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

[Adami]

I'm working on mine now.  By the way, have we discussed yet whether SDOIT should be one song or broken into pieces?   

Surprisingly we have not! We got too distracted talking about how Schiff isn't a liar.

You know, that would be funnier if anyone actually DID respond to it with any substance. 

Not the correct venue for that kind of substance.

Understood and agreed; just making an observation in the spirit of the conversation.

Sorry, I've just seen that particular debate, at a rough estimate, 17,000 times over the years lol

Do you have a link? Because I missed it; I usually get silence when it's brought up.   

This should be a relevant link for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7OdyY1js4

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I'm working on mine now.  By the way, have we discussed yet whether SDOIT should be one song or broken into pieces?   

For everyone that mentions SDOIT being multiple songs I'm going to replace their vote with Barry Manilow's smash hit "Copacabana"

This is the way.

[Wim Kruithof]

And under the moonlit sky wolfking is in a heartbreaking struggle, competing to see which 66 tracks he will add to the already certain top 34 of The Astonishing...

[Jamesman42]

My split for MP/MM albums is 81 for MP, 19 for MM.

[wolfking]

And under the moonlit sky wolfking is in a heartbreaking struggle, competing to see which 66 tracks he will add to the already certain top 34 of The Astonishing...

 

So I think I'll just amend my old list.  Moment of Betrayal will definitely make it, just need to figure out where. 

[jingle.boy]

And under the moonlit sky wolfking is in a heartbreaking struggle, competing to see which 66 tracks he will add to the already certain top 34 of The Astonishing...

 

So I think I'll just amend my old list.  Moment of Betrayal will definitely make it, just need to figure out where.

99 - just ahead of Forsaken

[Cool Chris]

I cannot believe my #5 is what it is. It came out that way through the ranker, it didn't look right on my spreadsheet, yet I couldn't justify moving any song above it. But I look at the list and think "No way that is my 5th favorite DT song!"

I need to stop looking at this list and send it.

[nobloodyname]

I'm working on mine now.  By the way, have we discussed yet whether SDOIT should be one song or broken into pieces?   

For everyone that mentions SDOIT being multiple songs I'm going to replace their vote with Barry Manilow's smash hit "Copacabana"

I mean, I disagree but hey! At least it's better than anything on The Astonishing

[wolfking]

I cannot believe my #5 is what it is. It came out that way through the ranker, it didn't look right on my spreadsheet, yet I couldn't justify moving any song above it. But I look at the list and think "No way that is my 5th favorite DT song!"

I need to stop looking at this list and send it.

Raw Dog does get a bad wrap mate so don't beat yourself up too much.

[wolfking]

And under the moonlit sky wolfking is in a heartbreaking struggle, competing to see which 66 tracks he will add to the already certain top 34 of The Astonishing...

 

So I think I'll just amend my old list.  Moment of Betrayal will definitely make it, just need to figure out where.

99 - just ahead of Forsaken

Forsaken deserves higher.  Moment of Betrayal actually might also......

[Wim Kruithof]

I am one of the very few Forsaken-lovers. Really like it...

[jingle.boy]

I am one of the very few Forsaken-lovers. Really like it...

Forsaken done live was like a bagillion times better than the studio version.

[Stadler]

Agreed.

Two other recurring themes from the ranking:
- There are a SHIT TON of songs on The Astonishing; it seems like every other choice is between a song and an Astonishing song;
- Whoever (here) said "The Astonishing" is James' finest hour (did anyone actually say that?) was spot on.  He sings his balls off on that record;
- Whoever (in the band) said "huh, channeling Muse will be a good idea!" was delirious.  I've said before that the DT catalogue is REMARKABLY timeless, and it is, even with the subtle stylistic changes throughout the years (moving away from that very early QR-like sound) but those songs that have that Muse inflection to the vocals really stand out as "of their time", and not in a good way (IMO).

[MirrorMask]

And one of the two is Stockholm Syndrome anyway......

(Btw, always agreed that James is wonderful on The Astonishing!!!)

[Stadler]

not part of the countdown, but I was listening to "Answering The Call" and it kept playing to the next song on the list which is "Any Colour You Like" from the Officical Bootleg.  I forgot how friggin' good Jordan's solo was on that song.  May be the highlight of the cover set for me.

[Podaar]

not part of the countdown, but I was listening to "Answering The Call" and it kept playing to the next song on the list which is "Any Colour You Like" from the Officical Bootleg.  I forgot how friggin' good Jordan's solo was on that song.  May be the highlight of the cover set for me.

