Queensryche Classic Era Ranked - 2024
Confirmed in my previous attempt, this is nearly an impossible task. 1 Godly EP, 5 Godly albums with five or so half-missteps. It's an incredible run, 83-94 Ryche is untouchable, imo.
Anyway, here's my ranks. Blurbs to follow in time. |
| 60 |  | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Gonna Get Close to You |
| 59 |  | Queensryche
Empire
Hand on Heart |
| 58 |  | Queensryche
Queensryche EP
Blinded |
| 57 | | Queensryche
Empire
One and Only |
| 56 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Chemical Youth (We Are Rebellion) |
| 55 |  | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
My Empty Room |
| 54 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
I Remember Now
Not even a song, but absolutely iconic. |
| 53 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Electric Requiem |
| 52 |  | Queensryche
Promised Land
Someone Else? |
| 51 | | Queensryche
Empire
Silent Lucidity
This song is magic in ways that only a couple others in history are, think Smashing Pumpkins' Tonight Tonight. The weird bridge stuff was always a turnoff of what is otherwise one of the few songs so beautiful that I have actually been moved to tears when caught at the right moment. |
| 50 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
I Am I |
| 49 | | Queensryche
Empire
Anybody Listening? |
| 48 |  | Queensryche
The Warning
Before the Storm |
| 47 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
One More Time |
| 46 | | Queensryche
The Warning
NM156 |
| 45 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Deliverance |
| 44 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Lady Jane |
| 43 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
My Global Mind |
| 42 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Take Hold of the Flame
Reactors kinda killed this for me. |
| 41 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Waiting for 22
Next tier |
| 40 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Surgical Strike |
| 39 | | Queensryche
Queensryche EP
Nightrider |
| 38 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Disconnected |
| 37 | | Queensryche
Empire
Resistance |
| 36 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Child of Fire |
| 35 | | Queensryche
Empire
The Thin Line |
| 34 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
I Dream in Infrared |
| 33 | | Queensryche
Empire
Another Rainy Night |
| 32 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Breaking the Silence |
| 31 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Warning |
| 30 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
The Killing Words |
| 29 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
The Needle Lies
You just bang your fuckin head, punch the sky and scream your goddamn head off |
| 28 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Anarchy X / Revolution Calling
Easily my favorite intro track ever. Amazing guitars and drumming. |
| 27 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
The Whisper
Next tier. |
| 26 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Damaged |
| 25 | | Queensryche
Empire
Jet City Woman |
| 24 | | Queensryche
The Warning
En Force |
| 23 | | Queensryche
Empire
Best I Can |
| 22 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Out of Mind |
| 21 | | Queensryche
Queensryche EP
Queen of the Ryche |
| 20 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
I Don't Believe in Love |
| 19 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Walk in the Shadows |
| 18 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Suite Sister Mary
By all acounts the jewel of Mindcrime. It's reputation is well-earned. Majesty on a level incapable of attaining by mere mortal bands. |
| 17 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Spreading the Disease |
| 16 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Prophecy |
| 15 | | Queensryche
The Warning
No Sanctuary |
| 14 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Promised Land
This is the top tier. Absolute aces from here on out. |
| 13 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Bridge |
| 12 | | Queensryche
Queensryche EP
The Lady Wore Black |
| 11 | | Queensryche
The Warning
Roads to Madness |
| 10 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
London |
| 9 | | Queensryche
Promised Land
Real World |
| 8 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
I Will Remember |
| 7 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Eyes of a Stranger |
| 6 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Screaming in Digital |
| 5 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
The purest ripper in the QR catalog, next to Needle and Prophecy. As a guitarist, I was destined to gravitate to this, with that intro and solo, but it's the foreboding chorus that signals a change in mood coming that really hits me these days. |
| 4 | | Queensryche
Empire
Della Brown
Textbook definition of a 'fan favorite'. I remember always wanting to skip it as a seven year old, as it's nestled between two excellent singles, but over time it reveals itself as the diamond in the rough. Just the smoothest song ever. |
| 3 | | Queensryche
Empire
Empire
The ultimate hard rock head-nodder of the 90's. An all-timer main riff. Something about those lonely snare hits in the intro always fucking pump me up so much. |
| 2 | | Queensryche
Rage for Order
Neue Regel
Honestly, every bit worthy of number one. It's just that vocal effect in the first verse, I'm always like lets goooo already! If I was in QR in 86 this would have been how I opened every show. Just an impossibly great mood-setter. Where's my trench coat? |
| 1 | | Queensryche
Operation: Mindcrime
The Mission
The absolute pinnacle, the centerpiece of the greatest metal album of all time. A monstrous, harrowing turning point, from the manic, motivated energy of the front to the soul-crushing despair of the back. |
|
