The 25 Best Rush Songs, from Working Man to Clockwork Angels

What is Rush's most famous song?

"Tom Sawyer" is Rush's most famous song, the opening track of their 1981 album Moving Pictures. "Limelight", "The Spirit of Radio", "Closer to the Heart", "Fly by Night" and the instrumental "YYZ" are close behind, and "New World Man" was their biggest US hit, reaching number 21 on the Hot 100 and number one in Canada.

Rush's greatest songs

1. "Tom Sawyer", 1981: the swirling synth and drum showcase from Moving Pictures.
2. "Limelight", 1981: Neil Peart's song about the strange side of fame.
3. "The Spirit of Radio", 1980: a tribute to the freedom of rock radio.
4. "Closer to the Heart", 1977: a short, hopeful song from A Farewell to Kings.
5. "YYZ", 1981: a Grammy-nominated instrumental named after Toronto's airport code.
6. "Fly by Night", 1975: Peart's first album with the band and an early radio favorite.
7. "Working Man", 1974: the heavy song that broke the band in Cleveland.
8. "2112", 1976: a 20-minute science fiction suite that saved their career.
9. "Subdivisions", 1982: a synth-driven song about growing up in the suburbs.
10. "Red Barchetta", 1981: a story of a forbidden drive in a classic car.

Classic Rush songs of the 70s

11. "Freewill", 1980: a song about choice with dazzling playing from all three.
12. "La Villa Strangiato", 1978: a sprawling instrumental from Hemispheres.
13. "The Trees", 1978: a fable about a forest that could not get along.
14. "Xanadu", 1977: an 11-minute epic inspired by Coleridge's "Kubla Khan".
15. "Anthem", 1975: a hard-charging song from Fly by Night.

Rush songs of the 80s

16. "New World Man", 1982: their highest-charting single in the US and a number one in Canada.
17. "Distant Early Warning", 1984: a Cold War song from Grace Under Pressure.
18. "Red Sector A", 1984: a haunting song about prisoners waiting for freedom.
19. "The Big Money", 1985: a punchy, synth-heavy single from Power Windows.
20. "Time Stand Still", 1987: a reflective single with Aimee Mann on vocals.

Later Rush songs

21. "Show Don't Tell", 1989: a funky rock radio hit from Presto.
22. "Dreamline", 1991: a driving song about youth and the open road.
23. "Stick It Out", 1993: a heavy, grinding number one on rock radio.
24. "Far Cry", 2007: a powerful return from Snakes and Arrows.
25. "Headlong Flight", 2012: a galloping single from their final album, Clockwork Angels.

Who were Rush?

Rush formed in Toronto in 1968, when guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer John Rutsey started a band and singer and bassist Geddy Lee joined soon after. In 1974 Neil Peart replaced Rutsey and became the band's drummer and lyricist, and the trio of Lee, Lifeson and Peart stayed together for more than 40 years. Rush sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, earned 14 platinum albums in the US and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Neil Peart, the Professor

Neil Peart was one of the most admired drummers in rock, famous for his huge drum kits, precise playing and long solos, and his lyrics drew on science fiction, philosophy and his own travels. Fans called him the Professor. After the R40 tour in 2015 he retired from touring, and he died on January 7, 2020, at the age of 67, after a private battle with brain cancer. Rush ended with him: the band had already stopped touring, and Lee and Lifeson have not carried on under the name.

The story behind 2112

By 1976 Rush's record company was pressuring them to write shorter, more commercial songs after the poor sales of Caress of Steel. Instead, the band filled the first side of their next album with "2112", a 20-minute story about a future society where music is forbidden. The album became their breakthrough, earned a loyal following and proved they could succeed on their own terms.

The story behind Working Man

Rush's first album found an audience in Cleveland, where the DJ Donna Halper at WMMS began playing "Working Man", a heavy song that spoke to the city's factory workers. Listeners called in asking to hear it again, the record took off in the Midwest, and the band soon had an American record deal and their first US tour.

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

Geddy Lee handled lead vocals, bass and keyboards, often playing bass pedals and synthesizers with his feet while singing, so that three musicians could sound like a much bigger band. Alex Lifeson's guitar moved from heavy blues-rock riffs in the 70s to shimmering, atmospheric textures in the 80s. Together with Peart, they became famous for complex time signatures and long instrumental passages, and a whole generation of rock and metal musicians, from Dream Theater to Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, have named Rush as an influence.

Rush in Canada and beyond

Rush are one of Canada's proudest musical exports. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994, won ten Juno Awards and received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2009. The 2010 documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage and their good-humored role in the comedy I Love You, Man introduced them to a new audience, and their long-awaited Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2013 was celebrated by fans who had campaigned for it for years.

Rush songs for a workout

For a workout, "Working Man", "Anthem", "Stick It Out", "Far Cry" and "Headlong Flight" bring the heaviest riffs, and "YYZ" and "La Villa Strangiato" are perfect for an interval session.

Rush albums to start with

• 2112 (1976): the breakthrough epic.
• A Farewell to Kings (1977): with "Closer to the Heart" and "Xanadu".
• Permanent Waves (1980): with "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill".
• Moving Pictures (1981): their masterpiece, with "Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta", "YYZ" and "Limelight".
• Exit...Stage Left (1981): one of the great live albums.

Rush songs for a road trip

For a drive, play "Red Barchetta", "Tom Sawyer", "The Spirit of Radio", "Dreamline" and "Fly by Night", and save "2112" or "Xanadu" for a long empty stretch of highway. For more, see our road trip songs.

Rush songs for a wedding or a memorial

"Closer to the Heart" is a short, heartfelt choice for a rock-loving couple's ceremony or first dance, and "Time Stand Still" is a lovely song for a slideshow of years together. For a memorial for a Rush fan, "Closer to the Heart", "Time Stand Still" and "Limelight" are often chosen. For more, see our rock wedding songs.

More progressive and classic rock

If you love Rush, explore our Jethro Tull songs, Mark Knopfler songs and Steve Miller Band songs.

A rock song about them

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