I wouldn't have Zep, Queen or Radiohead on my list. I would have added "A Passion Play" or at least elements of it as well as Pink Floyd's "Echoes". Supertramp's "Even In The Quietest Moments" would be up for consideration on my list as well.
My own 15 list: 1- Shine on You Crazy Diamond (all parts) by Pink Floyd 2- Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull 3- Supper's Ready by Genesis 4- Epitath by King Crimson 5- Echoes by Pink Floyd 6- Close to the Edge by Yes 7- Firth of Fifth by Genesis 8- Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd 9- The Advent of Panurge by Gentle Giant 10- Karn Evil 9 by Emerson Lake & Palmer 11- Starless by King Crimson 12- Shadow of the Hierophant by Steve Hackett 13- Pastoral by Mahavishnu Orchestra 14- Waiter There's a Yawn in my Ear, by Manfred Mann's Earth Band 15- Rhayader by Camel
Supper's ready is an absolute classic. An utterly ridiculous but brilliant song. The live video of Gabriel strutting around as a flower is bizarre but shows what a showman he is.
agree 100%, some new videos online recently of improved quality live shows. I sometimes revere songs, but don't listen to them much. This one I keep coming back to - and once it starts I'm there til the end.
@@harrynewiss4630I wholeheartedly agree. I saw Genesis perform this classic live in 1977. Chester Thompson’s drumming is a masterclass of progressive rock percussion. It’s the perfect synchronicity of creativity, elegance, fluidity, power and technique. Not only does his drumming perfectly compliment that of Phil Collins but it propels this brilliant composition to the very outer reaches of the ethereal. Supper’s Ready is the epitome of dazzling progressive rock.
Tarkus is crazy stuff, up the 5 best ever in my book. Sound like a symphony but done by 3 guys. Add very heavy groove along the way, perfect match with artwork and there is sheer brilliance.
On the whole, ELP is bloated, self-indulgent tripe. There are a handful of good songs - mainly the Greg Lake classic rock hits - but I find most of their prog tracks unlistenable. The lists reflect that ELP misses the soul and musical depth that Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, etc bring to the game.
My top 10 songs in no particular order: Echoes, Close to the Edge, Supper’s Ready, Court of the Crimson King, 21st Century S. Man, Watcher of the Skies, Heart of the Sunrise, Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, Dance of the Dawn, Islands,
Exactly, Echoes above them all. Circus would usually be my KC favourite. And VdGG Plague is in your list - good! Don’t really think of Radiohead belonging in there, but great song. And Queen? Led Zeppelin‘s No Quarter, if they belong in there.
Firth of Fifth - Yes, the lyrics are somewhat dubious, but surely the long instrumental break - flute, then piano, synth and finally Steve Hackett's superb guitar solo returning to the theme first played by the flute - is one of the very best of all time. This is great musical composing. And just to add a cherry on the top, the best use of bass pedals ever put on vinyl.
And one of the best versions being Steve Hackett “Genesis Revisited Band and Orchestra” 2019. This has an excellent ending with Steve giving us more of his wonderfully guitar.
Thanks for your interesting list🎉 Here's mine; 1. Echoes - Floyd 2.. In held t'was in I - Procol Harum 3. Thick as a brick - Jethro Tull 4. I talk to the wind - King Crimson 5. And you and I - Yes 6. Yeti talks to Yogi - Amon Duull Ii 7. Supper:s ready - Genesis 8. Five Bridges Suite - Nice 9. Sarabande - Jon Lord 10. Nine feet Underground - Caravan 11. Piano concerto No 1 - RLP/ Emerson 12. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers - Van der Graaf Generator
Interesting list, very unique. The only one I dont like is Mr. Hammill, whom I have never warmed to, even though I saw VanderGraf in the 70s a couple of times. I just cant relate to it. It all sounds like various movements of the same depressing song.
@@Whit-mh9nt Good point about Hamill and the "plague". Afterwards I realized I should rather have chosen instead a Moody Blues song like "Tuesday afternoon" or one of Rick Wakeman's lovely albums like "The myths and legends of King Arthur", " Journey to the centre of the Earth " or "Waterfalls" from Country airs.
As ever, brilliantly delivered with sharp, dry wit - love it. Karnevil 9 1st Impression by ELP, Awaken by Yes, Care by Marillion, The Great Nothing by Spocks Beard, The Last Angel by Pallas would have all been in my Top 10. All epic pieces of music/ works of art from my favourite bands.
Any "best of" list that includes Zeppelin will always have Stairway to Heaven on it. F-cking shame in my opinion and it says more about the spectacularly lazy people at the magazine than the band. Personally, I wouldn't put them anywhere near a prog list.
ELP's absence from this list is interesting but not surprising. It can't be denied that they jumped the shark after "Works Vol. I," but their output before that is completely undeserving of the nearly unanimous denigration it receives from critics. In the early 1970s they were generally considered the greatest prog act (at least here in the States), and their catalog of that period is ambitious, very well-played, and very listenable. How the mighty have fallen.
Not going to argue with Selling England featuring but surely the best track on that album has to be Cinema Show, especially the instrumental second half with Phil Collins's sublime drumming (perhaps the best work of the best prog drummer in history imho), Tony Banks's keyboards (mellotron especially of course) on top of Rutherford's rhythm backdrop. I could listen to it all day.
Agreed. I never understood why so many Genesis fans rank Firth of Fifth as their best song. Not saying it isn't great, but I can think of plenty of songs by them that I like better.
Always glad to "Selling England By the Pound" included. King Crimson too. There are others less known that deserve attention (Camel, Gentle Giant, Curved Air, Nektar, Renaissance, Strawbs, Earth & Fire, Eno, Roxy Music, etc.)
I like some of the things the Strawbs did but I didn't think of them so much as progressive. Maybe I just didn't hear some of their more progressive work. I chose Kiev by Renaissance for my list which I love. I used to hear that in the late 70s on the station at the college I attended. It's a funny thing though. While I like their album Prologue very much, I really couldn't get into their other albums so much even though it seems to me that more avid Renaissance fans like the other albums better. I really wanted to include something by Gentle Giant but I couldn't decide what. They were an excellent band.
@@sdgakatbk Some of Strawbs' progressive tracks include "Hero & Heroine", "Ghosts", "The Shepherd's Song", "Tears and Pavan", "Time and Life", and "Words of Wisdom".
@@gurgisjones1120 Thx. I listened to some of them. The album I had of them back in the day was Bursting at the Seams which I liked very much. I had forgotten about Tears and Pavan which was one of my favorites from that album. I agree that Hero and Heroine and Ghosts are progressive. Listening to Tears and Pavan again, yes, it is too.
Everyone will have their own favourites from that period. Hatfield and the North's classic album "The Rotter's Club" has a brilliant track "Mumps" which would be in my top ten, true British innovation.
I can't argue much with the list so I think my favourite prog numbers are probably not the "best" ones, such as ... Focus - Hamburger Concerto Starless - Crimson In the Dead of Night suite - UK Inca Roads - Uncle Frank Tarkus suite - ELP Thick as a Brick - JT
Well, imagine a concert with this setlist... Of course, I could mention (every fan could) dozens of other incredible prog songs, but I will only say King Crimson's Starless, from Red, my personal masterpiece of the classic prog era.
I've always had a keen ear for the live rearranging and lively!rendition of Pictures at a exhibition Mussorgsky (1874) by ELP in 1971. Epitaph as well! over the meandering, In the court.
