10 Greatest Classic Rock Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die
7. Moving Pictures - Rush
As the 80's were dawning, Rush had been cruising along as one of the greatest prog bands of the era. With their masterpiece 2112 buying the band their freedom, they used their next few albums as an opportunity to touch on any genre they could tackle.
Even when music was changing around them, the band found ways to infiltrate the mainstream world in their own unique way. Though prog fans may revel at the band's earlier records, Moving Pictures was truly where everything came together for the band. Instead of relying on 20-minute song exercises, the tracks on this album are tight pieces of rock perfection. From the synthy bed of "Tom Sawyer" to the more energetic moments of songs like "Limelight," the album is stuffed with songs that became mainstays on rock radio.
The album was so good that even the instrumental cut "YYZ" is still a fan favorite that has never dulled as the years go by. When people are aching to hear a song that doesn't even have a consistent melodic structure, you know you've created something spectacular. Rush still had major albums ahead of them, but Moving Pictures is the record where they really cultivated their sonic identity.