DT16 : The Very Best of DT

[Kotowboy]

Pick the songs you would put on a Dream Theater Best of. It might have to be a Triple CD ( approx 240 mins ! )

I'll go chronologically although i've only heard When Dream & Day once.

" A View From The Top : The Very Best of Dream Theater "

Part 1 : The Portnoy Years

1. The Ytse Jam
2. Pull Me Under
3. Metropolis
4. Caught In A Web
5. Innocence Faded
6. Hollow Years
7. Trial Of Tears
8. The Dance Of Eternity
9. Strange Deja Vu
10. The Glass Prison
11. About To Crash
12. As I Am
13. In The Name Of God
14. The Root Of All Evil
15. I Walk Beside You
16. Octavarium
17. Constant Motion
18. Forsaken
19. Wither
20. The Count of Tuscany


Part 2 : The Mangini Years

1. Lost Not Forgotten
2. This Is The Life
3. The Enemy Inside
4. The Bigger Picture
5. The Gift Of Music
6. Our New World
7. When Your Time Has Come
8. Moment Of Betrayal
9. Barstool Warrior
10. At Wits End
11. Pale Blue Dot
12. A View From The Top Of The World.



Pretty sure that's 11 hours of music. Might have to be digital only

[pg1067]

A "best of" DT album might be the most pointless thing ever.

[ReaperKK]

This could be fun, I'll have to work on a list when I get back to my computer.

[TAC]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

[Ben_Jamin]

Another list for me to do... I'll try it out when I get back.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Portnoy years:

1. Ytse Jam
2. Images & Words in its entirety
3. Voices
4. A Change of Seasons
5. Lines in the Sand
6. Overture 1928
7. Strange Deja Vu
8. Home
9. Dance of Eternity
10. Spirit Carries On
11. Dance of Eternity
12. Glass Prison
13. War Inside My Head
14. This Dying Soul
15. In The Presence of Enemies

Mangini years:

1. Lost Not Forgotten
2. Bridges in the Sky
3. Outcry
4. Breaking All Illusions
6. Enemy Inside
7. Through the Looking Glass
8. The Bigger Picture
9. Illumination Theory
10. Barstool Warrior
11. S2N
12. Out of Reach (gotta have one ballad in here)
13. Pale Blue Dot

Obviously there are many more DT songs I enjoy and from both eras, but these are my top. There were a bunch of songs that would be on my list if they were just a little different; a couple snips, tweaks, changes and they'd be amongst my favorites....thinking of Wits End, Nightmare to Remember, Count of Tuscany, Lifting Shadows, Behind the Veil, Surrender to Reason to name a few

[erwinrafael]

In this time where music is mostly consumed through streaming services where people can easily create their own "greatest of..." playlist, I think a greatest of album would be pretty much pointless in a commercial sense.

That said, I did make a DT sampler in my Spotify:

We Are Dream Theater

CD-length, 1 hour 20 minutes

Metropolis Pt. 1
Peruvian Skies
Trial of Tears
Barstool Warrior
Scarred
Surrounded
At Wit's End
The Spirit Carries On
Breaking All Illusions

Not a lot of heavy in there.    Let's see if this will change with the next album.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

Use a better forum theme?

[Kotowboy]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

Use a better forum theme?

[Peter Mc]

In this time where music is mostly consumed through streaming services where people can easily create their own "greatest of..." playlist, I think a greatest of album would be pretty much pointless in a commercial sense.

That said, I did make a DT sampler in my Spotify:

We Are Dream Theater

CD-length, 1 hour 20 minutes

Metropolis Pt. 1
Peruvian Skies
Trial of Tears
Barstool Warrior
Scarred
Surrounded
At Wit's End
The Spirit Carries On
Breaking All Illusions

Not a lot of heavy in there.    Let's see if this will change with the next album.

I still think they serve a purpose.  If you’re looking to give DT a try and see 15 albums, where would you start?  Plenty would look for some kind of compilation of their best songs rather than just having a stab in the dark.  I think it’s hard to do as their songs are so long but I could give it a go.  I don’t see why anyone would split it based on who the drummer is though.  Most people wouldn’t notice the difference, it’s not like Van Halen/Van Hagar.  I also think most would agree that more of their best material is on their earlier records rather than their later albums.  Just pick the best songs albeit with some variety to reflect their different styles of music.  You wouldn’t want it all to be crazy impenetrable prog metal for the uninitiated.

