I Rank All 21 Yes Albums... The Ultimate Prog Rock Journey!
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Ranking All 21 YES Studio Albums | Ultimate Progressive Rock Journey
Dive into the legendary world of YES as I rank all 21 of their studio albums! From the groundbreaking Close to the Edge to the orchestral experimentations of Magnification, this iconic band has left a profound mark on the progressive rock scene. Join me on this musical journey, where we explore the highs, lows, and everything in between from Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, and the ever-evolving lineup that shaped the band’s sound.
I’ll be discussing timeless classics like Relayer and Going for the One, as well as the often underrated Tormato and the experimental vibes of Tales from Topographic Oceans. We’ll journey through the early days with albums like The Yes Album and Fragile, and dive into the 80s reinvention with 90125 and Big Generator, as well as the latest releases, Mirror to the Sky and The Quest.
Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the world of YES, this ranking will take you deep into the band's history, album by album, offering insights into the evolution of their sound, line-up changes, and the progressive masterpieces that made YES one of the most revered bands in rock history.
Make sure to comment on your favorite YES albums and let me know how your ranking compares!
I am with you on Tales; I really like it, and when I listen to it, I only ever listen to it from beginning to end the whole double album. I agree with you that any of the top three albums you chose could at any time be #1.
I'm born in 1974, so obviously my first introduction to Yes were the 90125 and Big Generator albums. And I thought they were fantastic. And then a friend of mine made a mix tape for me with some other earlier stuff. The first song on the tape was Starship Trooper. And I fell in love. (There wasn't space enough on the cassette for Close to the Edge, so that I discovered after I actually bought the album with no idea what to expect. And I was NOT disappointed.)
Fantastic gateway album story, both 90125 and Big Generator were great albums, and then you were able to discover the back catalogue, thanks for sharing 😎
@@ProgAxia I'm one of the old guys. I discovered Yes when I was 14. Fragile was my first, and I admit I was confused by the lyrics. But then, when Starship Trooper describes the key to Yes lyrics in the 2nd verse, almost everything became clearer. Then Tales came out, and after only 3 minutes of side 1, that music became the greatest music in the world. All Yes music. But especially Tales. And 51 years later, I find Tales to be the finest music ever written or recorded in all music history.
@@charleswagner2984 Hey Charles, I'm with you on Tales. I know lots of Yes fans that don't like Tales that much, but love it and play it 2-3 times a year complete, start to finish headphone on and love it. Thanks for the comment 😎
Great observations of Yes' fine work, I agree with most of your ratings. Thanks for posting this up.
I love how you placed Going For The One in your top three, that is such a magnificent album from start to that perfect finish with Awaken.
My top five includes Drama and 'Tales' doesn't even make my top ten, but CTTE tops my ranking as well and you are so right about the title track; with every listen it feels like yet another dimension of a musical consciousness opens up inside my brain... and the combination of music and those lyrics cuts through my soul. What a thrill!
Close to the Edge released over 52 years ago. Just remarkable. The Yes Album my number two for sentimental reasons but it remains so powerful.
It's weird to think that something so close to my heart was released so long ago.. But it's a stone cold masterpiece as is many other albums from that era...
"I recognize it as probably the best thing I've ever heard in my life" (Close to the Edge)... I couldn't agree more! Great video on ranking Yes albums.
Thanks Stan, I think I can safety say that Close To The Edge changed my life. I was absorbed. I first heard it probably 75 when I heard my friends brother playing it in his room and we joined him. I also remember it not leaving the turntable in my bedroom all through 76 and in 77 I was going to shows and had everything they had produced by them... I not only think it's the best yes album, I also think it's probably the best progressive rock album of all time, and it's up against some stiff competition.. 😎
Thanks. I still remember to this day the first time I heard the Close to the Edge intro and track. I never heard anything like that and was blown away. Instant fan. Still am some 50 years later. I would add Yessongs which although it's a live album, I could never stop listening to, it's the best of their music in one triple LP and the live performance gives off even more energy imho.
Good list but… THE LADDER is amazing.
Hey Scot, yep in the grand scheme of things, every Yes album is brilliant... I know your favorite is Tales, and that could have been mine on another day.. 😎
@@ProgAxia Absolutely!!!!!!👍
I concur Scot
@@ProgAxia you chose well with Relayer :) I probably would’ve put Fragile higher than GFTO, but great list and awesome commentary! Love all Yes!
The Ladder is lame
Close To The Edge still brings tears to my eyes and a chill up my spine when it reaches the finale.
I think I can safety say that Close To The Edge changed my life. I was absorbed. I first heard it probably 75 when I heard my friends brother playing it in his room and we joined him. I also remember it not leaving the turntable in my bedroom all through 76 and in 77 I was going to shows and had everything they had produced by them... I not only think it's the best yes album, I also think it's probably the best progressive rock album of all time, and it's up against some stiff competition.. 😎
IMHO Topographic Oceans is as close as you can get to modern classical music
Yes, it's prog rock, but the musicianship is so good, it's beyond that. Yes it's a bit flabby in parts, but it gets me through every plane journey I take
Yeah I love that album. It's weird because I speak to a lot of Yes fans and some people think it one of their best albums and some people think it's bloated. Wakeman hates it, but like you. I think it a prog masterpiece and there are some brilliant yes moments in there 😎
1. Close to the Edge
2. The YES Album
3. Going for the One
4. Relayer
5. Fragile
6. Tales
Thanks for the video! 🙂
Could not argue with your ranking Tom... Thanks for the comment. I absolutely love each and every one of theses albums.. 😎
@@ProgAxia exactly… splitting hairs here. They are all great!!!
