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Top Ten Prog Rock Albums

In the Court of ​the Crimson King​
In the Court of ​the Crimson King​

King Crimson, 'In the Court of the Crimson King' (1969) One of the most influential progressive rock albums of all time, King Crimson's debut eschewed the bluesy bluster of late-Sixties British rock for a Mellotron-drenched mixture of jazz and classical influences, dragging psychedelia to a darker place than it had ever been before.

Close to the ​Edge​
Close to the ​Edge​

"To my mind, Yes may be the single most important of all the progressive rock bands," said Rush's Geddy Lee, who calls Close to the Edge "among my favorite rock albums of a

The Dark Side ​of the Moon​
The Dark Side ​of the Moon​

Pink Floyd, 'The Dark Side of the Moon' (1973) Easily the peak of prog rock's commercial success — and often cited as trailing only Michael Jackson's Thriller in total global album sales — Pink Floyd's lean concept album has soundtracked countless planetarium light shows and just as many critical unpackings.

Selling ​England by the Pound​
Selling ​England by the Pound​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. From the Court of the Crimson King to the Comatorium. Load Previous. 50. ... Genesis, 'Selling England by the Pound' (1973)

Thick as a ​Brick​
Thick as a ​Brick​

Consisting of one nearly 44-minute song stretched across a dizzying array of movements, Thick as a Brick came wrapped in a Monty Python-esque newspaper sleeve that attributed the song's lyrics to a fictional schoolboy and even "reviewed" the album within.

Fragile​
Fragile​

Built on Steve Howe's kaleidoscope of classical acoustic and electric guitars, Rick Wakeman's Jan-Hammer-in-an-Anglican-church organs and Bill Bruford's wild-ass polyvalent drumming (especially the galloping, bonkers midsection), it reached Number 13 on the Billboard charts and, along with the album, went on to become a classic rock staple, shaping generations of ambitious rockers.

Wish You ​Were Here​
Wish You ​Were Here​

Recorded amid clashes over process and content (band members rarely spent studio time together), Wish was titled by cover artist Storm Thorgerson, who designed its striking series of surreal photographs, including the iconic cover shot of one businessman literally burning another.

image: popsike.com
2112​
2112​

Few things are more archetypally "prog" than the side-long title cut of Rush's fourth album. A 20-minute, seven-part suite, "2112" takes place in an Orwellian dystopia where Few things are more archetypally "prog" than the side-long title cut of Rush's fourth album.

Foxtrot​
Foxtrot​

Arguably the first great Genesis album, Foxtrot took the eccentric worldview and symphonic grandiosity of 1971's Nursery Cryme and upped the ante with more consistent songwriting and a tougher musical attack. It also added two prog-rock classics to the Genesis canon: the UFO-via-Mellotron fantasy "Watcher of the Skies," which gave the album a bracingly powerful opener, and the 23-minute closer ...

The Wall​
The Wall​

Is "The Wall" Progressive Rock ... Many of Pink Floyd's albums are clearly prog like DSOTM or Animals. The Wall ... I would consider this album to be Progressive Rock ...

Brain Salad ​Surgery​
Brain Salad ​Surgery​

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, 'Brain Salad Surgery' (1973) For prog-rock excess, this power trio took the cake and serving platter: Keith Emerson's keyboard showroom; Carl Palmer's motorized, rotating behemoth drum kit; sports-arena gigs with full orchestra and choir, etc.

The Lamb ​Lies Down on Broadway​
The Lamb ​Lies Down on Broadway​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. From the Court of the Crimson King to the Comatorium. Load Previous

Moving ​Pictures​
Moving ​Pictures​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All ... 'Moving Pictures' ... Limelight," and the reggae-flavored "Vital Signs" were the prog equivalent of punk-rock ...

Aqualung​
Aqualung​

Love it or loathe it, prog polarises opinion like no other type of rock music. Rooted in the psychedelic late 60s, prog built up a real head of steam in the early 70s as rock musicians freed themselves of the limitations of four-minute songs and standard time signatures and revelled in the freedom to stretch out a single track over a whole side of vinyl, draw on unlimited musical sources and ...

Tarkus​
Tarkus​

Tarkus is the second album by the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in June 1971 on Island Records. Following their 1970 European tour, the group returned to Advision Studios in January 1971 to prepare material for a new album. The first side is the seven-part "Tarkus", with a collection of shorter tracks on side two. Tarkus went to number one in the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number 9 in the US.

A Trick of the ​Tail​
A Trick of the ​Tail​

Genesis – A Trick of The Tail. September 27, 2017 - Album, Must Haves, Prog Blog, Prog Rock, Reviews. This was the end of Genesis. Peter Gabriel had left them, and their drummer was taking over vocals. I jest, of course. This was the beginning of a new and bold era of Genesis, which only lasted two albums.

