10 Must-Own Prog Albums
Our prog rock buying guide features some undisputed prog landmarks and lesser-appreciated gems of the genre. Dig in!
Looking for a prog rock buying guide? Well, the progressive rock arena has its own ecosystem of landmark albums and artists. Inevitably, in such a biosphere, there is an unspoken hierarchy in which certain works are more widely recognized than others. So what we’ve created here is a bit of a mix and match, with some undisputed prog landmarks and lesser-appreciated gems of the genre. Our list spans the 1970s and early ‘80s, and is presented in chronological order.
Caravan – In the Land of Grey and Pink (1971)
The cornerstones of prog often can’t be measured in terms of commercial success, and you won’t find any sign of genre mainstays Caravan’s third album in the UK bestsellers. By that reckoning, the band registered a mere two weeks on those charts at all. But the Canterbury scenesters made an indelible impression on fans with this LP, which as our dedicated story describes, conjured Tolkienesque images of a “Middle Earth sunset.”
Genesis – Nursery Cryme (1971)
It’s impossible to think it now, but this staging post in the Genesis story didn’t make the UK album listings until the 1980s, and then only just. But it’s warmly regarded by their cognoscenti as the LP on which both Phil Collins and Steve Hackett joined to complete what became the band’s classic — many say best-ever — line-up of the first half of the 1970s.
Van Der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts (1971)
Formed in 1967 in the fervid creative melting pot of Manchester University, Van Der Graaf Generator’s first label deal was with Mercury, but they started their relationship with the storied Charisma label in 1970. Pawn Hearts ably showcased the songs of Peter Hamill and his fellow multi-instrumentalists Hugh Banton, David Jackson, and Guy Evans, with guest appearances by one Robert Fripp.
Peter Hammill – The Silent Corner and The Empty Stage (1974)
Hammill, meanwhile, recorded his own third album during an inactive period for Van Der Graaf Generator, before the 1975 group reunion that produced Godbluff. The solo project nevertheless included contributions from his bandmates as well as a lead guitar cameo by Spirit’s Randy California. Head Heritage described The Silent Corner… as “simultaneously time-locked and timeless” and “criminally disregarded.”
Camel – Mirage (1974)
Another of the must-includes for any prog rock buying guide, this was the second LP by the band formed in Surrey in 1971. It saw them not only survive a move from MCA to Deram Records, but to hit their stride with an enduring favorite. Read more about the history of Mirage here.
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (1974)
Supertramp became a multi-platinum attraction with Breakfast In America, but their first breakthrough to the big league came with this third album. It gave them a UK hit single in “Dreamer,” contained the popular “Bloody Well Right” and showcased the band’s writing powerhouse of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.
Rick Wakeman – The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975)
This may often have been held up as a prime example of the music that punk was going to sweep aside. But one of prog’s grand concepts has not only endured, its memory has been enhanced with the passing decades, alongside the widespread admiration for Rick Wakeman’s keyboard wizardry. For its 40th anniversary, it was even performed on ice.
Steve Hackett – Voyage of the Acolyte (1975)
Guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett was still a member of Genesis when he released this first solo album, having developed it during and after The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. Younger brother John played on it, as did Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford, and it provided a firm foothold for the solo career that Hackett would start in earnest soon afterward.
Rush – Moving Pictures (1981)
A creative and commercial success that was already Rush’s eighth studio album. It arrived in the wake of the acclaim for 1980’s Permanent Waves and became even bigger, with four million shipments in the US alone. In a Rolling Stone analysis of the greatest prog albums of all time, published in 2015, it was beaten only by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and King Crimson’s In The Court of the Crimson King.
Barclay James Harvest – A Concert For The People (Berlin) (1982)
It’s a measure of the longevity that Barclay James Harvest had achieved even by 1982 that this was already their third live album, released when they had 11 studio sets to their name. It was named both for the city in which it was recorded (on the steps of the Reichstag, in 1980) and the Les Holroyd song, originally from XII, that opened the show.