Love the order of your top 5! To me Time and a Word & Yes are the next 2. I'm not a huge fan of Tales. The reason I would have Union a bit higher than #12 is Bill Bruford.
Good ranking
I have a soft spot for Union. I know most people don't like it, but I rather love it.
Fragile at no 1. Brilliant engineering and production and Jon Anderson’s best vocal performance. The true beginning of Prog Rock .
Thanks for the comment Simon😎
thank you for this ranking. I'm 34 and this helped me discovering the group.
Good list , though I'd put The YES Album above Tales.
Yes in the round was Tormado - it was my first Yes concert - first anything concert actually. I had 7th row on the aisle. One of the best memories of my life!
Yeah, whilst doing the video I thought it was. I got tickets on the night and thought I had crap seats, only to get in there and realised we were in some of the best seats in the house, they were right in front of us!!! Incredible! 😎
Best one of these types of vids on Yes I’ve seen. Pretty much agree with all of it.
Hey thanks for that. Really appreciate it. What would have been you're top 3? 😎
Thanks for that! Before I watched this, I tried to rank them my self first. And astonishingly (or not), the top 3 albums are exactly the same as I chose them! For me Fragile is 4th, so there it ends. As for Relayer, that is the best album by far. BUT, Close to the Edge is more musical and speaks more to the heart and it cemented the band into legendary status, and therefor has to be number 1.
One last note, thanks for mentioning Parallels! And now time to listen to some albums you've gotten me curious about.
Close to the edge lived on the turntable for a whole summer, studio and live.
Yeah, I've been through that with so many great albums, just could not stop listening to them. 😎
The Yes Album's always an interesting one, in the sense that I constantly see it placed one spot higher or lower than Fragile. Doesn't surprise me though, given the fact that I personally have a hard time telling which is the better one; plus they were released in the same year and sound quite alike. I'd opine The Yes Album doesn't end as strong, and definitely doesn't start as strong, but it has no weak tracks. Honestly, who the heck on earth managed to craft as stunning a song as Starship Trooper? Simply otherworldly and breathtaking.
Glad you like the Relayer so much. I've recently spent quite some money buying a second-hand deluxe edition that has the Steven Wilson mix, coming in the format of a CD and a Blu-ray from a Japanese seller. It's also one of those Yes albums that has no weak tracks.
I saw the Yesshows 1977 tour in Louisville, Ky, and Donovan opened for Yes. What a show. Such memories. My first Yes album I bought was Relayer back when it was first released in 1974. And then I bought Tales. My brother had Fragile, Close to the Edge. My first Yes concert was The Yes Solo's Tour 1976 with Badfinger opening. I personally think the last outstanding Yes album was Keys to Accession vol.2. Thanks for the post. Cheers from Indiana 👍
I remember Donovan supporting Yes in the 70's and a warm welcome from England 😎
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.
Don’t want to disagree. Been listening to various Starship Trouper on RUclips and came across RW with his son Adam at Copredy last year. You have to see. Bloody brilliant.
Can you drop the RUclips link here, could not find it by searching.. thanks
I think your top 10 is near enough spot on, however I have put mine and I know it's s personal thing, dependent on when you come into the land of Yes and what clicks with you..
1) Tales from Topographic Oceans
2) Close to the Edge
3) Going for the One
4) Relayer
5) Fragile
6) The Yes Album
7) Time and a Word
8) Drama
9) 90125
10) Yes
Greatr vid mate 👽
To be honest, any of the top 4 could have been changed around depending how I felt at the time, or what I'd listen to last ha ha 😎
Tales on top. Respect!
I would switch your top 2. Close to the Edge is wonderful, but Relayer is my number one. I love Sound Chaser.
Yeah me too mate, I just had to stand back and 'Close To The Edge' just edged it in the ranking, I had to choose. Although every time I hear Relayer I just fall in love with it again, such a great album!!
@ProgAxia you might have an idea about this. They say the Beatles revolver album and Abbey Road were good prog roock albums. I reliistnedto both and don't believe they were that great. What is your take on them?
@@myrongator I love the Beatles, I've listened to them from a really early age. I love rock and they are great songsmiths. If you think about Sg. Pepper, that's a proto prog album. Absolutely brilliant album, but the 70's and the prog scene took music to a whole new level. So love the Beatles, for what they were, but prog to me started in 70 and sort of ended in at around 1980, or at least that decade was the heyday.. So there are some some amazing Beatles albums, not prog for me, but amazing. Love them for what they are. 😎
For me, those two along with Tales form a trilogy at the peak of modern music composition.
Just found your channel, great post. I agree your top 5 can go almost in any order. I will say my most go to YES albums are Live / Yes Songs & Yes Shows, I also have a Japanese double CD of live material from the Drama tour. Drama still is a little special to me since that was my first concert ever. It was great seeing Jon Anderson last Friday night & hearing all the YES classics & his voice still held up just fine.
Hey Jimmy, I'm really jealous of you seeing Jon and the Geels live. I'm hoping they will be over in the UK soon. Those Live albums are fantastic.. A few years ago I did a podcast with my good friend Paul, who we call Dr Prog because he has a PHD is Progressive Rock, believe it or not ha ha! Anyway we did a podcast looking at out top 10 live prog rock albums of all time and I had Yessongs in at #2.. you can see that vid here > ruclips.net/video/MRtiJSjj4is/видео.html I also gave an honourable mention to Keys To Assention Parts 1 & 2 and Yesshows..
@@ProgAxia It really was a great set list & the band was tight.
@@JimmyV1530 Have you listened to the True album from Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks?
@ProgAxia absolutely, I have the autographed CD from Jon's website & it has been played often. Truly love hearing Jon play new muisc.