[dparrott]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

Use a better forum theme?

I'm on the default theme and still can't read it.  Thankfully Windows highlight changes the color.

I made a couple of 2CD sets of my favorite songs after Greatest Hit, but start to finish? Oh boy.  I like to make collections every 4 albums or so.  Next one will be Astonishing through 16.

[Peter Mc]

This is a pretty quick attempt and according to Apple Music, both discs would be 80min (if you knock off the last minute or so of At Wits End after the fade out.  These aren’t necessarily all my favourite songs but covers their whole career, has a mixture of heavy stuff, prog stuff, accessible stuff, both Grammy nominated songs and a couple of the big epics.  Ideally I’d want maybe another couple of shorter songs and I’d probably do that with more time to think.

Disc One

Pull Me Under
Metropolis Pt. 1
This Is The Life
Learning To Live
The Spirit Carries On
Trial Of Tears
Octavarium

Disc Two

On The Backs Of Angels
Misunderstood
Bridges In The Sky
Our New World
Breaking All Illusions
At Wits End
The Enemy Inside
The Count Of Tuscany

As it happens, I’ve almost done separate Portnoy and Mangini discs!

[Ben_Jamin]

Now then, mine would end up having to be 4-5 discs long...

Where it Began:
1. The Ones Who Helped To Set The Sun
2. Surrounded
3. Only A Matter of Time
4. Erotomania/Voices/The Silent Man
5. Learning To Live
6. Space Dye-Vest
7. Take Away My Pain
8. Trial of Tears

1:19:59

Moving In Circles:
1. Octavarium
2. Home
3. Overture 1928/Strange Deja-Vu (I used the "Making of Scenes" versions as SDV does not have the transition to the piano of Through My Words, the last chord just rings out)
4. Prophets of War
5. These Walls
6. Misunderstood

1:09:07

This Story Ends...:
1. Endless Sacrifice
2. The Dark Eternal Night
3. Blind Faith
4. Stream of Consciousness
5. The Best of Times
6. Another Won (Score)

1:00:53

A New Beginning:
1. Far From Heaven
2. The Answer
3. Savior In The Square/When Your Time Has Come
4. Chosen
5. Heavens Cove/Begin Again
6. Beneath The Surface
7. Along For The Ride
8. Fall Into The Light
9. Bridges In The Sky

55:22

WOW:
1. The Bigger Picture
2. At Wit's End
3. Breaking All Illusions
4. The Alien
5. Pale Blue Dot
6. Illumination Theory

1:09:38

[TAC]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

Use a better forum theme?

What do you mean? Yellow font is yellow on any theme?
 

[adastra]

I remember trying this couple of years ago! 
One CD, 80 Minutes, Total Mayhem!

Dream Theater - Total Best Songs Ever (2022)

1. 6:00 (5:31)
2. I Walk Beside You (4:29)
3. The Mirror (6:45)
4. Hollow Years (5:53)
5. Just Let Me Breathe (5:28) 
6. The Glass Prison (13:52)
7. Scarred (11:00)
8. Vacant (2:58)
9. Stream Of Consciousness (11:16)
10. Learning To Live (11:31)

Total running time : 77:44

Wow! Just look at it! Nice!
 

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Dude, what's with the yellow font? I just went blind trying to read it.

Use a better forum theme?

What do you mean? Yellow font is yellow on any theme?
 

But it's easily readable on any of the blue background themes, without going blind.

[RoeDent]

1. Surrounded
2. Voices
3. Hell's Kitchen
4. Lines in the Sand
5. Home
6. The Great Debate
7. Stream of Consciousness
8. Octavarium
9. Prophets of War
10. The Count of Tuscany
11. Breaking All Illusions
12. The Looking Glass
13. A New Beginning
14. Room 137

[Kotowboy]

Imagine a "mega-song" album only

1. The Glass Prison
2. The Great Debate
3 . In The Name Of God
4 . Six Degrees
5 . Octavarium
6 . In The Presence Of Enemies I & II
7 . The Count of Tuscany
8 . A Nightmare To Remember
9 . The Shattered Fortress
10. Illumination Theory
11. A View From The Top Of The World

Pretty sure that actually is 11 hours of music

[Stadler]

Only Kotowboy's is really a "Greatest Hits", since none of the others have "This Is The Life".

