Totally agree! Why so many prog fans completely ignore RUSH is baffling to me. I've heard prog fans say " Prog has to be British. And then I hear the same people say " check out this great obscure German or Italian prog band" WTF?!!!
In as much as opinions about art can be objective, that would be the criteria. Or matching the list against a list of standards for that genre (which is also subjective, but could be determined by consensus - so same thing).
Objectivity is impossible Andy! I saw the Topographic Oceans and Selling England tours, so they will always be the two best prog albums for me.This 66 year old remembers the thrill of my first two concerts and growing up in Bournemouth with my late mum and dad and brothers and sisters and going to school and falling in love for the first time!
Great list Andy! My top 10 prog albums would be: 1. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson 2. Fragile - Yes 3. Thick As a Brick - Jethro Tull 4. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd 5. Brain Salad Surgery - Emerson, Lake and Palmer 6. Six Wives of Henry VIII - Rick Wakeman 7. The Snow Goose - Camel 8. 2112 - Rush 9.Octopus - Gentle Giant 10. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - First Album
Missing Gentle Giant but if this is a popularity contest or a sales record then I guess this ranking is representative. As a "typical" prog fan I have stuff from all these artists but not necessarily the KC, Genesis or Jethro Tull albums chosen. Not Animals but just bought Rotters Club and You on your previous recommendation. Another great video Andy. All the best!
@@frankmurphyburr3598 Me too. Also he lacks the baked in coal dust to be a chimney sweep. Though it could be a pisstake of Working Class Men from the Thirties, in a post-modern ironic fashion to make it OK for a middle class man of today. We can expect him to dress up like a Black & White Minstrel next, ironically of course.
There has to be a place for Van der Graaf Generator in any objective list. Sure - difficult to pick an album maybe but as a band they have a staying power and constant change and true 'progression' over the years and, to date. I really like them too😂
Some bands that always get forgotten:- Renaissance - Scheherezade and Other Stories Curved Air - Second Album and Air Cut Beggars Opera - Waters Of Change, Pathfinder Henry Cow - Legend Gentle Giant - Free Hand Kansas - Song For America Starcastle (debut album) Sebastian Hardie - Four Moments Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night Family - Entertainment Spirit - The Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus Fruupp - The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes Kaleidoscope - White Faced Lady Klaatu - Hope Love - Forever Changes PFM - The World Became The World/Chocolate Kings The Pretty Things - Parachute (influenced David Gilmour especially for Dark Side) Robert Calvert - Captain Lockheed and the Starfighers Strawbs - Brave New World Hawkwind - Warrior On The Edge Of Time
1. Lark's Tongue in Aspic 2. The Power and the Glory 3. Close to the Edge 4. Remember the Future 5. Selling England by the Pound 6. Animals 7. Pawn Hearts 8. Thick as a Brick 9. Warrior on the Edge of Time 10. A Farewell to Kings
Towards the end of the show, Andy mentioned that the first ELP album came out just a few months after King Crimson’s ‘Court Of the Crimson King.’ That is a busy and fast turnaround time for singer - bassist Greg Lake.
Especially that Greg was on some tracks on In The Wake of the Poseidon. It's also irony that Greg Lake replaced John Wetton in the live Asia, with both their connections to King Crimson.
@@malekmo64 That's true, but I was disappointed when they did that live "Asia in Asia" concert video and it was Lake instead of Wetton because my ears had been attuned to John's vocal range. I know it must've been tough for Greg to quickly take the torch when Wetton left (or was let go from ) the band.
Kudos to Andy for flirting with the RUclips copyright strikes by using the actual Gilmour guitar lick and pretending to do it with his voice three times in quick succession.
objectively as always - very enjoyable! Love the videos Andy! The one that snared me was Ten Most Pointless Bands ... I had found my soulmate haha! But have stayed for deep dives on Prog and Fusion. Because of you I love the Brecker Brothers .... Heavy Metal Be Pop from the awful covers video. Got it on record .... its stunning. Cant turn it off. And Visions of the Emerald Beyond ... found a copy of that too - how have lived this long without hearing this? Thanks again chief!
Really enjoyed your video. I think the reason DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED is skipped over so much is because Peter Knight wasn't "in" the group. But given that members of other rock groups were in and out of their various groups at various times, I think the six musicians who put together that record deserve many more plaudits than they've been given. It was the first "progressive" rock album I ever heard -- when it came out -- and it was mind-opening and along with "Fragile," turned me onto classical music.
thanks for getting me into Gong, i wasn't even aware of their newer stuff. it's fantastic space rock with the quality I always wanted from Hawkwind. You is a great choice too. to me it sounds more like the newer stuff, the first track on The Universe also Collapses is incredible!
@@binkwillans5138It certainly pushed back some boundaries and isn't that what progressive music should do? I've not heard Ivor Biggun since I was 15. I wonder if he's on Spotify?
Andy, regarding ITCOTCK I hear you about the Moonchild improv section, but I Talk to the Wind and Epitaph are both exceptionally great. The band either swings or struts majestically.
The Moonchild improv section is true self-indulgent nonsense especially following its gorgeous beginning. Otherwise, everything on that album is gobsmacking genius.
I'm having trouble choosing the right words, so I guess I'll just put it this way. Jethro Tull often is left out of the conversation. I think it's cool that your system put them at number 2. In the 70s they were consistently great and pure prog.
Well, initially Andy took the rankings from a Prog Rock Archive website based on thousands of reviews so around the world Tull are definitely regarded as a prog band. Its probably in America that they are regarded more like a 'Classic Rock' band (and they were absolutely massive over there)and that kind of skews the argument.
I have an answer to your Selling England by the Pound dilemma. Read on… Take Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant. One band operates on feel, mood and scene setting the other on intricate and abstract arrangements. I love them both. Floyd have more of an emotional affect on me and also fire off visualisation and imagination - especially Animals. Gentle Giant and some aspects of Yes make me marvel at some of the sophistication and make me want to play my guitar. Genesis, my personal favourite bands lands somewhere in between the 2 and Selling England is the perfect synthesis of the technical intricacies and mood e.g. Moonlit Night, Epping Forest with Cinema Show perhaps being the zenith & Firth of Fifth less so. I love Nursery Cryme as it was the first Genesis album I heard. Someone gave me the album when all I’d heard from Genesis in 86 was Invisible Touch and Land of Confusion - I couldn’t believe it was the same band and someone was playing tapping on an overdriven guitar back in 1971!
Great list, but i would still change a few albums in my top ten list (if we only take one per band): 1) Yes - Close to the Edge 2) Genesis - The Lamb lies down on Broadway 3) Pink Floyd - Wish you were here 4) King Crimson - Red 5) Gentle Giant - Octopus 6) Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts 7) Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick 8) Camel - Mirage 9) ELP - Tarkus 10) Rush - Hemispheres
Been listening to The Lamb nonstop the last few days and it is hard to understate its absolute brilliance. I slept on this for too long and it's like a new toy I will happily wear out until I depart.
Nice. I also went for a different band for each pick. Only I slid A Farewell To Kings in at #10 rather than Hemispheres. It's got to be one or the other.
@@paulmarr7873It took me a while to get into the Lamb. I was expecting and hoping for something more like Nursery Cryme or Foxtrot, but it grew to be my favourite album. That was a long time ago though.
@@davidmorgan6896 same, I had to be ready, it's unlike anything they had done before or after and that is what makes it stand out to me, just way out of left field but I appreciate it as an artistic right to do what you wanted to do back then and it still holds up as a quality work.
