and then report back.

That would take, according to my itunes, exactly 14 hours, 13 minutes, and 34 seconds (studio albums only, including Feedback).  161 songs, 832.3 MB.

See ya early in the mornin'. 

[contest_sanity]

You should have just posted a transcription, without the title, of all the parts to La Villa Strangiato and left it at that.
 

Or just this picture:

They appear to be dressed in character for a performance of 2112.

[sirbradford117]

3. The Flower Kings
Favorite songs: Coming soon to a forum near you.

Sweet!  That might be the long-awaited impetus for me to really begin to appreciate their music.

[Birch Boy]

I was surprised to not see Iron Maiden, but other than that, I had a great time reading it! I will be checking many of the bands out and hopefully be placing a few Amazon orders. 

[masterthes]

Hell of a top 10 list!

[Mladen]

It was a lot of fun to read this, there are some fantastic bands in there, and I really like the top 10! But I've got a question...

WHY   THE   FUCK   ISN'T   IRON   MAIDEN   ON   THE   FUCKING   LIST ! ? ! ? ! ? 

Seriously, there's Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Metallica, but no Maiden! You better have a good reason for such a blasphemy!

[TAC]

I'm not surprised Iron Maiden's not on the list. I don't think Kev's a fan.
I thought Van Halen would've made the Top 30, and I was surprised about BOC. But that's a pretty diverse list, so nice job, Kev.
I probably couldn't name a single song by about a third of the bands listed.

[Zantera]

Maiden>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Metallica

[Zydar]

Interesting list, I must say. A lot of bands I haven't given that much attention. Although my list would look totally different

[KevShmev]

3. The Flower Kings
Favorite songs: Coming soon to a forum near you.

Sweet!  That might be the long-awaited impetus for me to really begin to appreciate their music.

 

  I will be checking many of the bands out and hopefully be placing a few Amazon orders. 

Sweet.

It was a lot of fun to read this, there are some fantastic bands in there, and I really like the top 10! But I've got a question...

WHY   THE   FUCK   ISN'T   IRON   MAIDEN   ON   THE   FUCKING   LIST ! ? ! ? ! ? 

Seriously, there's Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Metallica, but no Maiden! You better have a good reason for such a blasphemy!

Me thinks you need to calm down and lighten up.

I thought Van Halen would've made the Top 30, and I was surprised about BOC. But that's a pretty diverse list, so nice job, Kev.

Hell of a top 10 list!

Thanks, guys!

[Mladen]

Me thinks you need to calm down and lighten up.

Me thinks you deserved it. 

So, now that I took my medicine and calmed down, why isn't there Iron Maiden in your top 50 list? Sorry if you explained it already, maybe I missed the post somehow.

[KevShmev]

Because they aren't one of my 50 favorite artists.

[orcus116]

Aside from about 4 or 5, I can't tell the difference between Iron Maiden songs.

[Portrucci]

Aside from about 4 or 5, I can't tell the difference between Iron Maiden songs.

This. They are just unbelievably boring to me. But I do respect their body of work and dedication to touring.

[GuineaPig]

Aside from about 4 or 5, I can't tell the difference between Iron Maiden songs.

 

[Zydar]

Aside from about 4 or 5, I can't tell the difference between Iron Maiden songs.

 

I know.

[reneranucci]

Thank you Kev, it was a great reading. As summer approaches I´m in a phase of getting new music (although mainly from artists I already know) so your opinions are really helpful (apart from your love for PT, I listen to you anything music related ).

I think I´ll start getting Innuendo, Up!, Revolver, Promised Land  and Instant Delivery from the Flower Kings.


(See how I wrote the album tittles in italics? That´s my little homage to you )

[dedSurroun]

Too bad there was no jazz on this list, but that's understandable. Not too many are into it at all, or very little.

Anyway, good list and awesome thread!

[KevShmev]

Thank you Kev, it was a great reading. As summer approaches I´m in a phase of getting new music (although mainly from artists I already know) so your opinions are really helpful (apart from your love for PT, I listen to you anything music related ).

I think I´ll start getting Innuendo, Up!, Revolver, Promised Land  and Instant Delivery from the Flower Kings.


(See how I wrote the album tittles in italics? That´s my little homage to you )

That is great to hear.  I smiled when I read that.

And nice going on the italics!  

Too bad there was no jazz on this list, but that's understandable. Not too many are into it at all, or very little.

Anyway, good list and awesome thread!

I like a fair amount of jazz, but I simply don't listen to it enough for any of the artists to make a list like this. 

And thanks!

[MetalManiac666]

Great list!

[SoundscapeMN]

jeez, I remember when you didn't really care for dredg, lol.

[Global Laziness]

Alright Kev, of all the members on these forums, you seem to share musical tastes and opinions with me far more than anyone else. So upon seeing this thread, I am going to make it my goal to listen to all the albums of the artists on this list that I am not already familiar with. I'm pretty comfortable with Rush, but just for the sake of completeness, what are your favourite Rush albums?

