Rush – Rush 50

Updated: Apr 7

On March 21, 2025 "Rush" released their 50th anniversary box "Rush 50":

When "Rush" released their debut single in 1973—a scrappy cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” backed with the raw, original “You Can’t Fight It”—no one could’ve predicted they’d evolve into one of the most complex, uncompromising, and unique band in history of rock music. Fifty years later, "Rush 50" isn’t just a compilation; it’s a carefully assembled time capsule tracing every twist and turn of the band’s monumental journey.

"Rush 50" is a "Narrative Told Through Sound". It captures the trio’s evolution from bluesy Zeppelin-esque hard rockers to philosophical prog giants, synth-pop experimenters, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock and finaly heavy-prog.

This is not just another “greatest hits” set like "Chronicles" or "Retrospective" trilogy, nor is it a collection of rarities. Instead, "Rush 50" unfolds chronologically as a sonic memoir, capturing key studio tracks, rare live performances, and fan-favorite moments from all phases of the band’s career. Every one of "Rush’s" 19 studio albums is represented, plus the 2004 "Feedback" covers EP and live staples. The result is a 50-track journey that includes ten previously unreleased or exclusive versions, plus a thoughtful blend of original album cuts, alternate takes, and electrifying live recordings.

Among the studio exclusives are two alternate mixes—“Working Man,” and “One Little Victory”, a beautiful alternate version of “The Trees,” and both sides of that elusive 1973 debut single “Not Fade Away” / “You Can’t Fight It”, featuring original drummer John Rutsey. These early tracks offer essential context, and while the band themselves were never thrilled with them (Alex Lifeson calls them “terrible” in the liner notes), they reveal just how far "Rush" evolved within only a few years.

Rutsey’s contributions are respectfully acknowledged here—not just on the debut single, but through hard-hitting live versions of “Need Some Love” and “Before and After,” recorded at a Canadian high school in 1974 and made famous in the "Beyond the Lighted Stage" documentary. These recordings stomp harder than their studio counterparts, hinting at the energy that made "Rush’s" early gigs so impactful.

But the true transformation begins with Neil Peart’s arrival in late July 1974. His early live recordings from a Cleveland show—like the blazing previously unreleased “Garden Road” and an R&B cover of “Bad Boy”—already display the intensity and intellect that would define "Rush’s" golden era. Within months, his drumming and lyrics launched the band into orbit, as heard on a searing live-in-studio take of “Anthem” (previously unreleased).

From there, "Rush 50" soars through a cascade of milestones, when the songs are arranged chronologically in the order they were recorded. The sprawling “2112: Overture / The Temples Of Syrinx", a thunderous 1976 rendition of “Something for Nothing” recorded at Massey Hall reflect a band operating at peak power and the anthemic “Closer to the Heart”. The musical journey continues with a frantic Neil Peart's "Drum Solo" recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1978, A particularly tight, crowd-energized 1979 version of “La Villa Strangiato” from Pinkpop Festival shows the trio’s technical wizardry meeting rapturous audience connection.

Contrary to tired clichés, "Rush’s" synth-heavy ‘80s output emerges as some of their most emotionally resonant work. “Subdivisions” marks a watershed moment, ushering in a new era with cerebral lyrics and atmospheric textures. Tracks like "Red Sector A", “The Big Money and “Time Stand Still,” prove that complexity and accessibility can coexist.

Later years get their due, too. The 1993 grunge-era rocker “Stick It Out” from "Counterparts" sounds punchy and vital, the heavy chord progression at the bridge of "Test For Echo" saddnly fits perfectly with the band's chronological development, while 2007’s “The Main Monkey Business” displays the trio’s latter-day instrumental prowess.

A particularly poignant moment comes on track 47, “Headlong Flight.” Lifeson’s guitar riff nods explicitly to “Bastille Day” from 1975—a clever musical callback that ties early and late "Rush" together in one dramatic punch. These hidden connections highlight the thoughtfulness of the curation and the narrative quality of the entire set.

