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1. Relayer 2. Tales 3. Drama 4. The Yes Album 5. Going For The One 6. Close To The Edge 7. 90125 8. Tormato 9. Time And A Word 10. Yes

100% agree with your top four - impossible to put them in order. For me, some of the greatest music of all time. Would possibly put Fragile in the same category.

You're spot on, it's all subjective. It's all about personal taste.

Just to politely correct you Richie has been playing with BOC for 20 years, beginning on bass in 2004 and moving to guitar and keys once Rudy Sarzo was hired to play bass in 2007 or 2008. So Richie is well-versed in playing bass, guitar and keys. Great review.

Free hand ❤🎉

Nice list but I have a different take: 1 - In a Glass House (Not surprisingly #1 considering it has 3 of my top 5 GG songs with the title track, Experience & The Runaway) 2 - Octopus (With The Advent of Panurge, another top 5, Knots and A Cry for Everyone, side 1 had much more play but «Think of me with Kindness» is, to me, just as good as the Beatles' Yesterday) 3 - Three Friends (Loved the concept of 3 Friends drifting apart. Peel the Paint is the best GG song. Prologue & Schooldays are also tremendous. The ONLY problem with this album is that it's too short) 4 - Free Hand (This was my favorite album when it came out but side 2 is a bit lacking. Free Hand & On Reflection are amazing songs) 5 - The Power & the Glory ( Another great concept: The King is overthrown but the new King turns out to be just as bad. Playing the Game & Cogs & Cogs are GG at their best. Proclamation is great...almost. I love the verses and the way they reconstruct the music one instrument at a time in the middle section but Derek's screams on this one and on So Sincere are too much. They do them better live) 6 - Gentle Giant: The song Funny Ways was the archetype of all that is good about GG. The songs Giant & Alucard are also great. 7 - Acquiring the Taste: Good album but the melodies were often going nowhere. Often brilliant, it needed tightening up. 8 - The Missing Piece (It certainly was missing something. Memories of Old Days & As Old as You're Young are top notch but the rest? Crap.) 9 - Interview ( This concept failed miserably. What should have been introspection turned out to be very superficial. Take Timing; starts nicely but the lyrics are meaningless where one expected the hear about the ideas behind the construct of their songs. The song Interview is destroyed by that interview in the middle. What's up with the spring sounds on Get it back and Design is practically unlistenable) 10 - Civilian: It wasn't Gentle Giant anymore but compared to their previous «effort» it, at least, had a style. It was like «Duke» for Genesis or «90125» for Yes without the radio success. 11 - GfaD: Crap on top of Crap. Ok, I get it was meant to be amusing but GG was a cerebral experience for me, not a joke.)

What the fuck, that's a green screen???? That's some good arse job.

Gentle Giant are probably my 2nd favourite prog band next to Pink Floyd. A run of 7 superb albums between 1971-76. You can't go wrong with any of them. As Progaxia says, the complexity at some points is unbelievable using contrapuntal rhythms that very few bands use. One of the best UK groups of all time. Avoid the 1977-80 Lp's. They changed a lot and not for the best. 'The Cardiacs' are also one of my favourite bands and they clearly took a lot of inspiration and ideas from Gentle Giant. Check out the mighty 'Sing to God' for proof. Incredibly difficult time signatures and multiple changes in song structure in each track - just like Gentle Giant.

Love Wobbler! 🎶

Please show Jon Camp this link, ruclips.net/video/Hhr_bsdyMUU/видео.htmlsi=AU7iOlG4cFwbB76g

GG was the proggiest there was. And I dare say GG are the proggiest there is.

We recorded at John's recording studio in Wem Shewsbury back in 1987, I have some fantastic footage of him at work in the studio with us, i'm going to edit and load to my yt channel, can someone give me a contact to forward this to please

I totally agree with your inclusion of the first 2 albums making your top 10. They were doing what Vanilla Fudge & Deep Purple were doing on their early albums. Mingling their own tracks with interesting cover songs Fudge to Pchychedelic & Purple to UK "Fudge". Yes's first 2 were in a category of their own. A good companion to Yes & Time & A Word are their BBC sessions 2 disc set of this same period. Tony Kaye and Peter Banks Flash & Badger CD's are all worth a listen as well.

