What Jordan brought to the table is hugely obvious to all and sundry, but let me submit a little theory of mine so you guys can tell me whether I am crazy or I am crazy but marginally on to something.
Among countless contributes, Rudess brought a very distinctive compositional trend, almost a staple after roughly twenty years. Every time a song (or a section of it) acts as emotional centre or as a story's turning point, or is just gunning for a deep personal feeling/experience, they unsheath the 3/4-6/8 (or ternary anyway) signature. Think The Spirit Carries On, Losing Time/Grand Finale, In the Name of God, ANTR's Agony segment, TCOT exit, to This Is the Life, Along for the Ride, HoaTV's Glorious Sound section and other instances I'm probably forgetting.
I tend to chalk this up to Jordan because it has never happened (with such frequency at least) before 1999.
EDIT: Typo Demon kindly go to hell.