RUSH

Few Canadian bands have measured their ambition as carefully as Rush, the Toronto trio whose virtuosity and sprawling compositions made them a fixture of rock for decades. Their lyrics drew mostly on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy, and their music shifted across the years: from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, through progressive rock, into a 1980s period built around synthesizers, and back to guitar-driven rock for the remainder of their career. Guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee and drummer Neil Peart, the classic line-up, were each widely recognised as among the most proficient players on their instruments, with numerous magazine readers' poll awards to show for it.

Their roots lay in blues-rock covers before Lee rejoined in 1969 and Peart arrived in July 1974. Their 1973 single, a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away", reached No. 88 on the RPM chart. The Canadian Music Hall of Fame inducted them in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Peart retired after 2015, yet a 2026–2027 reunion tour was announced in October 2025, with Anika Nilles filling in for Peart.