Great program maestro! When you went through the first 10 I was thinking EOP and Rush had to be on there and you nailed it! I’m happily surprised that you put moving pictures on your list. I had you putting Rush on there, but I thought it was going to be 2112. I completely agree moving pictures is it!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I say "no way.". There is more than one reason but to be succinct: Bill Bruford. Don't get met wrong, I love Alan White, the problem is that Bruford is really the most creative drummer in prog.
What you lose in bill Bruford you gain in patrick moraz, his work on here, particularly the battle in the middle of gates of delirium is some of the most kick ass prog ever. I personally agree relayer is my favourite yes album
Your reviews are just brilliant. In the eighties I worked and shopped and these records were always in demand and very hard to get. Entertaining and fun, keep proving on. A band you may find entertaing is the music of Glass Eye from Austin Texas. Be well sir!
This is a great list. I'm not too familiar with Gong, and i think I listened to Lather once when I was on a Frank Zappa binge a decade or so ago, but don't remember it too well. You made me want to check those albums out. Otherwise I agree with this list and think it's an improvement, all great albums that I love and it's great that includes more bands. Only sad that Gentle Giant, Strawbs, VDGG and Renaissance don't get represented. Nursery Cryme is also my favorite Genesis album, but I don't think it's objectively their best. It's really hard to pick a best album from Genesis but Foxtrot is as good a choice as any.
You make a point. Yes to the Power and the Glory, it's one of my favorite albums of all time. Comparing it to PF is apples and oranges. Gentle Giant is the definition of Prog. Pink Floyd is psychedelic and often proggish. It is not pure prog. The overlay of strong psychedelia obscures it's basically guitar based blues reality. It's acid drenched.
@@wahid-lg1kkHaving been a fan of Pink Floyd since the sixties, I totally agree with what you say, I just happen to like that style of music. But you are right pure prog it ain't.
If it exists, I would have put a live album from Gentle Giant on the list and (just about) kicked off King Crimson. I've recently seen the magnificent live footage of the concert done in 1974 on RUclips and it blew my panties off. It made me 'get' Gentle Giant. There is no way they are inferior to any one one of these bands, but their studio albums possibly lack some vibrancy.
I just had an idea for a list that might be interesting. How about the top 10 live albums by prog bands that blow the original studio albums out of the water? Or even just individual tracks.
My objective list(in no order): Rush-Moving Pictures, Yes-Fragile, Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon, Genesis-Foxtrot, Jethro Tull-Thick as a Brick, Mike Oldfield-Tubular Bells, Frank Zappa-Lather, King Crimson-Red, ELP-Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Kansas-Leftoverture. My subjective list: Rush-Hemispheres, Yes-Fragile, Pink Floyd-Animals, Genesis-Foxtrot, Jethro Tull-Songs From the Wood, Mike Oldfield-Incantations, Frank Zappa-Lather, King Crimson-Red, ELP-Emerson, Lake & Palmer and the Alan Parsons Project-I Robot.
@@Joe-lb8qn On any given day I could take The Yes Album over Close to the Edge, or Tales From Topographic Oceans. And then change back to Close to the Edge. Even Time and a Word.
Yes: Close to the edge Genesis: Selling England by the pound King Crimson: Red Pink Floyd: Dark side of the moon Yes: Fragile Yes: Going for the one Genesis: The lamb lies down on Broadway Chris Squire: Fish out of water ELP: Trilogy King Crimson: In the court of the crimson king 😀
Good on you. Put SEBTP where it belongs. What's with these people who can't see it as the masterpiece that it is? Are they being contrarian or don't they have ears?
No Moody Blues, again???!!! Andy, maybe you can do an episode on why the Moody Blues get so little respect in any discussions of Prog Rock. Besides being one of creators of the genre, between 1965 and 1972, no band did it better or more consistently.
I love the moody blues. Really love them. But I believe they aren’t generally considered “prog” because few of their songs are in odd time signatures. Which is very important for prog. (To be fair, the same applies to Pink Floyd songs (with notable exceptions)… then again, lots of people argue that PF isn’t prog).
@@jdmresearch Back in the early seventies to most people who were into music I knew, Pink Floyd were Pink Floyd, in a genre of their own. I've never considered them to be a prog band as such, though they do the odd prog number, they do the odd heavy numbers too but no one calls them a heavy rock band. Floyd are my favourite band but back in the day I really liked the Moody Blues too. People have forgotten just how big they were back then. Dare I say it, up until DSOTM, they were actually bigger than the Floyd.
Subjective / Alphabetical Top Ten: * Book of Taliesyn - Deep Purple Mk.1 (Prog masterpiece) * Fish Rising - Steve Hillage / Miquette Giraudy (Engrossing, as Prog should be) * Fragile - Yes (Second Prog album I Bought) * Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (Truly Prog, as is In Through the Out Door) * In the Wake of Poseidon - King Crimson (First Prog album I bought) * Land of Pink & Grey - Caravan (Whimsical and melodic) * Octopus - Gentle Giant (Three Friends is on par) * Songs from the Wood - Jethro Tull (Trendy step-mum gave me her copy - Cup of Wonder!) * Styx 1 (Charming, quite British in sound) * Travelling Underground - Ian Lloyd & Stories (American Prog masterclass) (Wanted to include Joe Zawinul, but he may be more fusion or classical)
My list of 10+1 are albums I listen to all the time. NOT necessarily albums that started the genre, changed the genre, fulfill requirements of the genre, or have the "required" or original band members. 1. Yes- Close to the Edge 2. Pink Floyd - Animals 3. Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood 4. Genesis - A Trick of the Tail 5. Kansas - Leftoverture 6. Rush - A Farewell to Kings 7. Yes - Fragile 8. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon 9. Genesis - Selling England by the pound 10. Pink Floyd - Echoes 11. Yes - Drama (my icebreaker) Tempus Fugit is s great song. ;-p
My list, no particular order: 1. Close to the Edge 2. Hemispheres 3. Red 4. Court of the Crimson King 5. Selling England by the Pound 6. Fragile 7. Trilogy 8. A Trick of the Tale 9. Wish You Were Here 10. Animals
I think... You can divide prog people into 2 camps, those who were there at the time and those who came afterwards. Us gents of that that particular age, were at the disadvantage of buying an album every other week, at the local second hand record shop, so we got things in a random order, with no proper context and I think that sort of spoiled things. The previous generation were luckier, they got to see the bands live, in their local dingy Odeons and had to wait a a year between ech album, so they had time to savour things and properly digest them
Thats interesting, I never thought about it really (having been there at the time) but you are right, when a band released a disappointing album compared to the one before it coloured your view of their entire catalogue up to that point.Then if the next one wasn't any better (or gone off in a different direction) you just gave up on them. Fast forward 20 years or so and if you bought every Soft Machine or Gentle Giant album and played them in any order one after the other you would instantly hear the highs and lows of each catalogue and come to an opinion on whether you think they are any good or not over their whole career.
Nice video. Concerning the retained Progarchives albums, I agree except that I would exchange Thick as a Brick with Close to the Edge, but that's just me and nothing to do with this site. As for the Andy list: I agree with the ELP and Frank Zappa choices but not with the other three for purely personal reasons. I've never liked Rush, Tubular Bells is too twee, and as for Gong: it's not so much that I dislike them, but they actively annoy me to the point of me wanting to cover my ears and grit my teeth. As alternatives I would suggest Pain of Salvation's first album: Entropia (if you liked Avenged Sevenfold's Life is but a Dream, take a listen to this), Porcupine Tree's In Absentia, and Gentle Giant's The Power and the Glory. I enjoyed you discussing your choices though.