Simple answer: YES!!! In the 70s/80s, I didn't really "get" them; they were in company with King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator in being bands I really didn't enjoy much, if at all. Then one day I put Free Hand on, and it all clicked. Now I have all their albums and listen to them regularly. But I'm still waiting for the other two bands to click.

i first heard GG in 1973. first saw GG tower theatre in philly 1975. my head exploded. it was as amazing as a frank zappa concert!!! i bought giant for a day as soon as it came out. i tried like crazy to love it. but i didnt. it was too disappointing. 1st side of missing piece was too. however, by the late 90's i was hearing giant for a day independently from the rest of their music. and enjoying it's "odd" pop rock songs. recently, i've been loving it. nostalgic. the sound on the album is great. the songs are fun.

gentle giant studio #10 gentle giant acquiring the taste giant for a day missing piece interview civilain three friends octopus in a glass house power and glory #1 freehand playing the fool is the greatest live album i ever heard

No doubt about my top five: 1. Acquiring the Taste 2. Three Friends 3. Octopus 4. Gentle Giant 5. In a Glass House

YES!!!! They BLOODY well ARE!!!!

Hey pal! Gentle Giant was my very first bigger venue concert. I saw them at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia probably 1975. I had already played concerts of my own for my middle school and high school. My main guitar teacher played Jesus Christ Superstar at a local theater group, most of which were NY session players, so it was most certainly high level music ... I was sitting in the orchestra pit reading along with the charts for my lessons. I guess when I saw Gentle Giant was about 12 or 13. That same years I saw Peter Gabriel's first solo tour and also David Gilmour's first solo tour... also Robin Trower right about then. I have to say that Gentle Giant has had one of the most profound influences on me over the years. Gosh, Steve Hackett is still touring, and if you haven't seen Jon Anderson or Steve Hackett with Todmobile, geez, please do yourself a favor. Thank you for bringing this to light. They really have a richness, and such originality. The problem with so much industry standard music is that it lacks the originality that true music possesses. Gentle Giant comes from a family heritage of classically trained musicians performing at the highest level in it's most sincere form. Yes, Gentle Giant really are that good ;-)

My heart goes with The Power and the Glory #1 :) Nice top 11 btw!

Glad to meet another Gentle Giant fan.

What about bands similar to Gentle Giant? What could you recommend?

I think Gentle Giant pushed the envelope more in terms of writing than any other prog band. Compared to others in prog, they were untouchable there. For me, Gentle Giant stood out because of their intelligent, fascinating and sometimes brilliant compositions. When it came to writing, they just had the goods. Also, the song itself was their priority, and not just a vehicle to show off dazzling, jaw dropping virtuosity, so often the case for many prog bands, which can be great, but more shallow, I think. Gentle Giant's music went deeper and would challenge me as a listener and I generally felt more fully rewarded going through it. Wish they weren't over so many people's heads cuz they don't know what they're missing, but I absolutely love and am forever grateful to them.

My gateway album into Soft Machine was Third - I still play it regularly.. Robert Wyatt's vocals on Moon in June are sensational and Out-Bloody-Rageous is one of my all time favourite tracks - in fact in a sense it was a CBS double album sampler Blockbuster which was the gateway album as there was an excerpt of Out-Bloody-Rageous on it which really piqued my interest and made me go out and buy Third. Oddly enough I bought 4 , 5, 6 and Softs but with Ratledge, Dean and Wyatt leaving at various stages I progressively lost interest. But after your video I will give the later albums a visit/revisit!

Been listening to Yes and Jon Anderson since 1971. This album is a winner. Great review.

21. Heaven and Earth 20. Open Your Eyes 19. The Quest 18. Union 17. Big Generator 16. Mirror to the Sky 15. Fly From Here 14. Tormato 13. Yes 12. Talk 11. The Ladder 10. Keystudio (studio songs in KTA I & II) 9. Time and a Word 8. Magnification 7. Drama 6. Going for the One 5. Fragile 4. Tales From Topographic Oceans 3. Relayer 2. Close to the Edge 1. The Yes Album

I can't remember the first record album I bought. Probably something by Yes or Deep Purple - although I remember buying a tape of Georgie Fame when I first got a reel to reel machine in my teens. However, your thoughts on Soft Machine got me thinking. A great group. Love their work. Like you, I like Bundles and Softs. I am also a great fan of Seven. Some of their work - One and Two especially - is a little too avant garde for me. Of course, there was also Matching Mole, with Robert Wyatt. I went to see them at one time. They were the warm-up band for John Mayall at the Manchester Free Trade Hall. Unfortunately, Matching Mole were there, but their equipment was still in London. Mayall came on and did an extended set. Brilliant. Many years ago, we had a jazz night in our local pub every Tuesday (in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire). One of the regulars there was Gary Boyle. Always had some good players with him. I came across this video of Gary playing with Soft Machine recently. Enjoy! ruclips.net/video/CKDuevCr90Q/видео.html

Largely agree, except that I think you over-rate Going For The One, which I would rate just above Tormato. I really think their melodic muse has abandoned them on this one - I've heard peple quote Awaken as an amazing song, but I don't think it contains enough ideas for a five minute tune, let alone a 15 minuter.