Pawn Hearts​
Pawn Hearts​

The third album by Van Der Graaf Generator won over prog fans by featuring King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. But Pawn Hearts turned out to be a confusingly heady trip for even the most attentive The third album by Van Der Graaf Generator won over prog fans by featuring King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.

The Yes ​Album​
The Yes ​Album​

Don’t be put off by artist Roger Dean’s uncharacteristically dull cover – inside lurks one of the most enduring 70s prog albums. Despite 1974’s worthy Relayer, Yes would never recapture this sort of form again.

Hemispheres​
Hemispheres​

Rush, 'Hemispheres' (1978) Rush moved away from multi-part conceptual pieces in the Eighties, but the trio unleashed two more great ones before the Seventies ended.

Relayer​
Relayer​

Relayer plays a fine line between hard rock, emotive ballads, and pop ditties with classic progressive rock flourishes. I detect touches of Yes, Rush, Queen and Pink Floyd slithering within the music.

image: yesworld.com
Nursery ​Cryme​
Nursery ​Cryme​

Nursery Cryme for me. Love that whole album. When the music is pure magic weak production or whatever is irrelevant to me. I always skip Foxtrot's a-side. Nothing for me there. Still kind of a favorite but for Horizons/Supper's Ready alone.

Tales From ​Topographic Oceans​
Tales From ​Topographic Oceans​

Tales from Topographic Oceans is the sixth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released as a double album on 7 December 1973 by Atlantic Records.

Meddle​
Meddle​

For close to a half century, prog has been the breeding ground for rock's most out-there, outsized and outlandish ideas: Thick-as-a-brick concept albums, an early embrace of synthesizers, overly complicated time signatures, Tolkienesque fantasies, travails from future days and scenes from a memory.

Metropolis Pt
Metropolis Pt

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album and first concept album by American progressive metal/progressive rock band Dream Theater, released on October 26, 1999 through Elektra Records.

A Farewell to ​Kings​
A Farewell to ​Kings​

A Farewell to Kings, an Album by Rush. Released September 1, 1977 on Anthem (catalog no. ANR-1-1010; Vinyl LP). Genres: Progressive Rock, Hard Rock. Rated #24 in the best albums of 1977, and #768 in the greatest all-time album chart (according to RYM users).

Red​
Red​

For close to a half century, prog has been the breeding ground for rock's most out-there, outsized and outlandish ideas: Thick-as-a-brick concept albums, an early embrace of synthesizers, overly complicated time signatures, Tolkienesque fantasies, travails from future days and scenes from a memory.

Larks' ​Tongues in Aspic​
Larks' ​Tongues in Aspic​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. From the Court of the Crimson King to the Comatorium. Load Previous. 50. ... King Crimson, 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic' (1973)

Images and ​Words​
Images and ​Words​

Essential Modern Progressive Rock Albums: Images and Words Behind Prog's Most Celebrated Albums 1990-2016, authored by Prog Report editor Roie Avin, shines a light on the important albums of the modern progressive rock era. The book features more than 50 albums from the last quarter century of Prog, with each chapter dedicated to one album.

Lateralus​
Lateralus​

By the release of Tool's third album, the band had moved far past sub-three-minute songs with in-your-face lyrics, like 1992's anti-censorship quick hit "Hush." By contrast, Lateralus' nine-and-a-half-minute title track is based, both in its time signatures and lyric patterns, on the Fibonacci sequence of numbers that describes many of nature's spiraling shapes, from ferns to pine cones.

Going for the ​One​
Going for the ​One​

The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums Sean Murphy. 16 Nov 2015. The purpose of this column has been to revisit, reassess and, above all, celebrate classic prog rock, so it’s inevitable we name names and select the best of the best. Editor’s Note: This list was researched and curated by Sean Murphy. The (Really) Amazing Pudding. A guarantee: you are not going to agree with this list ...

Misplaced ​Childhood​
Misplaced ​Childhood​

Misplaced Childhood is the third studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released in 1985. The album was recorded during the spring of 1985 at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin and produced by Chris Kimsey, who had previously worked with the Rolling Stones.

In the Land of ​Grey and Pink​
In the Land of ​Grey and Pink​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. From the Court of the Crimson King to the Comatorium. Load Previous

Animals​
Animals​

For close to a half century, prog has been the breeding ground for rock's most out-there, outsized and outlandish ideas: Thick-as-a-brick concept albums, an early embrace of synthesizers, overly complicated time signatures, Tolkienesque fantasies, travails from future days and scenes from a memory.