Although you might not agree, I know for me and many of my friends, and I suspect a lot of American teenagers. The album that got us into to British progressive rock was in fact ‘in the court of the Crimson King ‘featuring Greg Lake and the late Peter Sinfield, who only passed away a few days ago, that album blew me and my friends away and led to my love of Yes, Jethro Tull, Genesis, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. in regards to Emerson Lake and Palmer. I never heard that first album until years later, but totally fell in love withTarkus, and trilogy and ‘brainsalad surgery’ all to me of masterpieces .in regards to Jethro Tull although I like the first couple albums I became a fan on ‘Benefit’, but I think that’s more like a sabbath album , and I consider’ aqualung’ despite Ian Anderson’s comments to the contrary it to be a progressive rock album just listen to John Evans, keyboard, parts, as well as Palmer arranging, and of course, I love ‘thick as a brick ‘and PassionPlay.. I have a place in my heart for’ selling England by the pound’[firth of fifth, amazing !} as many of those fans do because that was the first album I saw Genesis play live on when they played in New Jersey at my college in 1973 and I immediately went out and bought their albums ! On another note , Andy, now that Beato has done a nice interview with David Gilmour and based on your impressions of Gilmore’s guitar work I think it’s gonna be easy for you to attain an interview with Roger Waters! Laugh out loud, and a very good ranking
Heres my ten: 10.Genesis- Duke 9.ELP- Love Beach 8.Dream Theater- Parasomnia 7.Foo Fighters- One by One 6.Coldplay- Viva la Vida 5.Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory 4.Weezer- Make Believe 3.Metallica and Lou Reed- Lulu 2.Ed Sheeran- X 1. Chick Corea and L Ron Hubbard- Space Jazz Love your list, will check these albums out!
Love your videos. Even though I've never been a Prog-Rock fan, and for the most part I'm still not a fan, but your videos give me lots of music that I've never heard, to listen to. Thanks Andy!
I personally think your list is one of the most balanced I've seen. Zappa doesn't get enough recognition as a prog musician or as a guitarist in general imo. The first ELP album is also overlooked these days, so nice to see that make your list.
@@musicartguy1 Thanks for getting back to me. I can appreciate this perspective and very valid! My thought too initially, then I embraced favored elements as primary to the overall tapestry. Fusion is a good way to characterize JLP and indeed, prog as well in my estimation. That's the beauty of music and how it's experienced by individuals. Great work and a terrific contribution to the RUclips community. I had loads of fun listening in this morning while playing the music featured in your presentation.
That's a pretty good list Andy and it's hard to argue with your pick; i'd probably swap Mike Oldfield, Tull and Rush for Cardiacs, Tangerine Dream and VDGG. But they are all solid picks In my opinion
Thanks Andy. You introduced me to the ELP debut album. I knew Lucky Man but not the album. It’s great! And I’m glad you put Rush on the list and I know I’m weird but Caress of Steel is my favorite prog Rush album. The song Panacea is sublime and Bastille Day, Lakeside Park and Fountain of Lamneth. For me it’s perfect. And it’s the coolest album cover.
Here is my top 10 list, ranked. Yes, my tastes are rather conventional when it comes to prog rock, but these are albums I truly adore. And since there are only ten, I wanted to make sure I didn't have any artist on the list more than once. Here goes: 1. Yes: Fragile 2. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King 3. Genesis: Selling England by the Pound 4. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 5. Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick 6. Frank Zappa and the Mothers: One Size Fits All 7. The Moody Blues: On the Threshold of a Dream 8. Strawbs: Hero and Heroine 9. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Trilogy 10. Gentle Giant: Three Friends Honorable mentions: - Rush: A Farewell to Kings - Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells - Tangerine Dream: Stratosfear - Vangelis: China - Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado - Van der Graaf Generator: Godbluff
I love Selling England by the Pound My favourite Genesis album. One of my favourite albums in fact..Phil is at his best for me here and I absolutely love a lot of the Lyrics....there is infact more earth than sea...❤️ Thanks for all the fantastic lists!
Nice list Andy, glad you mentioned Gong and Zappa. When asked if he was progressive rock Zappa himself said "sometimes". I was thinking Läther myself but ultimately I would chose Uncle Meat just because.
So educational and entertaining! Love pretentious look (complete with white flecks on jacket) on my favorite quintessential know-it-all music snob-only missing pipe, cigarette or something! I don’t get my prog advice from anywhere else-heading back to Spotify to do some hard core listening-thanks again Andy!
I often disagree with Andy, but on "In The Court..." he finally spelled out, what I was thinking about the album, since I first heard it. Andy, Your list is arguably objective, congrats.
Respectable ranking. Yes and Pink Floyd are smack on. I would have "In the Court" rather than "Red" and "Selling England", since I think the perfect version of "Supper's Ready" came later in Seconds Out...which I might also include...along with "Welcome Back My Friends" for ELP. I would also include "Shaherazade" by Renaissance, and Genital Giant's "Freehand". Frank and Gong are also essentials, so yay for inclusion. All mentioned are essential.
By the way... As a proghead musically socialized in the 70's I recently discoverd a band that I completely missed. They made a record in '77 called "Garden Shed" by "England" Deserves a listen...
Have you spent any time with Mike Oldfield’s “Amarok”? Critically trashed, but I think needs to be considered along with Ommadawn as alternative/overlooked prog giant. Also, I don’t want to get into a debate about what to bump… but I think I would have to find a way to squeeze Gentle Giant in.
Great list....I would swap Foxtrot for Nursery Cryme. Absolutely right on the Gong and Zappa picks, Moving Pictures is great but I would go with Farewell to Kings. I think Gentle Giant should be there too....maybe top 11?
1. Close to the Edge 2. Red 3. Moving Pictures 4. Foxtrot 5. Dark Side of the Moon 6. Thick as a Brick 7. In the Land of Grey and Pink 8. Three Friends 9. Fish out of Water 10. A Tab in the Ocean
Hi Andy. I’m an old git of 66 now. What annoys me more than anything when it comes to music is genres and labels. I love Yes, Genesis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, miles Davis, Sparks, etc etc it’s music! I don’t don’t give a stuff what you call it! By the way give me SEBTP over Close to the Edge anytime! Your comments were interesting (where is the Watcher of the Skies ‘ etc indeed! Love TOT but better the Gabriel era? Well, just no! What exactly is ‘prog’ anyway, never yet heard a decent definition! Keep it up even if just to sunny me!
Was going to post " Honourable Canterbury mention: Rotters Club, Hatfield And The North. Consistently strong and stands the test of time if Caravan are deemed too variable.
Great album, but Andy discounts Canterbury Prog and in truth it never reached the masses like Yes and the like which means little when judging 'The Greatest Prog Albums' 'objectively' IMHO. Am biased mind as at the time I found them the more interesting of the prog bands.
That's quite a list! I've even got the majority of them! Lovely to see Rush on there, for all the reasons you give and just simply because Rush are possibly a gateway drug into prog for the more hardcore metallers/rock fans. Certainly was for me, anyway. What would I argue with? I'm not really qualified to argue, other than to say that I'm one of those people who has all the Roger Waters Floyd albums (though I don't consider myself a fan really), and I kinda enjoy hearing them from time to time, and I do truly believe that Wish You Were Here is a more enjoyable experience than Dark Side.
If DSOM is a Progressive album, it MUST be ahead of Tull at the very least. I like your additions to the list and your rationale. I think you caved to easily on "Foxtrot"...its true, there are better Genesis options, but I get the "madness of your method."