Which prog albums would make your buying guide? Let us know in the comments.
José Ignacio planelles ordoñez
July 29, 2014 at 10:55 pm
Es imposible hablar de los 10 mejores discos de rock progresivo y olvidar Dark side. of the moon por no hablar de yes king krimson jethro tull……
Leyla
July 31, 2014 at 12:40 am
Comparto tu punto de vista, aunque es King Crimson* mi estimado.
Ho y también sin olvidar a Frank Zappa.
Dave
December 30, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Pero la nota no habla de los 10 mejores discos, sino de los 10 discos que deben oírse. Es una pequeña diferencia…
Gianni Arbuatti
December 16, 2018 at 7:14 am
Van ser grata generetor
Nicky
April 22, 2019 at 11:50 am
Marillion Peter Gabriel Pendragon King Crimson Yes Pink Floyd IQ
Ronnie Farnsworth
August 7, 2020 at 8:18 am
Lost for words how bad this list is except for Genesis !!!!
No King Crimson, Yes, ELP, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Gentle Giant, Nektar !!!!
Deadhardy
July 31, 2014 at 10:04 am
This is a pretty shitty list.
David
October 27, 2014 at 12:46 am
List sucks. Supertramp? King Crimson, Nektar, Renaissance, ELP etc. etc. and more
Siomni
November 6, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Well this is not a “top 10 prog albums ever”, it’s a simple list of 10 albums everyone should listen to. I know there are better albums, but right now I’m discovering new music
L. Buttery
December 15, 2015 at 9:26 pm
I think, David, it’s less to do with the list sucking as the list simply not being long enough, and as a consequence, incomplete. Any of us Prog fans out in the world would add hundreds more awesome bands….of course King Crimson, (I also would not throw Supertramp into the genre even, as awesome as they were to see live!) and I am also less-sure the Rush belong in a Prog Rock list too. The rest belong in the list, and I would also hope that it’s not a ‘Top 10’, as again, I’d be changing the order and the band list there too!! 🙂 So many more (and in some cases much better bands from the era and genre – always a contentious issue….plenty of people love Crimson, but I hung around with a great many who didn’t. There is NEVER going to be a list, however long that list is, that will suit all of us, let alone a list of just 10.
Dave
April 8, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Rush belongs in this list just not Moving Pictures. The 70s was their classic Prog era so 2112 or A Farwell to Kings are much better selections.
Paul
December 15, 2018 at 4:29 pm
agree
Jim
April 21, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Rush are not even fit to be roadies for those other bands!!! No Pink Floyd???
Carole Morrad
July 30, 2019 at 1:21 pm
I agree with you. I love Crime of the Century and saw the tour but apart from the real early stuff they did, it’s not prog.
DarthV
December 15, 2015 at 8:44 pm
Pretty shorty comment dude…
Reelman
December 28, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Very poor list. Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Focus, Eloy, Flower Kings,Curved Air, ELP, Tangent, IQ, TransAtlantique, Triumvirate, Magic Pie, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Unitopia and so many more
Kim R
August 27, 2014 at 8:52 pm
The Barclay James Harvest album choice should have been ‘Once Again’.
Warren Zoell
December 15, 2015 at 9:43 pm
Where’s Gentle Giant, PFM, Yes, King Crimson?
commando
December 14, 2018 at 8:04 pm
Weather Report, Refugee, Jethro Tull, Colosseum, Ekseption, Curved Air, Renaissance, Procol Harum, Pink Floyd, Passport, E.L.P., Marillion, Gentle Giant ……….
James T
December 16, 2015 at 4:37 am
Struck by the dates of these – virtually all in the 70’s
Jeremy Shotts
December 16, 2015 at 9:12 am
I think a few people are missing the point.