The final track is perhaps the most emotionally loaded. Captured during the last moments of their final show at the Forum in Inglewood on August 1, 2015, the medley of “What You’re Doing” / “Working Man” / “Garden Road” feels like a full-circle goodbye, as the last ever notes to be played by the band. But it’s what happens after the music that stuns: Neil Peart, normally reticent and reclusive, walks to the front of the stage to join Geddy and Alex—breaking the band’s long-held tradition. The crowd roars, and so does your heart. It’s not just the end of a set; it’s the end of an era.

"Rush 50" is an astonishingly rich retrospective—not just of a band’s discography, but of their spirit, humor, ambition, and bond. Geddy Lee joked, “I’m exhausted just reading the effin’ list,” and you might be too. But what a ride. Whether you’re a devoted fan or a curious newcomer, this collection delivers a comprehensive, heartfelt celebration of a band whose influence remains profound, and whose music still pushes boundaries, decades on.

Track List:

1. "Not Fade Away"**

2. "You Can’t Fight It"**

3. "Working Man" (Vault Edition)**

4. "Need Some Love" (Live at Laura Secord Secondary School, St. Catharines, Canada – May 1974)**

5. "Before And After" (Live at Laura Secord Secondary School, St. Catharines, Canada– May 1974)**

6. "Bad Boy" (Live at Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio – August 1974)*

7. "Garden Road" (Live at Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio – August 1974)*

8. "Anthem" (Live at Electric Lady Studios, New York – December 1974)*

9. "Fly By Night"

10. "Bastille Day"

11. "2112: Overture" / "The Temples Of Syrinx"

12. "By-Tor & The Snow Dog" (Live at Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada – June 1976)

13. "Something For Nothing" (Live at Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada – June 1976)

14. "Closer To The Heart"

15. "Xanadu" (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London – February 1978)

16. Drum Solo (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London – February 1978)

17. "The Trees" (Vault Edition)*

18. "La Villa Strangiato" (Live at Pink Pop Festival, Netherlands – June 1979)

19. "In The Mood" (Live at Pink Pop Festival, Netherlands – June 1979)

20. "The Spirit Of Radio"

21. "Natural Science" (Live at Manchester Apollo, Manchester – June 1980)

22. "A Passage To Bangkok" (Live at Manchester Apollo, Manchester – June 1980)

23. "Tom Sawyer"

24. "Limelight" (Live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada – March 1981)

25. "Vital Signs" (Live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada – March 1981)

26. "YYZ" (Live at The Forum, Montreal, Canada – March 1981)

27. "Subdivisions"

28. "Red Sector A"

29. "Witch Hunt" (Live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada – September 1984)

30. "New World Man" (Live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada – September 1984)

31. "The Big Money"

32. "Time Stand Still"

33. "Distant Early Warning" (Live at NEC Arena, Birmingham – April 1988)

34. "Superconductor"

35. "Dreamline"

36. "Stick It Out"

37. "Test For Echo"

38. "The Rhythm Method" (Live at World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, Illinois – June 1997)

39. "One Little Victory" (Remixed)

40. "Cygnus X-1" (Live at Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro – November 2002)

41. "The Seeker"

42. "Between The Wheels" (Live at Festhalle Frankfurt, Germany – September 2004)

43. "The Main Monkey Business"

44. "Workin’ Them Angels" (Live at Ahoy Arena, Rotterdam – October 2007)

45. "Freewill" (Live at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio – April 2011)

46. "Red Barchetta" (Live at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio – April 2011)

47. "Headlong Flight"

48. "Manhattan Project" (Live at US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona; American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas; AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas – November 2012)

49. "Jacob’s Ladder" (Live at Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Canada – June 2015)

50. "What You’re Doing" / "Working Man" / "Garden Road" (Live at the Forum, Los Angeles, California – August 2015)*

* Previously unreleased

** Previously unreleased on CD & LP

For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music