I have all of those, yet none would make my personal top 10 which, in the unlikely event that anyone is interested, would be (in chronological order) 1 Pink Floyd -Piper 2 Soft Machine - Vol2 3 The Mothers -Uncle Meat 4 Yes - Yes Album 5 Crimson -Larks Tongues 6 Henry Cow -Legend 7 Hatfield & The North -S/T 8 Greaves, Blegvad, Herman -Kew.Rhone. 9Art Bears -Winter Songs 10 Aksak Maboul -Un Peu De L'ame Des Bandits.
I think Piper is in the top handful of psychedelic albums (and really, of the 60s, period) ever made, but I don't really consider it prog, though it was no doubt an influence in the genre. I tend to agree with you about Larks Tongues and Soft Machine 2. Those are two albums that are too often overlooked, and they'd be in my top 20, if not my top 10, progressive rock albums.
@@christopher9152 Larks Tongues is the King Crimson album that shows the most different aspects of the band, and shows them all in peak form, so it always tops my list of their albums.
Great list andy its hard to chose the 10 best obviously and theres other albums by the bands you've picked that I prefer. I've never really loved elp so I'd probably swap them for gentle giant personally. I also love magma and van der graff generator so would be tempted to chuck them in there. Also does this list have to be just 70s? What about frances the mute by the mars volta, or disco volante by mr bungle, or sing to god by cardiacs. These are some of the best truly progressive albums ever made. Side note but not prog but one artist id love to hear you talk about is tom waits do you like him at all? His later career especially albums like bone machine im sure youd enjoy. Release the wig video!!!!
Andy I am back trying again to help you reach 50k by Christmas. I don’t want you to be Tiny Tim with your nose pressed against the window looking in. So I think in addition to my brilliant ideas about lists of songs there’s another brainstorm with lots of potential. A series of videos about famous artists and/or bands you don’t discuss often if ever. Here’s the list, but feel free to add as you see fit: * David Bowie * Rod Stewart * Bad Company * Styx * Creedence Clearwater Revival * Joe Cocker * Traffic * Janis Joplin * Little Feat * The Rolling Stones * Blue Oyster Cult * Guns and Roses * The Black Crowes * Three Dog Night * Grand Funk Railroad * Elvis Presley I realize these aren’t your favorite genres and you might not know much about them. But especially on this continent there are lots of people ripe for your harvesting and it won’t hurt you to listen to some of them and do a little research. You can still focus on your jazz fusion and prog but branch out and grow your channel.
Animals deserves that spot or higher, all on the basis of the solo work by Gilmour in Dogs. There is nothing like it, anywhere else, at all. Period. It's the pinnacle of great psychedelic prog guitar solos.
If you don't like Andy's Top Ten Prog List, don't worry - he'll have a revised version out within a month. He'll soon be able to do a Top Ten List of his own Top Ten lists.
Blue Oyster Cult’s Imaginos is brilliant. Period! Going for the One has to be top imo. Even Wondrous Stories is beautiful! And any serious Prog list should have Jean Michele Jarre and Oldfield on it ( Zoolook and Ommadawn respectively).
You've got quite a dapper hat collection Andy. Have you written to Santa for a new one? Todd Rundgren is influential on Britprog by the way, the Nazz Open My Eyes is definitely protoprog!
Rush - "Hemispheres" is a perfect album, right down to the production. Man, that album sounds amazing. It's a MASTERPIECE.
Totally agree! Why so many prog fans completely ignore RUSH is baffling to me. I've heard prog fans say " Prog has to be British. And then I hear the same people say " check out this great obscure German or Italian prog band" WTF?!!!
@@TheDriveDemo Probably because the vast majority of Rush's output isn't prog.
Having a majority of people agree on something doesn't make it objective, it just means that most people's subjective opinions are in agreement...
But isn't McDonalds the best food ?
That's literally the definition of objective.
In as much as opinions about art can be objective, that would be the criteria. Or matching the list against a list of standards for that genre (which is also subjective, but could be determined by consensus - so same thing).
@@MrLcowles Not really, its an an objective statement of the most popular albums which may or may not correspond to the greatest albums.
@@ectoplasma5 Must be , even billionaires and POTUS to be eat it. I've eaten it on occasion so that clinches the argument.
Objectivity is impossible Andy! I saw the Topographic Oceans and Selling England tours, so they will always be the two best prog albums for me.This 66 year old remembers the thrill of my first two concerts and growing up in Bournemouth with my late mum and dad and brothers and sisters and going to school and falling in love for the first time!
Your Dave Gilmour impression cracks me up every time!
yep! Andy totally nailed it! hilarious....nearly busted my gut with laughter!
Me too!
You're right about the importance of Gong, though I don't know if I'd put them on the list of ten.. But no doubt, their trilogy was fantastic.
So glad you like Ommadawn. We need a review!
Great list Andy! My top 10 prog albums would be:
1. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
2. Fragile - Yes
3. Thick As a Brick - Jethro Tull
4. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
5. Brain Salad Surgery - Emerson, Lake and Palmer
6. Six Wives of Henry VIII - Rick Wakeman
7. The Snow Goose - Camel
8. 2112 - Rush
9.Octopus - Gentle Giant
10. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - First Album
You missed “Selling England by the pound”, and “The lamb lies down on Broadway”.
@@SvenTviking Mirage from Camel will do.
Missing Gentle Giant but if this is a popularity contest or a sales record then I guess this ranking is representative. As a "typical" prog fan I have stuff from all these artists but not necessarily the KC, Genesis or Jethro Tull albums chosen. Not Animals but just bought Rotters Club and You on your previous recommendation. Another great video Andy. All the best!
Animals and Wish You Were Here were very much my favourite Pink Floyd albums. If that's the kind of thing you like you should like Animals.
You're progressively turning into a chimney sweep.
I thought Chas n Dave 😅
@@frankmurphyburr3598 Me too. Also he lacks the baked in coal dust to be a chimney sweep. Though it could be a pisstake of Working Class Men from the Thirties, in a post-modern ironic fashion to make it OK for a middle class man of today. We can expect him to dress up like a Black & White Minstrel next, ironically of course.
I immediately thought of Eric Olthwaite from Ripping Yarns
ahahaah
@@SheilaThompson-od5tr Maybe we'll get a top ten shovels video, with a Spear and Jackson No.7 taking the top spot!
There could never be a top ten prog list without VDGG-Pawn hearts
There has to be a place for Van der Graaf Generator in any objective list. Sure - difficult to pick an album maybe but as a band they have a staying power and constant change and true 'progression' over the years and, to date.
I really like them too😂
Agreed, Plague of Lighthouse Keepers should really be their. Early conceptual masterpiece.
iirc, Pawn Hearts and Godbluff just barely miss the top 10
There could never be a top ten list without VDGG👍😎
Agreed, but let's also throw in a shout for Chameleon and Silent Corner. And Still Life.
Easy, Pawn Hearts.
Some bands that always get forgotten:-
Renaissance - Scheherezade and Other Stories
Curved Air - Second Album and Air Cut
Beggars Opera - Waters Of Change, Pathfinder
Henry Cow - Legend
Gentle Giant - Free Hand
Kansas - Song For America
Starcastle (debut album)
Sebastian Hardie - Four Moments
Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night
Family - Entertainment
Spirit - The Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus
Fruupp - The Prince Of Heaven's Eyes
Kaleidoscope - White Faced Lady
Klaatu - Hope
Love - Forever Changes
PFM - The World Became The World/Chocolate Kings
The Pretty Things - Parachute (influenced David Gilmour especially for Dark Side)
Robert Calvert - Captain Lockheed and the Starfighers
Strawbs - Brave New World
Hawkwind - Warrior On The Edge Of Time
Great List, especially 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus and the Renaissance album (wish I still had it.)