This is not about the bands and albums you already know and love. It’s the ones that are important that you may have missed along the way. An opportunity to catch up on neglected masterpieces…
Shummer
December 29, 2015 at 3:07 pm
exactly the point
funki porcini
December 16, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Agitation Free
Prog Lord
December 28, 2015 at 7:39 pm
I think this is a stand out list, ofc theres alot great albums and bands missing. But overall its a good introducing point for progrock to build on.
Gompie
December 28, 2015 at 8:34 pm
I could easily do without nos 3-5-9. I would however include ‘Gentle Giant – Three Friends’ and ‘Barclay James Harvest’ first album’ and, but I think totally unknown to most of you ‘The Way We Are’ and ‘Groep 1850 – Paradise Now’.
Miguel Coelho
December 28, 2015 at 10:32 pm
E Tales From Topographic Oceans, dos YES???
Esta lista é medonha…
Reis Casal
December 29, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Para mim Yes são os reis do prog! Autênticas obras primas: Close to the edge, Fragile, Tales from topographic oceans, Yessongs, etç etç
Lizrdking
December 29, 2015 at 12:00 am
In The Court Of
Close To The Edge
Snowgoose
Air Conditioning
Danger Money
Thick As Brick
Tarkus
The World Became The World
Foxtrot
Moving Waves
In no particular order
Phil White
October 5, 2018 at 2:48 am
Foxtrot –Peter Gabriel’s Genesis
Demons and Wizards—Uriah Heep
Houses of the Holy—Led Zeppelin
Fragile—Yes
In the Court of the Crimson King–King Crimson
Trilogy –Emerson Lake and Palmer
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence–Dream Theater
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath–Black Sabbath
Ghost Reveries—Opeth
Beguiled—King For A Day.
paulo
December 29, 2015 at 12:17 pm
What about Gentle Giant, PFM,Gong, King Crimson?
shawn
December 29, 2015 at 12:23 pm
this is no list without GENTLE GIANT FREEHAND
Paul
December 15, 2018 at 4:28 pm
totally agree Shawn ! I would also add Strawbs Hero & Heroine
PikemanRoo
December 29, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Where’s Dark Side of the Moon? Is this Camerons choice?
Allan Chemnitz
December 29, 2015 at 4:59 pm
My personal list would be:
1. Pink Floyd:Dark Side of The Moon
2. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
3. Steve Hillage:Green
4. Yes:Close To The Edge
5. Genesis:Selling England by the Pound
6. Peter Gabriel:Melt
7. Mike Rutherford:Smallcreeps Day
8. Supertramp:Crime of the century
9. King Crimson:In the Court of the Crimson King
10:Mike Oldfield:Tubelar Bells
Rafael Perrotta
December 29, 2015 at 5:34 pm
Weak list made by a person who does not know or does not like prog rock. Supertramp (shit). Where are the great albums of King Crimson, ELP, Triumvirat and Eloy? Red, Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, In The Wake of Poseidon, Tarkus, Mediterranean Tales, Power and The Passion, Inside and Dawn.
John Blair
December 29, 2015 at 5:39 pm
I own 6 of the albums on this list, but still feel it’s wrong. My list would be;
1. Camel – Nude (my fave album of all time)
2. Yes – Close To The Edge
3. Rush – Moving Pictures
4. Barclay James Harvest – Everyone Is Everybody Else
5. Kansas – Leftoverture
6. Rick Wakeman – King Arthur
7. Rick Wakeman – No Earthly Connection (so underrated)
8. Pallas – The Sentinel
9. Steve Hackett – Please Don’t Touch
10. Kerry Livgren – Seeds of Change
Some of you may thing a couple of these aren’t Prog, but it’s a personal choice.