Loving this video, and as a lifelong YES fan this completely resonates with me. Totally agree with the top 3, great work Andy 👍
Thanks Mal... appreciate it 😎
Yup, agree. You really got this all right.
You redeemed yourself with number one and two. Totally agree!
Excellent reviews. Nicely done. I am the exact same age as you and bought these albums when they came out. I have a question for anyone out there: Although I am American, back in the 70s I bought the English copies of their first two albums. (Better Covers). Of course they had pictures of the bands on the American versions. I noticed that Steve Howe's picture is on: Time and a Word cover. My understanding is that Peter Banks was on guitars for that album and Steve Howe first played on: The Yes Album? What is the story there?
Yeah, that was down to the record company. The album came out as Peter Banks left and they used the latest shot thy had of the band without thinking about the line up that recorded the album. Just laziness and ignorance of the record company.
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.
It’s all subjective, but this is the correct ranking 😊
Man, after I heard - and fell in love with - the Yessongs version of "Close To The Edge", I really understood how the magic of a song like this that has been given the chance to simmer a bit from the exercise of playing it makes it all the MUCH better. I can't listen to the studio version without feeling like it is nothing but a rough outtake rehearsal version of the live Yessongs version. I realize that Yessongs did not deliver as a great live recording but even with its sonic flaws, I don't know, to me there was just something magic, something special, something dynamically superior and more robust in it's execution to the studio version of the song CTTE. My2cents
Not so much CTTE, but yes I agree. I first saw the Yes songs movie on the Old Grey Whistle Test, was absolutely hooked. Only when I started to back track the studio albums, I thought, whaaat? But I totally get it now.❤
I can never listen to the Yessongs version of CTTE because Bruford was no longer behind the drums and one definitely hears it. White's percussion work is so sparse and lacks the finesse of Bill's touch. To me the studio version is the quintessential take on that masterpiece, haha. BUT I absolutely adore Perpetual Change on Yessongs, it's a monster!
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.
Hi Frank, thanks for the comment, I love the way you described your entry point to the band. We came in a different points to Yes, but they have touched us both. Your ranking is great. I understand your journey and it's wonderful. 😎
Man, it's so cool to see someone who mirrors my Yes favorites. Going For The One is undoubtedly my favorite, maybe my favorite album of all time. But Tales, Edge and Relayer are all close. A quadruple of perfect albums!!!
Going For The One is a stonking album! 😎
Quite a fun video. I was surprised Relayer ranked so high but I agree, it’s amazing. I would rank it up high as well. I would have to put The Ladder a bit higher though. One question…Where is Keys To Ascension? There are quite a few new studio tracks on it that are good. Great video! 👍❤️
Yeah, Keys was not an official studio album, so could not include it, but it;s a wonderful album. I will do something on it at some point coz I do play it a lot. I just could not include it in the official studio album ranking. 😎
Their very first album called 'YES' has a great raw sound to it. The bonus tracks added to the CD version give it a jazzy vibe too. I'd probably have it at no.5 or 6
There's also some really good early footage floating around on RUclips, of them playing live that is on fire 😎
@@ProgAxiaSomething's Coming should have been on that debut album. Great version of a great American standard.
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
Nice ranking, In nearly all the ranking submitted to the channel and this specific video have put all the older albums at the top which says a lot about the substance of those incredible albums 😎
Good list!
Ladder at 11, that's right
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.
Jesus, didnt know they had that many... ! Guess i left around Tormato. Epic band. Chris Squire was a main part of their sound and the main reason i started to listen to Yes. I prefered the work with Bill Bruford on drums.
Great choice, from conception to creation, CTTE is the masterpiece of Yes. It is interesting how every Yes fan has a narrative on how they got into the band? For me it was 1978, I was at an "institution" for a short stretch of time, only one person used the music room, I could hear this amazing, truly beautiful sound, it was CTTE i get up get down, i asked if i could sit down to listen, do not say a word, just listen to the music was his reply. My musical life changed for me at that sitting, forever grateful. Top five for me personally, and for reasons not to be shared are 5) Relayer 4)Tormato 3)Going for the one 2) Tales from topographic oceans 1) Close to the edge. Amazing video
Hey Paul.. thanks for sharing and a great top 5 😎
Yep, CTTE is not only the best YES album, it is generally the best prog album ever, and is the classic example of the genre. Thanks for having Tormato on your list (you're brave!) since I'm one of the few who love that album.
tales is number one for me..great list...
Thanks Rocky... Tales id the one I'd take to a desert island... so much wonder on that album 😎
Considering you mentioned having 'everything' music-wise, I hope you'll consider more rankings or discussing your top 3 or 5 from the other bands you cherish on the level of Yes.
Hi Richard, yes we talk about a lot of prog. I have just done ranking of Gentle Giant with more on the cards 😎
@@ProgAxia I watched that ranking and paid you a compliment. Glad to hear you have more on deck. I'm really looking forward to them. Thank you.
@@richardnelson9453 Thanks Richard. I'm not doing this full time but really enjoy it. Glad you liked the ranking. Make sure you hit the notifications.. All the best Andy 😎
@@ProgAxiaI find Tales From Topographic Oceans to be the finest music ever written or recorded in all music history. It is the first four part rock symphony, if you don't count Third by Soft Machine. I don't think that conforms to the classical format of a symphony.