 

[Dream Team]

Prophets of War? Wow.

[Lonk]

Prophets of War? Wow.

PoW.

[jayvee3]

Imagine a "mega-song" album only

1. The Glass Prison
2. The Great Debate
3 . In The Name Of God
4 . Six Degrees
5 . Octavarium
6 . In The Presence Of Enemies I & II
7 . The Count of Tuscany
8 . A Nightmare To Remember
9 . The Shattered Fortress
10. Illumination Theory
11. A View From The Top Of The World

Pretty sure that actually is 11 hours of music

Take out The Great Debate, Nightmare and The Shattered Fortress and replace them with Breaking All Illusions and A Change of Seasons and we've got a serious album, albeit one that may take some time to get through..

[gzarruk]

Prophets of War? Wow.

PoW.

 

[mariner]

The Portnoy Years

1.   Afterlife
2.   Pull Me Under
3.   Learning to Live
4.   Metropolis Part 1
5.   Space Dye Vest
6.   Peruvian Skies (live version with either Sandman or Wish You Were Here/Roam)
7.   The Hollow Years
8.   Fatal Tragedy
9.   The Spirit Carries On
10. The Glass Prison
11. Solitary Shell/About to Crash (Reprise)/Losing Time/Grand Finale
12. As I Am
13. Endless Sacrifice
14. Panic Attack
15. Octavarium
16. Constant Motion
17. The Count of Tuscany

The Mangini Years
1.   On the Backs of Angels
2.   Lost Not Forgotten
3.   Bridges in the Sky
4.   Outcry
5.   Breaking All Illusions
6.   The Enemy Inside
7.   Illumination Theory (live from B4W)
8.   The Gift of Music
9.   Moment of Betrayal
10.  Our New World
11.  Barstool Warrior
12.  At Wit's End
13.  Pale Blue Dot

...and yet to be determined off of AVFTTOTW

[Peter Mc]

Only Kotowboy's is really a "Greatest Hits", since none of the others have "This Is The Life".

Mine did.

[Stadler]

Only Kotowboy's is really a "Greatest Hits", since none of the others have "This Is The Life".

Mine did.

Why, yes it did!  You slipped it into Disk 1, you clever dog!  I missed that.  Sorry.

[RoeDent]

Prophets of War? Wow.

I did think about this. My favourite song on SC is Repentance but out of 12SS context I'm not sure it works as a standalone. Same goes with The Shattered Fortress on BC&SL

[BeatriceNB]

"The very best of DT"

Why would DT re-release The Astonishing?   

[Kotowboy]

"The very best of DT"

Why would DT re-release The Astonishing?   

[darkshade]

IaW is the band's "best-of" album.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

"The very best of DT"

Why would DT re-release The Astonishing?   

do I detect sarcasm? 

[Kotowboy]

No. Some people actually love the album.

[BeatriceNB]

"The very best of DT"

Why would DT re-release The Astonishing?   

do I detect sarcasm? 

Humor? Yeah; sarcasm? Not at all. I love the album. To me, it's way way ahead of everything else Dream Theater have made, that a 2 hours long "best of" album is just The Astonishing.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

"The very best of DT"

Why would DT re-release The Astonishing?   

do I detect sarcasm? 

Humor? Yeah; sarcasm? Not at all. I love the album. To me, it's way way ahead of everything else Dream Theater have made, that a 2 hours long "best of" album is just The Astonishing.

my bad; it's not an opinion you hear every day so I thought maybe you were joking 

[jayvee3]

Man, The Astonishing is truly an underrated album. In the day and age of digital media, even if you made a playlist with tracks you enjoy, there is just so much quality music there. I never quite understood those that like some of their proggier moments of the band not liking the album at all - there are some seriously great tracks. I’d love it to be one of those sleeper albums that gets more appreciation in time, but I’m the meantime, to this day, I still love it…