Hovering under would be albums by Yes (Going For The One), Genesis (Selling England By The Pound), Kansas (Somewhere To Elsewhere – their most underrated album), Saga (Silent Knight), Jethro Tull (Minstrel In The Gallery) and others by Procol Harum, Kings X and David Bowie (if he’s not Prog then none of the rest on any list are either).
geo
December 29, 2015 at 6:25 pm
Yes – Relayer
Yes – Close to the Edge
Yes – The Yes Album
Genesis – Trick of the Tail
Pink Floyd – Wish you were here
Camel – Moonmadness
Muse – Black Holes and Revelations
Muse – Absolution
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love
ELP – Brain Salad Surgery
Lyell Loyd
December 29, 2015 at 11:03 pm
Yeah, I have them all. I am REALLY glad to see that Rick Wakeman up there. It never gets talked about but is one of my favorite albums of all time. I could debate the rest. I think you should knock out Rush and Caravan even though they are great albums to more prog like Nektar, yeah, Moonmadness, Octoberon, Tresspass. Kerry Livgren? Really? Stick a Gentle Giant LP in there.
ArtR
December 30, 2015 at 7:29 am
The 10 albums everyone should listen to are:
1. In The Court Of The Crimson King – King Crimson
2. Close To The Edge – Yes
3. Brain Salad Surgery – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4. Selling England By The Pound – Genesis
5. The Power And The Glory – Gentle Giant
6. Animals – Pink Floyd
7. Scheherazade And Other Stories – Renaissance
8. Per Un Amico – Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM)
9. 2112 – Rush
10. Hot Rats – Frank Zappa
WendyB
December 31, 2015 at 5:41 am
I click one of the links, and I’m taken to Spotify…. where I can only listen in shuffle. How ironic.
renaud
December 31, 2015 at 10:51 am
This is en EXCELLENT list.
List title is not “the 10 best prog albums” (impossible to do) but “10 PROG ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR”. So, even if King Crimson should be in any “top” prog list, along with some other band, your list is OK !
And NURSERY CRYME is my favourite Genesis album, ex aecquo with The Lamb !
Sorry for my english.
Susie
April 14, 2016 at 1:34 pm
AFAIC thta’s the best answer so far!
Leck
April 19, 2016 at 10:14 pm
My list would be;
1 Still Life VDGG
2 Godbluff VDGG
3 Pawnhearts VDGG
4 Wish you were here Pink Floyd
5 Close to the edge Yes
6 Court of the crimson king King Crimson.
7 The least we could do is wave to each other VDGG
8 Demons and Wizards Uriah Heep
9 Argus Wishbone Ash.
10 any Gentle Giant LP.
Franklind John "GTV" Groth
April 20, 2016 at 5:20 pm
Ich bin verdammt sicher, ich würde auch Gentle Giant ‘Glashaus’, ‘Von Hand’, ‘Missing Piece’, ‘Interview’, einige YES,ja, Album von Flaming Gorge, die King Crimson, Primus, Ihnen Tool, Ach Yeh, Flaming Gorge ist Nationalpark, USA: riesiger Ecke Stein des Lebens / inglsch – huge corner stone of life
Joe Roggi
May 31, 2016 at 10:52 pm
I dont Like The List sorry.