It's always contentious. What about The Gates of Delirium? What about Tarkus or Karn Evil 9? What about Hamburger Concerto? What about The Snowgoose? What about Ghosts by Japan? What about The Phantom of the Opera or The Rime of the Ancient Mariner? What about La Villa Strangiato? On different days I would put any of those or some others at the top of my list.
I wouldn’t have included songs by “Radiohead” or “Queen” but an otherwise brilliant list. I would include songs from “Pink Floyd”, “ELP” and “Jethro Tull”. Your commentary is, as usual, of the very highest order. Bravo!
Stairway to heaven & Bohemian Rhapsody are great songs but don’t belong in the top 10 prog songs. Supper’s Ready & Close to the edge deserve to be in top three, without a doubt.
Classic prog has progressed me into more experimental and metal prog. Deep Purple, of course Floyd, Rush, even Blue Oyster Cult. All influenced me in my progressive journey.
@jefflevinson669 Their early stuff was very proggy for that Era. Go back and give them a listen. Then they shifted to more of a standard rock and hard rock style.
An impossible list to create, isn't it? How about "Thick As A Brick" or "Echoes"? Yes to "The Court of the Crimson King" but I, too, would have selected "Epitaph." I much like Radiohead but am very surprised of the song included on the list from them. "Roundabout" makes sense. How about "Fool's Overture" from Supertramp?
I can see the logic behind all these picks, including controversial ones like Stairway, though they were included at the expense of some treasures I'd have put in my personal top 10 - Minstrel in the Gallery by Jethro Tull, House with No Door by Van Der Graaf Generator, Dignity by Immram and the overture to War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne.
Soft Machine - Out Bloody Rageous. Elton Dean's sax solo on the second part is just sublime. Also Wyatt's Moon in June. King Crimson - Islands. Marc Charig on tbe cornet. Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother It's a Beautiful Day - White Bird Dando Shaft - Cold Wind Nucleus - Striation Beach Boys - Surf's Up Terry Riley - Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band (Prog loosely defined)
Hibou by Soft machine is probably the first ever prog instrumental. Either that or The mothers 'king kong'. Both early '69. Out bloody Rageous is fantastic i agree.
So they're not counting Pink Floyd as progressive rock then?? Or Marillion?? There are some of us who think that's what they are, although others would perhaps disagree!!
I agree with some titles, less with others. Instead of the "ten GREATEST Progressive Rock Songs", I suggest "your ten FAVORITE Progressive Rock Songs." 😉😉 Such lists are often times very subjective. My list would definitely include Pink Floyd's Echoes.
Through the capitalization of "greatest" and the question "really?" he makes it clear TWICE that this is not his list AND that he questions its contents. Was the title changed after you posted this comment or is your comment absolutely off the mark?
I can certainly see “ Close to the Edge “ being at the top. Wakeman’s legendary pipe organ solo is every bit as spine chilling as Hackett’s haunting guitar solo from “ Firth. “ And I agree with some of the others however, I really think Rush’s Xanadu should be there, or possibly My God from Tull as kind of a dark horse. But there’s so many greats to be considered. Not an easy task.
My own quickly concocted list (10 to 1): I talk to the wind, Back to the Family, In my own Time, South Side of the Sky, Take a Pebble, Looking for Someone, Firth of Fifth, The Endless Enigma, Seven Stones, Cinema Show Each to their own.
No Rush, no care... They deserve to be in the top ten more than Radiohead or Zeppelin. And if the #1 spot HAD to be occupied by Yes, I can think of better songs than Close to the Edge. But this Ultimate Classic Rock we're talking about here... I value their opinions about as much as Rolling Stone.
Agree, Rush is one of the greatest bands ever. Hemispheres, 2112 or Xanadu would be worthy. It's a joke having Zeppelin, Queen and Radiohead on this list.
I'm much younger at 46 then most prog fans and when i hear classic organ sounds from the 70s i immediately think it's prog rock. One of the best tracks i've heard is Deep Purple 'Child In Time'.. Is it right for the list though?! 🤔🤷♂️
...yes, Rush should be in the conversation. i would offer up 'La Villa Strangiato' -- simply impeccable composition/performance. The brooding guitar solo in 7/4 is one of the best ever put to tape imho, and the groove they emerge into is pure bliss in terms feel, cohesion, and sound production. Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant also need mentioning. And if people start including the jazz side of the equation, both 'Bitches Brew' and 'The Inner Mounting Flame' albums need to be represented -- for starters. Fun to chew the fat about it all. An embarrassment of riches.
I was listening to Queen's ANATO only yesterday while in hospital and thought it is most definitely a Prog Rock album, perhaps not as prog as Queen II but certainly prog enough
Glad to see there is at least one sensible 'best of' list out there as most seem to have been about as well thought out as a cunning plan by Blackadder's Baldrick during a particularly bad day at the office.
No ELP or Pink Floyd . . . hm. Maybe "Echoes" or every part of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" instead of some of the others, and definitely "Tarkus" in all its glory!
'Supper's Ready', 'Close to the Edge' and 'Firth of Fifth' would probably be in my top 10. Other songs with a strong chance are 'Ernie's Reise' and 'Come On People' by Grobschnitt, 'For Years and Years (Cathy)' by Tai Phong, 'The Fountain of Salmacis' and 'The Return of the Giant Hogweed' by Genesis, as well as 'Soon' (as a standalone track) and 'Turn of the Century' by Yes
My top 10: 10 Air Dance - Black Sabbath 9 Archaeopteryx in Flight - Horisont 8 Shine on Crazy Diamond ( parts 1 to 5) - Pink Floyd 7 Starless - King Crimson 6 Long DIstance Runaround - Yes 5 La Villa Strangiato - Rush 4 Siberian Khatru - Yes 3 The Musical Box - Genesis 2 In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson 1 Robbery Assault and Battery - Genesis
Your opinions align with my own nearly perfectly, so you are quite wise. I would not have considered Led Zeppelin or Queen, but now I will, as you clearly delineated the reason for their presence. I confess that I know nothing about Radiohead, but I will explore. Oh wait. I'm supposed to tell you why you aren't perfect. Hmmm. OK. "Melancholy Man" by The Moody Blues should be on there.
Always good to hear another’s top 10. This one is pretty good, putting 5/10 tracks with the 2 greatest Prog bands is no surprise. As you say I would have put And you and I in the mix too.Is Led Zeppelin, Queen and Radiohead prog, not purely I would suggest, but the three tracks mentioned do have their progressive moments. Music is subjective of course, but the cream always comes to the top.
Pretty good list, Maybe Siberian Khatru or Tom Sawyer. Of course the Genesis tracks, even Stairway (eternally lovely) but no Queen and certainly not Radiohead. Tull? Thanks for the post Barry.
There should be more post-1990 prog bands here! My top 10: 1. Pink Floyd - Echoes 2. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man 3. Yes - The Gates Of Delerium 4. Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper 5. Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven 6. Opeth - Ghost Of Perdition 7. Tool - Vicarious 8. Van Der Graaf Generator - A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers 9. Genesis - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight 10. Pink Floyd - Dogs
Barry I was thinking about your questions re Radiohead & Zeppelin & Queen -- do they belong here and I tend to agree they do not, much as I love Queen, and even as I was wondering how come not a song by Rush amongst the Crimson, Yes and Genesis, and I suddenly had the thought that what we tend to think of as prog has to have a certain noodly or perhaps wandering characteristic to it that we hear in all the bands we consider canonical prog and other things such as the Pentateuch of the Cosmogony, and was then thinking it needs to be the musical equivalent of some of those weird old British sci-fi or fantasy novels like Voyage to Arcturus or Out of the Silent Planet (okay, I know that became a Maiden song too) or the Jerry Cornelius novels (which mention Pink Floyd at one point IIRC). Like, if you are listening to some music and it has the same floaty wandering feel as you get from one of these books, well, then that's prog.