My list, at least at this moment:
21. Mirror to the Sky
20. The Quest
19. Open Your Eyes
18. Heaven and Earth
17. Keystudio (Keys 1 > Keys 2 originals)
16. Big Generator
15. Talk
14. Yes
13. Magnification
12. Union
11. 90125
11. Time and a Word
10. Drama
9. Fly From Here (original > return trip)
8. Tormato
7. The Ladder
6. Going for the One
5. Tales
4. Relayer
3. The Yes Album
2. Fragile
1. Close to the Edge
ABWH I'd probably put in front of Union. JA & the Band Geeks, which I consider more Yes than at least the two most recent "official Yes" releases, I'd put somewhere in the top 10.
Fragile was the launching pad for their greatest albums of Close, Tales and Relayer
Without trying to judge their worthiness or anything technical my list is simply what I played the most, which logically must have therefore been my favourite. As you may be able to tell from my list I have a preference for the long stuff which runs through most of the kind of music I like. As a general rule it needs to take me somewhere keep me there for a while and take the time to bring me back again.
1) Tales from Topographic Oceans
2) Relayer
3) Going for the One
4) Close to the Edge
5) Fragile
6) The Yes Album
7) Time and a Word
8) Yes
9) 90125
10)Drama
That's a great top 10, can't argue with any of it.. 😎
Good list. A lot of this is personal taste. Can’t quibble too much with any of it.
I particularly liked your top four and the notion that they are pretty much interchangeable, again according to personal taste. The band’s top albums are of such high quality in terms of musicianship, composition and groundbreaking creativity.
Close to the Edge would be my top choice as well with no shade to the others. With Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, it is a genre defining album.
You're absolutely right, it does all come down to personal opinion. I think it depends on when you first get into a band or the first album that captivated you. Thanks for the comment 😎
I like "Heaven And Earth", which is more sunshine pop than progressive, because I like sunshine pop music !
Agree about Relayer, in fact it would be my no.1! I wish P Moraz had hung around for longer - so many good ideas come through making the album there most advanced harmonically. But he was kicked out, apparently the chemistry wasn't there and, according to him, he was treated rather high handedly by the rest of the band.
Yep, Relayer is one of my all time favorite albums. It's sad that there was so much struggle and infighting. You hear a lot about people being treated badly within the camp. I love the vibe Moraz brought to Yes. 😎
Too bad Moraz didn't go back to Refugee and make a seond album. First one was amazing.
You're spot on, it's all subjective. It's all about personal taste.
And I think he mentioned that it also has todo with when you became a fan. I was in HS and College during the 70s. Close to the Edge was the first album I ever bought. Not just first Yes album. First Album. To me It, Fragile, The Yes Album and Relayer are my top choices.
Can't agree with your placement of the Ladder. I prefer it to Magnification honestly. Top 10 choices are pretty subjective I suppose, I'd rank Fragile higher. Calling the most recent albums "pedestrian" is high praise. They are completely disappointing.
I bought Tormato before any other Yes album. Grew to love it.
Ah the much maligned Tormato album. I secretly love it too (don't tell anyone).
Tormato is a great album 😎
Spot on with the Top 5. ✌🏼
Thanks John... Difficult though! ha
1. Fragile
2. The Yes Album
3. Close to the Edge
4. Yesterdays
5. Tales of Topographical Oceans
6. Yes
7. Time and a Word
Thanks for sharing, every single one a classic 😎
I do have to chuckle at how Topographic Oceans seems to have had a renaissance in recent years. I remember at the time of its release it was universally panned not only by music critics but by hardcore Yes fans and even by members of the band itself. But now it appears in the top 5 of many folks best Yes album lists. I've always liked it musically and I only stopped playing it (and other prog bands) because when I was aged 15, punk came along and my music listening tastes changed dramatically. However, I never stopped liking Yes's output from The Yes Album up to and including 'Going For The One' and I am so happy that Topographic is now receiving the love and respect it truly deserves.
Same here, Tales is a fantastic album. To me Tales From Topographic Oceans is one of the most magical and beautiful recordings of all time. I could have easily put it higher on any other day
@@ProgAxia People sometimes complain about the length of the album like it's the Wagner's 'Ring Cycle' or something! 😆
Comes to something when a prog fan could think a double album is too long ha ha
@@ProgAxia 😆
Tales From Topographic Oceans is my personal all time favorite Yes album. PERIOD!!!
Yes ! I only know 6 -7 albums... The thing is, when i feel like listening to Yes , i revisit the same ones. Yes album ,close to the edge ,fragile ,relayer ,tropographic oceans.Thanks for the review =) i will listen to Yes albums that i dont know❤ because of you!
I would like you to review van der graaf generator albums review. Its one of ma favorite band.
Hi Martin, I'm the same as you, I tend to go back to my old favs. The later Yes albums have on the whole been disappointing.. As for Van Der Graaf, I will do a ranking as they are one on my favorite bands as well.. Thanks for the comment and suggestion 😎
Well, at least you got all their albums included.
Yep 😎
1. 90125
2.Close to the edge
3. Relayer
oooh that's contentious Terry ha ha 😎
@@ProgAxia 😄
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
Thanks for the ranking, can't argue at all... It's amazing Relayer turned 50 yesterday!!!