mine would be
1 Close to the Edge (1972) – Yes
2 Tarkus (1971) Emerson,Lake & Palmer
3 Selling England By The Pound (1973) – Genesis
4 Animals – Pink Floyd
5 In The Court Of The Crimson King – King Crimson
6 2112 – Rush
7 U.K. – U.K.
8 Journey To The Center Of The Earth – Rick Wakeman
9 Chunga’s Revenge – Frank Zappa
10 Situation Dangerous – Bozzio, Levin & Stevens
I didnt want to repeat artists if i did this wouldhave gone a different way
Flamenco.dancing
November 29, 2016 at 7:56 pm
1) Genesis – Foxtrot
2) Yes – Close to The Edge
3) ELP – Trilogy
4) King Crimson – Discipline
5) Peter Gabriel – I (Car)
6) The Nice – Ars Longa Vita Brevis
7) Marillion – Clutching at Straws
8) The Moody Blues – Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
9) Camel – Breathless
10) ELO – Eldorado
Ross
June 16, 2018 at 3:37 pm
LOVE THE CHOICES! Would definitely add in Zappa’s “Uncle Meat”, Family’s “Music In a Doll’s House”, Tull’s “Songs from the Wood”, Mike Oldfield’s “The Songs of Distant Earth” and, particularly as a newbie, Jon Anderson and Roini Stolt’s “The Invention of Knowledge”
Håkan Brohoff
November 29, 2016 at 8:29 pm
1, Selling England by the pound – Genesis
2. Ommadawn – Mike Oldfield
3. You – Gong
4. Fragile – Yes
5. Overnite Sensation – Frank Zappa
6. Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
7 Moonmadness – Camel
8.Sommerabend – Novalis
9. Red Queen to Gryphon Three – Gryphon
10 Wish you were here – Pink Floyd
Paul
December 15, 2018 at 4:33 pm
every prog fan has their own top ten !
Manuel
November 30, 2016 at 2:46 pm
Son cientos las listas sobre cuáles deben ser los mejores discos de rock progresivo. Es agotador. ¿ Es que nadie va a fijarse en las nuevas tendencias del progresivo y los nuevos grupos? Pink Floyd, Génesis, etc están muy bien pero….leer buena literatura no es solamente Cervantes y Dickens!
Alex
December 15, 2016 at 10:10 am
1-Fragile-Yes
2-Trespass-Genesis
3-Larks Tongs in Aspic -King Crimson
4-Emerson Lake & Palmer -The first Album
5-Tarkus-Emerson Lake & Palmer
6-Led Zeppelin 2
7-Atom heart mother-Pink Floyd
8-Relayer-Yes
9-Hot Rats-Frank Zappa
10-Tubular Bells -Mike Oldfield
Alex
December 15, 2016 at 10:31 am
1-Pink Floyd -Pink Floyd
2-We’re only in it for the money -Frank Zappa
3-Islands-King Crimson
4-Camel -Camel
5-The Voyage of the Acolyte -Steve Hackett
6-In a Gadda Da Vida Baby-Iron Butterfly
7-Pawn Heart’s -Van Der Graft Generetor
8-Space Odity-David Bowie
9-Close to the Edge-Yes
10-Dark Side of the Moon-Pink Floyd
Øystein Håvard Færder
February 22, 2017 at 1:39 pm
I like that they included both a Van der Graaf Generator album and Peter Hammill album there, as well as Caravan’s Land of Grey and Pink. However, would rather prefer King Crimson and Moody Blues than Rick Wakeman and Supertramp. As for Barclay James Harvest, I rather prefer Once Again or Barclay James Harvest And Other Short Stories.
Adam
March 23, 2017 at 7:26 am
Did Keith Richards come up with this list? ‘Nursery Chryme’ is not even a first rate Genesis album let alone classic Prog…
Gaston
March 24, 2017 at 12:58 am
A ‘best of’ prog list without Gentle Giant in it is not a ‘best of’ prog list, period.
presdoug
March 24, 2017 at 2:17 am
Triumvirat-Illusions On A Double Dimple
Wallenstein-No More Love
Libra-Libra
Dzyan-Time Machine
Colosseum Live
Passport-Cross-Collateral
Quatermass-Quatermass
Giger Lenz Marron-Beyond
Dedalus-Dedalus
Wishbone Ash-Argus
Tony
March 28, 2017 at 8:30 pm
As has already been said, its not a definitve list but some albums well worth a listen. All the ones listed that I have heard are very good albums. There seems to be some debate as to whether Supertramp are prog are not. Guess that is subjective but to me they undoutably are and Crime is in my books as progressive as any other album in the list. It would definately make my top ten list any day
Bilge
March 29, 2017 at 11:51 am
I listened to them back in the day. Didn’t think they were worth buying the albums to add to my collection. Did tape the Caravan one though.
valery
March 29, 2017 at 1:09 pm
Very poor list. Why only 10? My list includes more than 200 Greatest Prog Albums. Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Van der Graaf, Gentle Giant, ELP, Rick Wakeman, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Camel, UK, Jethro Tull, Colosseum, Traffic, Man and many many other. This list is very subjective..