I’d have Tull’s Baker Street Muse, Birdman (McDonald & Giles), Pictures at an Exhibition (ELP), Epitaph, In The Wake of Poseidon and possibly Cirkus in my 10, along with the two Crimson tracks on the original list. Never quite got Yes or Genesis, though I’ve tried (and tried).
Top Ten Favourites is as follows .... PETER HAMILL VOCAL PERFORMANCE .... .1. VAN DER GRAAF / LOST .2. YES / STARSHIP TROOPER .3. PINK FLOYD / ECHOES .4. YES / CLOSE TO THE EDGE .5. GENESIS / SUPPERS READY .6. E L P / TARKUS .7. YES / HEART OF THE SUNRISE .8. YES / GATES OF DELIRIUM .9. PINK FLOYD / SHEEP 10. VAN DER GRAAF / EMPERORS WAR ROOM (ALT TAKE) ......... could not squeeze in Rush Hemispheres .........
Interesting list all the songs are "classic," but as you say, some borderline prog tracks. However all lists are subjective. Great video as ever. Can not disagree with number 1.
ELP - Tarkus Yes - Awaken Genesis - Supper's Ready King Crimson - Lark's Tongue in Aspic Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons Pink Floyd - Dogs Kansas - Magnus Opus Rush - Xanadu or 2112 Allan Holdsworth - Un Merry-go-Round Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-da-Vida
Back in the early 80's, Tommy Vance ("...TV on the radio! The Music Vendor!") ran a top whatever it was of rock, every year, and every year Stairway was at number 1. Number 2, somehow, always seemed to be Awaken from Going for the One. Close to the Edge never made it, so it seems that when you open the voting up to fans of all genres of rock, Awaken trounces CTTE. I flip from one to the other. CTTE takes it most days. Both tower over Supper's Ready (imo) which isn't even in my top 10 Genesis songs (and I usually love me an epic.) Queen were my gateway drug into Prog. It was the release of the Game that made me look further afield, when I was 12, having been a fanatical Queen fan for nearly 3 years. I still consider their first 5 albums Prog. Radio Head have Prog affectations but this list seems rather heavy on contentious inclusions to the genre if you ask me. There are many fundamentalist fans who would throw their hands up in protest at Radio Head, Queen and Led Zeppelin being anywhere near it, but of the 3 bands, Queen is the most worthy candidate. I'm surprised they didn't chuck a Muse song in for good measure. That would have really ruffled some feathers.
No question, Inca Roads is prog. Zappa had plenty of prog songs. Complex time signatures, complex chord progressions, extremely high levels of musicianship, non-standard song structures, advanced and sophisticated arrangements, in a rock context. I'm sure he wouldn't have considered it prog. But to me, it is by definition.
Top favorite lists always include songs some don’t agree with , it is subjective afterall. With that observation accepted, I think it makes sense to include songs/tunes that aren’t considered hard core prog by the connoisseurs. Because the songs mentioned are favorites of many punters nonetheless and were played often on the radio back in the day. Bohemian Rhapsody and Stairway to Heaven were hugely popular. They have some of the elements of Prog , ie epic, modal changes and quality sounds, virtuoso playing and mixed tempos and grooves. So they are simply popular/favorite Pop Prog tunes? My ears are tired of hearing them of course, but I think they are Pop Prog songs. Other examples: band on the run, uncle Albert, blinded by the light, private investigator, bat out of hell, etc, the masses liked them. Are they complicated ? nah, but they are easy to listen to and often keep the listener on the stream/channel/radio etc. People will like what they like and many are usually casual listeners . I liken it to red wine. You can get sloshed on a cheap bottle of wine, and heaps are sold to many folks. Why bother with expensive wines? well we develop a taste for it of course and the cheap stuff is unsatisfying by comparison. I usually like to enjoy high quality music, but even candy simple ear worms can please me , and is sometimes preferred. But when sitting down for an immersive listen I prefer the good stuff for my experienced and fussy ears. I like abba songs sometimes too, but generally prefer music with more to listen to rather than dance and sing along too. The best part about music taste is- the high quality music costs the same amount to listen to as the worst. If it costs £15 for a crap cd, the best ever is also £15 while it lasts. Meanwhile the Spotify subscription gives listeners access to most of the best and worst music out there, all for the same price , without limiting how often.
I agree with you that "Epitaph" is more deserving of a place on this list than "In The Court of the Crimson King." And much as I love "Roundabout," "Awaken" is more deserving of a place in a top-10 list.
Pretty good list. Queen? Don’t know about that one. As for LZ the album does have Battle of Evermore as a clear ISB influence nod, so why not! Of course was early ISB “Prog”? Hmmm, sort of.
For me, just because you like it doesn't mean it's good. But there really are some classics on here. The mighty Crim have always been my favourites, but Genesis? Preferred Gabriel,s solo work, tbh. There are some really great bands out there from the 70s progressive movement though, who never seem to get a mention. Van Der Graaf Generator for one, and there are many tracks from many of their albums worthy of a mention. Focus are another band who are often overlooked, who have a very decent back catalogue. And what about Barclay James Harvest, another wonderful Prog Band. Bowie,s last album "Black Star", another modern masterpiece. Floyd,s "Atom Heart Mother" suite. The list is endless. Throughly enjoyed the review once again though. Love your anecdotes. Keep it up.
How could I forget Focus? I was into them back in the day. Not just Hocus Pocus which introduced me to the band when I heard it on WNEW FM out of NY. The second side of the album was very good.
I don't really think that there can be any ten best given the immense size and influence of the genre, but no argument with number one. Close To The Edge, that one is really something different. I had a friend - long dead now - who put his hands over his ears at the beginning and demanded a replay at the end. That was...so long ago now...
Well I'll add some that aren't there. Rush - Xanadu. Genesis - One For The Vine, Afterglow & The Return Of The Giant Hogweed. Pallas - Cut & Run , Rise And Fall & Atlantis (you can tell I love The Sentinel). All these have what prog is about. Great sound, musicianship & lyrics like short stories.
That is so difficult to do. I could list my top ten and come up with a different top top ten at every attempt, the only constant being Close to the Edge at No.1
For shits and giggles... 1 Starless-King Crimson 2 Gates of Delirium-Yes 3 Tarkus-ELP 4 Dogs-Pink Floyd 5 Fand- The Enid 6 Thick as a Brick-Jethro Tull 7 Cinema Show- Genesis 8 Hide in your shell- Supertramp 9 Close to the Edge- Yes 10 Valentyne Suite- Colosseum A personal choice but a heartfelt one. Starless is by a significant margin the best thing King Crimson ever did. Gates is the best of Yes by virtue of the playing, imagination, daring and the fact that Soon is the most glorious 5 minutes of music that Yes ever produced. The live Tarkus/Aquatrkus from Welcome back, is the greatest performance by ELP. although Pictures comes pretty bloody close. Controversially I think that Echoes is good but flabby and the jamming sounds far too much like jamming. Dogs is tighter and more composed sounding both mellow and aggressive, sometimes simultaneously. In my opinion, the Enid are the ginger stepsons of the progressive genre, their descent into second rate rave in the twilight of their career was a dealbreaker for many, certainly for me. But at their best, and Fand is for me their best, they were truly magisterial. For a band known as prog, Tull did a lot of albums without any prog on them, Thick as a brick is their greatest fully realised prog masterpiece. Like echoes I find supper's ready doughy in the extreme, a collection of highlights linked by banal swooping tones, from Apocalypse onwards it is faultless, before that, patchy. Cinema show is by far the more composed piece of music, but I could have chosen The Musical box or Dance on a volcano/los endos. I'm not even sure that Supertramp are sufficiently prog but of all of their music, this is the one I return to. CTTE needs nothing to be added by me, Yes are the only band on here twice as the epitome of a progressive band, and deserve their place with the big production from each of their two perfect albums. Colosseum don't get their due as progenitors of prog, but their brand of bluesy jazz rock, especially with the keyboard/guitar lead is a favourite of mine and due a reevaluation.