@@ProgAxia Except that I forgot Fragile!!! Lol, I say, swap it out for The Yes Album and put Yes Album at #8
I love Close To The Edge but feel the Yessongs versions smoke the studio album. That's why is't not listed
Silent Wings of Freedom rules
1 Close To The Edge (of course, one of top Lps ever & agree on all points) My first choice for desert island must have list.... but if there was only some power to play it lol
2 Fragile (amazing, balanced, they're excited with new line up and it shows and a big step to what would be next)
3 Relayer (still blows me away amazing) ,( saw 75' and 76 tours with Moraz that featured some Relayer)
4 Going For The One ( a change and a chance, and well done, great Lp)
5 The Yes Album (great)
6 Time and a Word ( THEN = one of the best Yes songs ever and the orchestration is great)
7 Tomato ( was 17 when came out & it challenged me with the new direction but learned to really like, think it's the last really good Yes Lp and WAS 1ST TOUR IN THE ROUND 78-79 )
8 Drama (too bad Horn sang on it but some great bass and music )
9 Tales (should have been condensed to ONE cd by shortening song parts and omitting others but the follow up to Close Edge has some of that magic)
Everything after this list should not be mentioned in a real Yes list. A lot of the points ProgAxia made I totally agree with. Even though I was happy Yes got a 2nd life in 83 with 90215 and then Big Gen and saw both tours, I almost wished they had changed their name to Cinema. They are a band that still influence my song writing as well as Radiohead, Elbow, Beatles, P Floyd, and so many newer artist.
Can't disagree, great top 9... 😎
Believe it or not, I bought CTTE, never having heard Yes, because of the cover. I loved Roger Dean's logo and I loved the textured green exterior of the gatefold. It was 1976 and I bought it at JC Penny's ... yup, JCP used to carry albums. I got it home and listened. For a long time I only played side 2. I was 14 years old. But over time side one won me over! I completely agree with you, to this day it's still exciting and dangerous and risky and fantastic!
Love your Penny’s take! They also had a chord book of Steppenwolf: The Second, that I wish I had gotten…
Well I'll include the ratings here from prog archives online (it's not my personal order of faves). The numbers after the titles are the average star ratings out of 5. It's 24 YES studio albums because I'm including Fly From Here: Return Trip, and also including the Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe album. Not including the Keys To Ascension albums, nor the From A Page studio sessions.
1. Close To The Edge 4.68
2. Fragile 4.46
3. Relayer 4.38
4. The YES Album 4.32
5 Going For The One 4.06
6. Tales From Topographic Oceans 3.92
7. Drama 3.77
8. Magnification 3.73
9. KeyStudio 3.59
10. Fly From Here 3.42
11. Mirror To The Sky 3.39
12. Time And A Word 3.35
13. YES 3.29
14. The Ladder 3.27
15. Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe 3.21
16. Fly From Here Return Trip 3.19
17. Talk 3.08
18. 90125 3.05
19. Tormato 3.01
20. The Quest 2.89
21. Big Generator 2.57
22. Union 2.52
23. Heaven & Earth 2.30
24. Open Your Eyes 2.06
Thanks for the comment, but I don't get their rating. I know it's feedback, but 'Fly From Here' at '10? That's bonkers, and Tormato at 19? Hope you enjoyed my ranking. I know it's subjective but 'Fly From Here is shocking coming from a band like Yes.. I'd live to know what your top 10, but from your heart 😎
@@ProgAxia Those are the overall ratings from hundreds/thousands of reviews, so it is what it is by popular vote of members (and staff) of prog archives. Yeah, I'll post my top 10 when I have a chance, or even my complete ranking. Seems like it's constantly changing though, like with the DRAMA album, which keeps creeping higher and higher on my list over the years. It's a regular 'go to' repeat lisen YES album for me. CTTE #1 for me, though. And it's so interesting how two people can have different views, but it's MUSIC, which speaks to the soul. For me, although they're not my faves, I quite like the Fly From Here albums, but like you, I do like Tormato quite a bit even though it has a mediocre rating. We're all different, and that's OK.
@@genericusername1365 I just think it's an interesting exercise.. I did it on video, so I really had to think about it and commit myself on video, but it's a really hard process to think about, write down, change it, go and listen to all the albums again and finally come up with a definitive list with explanation.. I tell you it's not easy. It's 100% subjective, but it's an interesting exercise, and it makes you realise what those albums really meant to you.. I look forward to seeing your ranking, just do it from the heart. Remember, you CAN NOT be wrong! 😎
Can’t really quibble much with your top half dozen or so… In my current mood I’d go 1) Relayer, 1A) Going For the One, 3) Close to the Edge. At your lower range I personally would boost ‘Talk’ up a few spots and place ‘Fly From Here’ much higher (top 10 or 12 for me). Keystudio, which you have understandably left out, has some great songs and I’d slide it somewhere in the lower middle area of the ranking.
Yeah.. KeyStudio has some amazing track, it's just that it's no counted as a studio album officially as it's really a compilation.. but great non the less.. 😎
Fantastic video. I wonder what you think about the new Jon Anderson's album. Thanks
Thanks... I posted a review of this yesterday.. here it is LINK: ruclips.net/video/ayDLkCOeWMc/видео.html 😎
@@ProgAxia thanks si mucho great Chanel
Jon Anderson/Band Geeks "True" album is pretty good. I give it pretty close to 4 out of 5 stars. We'll see after the years pass by if it fades closer to 3.5 stars. I saw them live recently, and it was a great show. His voice sounded strained for the first 3 or so songs, then miraculously improved to wonderful after that. Maybe he just needed to warm up his voice.
@@genericusername1365 Man, I'm a musician and sometime, you're not in the zone and then the audience gives you strength and good vibes and suddenly you're right in there and loving the vibe.. As for True, I think it will go down as a great Jon Anderson album. I just hope they can follow it up with as much passion and excitement for the project. 😎
Some days 'Relayer' is my favourite Yes album of all time and other days it is 'Close To The Edge' And yes, CttE is probably the greatest prog album of all time.
CTTE is a 'Sacred Cow'
I hear you! While listening to a great album or just after, i almost always tell to myself : thats my favorite album!!! Still happen when i listen to almost any pink floyd albums, with some exeptions that i wont name.