@@malekmo64 no Zarathustra by Museo Rosenbach?
@@bertkarlsson1421 hey guys, glad to see you are fans of Italian prog 😊
@@edyb2097Are you into finnish prog like Haikara, Tasavallan Presidentti, Wigwam?
Totally, their are some Masterpieces on your list....Spirit. Love. Renaissance. Plus Caravan In The Land Of Grey And Pink
1. Lark's Tongue in Aspic
2. The Power and the Glory
3. Close to the Edge
4. Remember the Future
5. Selling England by the Pound
6. Animals
7. Pawn Hearts
8. Thick as a Brick
9. Warrior on the Edge of Time
10. A Farewell to Kings
Towards the end of the show, Andy mentioned that the first ELP album came out just a few months after King Crimson’s ‘Court Of the Crimson King.’ That is a busy and fast turnaround time for singer - bassist Greg Lake.
Especially that Greg was on some tracks on In The Wake of the Poseidon. It's also irony that Greg Lake replaced John Wetton in the live Asia, with both their connections to King Crimson.
@@malekmo64 That's true, but I was disappointed when they did that live "Asia in Asia" concert video and it was Lake instead of Wetton because my ears had been attuned to John's vocal range. I know it must've been tough for Greg to quickly take the torch when Wetton left (or was let go from ) the band.
For Canterbury I would put In The Land of Grey and Pink or Fish Rising. Another great one is Space Shanty by Khan
Kudos to Andy for flirting with the RUclips copyright strikes by using the actual Gilmour guitar lick and pretending to do it with his voice three times in quick succession.
Gilmour does play it safe with his guitar playing but he does it bloody well!
Its amazing that Gilmour plays guitar like Gilmore instead of like the late Derek Bailey or some shredding metal nonsense.
"In The Court Of The Kingsome Crim". Love it. An absolute Andy classic. Great list and another entertaining view.
Free Hand? Pawn Hearts? The Lamb? Someone's gonna take a hit. Too many choices but everything you rate is stellar!
objectively as always - very enjoyable! Love the videos Andy! The one that snared me was Ten Most Pointless Bands ... I had found my soulmate haha! But have stayed for deep dives on Prog and Fusion. Because of you I love the Brecker Brothers .... Heavy Metal Be Pop from the awful covers video. Got it on record .... its stunning. Cant turn it off. And Visions of the Emerald Beyond ... found a copy of that too - how have lived this long without hearing this? Thanks again chief!
Really enjoyed your video. I think the reason DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED is skipped over so much is because Peter Knight wasn't "in" the group. But given that members of other rock groups were in and out of their various groups at various times, I think the six musicians who put together that record deserve many more plaudits than they've been given. It was the first "progressive" rock album I ever heard -- when it came out -- and it was mind-opening and along with "Fragile," turned me onto classical music.
Anyone who omits this groundbreaking album from their top 10 shouldn't be taken seriously.
thanks for getting me into Gong, i wasn't even aware of their newer stuff. it's fantastic space rock with the quality I always wanted from Hawkwind. You is a great choice too. to me it sounds more like the newer stuff, the first track on The Universe also Collapses is incredible!
Selling England by the Pound - Firth of Fifth, but otherwise agree. Tubular Bells does get overlooked and i probably prefer Hergest Ridge.
He's a ranker. It does him good it bloody well should. He's a ranker
Damn, haven't heard that in a while... But is it prog???
@@binkwillans5138It certainly pushed back some boundaries and isn't that what progressive music should do? I've not heard Ivor Biggun since I was 15. I wonder if he's on Spotify?
Andy, regarding ITCOTCK I hear you about the Moonchild improv section, but I Talk to the Wind and Epitaph are both exceptionally great. The band either swings or struts majestically.
Moonchild held me enraptured for centuries. Sorry, folks, but CK at No 1.
The Moonchild improv section is true self-indulgent nonsense especially following its gorgeous beginning. Otherwise, everything on that album is gobsmacking genius.
I'm having trouble choosing the right words, so I guess I'll just put it this way. Jethro Tull often is left out of the conversation. I think it's cool that your system put them at number 2. In the 70s they were consistently great and pure prog.
Well, initially Andy took the rankings from a Prog Rock Archive website based on thousands of reviews so around the world Tull are definitely regarded as a prog band. Its probably in America that they are regarded more like a 'Classic Rock' band (and they were absolutely massive over there)and that kind of skews the argument.
@@Veaseify Good info, thanks
My first concert...Tull Thick as a Brick tour with Gentle Giant opening. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Objectively?? I cannot wait for this.😁 Well, clearly I am waiting for this.
Well, you waited for it didn’t you?
@@Chiller11 I did indeed.
I have an answer to your Selling England by the Pound dilemma. Read on…
Take Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant. One band operates on feel, mood and scene setting the other on intricate and abstract arrangements. I love them both. Floyd have more of an emotional affect on me and also fire off visualisation and imagination - especially Animals. Gentle Giant and some aspects of Yes make me marvel at some of the sophistication and make me want to play my guitar. Genesis, my personal favourite bands lands somewhere in between the 2 and Selling England is the perfect synthesis of the technical intricacies and mood e.g. Moonlit Night, Epping Forest with Cinema Show perhaps being the zenith & Firth of Fifth less so.
I love Nursery Cryme as it was the first Genesis album I heard. Someone gave me the album when all I’d heard from Genesis in 86 was Invisible Touch and Land of Confusion - I couldn’t believe it was the same band and someone was playing tapping on an overdriven guitar back in 1971!
The BEST Genesis with Gabriel should have been (the first) but a double live album! With Watcher... The Knife AND Supper's Ready on it
Great list, but i would still change a few albums in my top ten list (if we only take one per band):
1) Yes - Close to the Edge
2) Genesis - The Lamb lies down on Broadway
3) Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
4) King Crimson - Red
5) Gentle Giant - Octopus
6) Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
7) Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
8) Camel - Mirage
9) ELP - Tarkus
10) Rush - Hemispheres
Been listening to The Lamb nonstop the last few days and it is hard to understate its absolute brilliance. I slept on this for too long and it's like a new toy I will happily wear out until I depart.
Nice. I also went for a different band for each pick. Only I slid A Farewell To Kings in at #10 rather than Hemispheres. It's got to be one or the other.
@@paulmarr7873It took me a while to get into the Lamb. I was expecting and hoping for something more like Nursery Cryme or Foxtrot, but it grew to be my favourite album. That was a long time ago though.
@@davidmorgan6896 same, I had to be ready, it's unlike anything they had done before or after and that is what makes it stand out to me, just way out of left field but I appreciate it as an artistic right to do what you wanted to do back then and it still holds up as a quality work.
Brother, you absolutely nailed it. Great commentary. I agree wholeheartedly.
Great program maestro! When you went through the first 10 I was thinking EOP and Rush had to be on there and you nailed it! I’m happily surprised that you put moving pictures on your list. I had you putting Rush on there, but I thought it was going to be 2112. I completely agree moving pictures is it!
Relayer has to be in there for me, i'd even put it above Close To The Edge.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I say "no way.". There is more than one reason but to be succinct: Bill Bruford. Don't get met wrong, I love Alan White, the problem is that Bruford is really the most creative drummer in prog.