Your top 3 picks very much appeal to me! I would have 'Starless' as my nr.1 too and 'Gates' & 'Tarkus' maybe in top 10 even though some other ELP-tracks maybe closer to my heart... I'm not familiar with the Enid track and neither Supertramp track, but if I had some Supertramp track even in my top 200, I would be very surprised! :D
I think the only thing that keeps Bohemian Rhapsody from being considered prog is its mainstream popularity. A six-minute track featuring multiple parts and an opera section seems pretty progressive to me.
Early Queen was absolutely 'progressive' even if not exactly the more limiting label of 'prog'. While countless bands can be cited as being 'derivative' of the 70's prog giants, no one ever approached Queen's particular formula, at least, never did it justice.
Queen was certainly a mixed bag of songs of many types but I don't see them as an absolutely prog band as they were going for top 40 status for the most part. BR was a popular song but in no way can it match the beauty of other better crafted music of it's era. Just my opinion so don't lose it. LOL
@@sportster16301 that's kinda why I differentiated between "progressive" and "prog". The latter being more genre-specific and encapsulating the usual suspects of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis etc. Queen's first three albums were utterly groundbreaking and progressive - assuming the term means taking rock forward to new places (progressing). Their vocals/vocal arrangements were unparalleled; Brian May's guitar work, particularly his use of delay to create self-counterpoint and self-harmony was singular; their song structure was totally their own and (specifically on the first three albums) not the stuff of a band going for to p 40 status (save for Killer Queen). After that period, indeed they went the total commercial route and lost my interest along the way.
Not sure if i agree with all of them but I'd bet they've all been labeled as being in the prog genre by more than one publication. What's more disappointing is that it doesn't feel like they dug very deep to make their top 10. I'll have to check out the whole list.
Wouldn’t argue too much with that selection. Wouldn’t have picked Paranoid Android myself (ironically since Radiohead are possibly my all time favourite band)… Would possibly have Zep’s Rain Song instead of Stairway… possibly Crimson’s Larks Tongues in Aspic Pt 1 or Starless over In The Court Of The Crimson King… and I’d definitely have Pink Floyd’s Echoes on there somewhere… but hey, each to his own! These lists are all personal preference anyway!
I'd have gone with Cinema Show instead, and I Talk to the Wind. Supper's Ready is a great choice. I question the inclusion of some of the other titles on a prog list. In my mind Close to the Edge is the greatest prog track ever.
It's very subjective of course but the list should include Song for America by Kansas Garden Party by Marillion The Musical Box by Genesis Natural Science by Rush No doubt there are others that I could think of.
I would not dispute John Paul Jones' identification of Zeppelin as a prog rock band. I would've chosen "Rain Song" in lieu of "Stairway", however. If the Radiohead song "Paranoid Android" (which I still have yet to hear) doesn't fit, then I would supplant it with The Moody Blues' "Legend of a Mind". Furthermore, I think it goes without saying that "Bohemian Rhapsody" has earned its place. Freddie definitely had a beed on prog rock in the day, as did Brian (the genius of the track includes how far the members of Queen took it without including any synthesizers on the first 6 studio albums they made).
I wouldn't have Zep, Queen or Radiohead on my list. I would have added "A Passion Play" or at least elements of it as well as Pink Floyd's "Echoes". Supertramp's "Even In The Quietest Moments" would be up for consideration on my list as well.
Well said, I totally agree. Some people don't know what prog is. I'm not an expert, but people don't know their classic from their prog.
Exactly!
'Echoes' should definitely be in there.
My own 15 list:
1- Shine on You Crazy Diamond (all parts) by Pink Floyd
2- Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull
3- Supper's Ready by Genesis
4- Epitath by King Crimson
5- Echoes by Pink Floyd
6- Close to the Edge by Yes
7- Firth of Fifth by Genesis
8- Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd
9- The Advent of Panurge by Gentle Giant
10- Karn Evil 9 by Emerson Lake & Palmer
11- Starless by King Crimson
12- Shadow of the Hierophant by Steve Hackett
13- Pastoral by Mahavishnu Orchestra
14- Waiter There's a Yawn in my Ear, by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
15- Rhayader by Camel
Are we aloud to put Tago Mago by CAN in this list? Or is it perhaps not "prog" enough?
Far far better than the list in the video
Well its his own list Simon as he said! But you can put Can in yours if you like.
Thanks for Starless
@@simonhanford9542I always think of CAN as prog rock.
Supper's ready is an absolute classic. An utterly ridiculous but brilliant song. The live video of Gabriel strutting around as a flower is bizarre but shows what a showman he is.
The Seconds Out version is tough to beat
agree 100%, some new videos online recently of improved quality live shows. I sometimes revere songs, but don't listen to them much. This one I keep coming back to - and once it starts I'm there til the end.
Bataclan show is a MUST watch. He breaks it all out and the band are in top form.
@@harrynewiss4630I wholeheartedly agree. I saw Genesis perform this classic live in 1977. Chester Thompson’s drumming is a masterclass of progressive rock percussion. It’s the perfect synchronicity of creativity, elegance, fluidity, power and technique. Not only does his drumming perfectly compliment that of Phil Collins but it propels this brilliant composition to the very outer reaches of the ethereal. Supper’s Ready is the epitome of dazzling progressive rock.
It is sad that ELP has been written out of these Prog lists. Tarkus alone stands up to all of these songs.
Are you telling me that they aren't on the list?
@@opinion3742 #29.... TAAB #11
@@opinion3742 I'm lamenting their absence from top prog lists from everyone.
Tarkus is crazy stuff, up the 5 best ever in my book. Sound like a symphony but done by 3 guys. Add very heavy groove along the way, perfect match with artwork and there is sheer brilliance.
On the whole, ELP is bloated, self-indulgent tripe. There are a handful of good songs - mainly the Greg Lake classic rock hits - but I find most of their prog tracks unlistenable. The lists reflect that ELP misses the soul and musical depth that Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, etc bring to the game.
My top 10 songs in no particular order:
Echoes,
Close to the Edge,
Supper’s Ready,
Court of the Crimson King,
21st Century S. Man,
Watcher of the Skies,
Heart of the Sunrise,
Plague of Lighthouse Keepers,
Dance of the Dawn,
Islands,
Exactly, Echoes above them all.
Circus would usually be my KC favourite.
And VdGG Plague is in your list - good!
Don’t really think of Radiohead belonging in there, but great song. And Queen?
Led Zeppelin‘s No Quarter, if they belong in there.
Firth of Fifth - Yes, the lyrics are somewhat dubious, but surely the long instrumental break - flute, then piano, synth and finally Steve Hackett's superb guitar solo returning to the theme first played by the flute - is one of the very best of all time. This is great musical composing. And just to add a cherry on the top, the best use of bass pedals ever put on vinyl.
I like the lyrics. I always thought The Battle of Epping Forest had what I had what you are calling "dubious lyrics".