I saw them in NJ for 5 bucks

I just got the Free Hand CD today and listened to it all the way through and I must say, I was utterly transported by its contrapuntal mastery! I love it! I think it's going to be hard to displace -- the only other albums I've listened to all the way through are Octopus and Gentle Giant, which I liked a lot, but Free Hand feels like something special to me.

It took me a while to learn to listen to GG. The first time I listened to it, I realized it was a bit complicated, hard to like immediately like Genesis, Yes, EL&P... There were many new things together. But I'm used to classical music, so I insisted, listening to each album at least twice, paying close attention. Until, to plagiarize you, I also had an epiphany! It was at the end of the track "Mister Class and Quality", mixed with the beginning of "Three Friends", and the "magic" lasted until the end of the album. It's easier to describe a psychedelic trip than to describe what I felt. That same night I listened to all the albums again, each one more than once, and it was as if I had never heard them before. In fact, I'm a layman when it comes to music, I don't know how to evaluate it technically. I only know that the closest I got to that feeling was when I understood Schubert's "Unfinished", or when I heard "Casta Diva" (Bellini's Norma) performed by Joan Sutherland for the first time. Moments that only (very) good music can provide us.

Going for the One never connected with me.

Fragile was the launching pad for their greatest albums of Close, Tales and Relayer

I live TALK but you just cannot match Close, Tales, or Relayer

Thanks for your opinion and expertise. I like your ranking. In deed all these lists are very, very personal and subjective, as you said. Also a very important hint is, that it matters, where one comes from - era, age, memories, context ... I got introduced to YES as a 13 year old mainstream or classic rock fan (Saga, Boston, Supertramp, Toto, Styx, Journey, ...) by '90125'. That was a huge hit album in germany, where I am from. I remember that every 'true' (and older) YES fan did not accept that record while new listeners - like me - loved it. About 40 years later - I meanwhile discovered Prog Rock and YES, even though it is still not my only or even favorite genre - I like and appreciate YES a lot. But with my personal background, my Top 10 list would look like this: 1. 'The Yes Album' and '90125' 3. 'Yes', 4. 'Time and a word', 5. 'Drama', 6. 'Close to the edge', 7. 'Fragile', 8. 'Going for the one', 9. Tormato', 10. 'Big Generator' ... or 'Relayer'? Hmm, I don't know. And, there I said it: I absolutely dislike 'Tales from topographic oceans'. Can't stand it. Too complicated, self-absorbed and even pretentious - for me. I don't get that feeling you describe. But that's the fun part about music, right? It's so individual and debatable. Prog fans are particularly passionate about it ;-) Cheers! Thanks again for your video.

Bridge over the river kwai for the thousandth time - best description of a 70s Uk Xmas ever. Love gg

My fav band but I’ve got 2 huge problems with them. - the albums are too short - Gary Green uses wah-wah in almost every solo. The band would have been better off with a more sophisticated [= guitar effects on par with Minnear’s keyboards] guy like Hackett [- a minor thing but I almost get rashes from Derek’s pronunciation of _spain_ in Three Weeks In Spain] 1. Free Hand 2. Octopus 3. In a Glass House 4. The Power and The Glory 5. Acquiring the Taste 6. Gentle Giant 7. Interview 8. Three Friends 9. The Missing Piece 10. Civilian 11. Giant for a Day

I started listening to ELP, etc but when I heard GG I clicked with them directly. They are my fav band and Free Hand is my favorite album. I’ve had the same experience as you with Van de Graaf. I’ve listened to H to He at a friend and I wasn’t ready for this music. About a year later I heard to Pawn Hearts and it knocked me off.

