Progressive rock is one of the most beloved and ridiculed of rock music’s sub genres. As a hilarious piece at Cracked.com says, it is “categorized by a sacking of traditional song structure, complex rhythms, odd time signatures,” and insane song lengths betraying the creators’ lack of awareness of when to stop a song.
The players tend to be average singers and extremely skilled musicians, often working with wacky instruments. As the piece amusingly states, it is “the only rock genre in which the term ‘flute solo’ has any meaning.”
Also prevalent are a propensity toward concept albums built on half-baked themes and philosophy. There tends to be plenty of drug inspiration and “a sense of inherent superiority over other rock genres.”
All kidding aside, it is a difficult genre to absorb. The stereotypes detailed at Cracked.com lean toward the truth more often than not, but prog rock is largely defined by not being definable. It is an experimental form which doesn’t play by the rules.
Depending on where you fall on the spectrum of loving or hating prog rock, you can use this list either as a guide to what should be in your collection or what to avoid at all costs. Either way, here’s hoping you get something out of the list. Note: this list was created by compiling more than 25 prog-rock lists (see links at bottom of page) into one aggregate.
Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here.
1. Yes Close to the Edge (1972)
2. King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
3. Jethro Tull Thick As a Brick (1972)
4. Genesis Selling England by the Pound (1973)
5. Rush 2112 (1976)
6. Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)
7. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
8. Yes Fragile (1971)
9. Jethro Tull Aqualung (1971)
10. Emerson, Lake & Palmer Brain Salad Surgery (1973)
11. Van Der Graaf Generator Pawn Hearts (1971)
12. Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (1975)
13. Pink Floyd The Wall (1979)
14. Genesis Foxtrot (1972)
15. Yes The Yes Album (1971)
16. Kansas Leftoverture (1976)
17. King Crimson Red (1974)
18. King Crimson Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (1973)
19. Marillion Misplaced Childhood (1985)
20. Rush Moving Pictures (1981)
21. Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells (1973)
22. Yes Relayer (1974)
23. Rush A Farewell to Kings (1977)
24. Gentle Giant Octopus (1972)
25. Camel Mirage (1974)
26. Pink Floyd Animals (1977)
27. Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention We’re Only in It for the Money (1968)
28. Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970)
29. The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed (1967)
30. Caravan In the Land of Gray and Pink (1971)
31. Rush Permanent Waves (1980)
32. Rush Hemispheres (1978)
33. Gentle Giant In a Glass House (1973)
34. Queensrÿche Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
35. Dream Theater Scenes from a Memory (Metropolis Part 2) (1999)
36. Pink Floyd Meddle (1971)
37. Tangerine Dream Phaedra (1974)
38. Porcupine Tree In Abstentia (2002)
39. Kraftwerk Autobahn (1974)
40. Dream Theater Images and Words (1992)
41. Marillion Script for a Jester’s Tear (1983)
42. Gong You (Radio Gnome Invisible Pt. 3) (1974)
43. Tool Ænima (1996)
44. Supertramp Crime of the Century (1974)
45. Peter Gabriel So (1986)
46. Radiohead OK Computer (1997)
47. Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel 3 (aka “Melt”) (1980)
48. Frank Zappa Hot Rats (1969)
49. Queensrÿche Empire (1990)
50. Camel The Snow Goose (1973)
Resources and Related Links:
- Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists
- 9ftneil’s The Best Prog Rock Albums.
As posted on Amazon.co.uk. List only of 25 albums.
- Ian Alterman, CultureCatch.com The Absolutely Essential Progressive Rock Listening Guide (6/4/07).
Focus on a dozen albums with a paragraph about each.
- Amazon.com’s Essential CDs by Style.
Dead link; had recommended essentials in multiple genres, including 25 for progressive rock.
- Azlanovic, Galaxie’s The Best Progressive Rock Albums.
As posted on listal.com. List with links to more info.
- Barnes & Noble Fundamentals.
Dead link; did have fundamental albums listed for multiple genres, including 12 for prog rock.
- Ronald Couture, “20 Best Progressive Rock Albums” from book Progressive Rock 1966-2006.
As posted by Internaut at Discogs.com (2010). List only.
- Cracked.com Progressive Rock.
Hilarious piece about understanding prog rock.
- Spence D., Top 25 Prog Rock Albums, as posted at music.ign.com (2/23/07).
Paragraphs about each album.
- DigitalDreamDoor.com 100 Greatest Progressive Albums, edited by Drew (2/26/05).
List only.
- Dinosaurdays.co.za Prog Rock Timeline.
Focus on 30+ albums with paragraphs on each.
- Duduki.net 50 Greatest Progressive Rock Albums.
List with links to more information about albums and acts.
- Dw. Dunphy, 50Prog50: The Best Prog Albums, as posted at Popdose.com (8/16/10).
Five-part piece with detailed reviews of the top 50 albums.
- Film-Guy, Best prog rock albums?, as posted at gamespot.com (5/12/09).
Top-ten list only.
- James Nolan Graham “Civil Critic” The Best Progressive Rock Albums (IMHO).
List of 23 albums posted on Amazon.com.
- Russell Hall, 10 Classic Vintage Prog-Rock Albums, as posted at Gibson.com (8/20/08).
Paragraph about each album.
- Ian’s Guide to Essential Progressive Rock.
Bios of several groups followed by a top ten prog-rock album list.
- jjaysmoker, 10 Best Progressive Rock Albums.
As posted at Squidoo.com. Unranked list with commentary.
- Richard G. Johnstone The Best Progressive Rock Albums.
List of 17 albums posted at Amazon.com.
- Maidenone, Greatest ‘70s Prog Rock Albums as posted at RateYourMusic.com.
List of 46 albums with links to details about albums.
- Mindcrimewithin, Greatest progressive rock albums of all time, as posted at RateYourMusic.com.
List of 46 albums with links to details about albums.
- Moltenlava, Top Twenty Best and Biggest Prog-Rock Albums (7/13/08).
As posted on Sputnikmusic.com. Ranked list with links to reviews.
- Overkill’s Top 20 Best Prog/Art Rock Albums (7/9/07).
List as posted on avforums.com.
- ProgArchives.com Top Studios of All-Time (2011)
Ranked list based on user ratings as of 3/13/2011. List of 100 albums with links to detailed information and reviews about each.
- Record Collector Classic Albums from 21 Genres for the 21st Century (issue 245: January 2000).
As posted on rocklist.net. Sections on prog and avant-garde each have 10 entries in an unranked list.
- Piero Scaruffi, Best progressive-rock albums of all times.
List only of 23 ranked-albums followed by an unranked list of another 90+ albums.
- “Speed King” The Best Prog-Rock Albums of All Time.
List of 14 albums posted at Amazon.com.
- The-Top-Tens.com Top 10 Greatest Progressive Rock Albums.
Voter-based list with 30 ranked albums. No commentary.
- Awen Woods, Classic Era Progressive Rock Top 10 (3/20/11).
Unranked list with commentary.
- Zepfloyes Greatest progressive rock albums of all times, as posted on mombu.com.
Top 25 with sentences about each album.
First posted 7/2/2011; last updated 1/25/2024. |
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