Suppers Ready. Always no.1 for me. Intoxicating music for the ages.
And one of the best versions being Steve Hackett “Genesis Revisited Band and Orchestra” 2019. This has an excellent ending with Steve giving us more of his wonderfully guitar.
@@BrentPKI think the Seconds Out version is the gold standard.
Seasons will pass you by...
I get up.
I get down.
Thanks for your interesting list🎉 Here's mine;
1. Echoes - Floyd
2.. In held t'was in I - Procol Harum
3. Thick as a brick - Jethro Tull
4. I talk to the wind - King Crimson
5. And you and I - Yes
6. Yeti talks to Yogi - Amon Duull Ii
7. Supper:s ready - Genesis
8. Five Bridges Suite - Nice
9. Sarabande - Jon Lord
10. Nine feet Underground - Caravan
11. Piano concerto No 1 - RLP/ Emerson
12. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers - Van der Graaf Generator
Interesting list, very unique. The only one I dont like is Mr. Hammill, whom I have never warmed to, even though I saw VanderGraf in the 70s a couple of times. I just cant relate to it. It all sounds like various movements of the same depressing song.
@@Whit-mh9nt Good point about Hamill and the "plague". Afterwards I realized I should rather have chosen instead a Moody Blues song like "Tuesday afternoon" or one of Rick Wakeman's lovely albums like "The myths and legends of King Arthur", " Journey to the centre of the Earth " or "Waterfalls" from Country airs.
As ever, brilliantly delivered with sharp, dry wit - love it.
Karnevil 9 1st Impression by ELP, Awaken by Yes, Care by Marillion, The Great Nothing by Spocks Beard, The Last Angel by Pallas
would have all been in my Top 10.
All epic pieces of music/ works of art from my favourite bands.
If they were going to put a Zeppelin song on this list, then I feel like No Quarter is a much more progressive pick
Or 'In The Light'.
Why not Purple's 'Child in Time' if Zep are included
@@classicalbumBurn smokes them all
My pick would have been The Rain Song. Even has mellotron and a beautiful build up.
Any "best of" list that includes Zeppelin will always have Stairway to Heaven on it. F-cking shame in my opinion and it says more about the spectacularly lazy people at the magazine than the band. Personally, I wouldn't put them anywhere near a prog list.
ELP's absence from this list is interesting but not surprising. It can't be denied that they jumped the shark after "Works Vol. I," but their output before that is completely undeserving of the nearly unanimous denigration it receives from critics. In the early 1970s they were generally considered the greatest prog act (at least here in the States), and their catalog of that period is ambitious, very well-played, and very listenable. How the mighty have fallen.
ELP’s first 4 albums are essential.
epitaph
The multiple attacks on ELP by the press etc, now appear to have been some sort of organised thing.
Not going to argue with Selling England featuring but surely the best track on that album has to be Cinema Show, especially the instrumental second half with Phil Collins's sublime drumming (perhaps the best work of the best prog drummer in history imho), Tony Banks's keyboards (mellotron especially of course) on top of Rutherford's rhythm backdrop. I could listen to it all day.
Agreed. I never understood why so many Genesis fans rank Firth of Fifth as their best song. Not saying it isn't great, but I can think of plenty of songs by them that I like better.
Absolutely. Cinema Show is a sublime classic and is possibly my favorite Genesis song of all.
Phil Collins is/was a fine drummer, but I would put Barriemore Barlow and Bill Bruford above him. And Gavin Harrison, if we include new prog.
dancing with the moonlit knight imo captures best what prog rock has to offer, with multi layers songs
@@jc3drums916 Bill Bruford? Maybe. Barlow? No. He's too stiff and blocky for my tastes, and he tends to go off into self-indulgent solos too often.
Great fun video, as usual ... Maybe a quiet mention of Valentyne Suite from Colosseum next time?
Klaatu - Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft and some of ELO's work from No Answer to Out of the Blue are certainly great, too.
No Floyd in the Top 10? Surely "Shine On....." and / or "Echoes" belongs here. (or "Dogs")
Always glad to "Selling England By the Pound" included. King Crimson too. There are others less known that deserve attention (Camel, Gentle Giant, Curved Air, Nektar, Renaissance, Strawbs, Earth & Fire, Eno, Roxy Music, etc.)
I like some of the things the Strawbs did but I didn't think of them so much as progressive. Maybe I just didn't hear some of their more progressive work. I chose Kiev by Renaissance for my list which I love. I used to hear that in the late 70s on the station at the college I attended. It's a funny thing though. While I like their album Prologue very much, I really couldn't get into their other albums so much even though it seems to me that more avid Renaissance fans like the other albums better. I really wanted to include something by Gentle Giant but I couldn't decide what. They were an excellent band.
@@sdgakatbk Some of Strawbs' progressive tracks include "Hero & Heroine", "Ghosts", "The Shepherd's Song", "Tears and Pavan", "Time and Life", and "Words of Wisdom".
@@gurgisjones1120 Thx. I listened to some of them. The album I had of them back in the day was Bursting at the Seams which I liked very much. I had forgotten about Tears and Pavan which was one of my favorites from that album. I agree that Hero and Heroine and Ghosts are progressive. Listening to Tears and Pavan again, yes, it is too.
@@gurgisjones1120 Talking about Strawbs, Down by the Sea is my all time favourite of theirs and is a definite for the top 10.
Everyone will have their own favourites from that period.
Hatfield and the North's classic album "The Rotter's Club" has a brilliant track "Mumps" which would be in my top ten, true British innovation.
I miss Pink Floyd’s Echoes, Camel’s Lunar Sea and King Crimson’s Starless!!
Wot no Tarkus, Karn Eval 9 by ELP or Awaken by Yes
Tarkus #29 Awaken #23 and Karn Evil 9? Too evil?
I can't argue much with the list so I think my favourite prog numbers are probably not the "best" ones, such as ...
Focus - Hamburger Concerto
Starless - Crimson
In the Dead of Night suite - UK
Inca Roads - Uncle Frank
Tarkus suite - ELP
Thick as a Brick - JT
Well, imagine a concert with this setlist... Of course, I could mention (every fan could) dozens of other incredible prog songs, but I will only say King Crimson's Starless, from Red, my personal masterpiece of the classic prog era.
I've always had a keen ear for the live rearranging and lively!rendition of Pictures at a exhibition Mussorgsky (1874) by ELP in 1971. Epitaph as well! over the meandering, In the court.
Suppers Ready is my absolute favorite progrock song, period. The Apocalypse in 9/8 section is a masterpiece.
What?! They left off "Cherry Pie" by Warrant?
and not ONE Ramones song
And "Unskinny Bop" by Poison? I love me some metal, even hair metal, but it deserved the grunge attack after those two songs...
Good one! Some comic relief thrown in here can't hurt!
UCR lists are always weird. Weird but fun. Great episode!!!
Still better than Rolling Stone's lists....
It's always contentious. What about The Gates of Delirium? What about Tarkus or Karn Evil 9? What about Hamburger Concerto? What about The Snowgoose? What about Ghosts by Japan? What about The Phantom of the Opera or The Rime of the Ancient Mariner? What about La Villa Strangiato? On different days I would put any of those or some others at the top of my list.
gates of delirium for sure!
Awesome!!! Also, you're a very funny guy man!
I wouldn’t have included songs by “Radiohead” or “Queen” but an otherwise brilliant list. I would include songs from “Pink Floyd”, “ELP” and “Jethro Tull”. Your commentary is, as usual, of the very highest order. Bravo!