Hello sir. I really enjoyed your ranking and your agonising over the upper reaches! It's hard sometimes isn't it? I've been into progressive since 83/84 and GG are the great elusive band that I've always known I should get into but never did until last year. Before I got any albums I looked at a load of ranking videos and also read some reviews/rankings and a curious thing struck me.....any one of the first 7 albums topped the various rankings. Pretty unusual. My curiosity was at fever pitch when I started buying the CD's. My favourite is Acquiring the Taste. It puzzled me because so many rankers described this as a hard listen. I just don't get it. I would say Octopus through Free Hand are the hardest listens. So I rate the first 2 very highly. I love their relative 'straight-forwardness'. I love the Visconti productions. I love the ornate tendencies.....those quirky string-laden gems like Funny Ways, Isn't it Quiet and Cold, Edge of Twilight, The Moon is Down and Black Cat. I wish there was more of this type of song. Consequently I couldn't forgive Three Friends for being a retreat into rock music. It's Zappa-esque in places but 'frankly' I prefer Zappa. Octopus I find a little perverse. There's just too much going on. I think Acquiring the Taste is the more mature album. There's a natural flow there. Octopus no doubt has some impressive playing but it's just too widdly for me. Again, I want Zappa if I need my widdly fix. I see the next four as related albums. There is a wonderful progression and I love all four. Free Hand might be my number two but I really like this period per se. The Missing Piece and Civilian are both fantastic. I have no problem with AOR Giant. Yup, album number 10 is rightfully bottom of most lists but the title track and the deceptively simple Spooky Boogie are just magnificent. So my ranking would be highly individual (like all those ones I watched last year). Three Friends and Octopus would be mid or lower ranking albums for me. This band defy consensus which might work against them in this world of algorithms. Anyway, thanks for you heartfelt ranking video!

Gentle Giant and King Crimson created and defined prog. I'm 70 now and got to see every ban mentioned on the video. You cant go out right now and see this type of original innovation, musical capabilities and the abilities to produce a live show with what is now limited technical stage electronics. God bless the past.

22. Heaven and Earth 21. The Quest 20. Open Your Eyes 19. Mirror to the Sky 18. Fly From Here 17. Union 16. KeysStudio 15. Magnification 14. Big Generator 13. The Ladder 12. Drama 11. Yes 10. Time and a Word 9. Tormato 8. 90125 7. Talk 6. The Yes Album 5. Takes from Topographic Oceans 4. Fragile 3. Relayer 2. Close to the Edge 1. Going for the One.

I've always thought that the Missing Piece is a vastly underrated album. Yes, some of it isn't particularly proggy, but I don't think there's a bad track on it. Surely, Bet you thought we couldn't do it was their attempt at a punky song.(It was after all the year of punk 77) the lyrics fit and it lasts less than 2 minutes. For nobody is one of their best tunes too, and has been mentioned elsewhere, IMO Memories of Old Days is the most gorgeous prog ballad ever.(Only their own Aspirations comes close).

I loge Gentle Giant!

Agree True is an UNAPOLOGETIC encomium to Classic Yes, but I also hear some song sections that evoke the Rabin-era stuff like Talk or even Big Generator which is cool too. Anybody else hear just a little bit of the two Trevors sprinkled in?

Great rankings! I can listen to a fellow GG aficionado discuss the albums all day long. Octopus is my #1 as it was my first, as someone below also mentions, but yeah you summed it up. I agree with your feeling about "Interview", ha I feel better about that now. They always had this huge rock edge, so the 3 later albums weren't that far off - I pulled 3 or 4 tracks from each one and it's a pretty good collection! So good job, thank you. We'll just have to listen to them all over again now... How do you feel about the surround sound releases?

Excellent run up.

im an 11 year old and i love progressive rock and over all rock and metal of course [besides nu metal] and i think gentle giant is too overshadowed by king crimson and in my opinion is an ever better band to some degree

I tried, and realized that I am actually unable to rank these first 6 beautiful albums. Octo, Acquiring, Three Friends, Glass, Power and their debut are all absolutely unique in their approach, but none of them is better or worse, they all different. Now being dropped off on a desert island and told I can only bring one, I guess it would be Octopuss, but again, that would be heartbreaking.

11. Giant For A Day 10. Interview 9. Acquiring The Taste 8. Civilian 7. The Missing Piece 6. Gentle Giant 5. Three Friends 4. Power And The Glory 3. In A Glass House 2. Octopus 1. Free Hand

I feel about Glass House how you feel about Interview. My faves below (all are great - GG are brilliant musicians!): Octopus (1972) The Power and the Glory (1974) Interview (1976) Free Hand (1975) Three Friends (1972) Acquiring the Taste (1971) The Missing Piece (1977) Giant for a Day! (1978) Civilian (1980) In a Glass House (1973) Gentle Giant (1970)