@@martinlepage7576 With Floyd I have a similar battle between 'Wish You Were Here' and Animals. Of course DSotM is remarkable and easily one of the greatest albums of any genre ever made, but their following two albums probably had a greater affect on me on a personal level. Being 15yo when Animals was released, I was at a personal development stage where I was taking more notice of politics and social issues, so it hit home pretty hard.
Yeh the Ladder was a very good album. Magnification is also great.
The Ladder is 4th and Magnification is 2nd favorite Yes albums. They are great Yes albums
My top six almost exactly except I'd switch Tales and GFtO. I'd rate Drama at #7, I love the 80's sound of that album. 90125, Time and a Word, annd Big Generator complete my top 10. Really not fan of Magnifcation, I'd have rated that lower.
1. Relayer
2. Tales
3. Yes Album
""Drama" is NOT like BG!!!! "Drama" is freaking CLASSIC
Top 3 can’t disagree mate👍🏻
Yeah, those 3 albums really are something else! 😎
Top 4 CTTE, Fragile, Relayer and Tales. Next 4, YesStudio, Going For The One, The Yes Album and Tormato. Next 4, Drama, Time And A Word, Magnification, and Big Generator. Next Talk, Yes 1969, 90125 and Union. Depending on what week it is, I'll swap the perfect prog album of all time Fragile with CTTE, but the two are a tie in my opinion. Tales and Relayer can swap as well, but that is my top 4. Going For the One as well as YesStudio can swap the 5 and 6. Enjoyed this video, I put Fragile obviously much higher but have no problem with the rest, and do love seeing the wonderful prog album of Tormato getting it's due.
Thanks for the comment.. I can't argue with you, all those albums in the top 10 are just magnificent. I think ranking is such a personal thing and it's down to what those albums meant to you at the time.
I put Tales at #1. (Most days 😂)
In my thoughts, I put 3 other albums on my list, even though they aren't technically YES Studio albuns: Olias of Sunhillow, Fish out of Water, and True. Each of them would rate highly on my top 21 and toss some of the other ones off... Olias and True in particular are 'essential' YES. FOOW is brilliant in its own right. Cheers!😊
I'm with you on all those, Olias and Fish Out Of Water are essential listening in my house, have been for years, but obviously could not include them, and True, well I love it... Just did a review of it. As for Tale, it's probably one of my favorite albums of all time. I just get immersed in it. 😎
'True' Is more Frill than Thrill !
Really enjoyed this. I also believe The Yes Album - Going For The One is the greatest run of albums any artist has ever done.
Just one minor point, by having an image of your top 5 or so Yes albums you rather took away an element of intrigue as to what your ranking was going to be. Maybe holding a copy of Open Youe Eyes or Union might have made for an Interesting diversion!
I totally agree from The Yes Album to Going For The One in one hell of a run of absolutely magnificent albums.. So glad you enjoyed the video 😎
What's wrong with Tormato ? !
@@paulbrookes413
For me Tormato isn't a bad album just the most disappointing album of all time for me from the perspective of anticipation not being met (not even closely ). I remember buying Tormato and listening to it with my brother - we concluded it sounded like demos as opposed to fully worked out songs . Compare the openers Future Times/Rejoice to the openers on their classic period. It doesn't compare to Close To The Edge, Gates of Delirium Roundabout, Your Is No Disgrace etc.
Take the closing track, Silent Wings Of Freedom - put that in the boxing ring with Awaken, the closing track off GFTO, Awaken would knock it out in the opening round!
Circus of Heaven, Onward, Arriving UFO just can't compare with And You And I, Sound Chaser, Your Move, Heart Of The Sunrise etc.
What's wrong with Tormato? It's an album that revealed that Yes were mere mortals after all and, IMHO, never really fully recovered from.
@@markholmes2357I love the vibe of Tormato! It's very approachable, without losing any of the idiosyncrasies!
OPEN YOUR EARS 😁
@@paulbrookes413 I bought the album the week it came out in 1978 - so my ears have been open to it long enough thanks! 🤣🤣
The Ladder and Talk are surely in the Top 15
I think you got number 1 right. Fragile or Yes album should be 2 and 3. Other than that you can mix and match the rest. Certainly Talk and Ladder should be higher, both very good albums. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder 😉
Yeah, rankings are very personal. I say that on the vid as well.. That's why I love to hear other peoples ranking and also to find out what their Yes gateways album was.
Arriving UFO has some of Yes’ best playing.
YES had some BALLS writing a song like
CIRCUS OF HEAVEN / ARRIVING U.F.O.
at the height of punk....
@@volpeverde6441I have always thought that Tormato was a Yes tribute to The Beatles 'Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band,' as it was released approximately 10 years later, and had songs as eclectic and innovative as Sgt. Peppers.
Although I love Tormato, "Arriving UFO" is one of the songs people complain about (not I). It could have been improved if Wakeman would have spent a bit more time fleshing out his parts. It's obvious listening to it, that not much time was dedicated to his contributions to that otherwise good song. A little more thought on the keyboard parts would have resulted in a better reception (but I still like it, unlike others). Another song which was controversial was Circus Of Heaven. I do like it, but really it belonged on a Jon Anderson solo album, not a YES album. Release, Release is a great song (I love it) but some have criticized it because of the interlude with the spliced-in audience sounds. I guess some people didn't like it. A few other things here and there on the album and it could have been right up there with the previous YES albums. It is for me, but that's just me.
I really love all their albums produced by Eddie Offord.
A lot of Going for the One, some of Tormato.
I didn't care for anything after that.
You're missing out. You didn't like Drama? I LOVE that album (my 7th fave YES album). What about "Talk" from the Rabin years (his best one)?