Stairway to heaven & Bohemian Rhapsody are great songs but don’t belong in the top 10 prog songs. Supper’s Ready & Close to the edge deserve to be in top three, without a doubt.
No echoes 😢….up above the albatross would open its bowel….still some great songs
Classic prog has progressed me into more experimental and metal prog. Deep Purple, of course Floyd, Rush, even Blue Oyster Cult. All influenced me in my progressive journey.
Rush - 2112, geez how did that not make it?
I really don’t know how you can consider Deep Purple a prog band
@jefflevinson669 Their early stuff was very proggy for that Era. Go back and give them a listen. Then they shifted to more of a standard rock and hard rock style.
Harold the Barrel is the best Genesis song. Hilarious yet serious little masterpiece. Great story as well. Genius.
Best Genesis song?! Take a running juuuuuuuump!
An impossible list to create, isn't it? How about "Thick As A Brick" or "Echoes"? Yes to "The Court of the Crimson King" but I, too, would have selected "Epitaph." I much like Radiohead but am very surprised of the song included on the list from them. "Roundabout" makes sense. How about "Fool's Overture" from Supertramp?
Fool's Overture came in at # 39..
Wait a minute, what about Echoes?
Supper's Ready is the quintessential prog song. It flows perfectly.
boy, I'd go to the matts on this.. lol. It's long, it has lot's sections, some good, some twee, but what it doesn't do is flow
I can see the logic behind all these picks, including controversial ones like Stairway, though they were included at the expense of some treasures I'd have put in my personal top 10 - Minstrel in the Gallery by Jethro Tull, House with No Door by Van Der Graaf Generator, Dignity by Immram and the overture to War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne.
Echoes
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Awaken
All of these would be in my top 10
Soft Machine - Out Bloody Rageous. Elton Dean's sax solo on the second part is just sublime. Also Wyatt's Moon in June.
King Crimson - Islands. Marc Charig on tbe cornet.
Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
It's a Beautiful Day - White Bird
Dando Shaft - Cold Wind
Nucleus - Striation
Beach Boys - Surf's Up
Terry Riley - Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band
(Prog loosely defined)
....and Santana - Flame Sky. I cannot disagree with Close to the Edge
finally some soft machine
Hibou by Soft machine is probably the first ever prog instrumental. Either that or The mothers 'king kong'. Both early '69. Out bloody Rageous is fantastic i agree.
So they're not counting Pink Floyd as progressive rock then?? Or Marillion??
There are some of us who think that's what they are, although others would perhaps disagree!!
I agree with some titles, less with others. Instead of the "ten GREATEST Progressive Rock Songs", I suggest "your ten FAVORITE Progressive Rock Songs." 😉😉 Such lists are often times very subjective. My list would definitely include Pink Floyd's Echoes.
This is not my list... I make that clear at the start of the video
Sure. My comment was in response to the title of the video and was very general.
@@classicalbum We'd like to know your own list, so!
Through the capitalization of "greatest" and the question "really?" he makes it clear TWICE that this is not his list AND that he questions its contents.
Was the title changed after you posted this comment or is your comment absolutely off the mark?
@@needfoolthings I didn't comment on HIS list. I commented on THE list!
Can’t imagine how Gentle Giant masterpieces not showing up here!
I think it's because they don't tend to write epics, though they can squeeze and epic's worth of arrangement into four minutes.
My top 3:
Thick as a brick - Jethro Tull
Firth of Fifth - Genesis
From silence to somewhere - Wobbler
I can certainly see “ Close to the Edge “ being at the top. Wakeman’s legendary pipe organ solo is every bit as spine chilling as Hackett’s haunting guitar solo from “ Firth. “ And I agree with some of the others however, I really think Rush’s Xanadu should be there, or possibly My God from Tull as kind of a dark horse. But there’s so many greats to be considered. Not an easy task.
I'd put something like Baker St. Muse over My God (still a great track!), but yes, I agree with you other points as well
My own quickly concocted list (10 to 1):
I talk to the wind,
Back to the Family,
In my own Time,
South Side of the Sky,
Take a Pebble,
Looking for Someone,
Firth of Fifth,
The Endless Enigma,
Seven Stones,
Cinema Show
Each to their own.
No Rush, no care... They deserve to be in the top ten more than Radiohead or Zeppelin. And if the #1 spot HAD to be occupied by Yes, I can think of better songs than Close to the Edge. But this Ultimate Classic Rock we're talking about here... I value their opinions about as much as Rolling Stone.
Agree, Rush is one of the greatest bands ever. Hemispheres, 2112 or Xanadu would be worthy. It's a joke having Zeppelin, Queen and Radiohead on this list.
I'm much younger at 46 then most prog fans and when i hear classic organ sounds from the 70s i immediately think it's prog rock. One of the best tracks i've heard is Deep Purple 'Child In Time'.. Is it right for the list though?! 🤔🤷♂️
Xanadu by Rush deserves a mention
2112 should have been here
...yes, Rush should be in the conversation. i would offer up 'La Villa Strangiato' -- simply impeccable composition/performance. The brooding guitar solo in 7/4 is one of the best ever put to tape imho, and the groove they emerge into is pure bliss in terms feel, cohesion, and sound production.
Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant also need mentioning. And if people start including the jazz side of the equation, both 'Bitches Brew' and 'The Inner Mounting Flame' albums need to be represented -- for starters.
Fun to chew the fat about it all. An embarrassment of riches.
I was listening to Queen's ANATO only yesterday while in hospital and thought it is most definitely a Prog Rock album, perhaps not as prog as Queen II but certainly prog enough
Glad to see there is at least one sensible 'best of' list out there as most seem to have been about as well thought out as a cunning plan by Blackadder's Baldrick during a particularly bad day at the office.
No ELP or Pink Floyd . . . hm. Maybe "Echoes" or every part of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" instead of some of the others, and definitely "Tarkus" in all its glory!
If we're considering side-long epics like Supper's Ready and Close to the Edge, how about A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers?
who made this list, Casey Kasem? 🤣🤣
'Supper's Ready', 'Close to the Edge' and 'Firth of Fifth' would probably be in my top 10.
Other songs with a strong chance are 'Ernie's Reise' and 'Come On People' by Grobschnitt, 'For Years and Years (Cathy)' by Tai Phong, 'The Fountain of Salmacis' and 'The Return of the Giant Hogweed' by Genesis, as well as 'Soon' (as a standalone track) and 'Turn of the Century' by Yes
My top 10:
10 Air Dance - Black Sabbath
9 Archaeopteryx in Flight - Horisont
8 Shine on Crazy Diamond ( parts 1 to 5) - Pink Floyd
7 Starless - King Crimson
6 Long DIstance Runaround - Yes
5 La Villa Strangiato - Rush
4 Siberian Khatru - Yes
3 The Musical Box - Genesis
2 In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
1 Robbery Assault and Battery - Genesis
Your opinions align with my own nearly perfectly, so you are quite wise. I would not have considered Led Zeppelin or Queen, but now I will, as you clearly delineated the reason for their presence. I confess that I know nothing about Radiohead, but I will explore. Oh wait. I'm supposed to tell you why you aren't perfect. Hmmm. OK. "Melancholy Man" by The Moody Blues should be on there.
Always good to hear another’s top 10. This one is pretty good, putting 5/10 tracks with the 2 greatest Prog bands is no surprise. As you say I would have put And you and I in the mix too.Is Led Zeppelin, Queen and Radiohead prog, not purely I would suggest, but the three tracks mentioned do have their progressive moments. Music is subjective of course, but the cream always comes to the top.
The cream doesn't always come to the top. Have you heard Gusliar by Pesniary? A masterpiece! Probably the best prog song of all time!
