Rush

Rush are a Canadian trio who formed in Toronto in 1968. Guitarist Alex Lifeson started the band with drummer John Rutsey and bassist-vocalist Jeff Jones, and Geddy Lee soon took Jones's place. Neil Peart replaced Rutsey in July 1974, four months after the self-titled debut, and that line-up stayed together until 2015. Peart died in 2020, and in October 2025 Lifeson and Lee announced a 2026–2027 reunion tour with Anika Nilles on drums.

Their sound began as blues-tinged hard rock, grew into progressive rock, took in a synthesiser-heavy stretch in the 1980s, then returned to guitar-led playing. Peart's lyrics drew on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. If you are starting out, try Moving Pictures, 2112, Permanent Waves and A Farewell to Kings. All three members are regularly named among the finest players on their instruments.