Mirage​
Mirage​

The classic Camel lineup occupied a unique niche in progressive rock, specializing in fluid, spacey ensemble workouts – rarely as flashy as Genesis, never as bombastic as Emerson Lake and Palmer. "We're considered a progressive band, by default, really," guitarist-flautist Andy Latimer told Will Romano for his 2010 book Mountains Come Out of the Sky: The Illustrated History of Prog Rock.

Crime of the ​Century​
Crime of the ​Century​

Crime of the Century is the third studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in September 1974 on A&M Records. Crime of the Century was Supertramp's commercial breakthrough in both the US and UK, aided by the UK hit "Dreamer" and the US hit "Bloody Well Right".

Days of ​Future Passed​
Days of ​Future Passed​

Days of Future Passed is the second album and first concept album by English prog rock band The Moody Blues, released in November 1967 by Deram Records. With its fusion of orchestral and rock elements, it has been cited as one of the first examples of progressive rock.

Permanent ​Waves​
Permanent ​Waves​

Rush - Permanent Waves review: Easily Rush’s most underappreciated album, Permanent Waves delivers some of the best prog rock songs ever created.

Atom Heart ​Mother​
Atom Heart ​Mother​

There is no actual meaning to Atom Heart Mother. The band just came up with the name after seeing an article in the newspaper entitled "Mother Receives Atomic Heart" or something to that effect (can't remember exact headline). They thought it was an intriguing title.

A Passion ​Play​
A Passion ​Play​

The 2013 box A Passion Play: an Extended Performance achieved the Nº 48 in the Top Rock Albums. A Passion Play was included in the list The 100 Greatest Prog Albums of All Time by ProgMagazine at number 49.

De-Loused in ​the Comatorium​
De-Loused in ​the Comatorium​

Even a semi-monastic hour (and 51 seconds) of listening reveals a satisfyingly twisted universe within these Texas oddballs' first full-length suite, De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Blackwater ​Park​
Blackwater ​Park​

Titled in tribute to the early-Seventies German proggers of the same name, Blackwater Park marked the first time these Swedish death-metal virtuosos gave full reign to the progressive tendencies that had long lurked in their music.

Fear of a ​Blank Planet​
Fear of a ​Blank Planet​

Fear of a Blank Planet is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree and their best selling before 2009's The Incident. Released by Roadrunner on 16 April 2007 in the UK and rest of the Europe, 24 April 2007 in the United States through Atlantic, 25 April 2007 in Japan on WHD and 1 May 2007 in Canada by WEA.

Leftoverture​
Leftoverture​

50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. ... "Leftoverture warrants Kansas a spot right alongside Boston and Styx as one of the fresh new American bands." D.E.

Tubular Bells​
Tubular Bells​

The opening sequence of Tubular Bells is most widely known as The Exorcist 's foreboding theme, ... 50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time.

The Snow ​Goose​
The Snow ​Goose​

(from The Snow Goose) In a sensible world, this band would get a lot more love. While any number of their albums warrant reexamination or discovery, The Snow Goose stands not only as their masterpiece, but one of the first-tier concept albums from the prog genre.

Sgt. Pepper's ​Lonely Hearts Club Band​
Sgt. Pepper's ​Lonely Hearts Club Band​

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26 May 1967 in the United Kingdom and 2 June 1967 in the United States, it spent 27 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart and 15 weeks at number one in the US.

In the Wake of ​Poseidon​
In the Wake of ​Poseidon​

Quote Reply Topic: In the Wake of Poseidon: Underrated? Posted: June 17 2017 at 11:18 KC's sophomore effort. I feel that the album forms a couplet with ItCotCK and has merit. Many feel it's just a weak follow up from a disintegrating rock group. What's your opinion on In The Wake of Poseidon?

Script for a ​Jester's Tear​
Script for a ​Jester's Tear​

Script for a Jester's Tear is the debut studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released in 1983. Produced by Nick Tauber, it was recorded between December 1982 and February 1983 at The Marquee Studios in London.

Moonmadness​
Moonmadness​

Moonmadness is an album released in March 1976 by English progressive rock band Camel.It was their fourth album and the last to feature the band's original line-up (Latimer, Bardens, Ferguson, Ward).

One Size Fits ​All​
One Size Fits ​All​

Although the album certainly rocks (occasionally), Before Frank Zappa released One Size Fits All , he bragged to reporters, "You could actually dance to this record." Consider the source.

Godbluff​
Godbluff​

"Godbluff" inaugure la deuxième période de VDGG, certainement la meilleure, même si elle fut très brève. C'est par ailleurs le chef d'oeuvre du groupe, l'un des meilleurs albums de prog' de tous les temps et, tant qu'on y est, l'un des plus grands disques jamais enregistrés. En 1975, VDGG revient en formation serrée.