That's exactly my opinion, too ❤
What you lose in bill Bruford you gain in patrick moraz, his work on here, particularly the battle in the middle of gates of delirium is some of the most kick ass prog ever. I personally agree relayer is my favourite yes album
Indeed . Soundchaser is top for testing your audio system.
Your reviews are just brilliant. In the eighties I worked and shopped and these records were always in demand and very hard to get. Entertaining and fun, keep proving on. A band you may find entertaing is the music of Glass Eye from Austin Texas. Be well sir!
This is a great list. I'm not too familiar with Gong, and i think I listened to Lather once when I was on a Frank Zappa binge a decade or so ago, but don't remember it too well. You made me want to check those albums out. Otherwise I agree with this list and think it's an improvement, all great albums that I love and it's great that includes more bands. Only sad that Gentle Giant, Strawbs, VDGG and Renaissance don't get represented. Nursery Cryme is also my favorite Genesis album, but I don't think it's objectively their best. It's really hard to pick a best album from Genesis but Foxtrot is as good a choice as any.
What about Gentle Giant? :)
Too good for a list.
Yes!!!
I’d choose one among 3 Friends, The Power and the Glory and In a Glass House.
Tull = Never made a bad album during that period. Earns you a subscribe and like, for sure!
Gentle Giant's Power and The Glory defines prog more than any Pink Floyd album, yet there's two Floyd albums in the top 10.
I love Power and the Glory but I think the comparing it to Pink Floyd is redundant.
Yes! That would be my Gentle Giant pick, with In A Glass House a close second.
You make a point. Yes to the Power and the Glory, it's one of my favorite albums of all time. Comparing it to PF is apples and oranges. Gentle Giant is the definition of Prog. Pink Floyd is psychedelic and often proggish. It is not pure prog. The overlay of strong psychedelia obscures it's basically guitar based blues reality. It's acid drenched.
@@wahid-lg1kkHaving been a fan of Pink Floyd since the sixties, I totally agree with what you say, I just happen to like that style of music. But you are right pure prog it ain't.
@@KevinRudd-w8s But it sure looks nice with your eyes closed... 😂
If it exists, I would have put a live album from Gentle Giant on the list and (just about) kicked off King Crimson. I've recently seen the magnificent live footage of the concert done in 1974 on RUclips and it blew my panties off. It made me 'get' Gentle Giant. There is no way they are inferior to any one one of these bands, but their studio albums possibly lack some vibrancy.
Three Friends doesn't lack anything.
There is a live GG album, “Playing the Fool.” It’s amazing, if you don’t know it.
Completely agree with your parameters. And maybe not the album, but close enough and definitely the artist. Nicely argued. Thanks.
I just had an idea for a list that might be interesting. How about the top 10 live albums by prog bands that blow the original studio albums out of the water? Or even just individual tracks.
My objective list(in no order): Rush-Moving Pictures, Yes-Fragile, Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon, Genesis-Foxtrot, Jethro Tull-Thick as a Brick, Mike Oldfield-Tubular Bells, Frank Zappa-Lather, King Crimson-Red, ELP-Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Kansas-Leftoverture. My subjective list: Rush-Hemispheres, Yes-Fragile, Pink Floyd-Animals, Genesis-Foxtrot, Jethro Tull-Songs From the Wood, Mike Oldfield-Incantations, Frank Zappa-Lather, King Crimson-Red, ELP-Emerson, Lake & Palmer and the Alan Parsons Project-I Robot.
Your list is nullified due to complete absence of Close To The Edge and you are hereby sentenced to listen to thrash metal for the next year.
@@Joe-lb8qn On any given day I could take The Yes Album over Close to the Edge, or Tales From Topographic Oceans. And then change back to Close to the Edge. Even Time and a Word.
I would never have thought of putting You and Lather in my top 10...but I'm glad you did.
🤣🤣🤣 Gilmores sound, spot on Andy👍
Time stamp 1. 09:22
2. 09:28
3. 09:50
Gong, Zappa and Tubular Bells are great additions.
You Rock Andy !
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you are a Mod.
Steven Wilson..."Hand.Cannot.Erase".".....anyone?....or maybe Porc Trees' Raven?
Yes: Close to the edge
Genesis: Selling England by the pound
King Crimson: Red
Pink Floyd: Dark side of the moon
Yes: Fragile
Yes: Going for the one
Genesis: The lamb lies down on Broadway
Chris Squire: Fish out of water
ELP: Trilogy
King Crimson: In the court of the crimson king
😀
Good on you. Put SEBTP where it belongs. What's with these people who can't see it as the masterpiece that it is? Are they being contrarian or don't they have ears?
@@LeeMoran-oz3er have you not heard Museo Rosenbach?
@@bertkarlsson1421 Yes I have, but the operatic voice is a bit too much for me. If I were to pick an Italian band it would be PFM.
No Moody Blues, again???!!! Andy, maybe you can do an episode on why the Moody Blues get so little respect in any discussions of Prog Rock. Besides being one of creators of the genre, between 1965 and 1972, no band did it better or more consistently.
I agree ! But, unfortunately, they are considered 'Pop'
I love the moody blues. Really love them. But I believe they aren’t generally considered “prog” because few of their songs are in odd time signatures. Which is very important for prog. (To be fair, the same applies to Pink Floyd songs (with notable exceptions)… then again, lots of people argue that PF isn’t prog).
It is ProgPop and should be on the list
@@jdmresearch Back in the early seventies to most people who were into music I knew, Pink Floyd were Pink Floyd, in a genre of their own. I've never considered them to be a prog band as such, though they do the odd prog number, they do the odd heavy numbers too but no one calls them a heavy rock band. Floyd are my favourite band but back in the day I really liked the Moody Blues too. People have forgotten just how big they were back then. Dare I say it, up until DSOTM, they were actually bigger than the Floyd.
Subjective / Alphabetical Top Ten:
* Book of Taliesyn - Deep Purple Mk.1 (Prog masterpiece)
* Fish Rising - Steve Hillage / Miquette Giraudy (Engrossing, as Prog should be)
* Fragile - Yes (Second Prog album I Bought)
* Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (Truly Prog, as is In Through the Out Door)
* In the Wake of Poseidon - King Crimson (First Prog album I bought)
* Land of Pink & Grey - Caravan (Whimsical and melodic)
* Octopus - Gentle Giant (Three Friends is on par)
* Songs from the Wood - Jethro Tull (Trendy step-mum gave me her copy - Cup of Wonder!)
* Styx 1 (Charming, quite British in sound)
* Travelling Underground - Ian Lloyd & Stories (American Prog masterclass)
(Wanted to include Joe Zawinul, but he may be more fusion or classical)
My list of 10+1 are albums I listen to all the time. NOT necessarily albums that started the genre, changed the genre, fulfill requirements of the genre, or have the "required" or original band members.
1. Yes- Close to the Edge
2. Pink Floyd - Animals
3. Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood
4. Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
5. Kansas - Leftoverture
6. Rush - A Farewell to Kings
7. Yes - Fragile
8. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
9. Genesis - Selling England by the pound
10. Pink Floyd - Echoes
11. Yes - Drama (my icebreaker) Tempus Fugit is s great song. ;-p
My list, no particular order:
1. Close to the Edge
2. Hemispheres
3. Red
4. Court of the Crimson King
5. Selling England by the Pound
6. Fragile
7. Trilogy
8. A Trick of the Tale
9. Wish You Were Here
10. Animals
I hope you've heard Gentle Giant. Based on your list, you'd probably like them.
I think...
You can divide prog people into 2 camps, those who were there at the time and those who came afterwards.