Anyway, here's the complete list, which I aim to abide by:

1.   Rush
2.   Porcupine Tree
Lightbulb Sun; Stupid Dream; Deadwing; In Absentia; The Incident
3.   The Flower Kings
Paradox Hotel; Flower Power; Stardust We Are; Space Revolver; Retropolis
4.   Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon; The Wall; Wish You Were Here; The Division Bell; Animals
5.   Radiohead
In Rainbows; Kid A; OK Computer; Hail to the Thief; The Bends
6.   Dream Theater
Awake; Images and Words; Scenes from a Memory; Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence; Black Clouds & Silver Linings
7.   The Beatles
Abbey Road; Revolver; The White Album; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; Rubber Soul
8.   Yes
Close to the Edge; The Yes Album; Fragile; Talk; Relayer
9.   Queen
A Night at the Opera; Sheer Heart Attack; Innuendo; Queen II; A Day at the Races
10.   U2
Achtung Baby; The Joshua Tree; The Unforgettable Fire; War; Rattle and Hum

11.   Devin Townsend
Terria; Addicted; Infinity
12.   Kansas
Leftoverture; Point of Know Return; Masque
13.   Blue Öyster Cult
Cultosaurus Erectus; Imaginos; Secret Treaties
14.   Led Zeppelin
Houses of the Holy; Led Zeppelin II; Physical Graffiti
15.   Genesis
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway; Selling England by the Pound; A Trick of the Tail
16.   Opeth
Still Life; Blackwater Park; Watershed
17.   Peter Gabriel
Up; Security; Peter Gabriel
18.   Dave Matthews Band
Before These Crowded Streets; Under the Table and Dreaming; Crash
19.   Transatlantic
SMPTe; Bridge Across Forever; The Whirlwind
20.   Muse
Black Holes and Revelations; Origin of Symmetry; Absolution

21.   Judas Priest
Sad Wings of Destiny; Stained Class; Screaming for Vengeance
22.   Camel
Moonmadness; Mirage; The Snow Goose
23.   Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath; Paranoid; Sabotage
24.   Death Cab for Cutie
Transatlanticism; The Photo Album; Plans
25.   Frank Zappa
Hot Rats; Apostrophe ('); The Grand Wazoo
26.   The Moody Blues
In Search of the Lost Chord; To Our Children's Children's Children; Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
27.   Queensrÿche
Promised Land; Operation: Mindcrime; Empire
28.   Styx
The Grand Illusion; Pieces of Eight; Equinox
29.   Spock’s Beard
V; Snow; Beware of Darkness
30.   Neal Morse
?; Testimony; Neal Morse

31.   Jeff Beck
Blow by Blow; Wired; Who Else!; You Had it Coming
32.   Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Black Moon; Trilogy
33.   Van Halen
Van Halen; For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; Fair Warning
34.   King Crimson
The Power to Believe; Red; Discipline
35.   The Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin; At War with the Mystics
36.   Triumph
Allied Forces; Thunder Seven
37.   The Police
Synchronicity; Ghost in the Machine
38.   Jethro Tull
Aqualung; Songs from the Wood
39.   Billy Joel
The Stranger; Turnstiles
40.   dredg
The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion; El Cielo

41.   Heart
Dreamboat Annie; Little Queen
42.   The Who
Quadrophenia; Tommy
43.   Talking Heads
Remain in Light; Fear of Music
44.   David Bowie
Low; “Heroes”
45.   Sigur Rós
( ); Takk...
46.   Wilco
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; Summerteeth
47.   Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven; Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls
48.   Metallica
Master of Puppets; Ride the Lightning
49.   Boston
Boston; Don't Look Back
50.   Simon & Garfunkel
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; Bridge over Troubled Water


Honourable Mentions:
OSI, Liquid Tension Experiment, Faith No More, Foo Fighters, Ozzy Osbourne, Supertramp, Arcade Fire, Walter Trout, Steely Dan, Herbie Hancock, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Doors

[KevShmev]

Alright Kev, of all the members on these forums, you seem to share musical tastes and opinions with me far more than anyone else. So upon seeing this thread, I am going to make it my goal to listen to all the albums of the artists on this list that I am not already familiar with. I'm pretty comfortable with Rush, but just for the sake of completeness, what are your favourite Rush albums?

That is great to hear; you are bound to discover some new (to you) great music!

Had I done a favorite albums list for Rush, like I did for all of the others, the albums I would have listed would have been:

Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Counterparts, 2112, Power Windows, Hemispheres and A Farewell to Kings

[Global Laziness]

Awesome, thanks.

[contest_sanity]

Had I done a favorite albums list for Rush, like I did for all of the others, the albums I would have listed would have been:

Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Counterparts, 2112, Power Windows, Hemispheres and A Farewell to Kings

Good to see Counterparts getting the love it deserves.

[skydivingninja]

Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Counterparts, 2112, Power Windows, Hemispheres and A Farewell to Kings

Those are my favorites too, just add Snakes & Arrows.

[Global Laziness]

Yeah, Snakes and Arrows is pretty solid.

[KevShmev]

Awesome, thanks.

No prob.

Good to see Counterparts getting the love it deserves.

 

Those are my favorites too, just add Snakes & Arrows.

S&A would probably be 10 or 11 on my whole Rush list.  Aside from those already mentioned, I prefer Grace Under Pressure, Signals and probably Hold You Fire to it.  Still a rock solid disc, though.