Pretty good list, Maybe Siberian Khatru or Tom Sawyer. Of course the Genesis tracks, even Stairway (eternally lovely) but no Queen and certainly not Radiohead. Tull? Thanks for the post Barry.
There should be more post-1990 prog bands here! My top 10:
1. Pink Floyd - Echoes
2. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man
3. Yes - The Gates Of Delerium
4. Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper
5. Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven
6. Opeth - Ghost Of Perdition
7. Tool - Vicarious
8. Van Der Graaf Generator - A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers
9. Genesis - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
10. Pink Floyd - Dogs
My thought exactly. Perhaps the full list has some?
Barry I was thinking about your questions re Radiohead & Zeppelin & Queen -- do they belong here and I tend to agree they do not, much as I love Queen, and even as I was wondering how come not a song by Rush amongst the Crimson, Yes and Genesis, and I suddenly had the thought that what we tend to think of as prog has to have a certain noodly or perhaps wandering characteristic to it that we hear in all the bands we consider canonical prog and other things such as the Pentateuch of the Cosmogony, and was then thinking it needs to be the musical equivalent of some of those weird old British sci-fi or fantasy novels like Voyage to Arcturus or Out of the Silent Planet (okay, I know that became a Maiden song too) or the Jerry Cornelius novels (which mention Pink Floyd at one point IIRC). Like, if you are listening to some music and it has the same floaty wandering feel as you get from one of these books, well, then that's prog.
I like the list, and I don't mind the "odd ones". Numbers 1 and 2 are definitely the appropriate top choices. 😎😎
I’d have Tull’s Baker Street Muse, Birdman (McDonald & Giles), Pictures at an Exhibition (ELP), Epitaph, In The Wake of Poseidon and possibly Cirkus in my 10, along with the two Crimson tracks on the original list. Never quite got Yes
or Genesis, though I’ve tried (and tried).
The Genesis selection is great; I would go with the CINEMA SHOW. To my ears, the ultimate epic of the 70s.
Cinema Show a fantastic track but my favourite is Carpet Crawlers, never fails to get me
@@richardbaxter6261 Agree. That has to be a top five Genesis track.
Top Ten Favourites is as follows .... PETER HAMILL VOCAL PERFORMANCE ....
.1. VAN DER GRAAF / LOST
.2. YES / STARSHIP TROOPER
.3. PINK FLOYD / ECHOES
.4. YES / CLOSE TO THE EDGE
.5. GENESIS / SUPPERS READY
.6. E L P / TARKUS
.7. YES / HEART OF THE SUNRISE
.8. YES / GATES OF DELIRIUM
.9. PINK FLOYD / SHEEP
10. VAN DER GRAAF / EMPERORS WAR ROOM (ALT TAKE)
......... could not squeeze in Rush Hemispheres .........
Interesting list all the songs are "classic," but as you say, some borderline prog tracks. However all lists are subjective. Great video as ever. Can not disagree with number 1.
Some of these wouldn't have made my list, but interesting discussion points none the less.
If we consider rock bottom as prog, i would istantly put the red robin hood hit the road as number 1. If we don't, then moon in june takes that easily
No "Echoes"?
ELP - Tarkus
Yes - Awaken
Genesis - Supper's Ready
King Crimson - Lark's Tongue in Aspic
Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
Pink Floyd - Dogs
Kansas - Magnus Opus
Rush - Xanadu or 2112
Allan Holdsworth - Un Merry-go-Round
Iron Butterfly - In-a-Gadda-da-Vida
Back in the early 80's, Tommy Vance ("...TV on the radio! The Music Vendor!") ran a top whatever it was of rock, every year, and every year Stairway was at number 1.
Number 2, somehow, always seemed to be Awaken from Going for the One. Close to the Edge never made it, so it seems that when you open the voting up to fans of all genres of rock, Awaken trounces CTTE.
I flip from one to the other. CTTE takes it most days. Both tower over Supper's Ready (imo) which isn't even in my top 10 Genesis songs (and I usually love me an epic.)
Queen were my gateway drug into Prog. It was the release of the Game that made me look further afield, when I was 12, having been a fanatical Queen fan for nearly 3 years. I still consider their first 5 albums Prog.
Radio Head have Prog affectations but this list seems rather heavy on contentious inclusions to the genre if you ask me. There are many fundamentalist fans who would throw their hands up in protest at Radio Head, Queen and Led Zeppelin being anywhere near it, but of the 3 bands, Queen is the most worthy candidate. I'm surprised they didn't chuck a Muse song in for good measure. That would have really ruffled some feathers.
I agree with your opinion of epitath
Got to have Man-Erg by Van Der Graaf Generator or Playing The Game by Gentle Giant. No Camel is a shame also.
I’d put 1. Supper’s Ready 2. CTTE 3. Echoes. (The question that usually arrises is, “is ‘Inca Roads’ prog?”)
No question, Inca Roads is prog.
Zappa had plenty of prog songs.
Complex time signatures, complex chord progressions, extremely high levels of musicianship, non-standard song structures, advanced and sophisticated arrangements, in a rock context.
I'm sure he wouldn't have considered it prog. But to me, it is by definition.
Fragile is a classic Yes album, I'd also give a mention to Relayer too although some ppl might disagree.
Top favorite lists always include songs some don’t agree with , it is subjective afterall.
With that observation accepted, I think it makes sense to include songs/tunes that aren’t considered hard core prog by the connoisseurs. Because the songs mentioned are favorites of many punters nonetheless and were played often on the radio back in the day.
Bohemian Rhapsody and Stairway to Heaven were hugely popular. They have some of the elements of Prog , ie epic, modal changes and quality sounds, virtuoso playing and mixed tempos and grooves.
So they are simply popular/favorite Pop Prog tunes?
My ears are tired of hearing them of course, but I think they are Pop Prog songs. Other examples: band on the run, uncle Albert, blinded by the light, private investigator, bat out of hell, etc, the masses liked them. Are they complicated ? nah, but they are easy to listen to and often keep the listener on the stream/channel/radio etc.
People will like what they like and many are usually casual listeners .
I liken it to red wine. You can get sloshed on a cheap bottle of wine, and heaps are sold to many folks. Why bother with expensive wines? well we develop a taste for it of course and the cheap stuff is unsatisfying by comparison.
I usually like to enjoy high quality music, but even candy simple ear worms can please me , and is sometimes preferred. But when sitting down for an immersive listen I prefer the good stuff for my experienced and fussy ears.
I like abba songs sometimes too, but generally prefer music with more to listen to rather than dance and sing along too.
The best part about music taste is- the high quality music costs the same amount to listen to as the worst.
If it costs £15 for a crap cd, the best ever is also £15 while it lasts. Meanwhile the Spotify subscription gives listeners access to most of the best and worst music out there, all for the same price , without limiting how often.
I wouldn't have thought of Led Zep or Radio Head. My only problem is the duplication of bands in the top 10.
So many others to choose from, but I would add Take A Pebble - from ELP's 1st album.
Where is Shine on you crazy diamond?
don't understand why procol harums 'repent walpurgis' or 'in held twas in i' is never included
I agree with you that "Epitaph" is more deserving of a place on this list than "In The Court of the Crimson King." And much as I love "Roundabout," "Awaken" is more deserving of a place in a top-10 list.
Awaken was # 23
@@mbmmhp1066 It should be #1.
Pretty good list. Queen? Don’t know about that one. As for LZ the album does have Battle of Evermore as a clear ISB influence nod, so why not! Of course was early ISB “Prog”? Hmmm, sort of.