And, he played half of it standing on the wrong side of his keyboard! What a brain that man has...

[hefdaddy42]

not part of the countdown, but I was listening to "Answering The Call" and it kept playing to the next song on the list which is "Any Colour You Like" from the Officical Bootleg.  I forgot how friggin' good Jordan's solo was on that song.  May be the highlight of the cover set for me.

And, he played half of it standing on the wrong side of his keyboard! What a brain that man has...

Yep!  Highlight of the DVD for me.

[Jamesman42]

- Whoever (in the band) said "huh, channeling Muse will be a good idea!" was delirious.  I've said before that the DT catalogue is REMARKABLY timeless, and it is, even with the subtle stylistic changes throughout the years (moving away from that very early QR-like sound) but those songs that have that Muse inflection to the vocals really stand out as "of their time", and not in a good way (IMO).

Never Enough is a top 20 song for me

[bosk1]

I am one of the very few Forsaken-lovers. Really like it...

It will rate pretty high for me. 

[Stadler]

I am one of the very few Forsaken-lovers. Really like it...

It will rate pretty high for me.

Me too.

[twosuitsluke]

It's definitely around the 50 mark for me, but I love Systematic Chaos so...

[bosk1]

I haven't finished my ranking yet (I started awhile back, but lost it part way through the ranker), so I don't know the exact number.  I suspect it will be somewhere in the second quartile (26-50).  Which is pretty good consider that, since it's DT, I REALLY like all the songs in the upper half.

[TAC]

I don't have it wicked high, but I was never not going to have Forsaken on my list.

[nobloodyname]

Outside the 100 for me. Evanescence aren't very good. And neither is Forsaken.

[Dream Team]

Trying to think of how to make it a little more interesting during the countdown other than saying “yup good song”. I think I will keep track of the songs where I am the highest ranker to see if there is a common denominator. If I had to guess it might “more prog and melody than metal” or “Mangini-era song”.

[wolfking]

Forsakens main riff is pretty standard and generic but it's so chunky and its simplicity is part of its charm.

[jingle.boy]

I tried really hard to put it in there.  It seems a late addition from TA (thanks KADE!) may bump it out.

[Wim Kruithof]

Forsakens main riff is pretty standard and generic but it's so chunky and its simplicity is part of its charm.

It is, the only problem I have with Forsaken is that there are around 80 other really, really good songs batteling for the top 25. So it ended up in the 80-range. Unbelievable how good their discography is.

[Revenge319]

No more of this procrastination paralyzing me and wanting me dead, I'm getting this marathon done and I will dedicate lengthy listening sessions over the next few days.

For some reason I was worried that Octavarium wouldn't hold up as well as it used to. Not in that I wouldn't like it as much, but rather that the songs wouldn't be as resonant to me as they once were. I'm very happy to report that this fear was completely unfounded and I think I've enjoyed every song on this album more than I ever have. Even the title track, which has been one of the greatest songs I've ever known since the first time I heard it, has proven to be a greater listening experience than any other time I've done so before.

Ranking this album's songs alone, nevermind their positions in the Top 100, is difficult. I know what's in 1st and what's in 7th and 8th, but everything in-between is so equally good that this is the first time in a long time I've been tempted to give something a tie (let alone a 5-way tie). Of course I'll not be doing that, but I hope I can figure out an order I'm satisfied with.

[wolfking]

I tried really hard to put it in there.  It seems a late addition from TA (thanks KADE!) may bump it out.

The title track? 

[jingle.boy]

I tried really hard to put it in there.  It seems a late addition from TA (thanks KADE!) may bump it out.

The title track? 

[Stadler]

Forsakens main riff is pretty standard and generic but it's so chunky and its simplicity is part of its charm.

It is, the only problem I have with Forsaken is that there are around 80 other really, really good songs batteling for the top 25. So it ended up in the 80-range. Unbelievable how good their discography is.

This is the truth.  List isn't done yet, but I'm guessing spots 30 through 70 will be virtually interchangeable.

[wolfking]

Forsakens main riff is pretty standard and generic but it's so chunky and its simplicity is part of its charm.

It is, the only problem I have with Forsaken is that there are around 80 other really, really good songs batteling for the top 25. So it ended up in the 80-range. Unbelievable how good their discography is.

This is the truth.  List isn't done yet, but I'm guessing spots 30 through 70 will be virtually interchangeable.

Again why I come back to the struggle to understand the time and thought processes people put into their lists, but to each their own.

[mariner]

Added my list.  Gosh that was difficult!

[devieira73]

I sent mine too.