Flash forward to 2010, and Ayreon has won Arjen so much critical acclaim that he can now draw from a vast pool of vocalists and musicians who are eager to work with him. The artists on an Ayreon album are all carefully hand-picked by Arjen to be the perfect musical fit for the role he has in mind. They also need to be enthusiastic about the prospect:

Every artist I contact has to be into Ayreon from the start. They have to be excited about my music, share my vision for the project and want to get involved emotionally as if it were their own. If I get the impression that they’re only ‘in it for the money’ or publicity, I will ask someone else. I simply can’t work like that!

Musically, Ayreon albums tend to be characterized by extreme opposites: brutal guitars cut to lighthearted mandolins, classic roaring Hammonds collide with screaming digital synths, and dark death grunts battle angelic celtic voices. The dramatic concepts range from fantasy (Actual Fantasy) to science fiction (01011001) to the inner landscape of human emotion (The Human Equation).

People often ask Arjen to name his favorite album, but for him “it’s impossible to say. Each album has its own special place within the Ayreon Universe.”