For me, just because you like it doesn't mean it's good. But there really are some classics on here. The mighty Crim have always been my favourites, but Genesis? Preferred Gabriel,s solo work, tbh. There are some really great bands out there from the 70s progressive movement though, who never seem to get a mention. Van Der Graaf Generator for one, and there are many tracks from many of their albums worthy of a mention. Focus are another band who are often overlooked, who have a very decent back catalogue. And what about Barclay James Harvest, another wonderful Prog Band. Bowie,s last album "Black Star", another modern masterpiece. Floyd,s "Atom Heart Mother" suite. The list is endless. Throughly enjoyed the review once again though. Love your anecdotes. Keep it up.
How could I forget Focus? I was into them back in the day. Not just Hocus Pocus which introduced me to the band when I heard it on WNEW FM out of NY. The second side of the album was very good.
I don't really think that there can be any ten best given the immense size and influence of the genre, but no argument with number one. Close To The Edge, that one is really something different. I had a friend - long dead now - who put his hands over his ears at the beginning and demanded a replay at the end. That was...so long ago now...
I think you got it pretty much right.....
On the self-titled first album by prog-oriented band IF, 'Reaching Out On All sides' is a lovely melodic song that should be heard by more people.
We ALL KNOW that DOGS deserves to be In the top 10. I will trade it for Firth.
Well I'll add some that aren't there. Rush - Xanadu. Genesis - One For The Vine, Afterglow & The Return Of The Giant Hogweed. Pallas - Cut & Run , Rise And Fall & Atlantis (you can tell I love The Sentinel). All these have what prog is about. Great sound, musicianship & lyrics like short stories.
That is so difficult to do. I could list my top ten and come up with a different top top ten at every attempt, the only constant being Close to the Edge at No.1
For shits and giggles...
1 Starless-King Crimson
2 Gates of Delirium-Yes
3 Tarkus-ELP
4 Dogs-Pink Floyd
5 Fand- The Enid
6 Thick as a Brick-Jethro Tull
7 Cinema Show- Genesis
8 Hide in your shell- Supertramp
9 Close to the Edge- Yes
10 Valentyne Suite- Colosseum
A personal choice but a heartfelt one. Starless is by a significant margin the best thing King Crimson ever did. Gates is the best of Yes by virtue of the playing, imagination, daring and the fact that Soon is the most glorious 5 minutes of music that Yes ever produced. The live Tarkus/Aquatrkus from Welcome back, is the greatest performance by ELP. although Pictures comes pretty bloody close. Controversially I think that Echoes is good but flabby and the jamming sounds far too much like jamming. Dogs is tighter and more composed sounding both mellow and aggressive, sometimes simultaneously. In my opinion, the Enid are the ginger stepsons of the progressive genre, their descent into second rate rave in the twilight of their career was a dealbreaker for many, certainly for me. But at their best, and Fand is for me their best, they were truly magisterial. For a band known as prog, Tull did a lot of albums without any prog on them, Thick as a brick is their greatest fully realised prog masterpiece. Like echoes I find supper's ready doughy in the extreme, a collection of highlights linked by banal swooping tones, from Apocalypse onwards it is faultless, before that, patchy. Cinema show is by far the more composed piece of music, but I could have chosen The Musical box or Dance on a volcano/los endos. I'm not even sure that Supertramp are sufficiently prog but of all of their music, this is the one I return to. CTTE needs nothing to be added by me, Yes are the only band on here twice as the epitome of a progressive band, and deserve their place with the big production from each of their two perfect albums. Colosseum don't get their due as progenitors of prog, but their brand of bluesy jazz rock, especially with the keyboard/guitar lead is a favourite of mine and due a reevaluation.
Your top 3 picks very much appeal to me! I would have 'Starless' as my nr.1 too and 'Gates' & 'Tarkus' maybe in top 10 even though some other ELP-tracks maybe closer to my heart... I'm not familiar with the Enid track and neither Supertramp track, but if I had some Supertramp track even in my top 200, I would be very surprised! :D
@@marklar9156 there is an excellent version of fand on youtube, i would be interested to hear your opinion.
Have you heard Satori by Flower Travellin Band?
Claypool & Lennon did a cover of that on "Lime and Limpid Green" - it's excellent
I think the only thing that keeps Bohemian Rhapsody from being considered prog is its mainstream popularity. A six-minute track featuring multiple parts and an opera section seems pretty progressive to me.
Early Queen was absolutely 'progressive' even if not exactly the more limiting label of 'prog'. While countless bands can be cited as being 'derivative' of the 70's prog giants, no one ever approached Queen's particular formula, at least, never did it justice.
Queen was certainly a mixed bag of songs of many types but I don't see them as an absolutely prog band as they were going for top 40 status for the most part. BR was a popular song but in no way can it match the beauty of other better crafted music of it's era. Just my opinion so don't lose it. LOL
@@sportster16301 that's kinda why I differentiated between "progressive" and "prog". The latter being more genre-specific and encapsulating the usual suspects of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis etc. Queen's first three albums were utterly groundbreaking and progressive - assuming the term means taking rock forward to new places (progressing). Their vocals/vocal arrangements were unparalleled; Brian May's guitar work, particularly his use of delay to create self-counterpoint and self-harmony was singular; their song structure was totally their own and (specifically on the first three albums) not the stuff of a band going for to p 40 status (save for Killer Queen). After that period, indeed they went the total commercial route and lost my interest along the way.
Not sure if i agree with all of them but I'd bet they've all been labeled as being in the prog genre by more than one publication.
What's more disappointing is that it doesn't feel like they dug very deep to make their top 10. I'll have to check out the whole list.
if only 1 tune to bring in heaven and have God listening to : suppers ready with no doubt
Tossing in odd ball. Diamonds and Pearls by Prince. I always thought of it as a prog based tune.
Karn Evil Nine... comes to mind.
Tons more, of course
Peace on earth.
No Zappa, WTF? The list creator must never have heard "Inca Roads".
Starless!
Wouldn’t argue too much with that selection. Wouldn’t have picked Paranoid Android myself (ironically since Radiohead are possibly my all time favourite band)… Would possibly have Zep’s Rain Song instead of Stairway… possibly Crimson’s Larks Tongues in Aspic Pt 1 or Starless over In The Court Of The Crimson King… and I’d definitely have Pink Floyd’s Echoes on there somewhere… but hey, each to his own! These lists are all personal preference anyway!
Sir! Great video! Sadly...no Rush
Rush aren't British, which it seems is a requirement to be considered prog.
I'd have gone with Cinema Show instead, and I Talk to the Wind. Supper's Ready is a great choice. I question the inclusion of some of the other titles on a prog list. In my mind Close to the Edge is the greatest prog track ever.
It's very subjective of course but the list should include
Song for America by Kansas
Garden Party by Marillion
The Musical Box by Genesis
Natural Science by Rush
No doubt there are others that I could think of.
Everybody forgets that Kansas was a prog rock band. Miracles Out of Nowhere, Song for America and Journey from Mirabram are my absolute favorites.
I would not dispute John Paul Jones' identification of Zeppelin as a prog rock band. I would've chosen "Rain Song" in lieu of "Stairway", however. If the Radiohead song "Paranoid Android" (which I still have yet to hear) doesn't fit, then I would supplant it with The Moody Blues' "Legend of a Mind". Furthermore, I think it goes without saying that "Bohemian Rhapsody" has earned its place. Freddie definitely had a beed on prog rock in the day, as did Brian (the genius of the track includes how far the members of Queen took it without including any synthesizers on the first 6 studio albums they made).