Release Polls: Rank & Tier your Favorite Artists!

Inspired by the other thread, maybe some of you would like to rank and tier your favorite artists? I'll start doing that with mine. In order to do so, just find your favorite artist at AP (https://awesomeprog.com/search) and click the "Release Polls" link on the artist page.

NOTE: The AP tier system ranges from S (best) through A, B, C, D, E to F (horrible). More infos here: https://awesomeprog.com/rating-system

I'll start with one of my favorite, but lesser known guitarists:

Bumblefoot:

1. (S) 9.11 (2001) [BC] [SPO]
2. (S) ... Returns! (2025) [BC] [SPO]
3. (A) Hands (2000) [SPO]
4. (A) Abnormal (2008) [BC] [SPO]
5. (B) Little Brother is Watching (2015) [BC] [SPO]
6. (B) Normal (2005) [BC] [SPO]
7. (B) Uncool (2002) [BC] [SPO]

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - 3 hours 15 minutes ago at 05:10

And here's one of my all-time favorite prog metal bands

Pain of Salvation:

1. (S) The Perfect Element Part 1 (2000) [BC] [SPO]
2. (S) Remedy Lane (2002) [BC] [SPO]
3. (S) One Hour by the Concrete Lake (1999) [BC] [SPO]
4. (S) Panther (2020) [BC] [SPO]
5. (S) In The Passing Light Of Day (2017) [BC] [SPO]
6. (S) Entropia (1997) [BC] [SPO]
7. (S) Be (2004) [SPO]
8. (S) Road Salt Two (2011) [BC] [SPO]
9. (A) Linoleum (2009) [BC] [SPO]
10. (A) Road Salt One (2010) [BC] [SPO]
11. (A) Scarsick (2007) [BC] [SPO]

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - 6 hours 20 minutes ago at 02:05

Dream Theater:

1. (S) Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999) [SPO]
2. (S) Images and Words (1992) [SPO]
3. (S) Awake (1994) [SPO]
4. (S) A Change of Seasons (1995) [SPO]
5. (S) Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002) [SPO]
6. (S) Train of Thought (2003) [SPO]
7. (S) Octavarium (2005) [SPO]
8. (S) The Astonishing (2016) [SPO]
9. (A) Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) [SPO]
10. (A) Falling Into Infinity (1997) [SPO]
11. (A) A Dramatic Turn Of Events (2011) [SPO]
12. (A) When Dream And Day Unite (1989) [SPO]
13. (A) A View From The Top Of The World (2021) [SPO]
14. (A) Distance Over Time (2019) [BC] [SPO]
15. (B) Systematic Chaos (2007) [SPO]
16. (B) Parasomnia (2025) [BC] [SPO]
17. (B) Dream Theater (2013) [SPO]

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - 6 hours 22 minutes ago at 02:03

The Flower Kings:

1. (S) Meet the Flower Kings (2003)
2. (S) Unfold The Future (2002) [BC] [SPO]
3. (A) Space Revolver (2000) [SPO]
4. (A) Stardust We Are (1997) [SPO]
5. (A) By Royal Decree (2022) [SPO]
6. (A) Flower Power (1999) [BC] [SPO]
7. (A) Look At You Now (2023) [BC] [SPO]
8. (B) Retropolis (1996) [SPO]
9. (B) The Sum of No Evil (2007) [SPO]
10. (B) Paradox Hotel (2006) [BC] [SPO]
11. (B) The Rainmaker (2001) [BC] [SPO]
12. (C) Adam & Eve (2004) [BC] [SPO]

I really like the newer Symphony X releases (more so than the average fan), but nothing tops their 2000 release. Would be amazing to hear it remixed and remastered with a less muddy production, but not as loud as their more recent albums, to keep with the distinctly operatic/symphonic style.

Symphony X:

1. (S) V: The New Mythology Suite (2000) [SPO]
2. (S) The Odyssey (2002) [SPO]
3. (S) Underworld (2015) [SPO]
4. (S) Paradise Lost (2007) [SPO]
5. (S) The Divine Wings Of Tragedy (1996) [SPO]
6. (S) Iconoclast (2011) [SPO]
7. (A) Twilight In Olympus (1998) [SPO]
8. (A) The Damnation Game (1995) [SPO]
9. (B) Symphony X (1994) [SPO]

Dream Theater:

1. (S) A Change of Seasons (1995) [SPO]
2. (S) Awake (1994) [SPO]
3. (S) Octavarium (2005) [SPO]
4. (S) Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002) [SPO]
5. (A) Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999) [SPO]
6. (A) Parasomnia (2025) [BC] [SPO]
7. (A) Images and Words (1992) [SPO]

Haken:

1. (S) Virus (2020) [BC] [SPO]
2. (S) The Mountain (2013) [BC] [SPO]
3. (S) Affinity (2016) [BC] [SPO]
4. (S) Fauna (2023) [BC] [SPO]
5. (S) Aquarius (2010) [BC] [SPO]
6. (S) Visions (2011) [BC] [SPO]
7. (S) Vector (2018) [BC] [SPO]
8. (A) Restoration (EP, 2014) [BC] [SPO]