Us gents of that that particular age, were at the disadvantage of buying an album every other week, at the local second hand record shop, so we got things in a random order, with no proper context and I think that sort of spoiled things.
The previous generation were luckier, they got to see the bands live, in their local dingy Odeons and had to wait a a year between ech album, so they had time to savour things and properly digest them
Thats interesting, I never thought about it really (having been there at the time) but you are right, when a band released a disappointing album compared to the one before it coloured your view of their entire catalogue up to that point.Then if the next one wasn't any better (or gone off in a different direction) you just gave up on them. Fast forward 20 years or so and if you bought every Soft Machine or Gentle Giant album and played them in any order one after the other you would instantly hear the highs and lows of each catalogue and come to an opinion on whether you think they are any good or not over their whole career.
Nice video. Concerning the retained Progarchives albums, I agree except that I would exchange Thick as a Brick with Close to the Edge, but that's just me and nothing to do with this site.
As for the Andy list: I agree with the ELP and Frank Zappa choices but not with the other three for purely personal reasons. I've never liked Rush, Tubular Bells is too twee, and
as for Gong: it's not so much that I dislike them, but they actively annoy me to the point of me wanting to cover my ears and grit my teeth.
As alternatives I would suggest Pain of Salvation's first album: Entropia (if you liked Avenged Sevenfold's Life is but a Dream, take a listen to this), Porcupine Tree's In Absentia, and Gentle Giant's The Power and the Glory.
I enjoyed you discussing your choices though.
Although you might not agree, I know for me and many of my friends, and I suspect a lot of American teenagers. The album that got us into to British progressive rock was in fact ‘in the court of the Crimson King ‘featuring Greg Lake and the late Peter Sinfield, who only passed away a few days ago, that album blew me and my friends away and led to my love of Yes, Jethro Tull, Genesis, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. in regards to Emerson Lake and Palmer. I never heard that first album until years later, but totally fell in love withTarkus, and trilogy and ‘brainsalad surgery’ all to me of masterpieces .in regards to Jethro Tull although I like the first couple albums I became a fan on ‘Benefit’, but I think that’s more like a sabbath album , and I consider’ aqualung’ despite Ian Anderson’s comments to the contrary it to be a progressive rock album just listen to John Evans, keyboard, parts, as well as Palmer arranging, and of course, I love ‘thick as a brick ‘and PassionPlay.. I have a place in my heart for’ selling England by the pound’[firth of fifth, amazing !} as many of those fans do because that was the first album I saw Genesis play live on when they played in New Jersey at my college in 1973 and I immediately went out and bought their albums ! On another note , Andy, now that Beato has done a nice interview with David Gilmour and based on your impressions of Gilmore’s guitar work I think it’s gonna be easy for you to attain an interview with Roger Waters! Laugh out loud, and a very good ranking
Heres my ten:
10.Genesis- Duke
9.ELP- Love Beach
8.Dream Theater- Parasomnia
7.Foo Fighters- One by One
6.Coldplay- Viva la Vida
5.Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory
4.Weezer- Make Believe
3.Metallica and Lou Reed- Lulu
2.Ed Sheeran- X
1. Chick Corea and L Ron Hubbard- Space Jazz
Love your list, will check these albums out!
No to Lulu. Yes to Metal Machine Music
I love ELP, but LOVE BEACH??? ELP themselves have called that their worst LP. More importantly, so do I!
@@JohnGioffredi-gi7zdI even like the cover !
Your list is spot on Andy. I totally agree with Gong it's a magnificent album 👌
音楽ファンの中でも一際こだわりの強いプログレファンがベスト１０を選ぶとみんなバラけてしまうの仕方のないことなので、あなたの選んだリストにも異論はありません😊
でもGONGのYOUのジャケを見た時「いまってそーなってんの!?」(高橋一生風に。)と思いました🤣
Love your videos. Even though I've never been a Prog-Rock fan, and for the most part I'm still not a fan, but your videos give me lots of music that I've never heard, to listen to. Thanks Andy!
I personally think your list is one of the most balanced I've seen. Zappa doesn't get enough recognition as a prog musician or as a guitarist in general imo. The first ELP album is also overlooked these days, so nice to see that make your list.
Any guitarist that hasn't listened to or appreciate Frank Zappa is doing something wrong
Always tantalising - sometimes dead right, sometimes dead wrong, sometimes somewhere in between. But I love your videos. 😆
Thanks for your presentation. As stated in the chat, I would also consider Jean-luc Ponty, Enigmatic Ocean as an All Time Prog Rock contributor.
I honestly think of JLP as Fusion first before prog, but that is just me.
@@musicartguy1 Thanks for getting back to me. I can appreciate this perspective and very valid! My thought too initially, then I embraced favored elements as primary to the overall tapestry. Fusion is a good way to characterize JLP and indeed, prog as well in my estimation. That's the beauty of music and how it's experienced by individuals. Great work and a terrific contribution to the RUclips community. I had loads of fun listening in this morning while playing the music featured in your presentation.
Progarchives has been around forever. Its all encompassing and i love that
That's a pretty good list Andy and it's hard to argue with your pick; i'd probably swap Mike Oldfield, Tull and Rush for Cardiacs, Tangerine Dream and VDGG. But they are all solid picks In my opinion
Perfect list if you move Red up five spots.
You rock Andy !
Huge Genesis and Rush fan, but yes, Close To The Edge.
Thanks Andy. You introduced me to the ELP debut album. I knew Lucky Man but not the album. It’s great! And I’m glad you put Rush on the list and I know I’m weird but Caress of Steel is my favorite prog Rush album. The song Panacea is sublime and Bastille Day, Lakeside Park and Fountain of Lamneth. For me it’s perfect. And it’s the coolest album cover.
Objectively the top 5 should have at least 2 gentle giant albums.
Here is my top 10 list, ranked. Yes, my tastes are rather conventional when it comes to prog rock, but these are albums I truly adore. And since there are only ten, I wanted to make sure I didn't have any artist on the list more than once. Here goes:
1. Yes: Fragile
2. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
3. Genesis: Selling England by the Pound
4. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
5. Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
6. Frank Zappa and the Mothers: One Size Fits All
7. The Moody Blues: On the Threshold of a Dream
8. Strawbs: Hero and Heroine
9. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Trilogy
10. Gentle Giant: Three Friends
Honorable mentions:
- Rush: A Farewell to Kings
- Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells
- Tangerine Dream: Stratosfear
- Vangelis: China
- Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado
- Van der Graaf Generator: Godbluff
I love Selling England by the Pound My favourite Genesis album. One of my favourite albums in fact..Phil is at his best for me here and I absolutely love a lot of the Lyrics....there is infact more earth than sea...❤️
Thanks for all the fantastic lists!
Nice list Andy, glad you mentioned Gong and Zappa. When asked if he was progressive rock Zappa himself said "sometimes". I was thinking Läther myself but ultimately I would chose Uncle Meat just because.
Last not least i think Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom should have been high on this list.
Absolutely, although it's closer to jazz than prog rock. Either way, a unique masterpiece!
So educational and entertaining! Love pretentious look (complete with white flecks on jacket) on my favorite quintessential know-it-all music snob-only missing pipe, cigarette or something! I don’t get my prog advice from anywhere else-heading back to Spotify to do some hard core listening-thanks again Andy!
I often disagree with Andy, but on "In The Court..." he finally spelled out, what I was thinking about the album, since I first heard it. Andy, Your list is arguably objective, congrats.