As a fellow lifelong Yes fan, I have my own list. It’s pretty different from yours from 4 on. Like your friend, I’m not a huge fan of Tales from Topographic Oceans, and I struggled with where to place it in my ranking (I’ve had it everywhere from 10 all the way up to 16). And Tormato is hard for me to get through outside of On the Silent Wings of Freedom. 1. Close to the Edge 2. Relayer 3. Fragile 4. Drama 5. Going for the One 6. 90125 7. Magnification 8. The Yes Album 9. The Ladder 10. Tales From Topographic Oceans
Sounds great, it's so subjective. It's all about where you come into yes, and simply what grabs you at the time. Your top 10 is just a valid as mine, it's just those albums meant so much more to me. Thanks for the comment 😎
@@ProgAxiaI started with CTTE, but I think it's terribly overrated !
Top 8 for me from 8 to 1 would be
8. Yes - yours is no disgrace.
7. Fragile - long distance runaround.
6. Tormato - don't kill the whale.
5. Drama . Machine messiha.
4. Close to the edge .
3. Topographic oceans - ritual.
2. Going for the one - wondrous stories.
1. Relayer - the gates of delerium.
BUT..... topping all of those would be jon anderson - olias of sunhillow.
Great choices Bri.. Love Olias so much. Such an amazing album 😎
For me:
1-Tales From Topographic Oceans
2-Relayer
3-Close To The Edge
4-Fragile
5-The Yes Album
Then, at some distance:
6-Going For The One
7-Tormato
8-Time And A Word
9-Yes
I don't listen to any other album.
I've always heard people sing the praises of Yes, but I've never dug into them. I honestly just realized they did Owner Of A Lonely Heart. I don't know where to start, but I feel like I have the musical pallette to enjoy them. Any advice?
It's really difficult to point to some alums you may like without knowing the sort of thing you normally listen to and like. Owner Of A Lonely Heart is not typical of the original yes style of music, it was the 80's when 90125 and Big Generator albums came out and was a stage in their career when they were trying to be more relevant to an MTV generation so the tracks were more pop, than prog. Some great music but not indicative of classic yes which was really from 1970 through to 77/78. If you want to experience some classic yes from a progressive rock point of view. I would listen to albums like 'Close To The Edge' arguably the best progressive rock album ever released, but if you want to be challenged, which is what prog is all about, take a listen to 'Relayer' but you have to listen to it a few times. More accessible albums from that classic period are 'The Yes Album' from 1971, 'Fragile' also from 71 and 'Going For The One' from 1977
I hope that helps and let me know how you get on 😎
ALSO, if you want to listen to other progressive rock I have a lot of my prog rock radio shows up on 'Mixcloud' which plays all sorts of progressive rock. www.mixcloud.com/RockinRebelRadio/
Excellent video. I respect your personal ranking.
I have The Ladder ranked much higher. Also, in my opinion 90125 is far superior to Big Generator.
Where would you place Keystudio? It is the studio tracks from both Keys to Ascension sets, isolated and re-sequenced. It's also long out of print as a stand-alone album. I had to program those tracks in the sequence given in the Key Studio CD from the Accension albums, and realized that I was listening to the last great album performed by the classic line up.
Keystudio s a really good album, I would have put it around #11 only because that top 10 are all really great, and important yes albums. It's a shame they didn't do a proper vinyl release because it should be part of the canon of studio albums. 😎
@@ProgAxiaI count Keys and Keys 2 as two separate albums with new studio tracks. Keys 2 is much better than Keys.
KeyStudio is ranked #9 of all YES albums on prog archives online.
Is it any coincidence that the top ten are also the first ten (and the only ten I have on vinyl)? Personally, I never heard another Yes album for what must have been another 35 years (when I discovered streaming). But to me, Gates of Delirium is the single best piece of (progressive rock) music ever recorded , so for me Relayer is always number 1, but 2, 3 and 4 depend on my mood (but are CTTE, TFTO and GFTO).
100%.. Relayer is the best album I've ever heard, until I listen to Close To The Edge again.. etc.. etc.. It's impossible rank the top 3, but I think Close To The Edge, is as near to perfect as you can get on one album.. Man it's so hard!!!
Relayer is No. 1.Patrick Moraz takes the music to an other level.
Always found Relayer a bit of a jumble
@@paulbrookes413Relayer is the finest concept album ever created.
@@paulbrookes413 Everybody is different, and that's OK. I took me a while to warm up to Relayer, but now I love it. It's awesome.
The real question might be "when did they stop 'being' Yes?"
That's a really good question. I think it depends on when someone comes into the band. I know people who only stated listening to Yes when Trevor Rabin joined, so they didn't go through the emotional journey of Close To The Edge and Relayer like I did. For me it was at that point they stopped being the Yes I grew up with and loved..
@@ProgAxia I would agree. Even with Anderson singing with Squire (and White & Kaye backing them up), Rabin's influence really skews the sound away from classic Yes (more than the Downes & Horn on DRAMA).
@@ProgAxia Yes has always been Yes. To me, even now, Yes still creates Yes music. I don't like the ones without Anderson, except the newest one. I hated Drama, and didn't consider it as Yes music until ABWH proved to me that Drama is Yes music, and ABWH isn't Yes music. But wether I like it or not, all Yes albums and singles are Yes music.
The GFTO tour (my first live Yes) was done on a conventional stage with minimal stage effects (lines across the speaker cabinets resembling the album cover towers). Squire had the backgammon board outfit. The In The Round tour had a better set list, starting with that great 1-2 punch of SK-->HOTS) and featuring that fantastic YesMedley. All imo, lol.
Yes are such an incredible band. The yes album - Going for the one is QUITE a pantheon of rock
A great body of work.. shame it was never as good after Going For The One..