While Rush’s Moving Pictures is a brilliant front-to-back Album, the obvious Rush choice for this prog rock list has to “Hemispheres”.
Very engaging show, brovveh.
Respectable ranking. Yes and Pink Floyd are smack on. I would have "In the Court" rather than "Red" and "Selling England", since I think the perfect version of "Supper's Ready" came later in Seconds Out...which I might also include...along with "Welcome Back My Friends" for ELP. I would also include "Shaherazade" by Renaissance, and Genital Giant's "Freehand". Frank and Gong are also essentials, so yay for inclusion. All mentioned are essential.
No Gentle Giant!!!!!?????
I mean, its the most proggiest Band ever
Ya. GG more great music than any other and a most stand out would be. Ocopus or live playing the fool@2407paul
By the way... As a proghead musically socialized in the 70's I recently discoverd a band that I completely missed.
They made a record in '77
called "Garden Shed" by "England"
Deserves a listen...
Have you spent any time with Mike Oldfield’s “Amarok”? Critically trashed, but I think needs to be considered along with Ommadawn as alternative/overlooked prog giant.
Also, I don’t want to get into a debate about what to bump… but I think I would have to find a way to squeeze Gentle Giant in.
I dig your appreciation of Jethro Tull.
I reckon Anderson would appreciate
a number three on the list.
Gong as well? Far out.
Awesome video have a great day Andy ❤😊
Thanks! You too!
Great list....I would swap Foxtrot for Nursery Cryme. Absolutely right on the Gong and Zappa picks, Moving Pictures is great but I would go with Farewell to Kings. I think Gentle Giant should be there too....maybe top 11?
1. Close to the Edge
2. Red
3. Moving Pictures
4. Foxtrot
5. Dark Side of the Moon
6. Thick as a Brick
7. In the Land of Grey and Pink
8. Three Friends
9. Fish out of Water
10. A Tab in the Ocean
Great list, Andy! What about "L" by Steve Hillage?
Yes, that and/or Fish Rising.
@@BanalayerPete1972or Gong’s You with SH in it
@@nickedname7048: Ah, that's new to me. Thank you.
Bit of a yawn
Funny that you see yourself as David Essex. I was trying to decide if you were Chas or Dave.
Keep up the good work!
Hi Andy. I’m an old git of 66 now. What annoys me more than anything when it comes to music is genres and labels. I love Yes, Genesis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, miles Davis, Sparks, etc etc it’s music! I don’t don’t give a stuff what you call it! By the way give me SEBTP over Close to the Edge anytime! Your comments were interesting (where is the Watcher of the Skies ‘ etc indeed! Love TOT but better the Gabriel era? Well, just no! What exactly is ‘prog’ anyway, never yet heard a decent definition! Keep it up even if just to sunny me!
Hatfield and the North - The Rotters Club
It's so unique
Was going to post " Honourable Canterbury mention: Rotters Club, Hatfield And The North. Consistently strong and stands the test of time if Caravan are deemed too variable.
Great album, but Andy discounts Canterbury Prog and in truth it never reached the masses like Yes and the like which means little when judging 'The Greatest Prog Albums' 'objectively' IMHO. Am biased mind as at the time I found them the more interesting of the prog bands.
Absolutely!
That's quite a list! I've even got the majority of them!
Lovely to see Rush on there, for all the reasons you give and just simply because Rush are possibly a gateway drug into prog for the more hardcore metallers/rock fans. Certainly was for me, anyway.
What would I argue with? I'm not really qualified to argue, other than to say that I'm one of those people who has all the Roger Waters Floyd albums (though I don't consider myself a fan really), and I kinda enjoy hearing them from time to time, and I do truly believe that Wish You Were Here is a more enjoyable experience than Dark Side.
If DSOM is a Progressive album, it MUST be ahead of Tull at the very least. I like your additions to the list and your rationale. I think you caved to easily on "Foxtrot"...its true, there are better Genesis options, but I get the "madness of your method."
Brill vid. Could you do more videos's about jazz?
I have all of those, yet none would make my personal top 10 which, in the unlikely event that anyone is interested, would be (in chronological order)
1 Pink Floyd -Piper
2 Soft Machine - Vol2
3 The Mothers -Uncle Meat
4 Yes - Yes Album
5 Crimson -Larks Tongues
6 Henry Cow -Legend
7 Hatfield & The North -S/T
8 Greaves, Blegvad, Herman -Kew.Rhone.
9Art Bears -Winter Songs
10 Aksak Maboul -Un Peu De L'ame Des Bandits.
Henry Cow and Blodwyn Pig must've played on the same bill at least once!
I think Piper is in the top handful of psychedelic albums (and really, of the 60s, period) ever made, but I don't really consider it prog, though it was no doubt an influence in the genre. I tend to agree with you about Larks Tongues and Soft Machine 2. Those are two albums that are too often overlooked, and they'd be in my top 20, if not my top 10, progressive rock albums.
@@christopher9152 Larks Tongues is the King Crimson album that shows the most different aspects of the band, and shows them all in peak form, so it always tops my list of their albums.
Great list andy its hard to chose the 10 best obviously and theres other albums by the bands you've picked that I prefer. I've never really loved elp so I'd probably swap them for gentle giant personally. I also love magma and van der graff generator so would be tempted to chuck them in there.
Also does this list have to be just 70s? What about frances the mute by the mars volta, or disco volante by mr bungle, or sing to god by cardiacs. These are some of the best truly progressive albums ever made.
Side note but not prog but one artist id love to hear you talk about is tom waits do you like him at all? His later career especially albums like bone machine im sure youd enjoy.
Release the wig video!!!!
Andy I am back trying again to help you reach 50k by Christmas. I don’t want you to be Tiny Tim with your nose pressed against the window looking in. So I think in addition to my brilliant ideas about lists of songs there’s another brainstorm with lots of potential. A series of videos about famous artists and/or bands you don’t discuss often if ever. Here’s the list, but feel free to add as you see fit: * David Bowie * Rod Stewart * Bad Company * Styx * Creedence Clearwater Revival * Joe Cocker * Traffic * Janis Joplin * Little Feat * The Rolling Stones * Blue Oyster Cult * Guns and Roses * The Black Crowes * Three Dog Night * Grand Funk Railroad * Elvis Presley
I realize these aren’t your favorite genres and you might not know much about them. But especially on this continent there are lots of people ripe for your harvesting and it won’t hurt you to listen to some of them and do a little research. You can still focus on your jazz fusion and prog but branch out and grow your channel.
Animals deserves that spot or higher, all on the basis of the solo work by Gilmour in Dogs. There is nothing like it, anywhere else, at all. Period. It's the pinnacle of great psychedelic prog guitar solos.
You should have included
Yes - The Yes Album
Pink Floyd - More
Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
Traffic - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
UK's first album was the pinnacle of prog rock. Perfect album right from the start to the end with no weak moments. It must be on such list.
Agreed.
If you don't like Andy's Top Ten Prog List, don't worry - he'll have a revised version out within a month. He'll soon be able to do a Top Ten List of his own Top Ten lists.
I hope so. Then he can include the 10 he missed out here.
Blue Oyster Cult’s Imaginos is brilliant. Period! Going for the One has to be top imo. Even Wondrous Stories is beautiful! And any serious Prog list should have Jean Michele Jarre and Oldfield on it ( Zoolook and Ommadawn respectively).
You've got quite a dapper hat collection Andy. Have you written to Santa for a new one? Todd Rundgren is influential on Britprog by the way, the Nazz Open My Eyes is definitely protoprog!
Chas n Dave chic? Andy has a multitude of style looks.