I first saw yes in 1969 and I can't get out of the 1970's yes,the 1980's were too over produced, bill bruford/alan white,steve howe,chris squire rick wakeman,jon anderson,that lineup was unbeatable
I totally agree with you Michael, I'm totally rooted in 70's Yes. I purchased my first Yes album mid 70's as was totally hooked. By the y I'm really jealous of hearing you saw them in 69.. That must have been an incredible experience. 😎
It was at a college in southend on sea in 69, tony kaye had his foot in plaster as in the yes album cover
Very cool.. 😎
După opinia mea „Fragile” este #1
Fragile is an amazing album.. 😎
I pretty much enjoyed everything from the debut up to Big generator. After that everything pales in comparison. The current Yes line up should be called the Steve Howe band. Nothing wrong with the last two albums but to me its not Yes. My rankings would be
12. Big Generator
11.Yes debut
10. Time and a word
9. Tormato
8. Drama
7. 90125
6. Fragile
5. Tales from Topographic Oceans
4. Going for the one
3. The Yes Album
2. Relayer
1. Close to the edge
I enjoyed Union and bits and pieces from later albums, the best of the later albums for me is Magnification, thats my honorable mention. The first 12 albums are their best work for me.
Hey Alfie, great ranking.. That top 6 are just amazing albums!! 😎
@ProgAxia I totally agree, I think those 6 are definitely their most interesting, musically accomplished albums, and the ones that represent everything that Yes did brilliantly
It's noteworthy how many people are with you regarding the top 6 - my only quibbles are: I'd have Fragile at 5 and the Yes Album at 6; and Going for the One is too high. But the top 6 is totally true as a group
For me The Ladder needs to be above Open Your Eyes (dreadful stuff) and Big Generator needs to be below 90125; 90125's impact is still felt but I agree there ARE more classic YES tropes on Big Generator. I rather like the original Fly From Here album as well. Interesting take on your ratings/faves - enlightening. It's all very personal depending on when you first heard an album - great stuff!
Hi Dave.. you have got ranking 100%. It all depend on how old you are, how you got into the band, the live gigs you went to and the people around you.. It's totally subjective. I'd love to know your top 10 and why, personally... 😎
I would have chosen the same top four. I went to the Wembley Arena gig with the moving stage
That was a fantastic gig... Yeas at their best 😎
Relayer, Going for the One, Close to the Edge, Fragile. They're the best for me. They had some occasional good tracks after that with Drama and Keys to Ascension and even the Ladder is OK, but they got increasingly dull in recent times. A pastiche of their earlier albums.
All bands suffer when they have released too many albums to keep track of. It's actually better to be left wanting more from a band.
i think you could have mentioned great tracks on albums 21-12. There are definitely some good tracks. Especially on The Ladder. Also I believe that (older Yesfans) need to give the Yes west material props in it's own merit. 90125 is remarkable in it's own right, considering that this was a total reinvention of the band , that is definitely Yes. Those 1st 2 records didn't have Steve Howe but is great. That said BG is the best Yeswest in my view as it is yours.
Cheekily, I wonder where you'd place Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford, Howe?
I bought this album at the time and listened to it a lot. It was good to have what could have been seen as a Yes album at the end of the 80's.. For that reason I quite liked it.. But today I really struggle with it. I really don't like the drums.. I'm a big Bill Bruford fan and I don't understand his love for electronic drum kits. After many years of listening to it I'm not a massive fan. At the time it felt like another Yes album to listen to. Now, comparing it with the incredible Yes albums in the catalogue, it feels a little lame, and I absolutely hate 'The Meeting' and 'Quartet'.
The problem, I think is that the early days of Yes were always on the edge, and ABWH was at a point where they were just contacted to do albums, which commercially achieved, but Yes fans just passed it by. I feel the same. It was nice at the time, but put up against any of my top 10 and it's not that great.. How do you feel about the album? That's the question.. And thanks for the comment. 😎
I've only skimmed through it. I remember quite liking Brother of Mine but on hearing it again years later I was a bit underwhelmed. To be honest, my interest in Yes waned after Going for the One although I do think Owner of a Lonely Heart is magnificent @@ProgAxia
@@FUNKYTRUMPETER I think you are 100% spot on 😎
@@ProgAxia and I have a huge soft spot for Olias. It's intertwined with memories of the hot summer of '76
@@ProgAxiaI hear in ABWH a Anderson solo album with Rick, Steve, and Bill on it with songs that people from Toto, Asia, and Vangelis writing some of the songs. Tony Levin is great on bass. But he don't write like Squire, which is why it isn't Yes.
What the fuck, that's a green screen???? That's some good arse job.
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.
Thanks for the comment. Ranking is totally subjective, What you need to remember is I was 17 when that album came out. I purchased it on the day of it's release and then went to the Yes tour that year. It was massive for me and my friends, so it holds a special place in my heart. I love the album and Awaken is one of my favorite head trips from that time. 😎
@@ProgAxia ha yep, born in 1960 myself. Thought it was a huge fall from Relayer, and still do.
@@girthbloodstool339 Don't get me wrong, in Yes album terms Relayer is head and shoulders above Going For The One, but I still love that album and the times we had going to see them...
"Mirror to the Sky"? I hadn't even heard of this album coming out. Hated Heaven & Earth... ignored The Quest... maybe I'll give MIrror a try.
Thing is, if you're an lover of older more dangerous yes, where they take chances and have drive, albums like Close To The Edge, Relayer etc, then it may seem a little pedestrian to you, as I say some nice tunes, great musicianship etc, just a bit pedestrian. Grab a listen on streaming first 😎