Miklos
March 29, 2017 at 5:12 pm
My list:
1. Pink Floyd: Ummagumma
2. Van Der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts
3. Yes: Close To The Edge
4. Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Tarkus
5. Jethro Tull: Thick As A Brick
6. Genesis: Nursery Cryme
7. Peter Hammill: Silent Corner..
8. King Crimson: Starless and Bible Black
9. Mahavishnu Orchestra: Apocalypse
10. Gentle Giant: Three Friends
Sedgewick Ponsonby Smythe-Armstrong
March 29, 2017 at 7:22 pm
Er, Rush and Supertramp are not prog.
kohann
March 29, 2017 at 9:45 pm
Magma: mekannik destruktiv kommando
Matthew
March 30, 2017 at 12:53 am
Egg: The Polite Force
Soft Machine: Volume 2
Hatfield and the North: Hatfield and the North
Henry Cow: Unrest
The Mothers of Invention: Uncle Meat
Magma: Kohntarkosz
Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom
Slapp Happy/Henry Cow: Desperate Straights
Univers Zero: Heresie
Gong: Angel’s Egg
ken
March 30, 2017 at 5:42 am
Sun Treader “Zin-Zin” …Colosseum “Those About to Die” Armageddon “Armageddon” …King Crimson “Red” …Quatermass “Quatermass” … Mahavishnu Orchestra “Birds of Fire” …Colosseum “The Grass Is Greener”
RRB
April 19, 2017 at 7:38 am
Any of you ‘rock Schmidt’s ever hear of Coheed and Cambria!??
RRB
April 19, 2017 at 7:40 am
Anything by Coheed And Cambria.
Art R
April 24, 2017 at 1:32 am
1. In The Court Of The Crimson King – King Crimson
2. Close To The Edge – Yes
3. The Power And The Glory – Gentle Giant
4. Selling England By The Pound – Genesis
5. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
6. Thick As A Brick – Jethro Tull
7. Godbluff -Van Der Graff Generator
8. Rubycon – Tangerine Dream
9. The Hatfield And The North
10. Brain Salad Surgery – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Mark Amos
June 5, 2017 at 10:45 am
I would add Egg to this list.
DC
June 18, 2017 at 12:15 am
What no Andare a Cazzo
Marcus
April 5, 2018 at 11:42 pm
No Yes? Come on…
Patrick Vyncke
April 6, 2018 at 8:22 am
Difficult to choose but 10 albums:
1. Zappa: One-size fits all
2. Rush: Hemispheres
3. Jethro tull: Minstrel in the gallery
4. Yes: Close to the edge
5. Gentle giant: Three friends
6. Genesis: Selling England by the pound
7. Egg: The civil surface
8. Magma: Mekanik destruktiw kommandoh
9. Camel: Mirage
10. U.K. : U.K.
Graeme Wright
April 6, 2018 at 9:13 am
These are 10 albums ai would recommend to anyone who wants to dip their toe into the river of Prog rock. They may not necessarily be the best but they are representative:
1) Mike Oldfield – Hergest Ridge
2) King Crimson – Red
3) Camel – Moonmadness
4) Yes – Relayer
5) Genesis – Selling England By The Pound
6) Transatlantic- Kaleidoscope
7) Dream Theater – Octivarium
8) Porcupine Tree – Deadwing
9) Big Big Train – The Underfall Yard
10) Dave Kerzner – New World
François RICHARD
April 6, 2018 at 4:09 pm
I would easily agree that in the real ‘classics’ Prog groups, you can hardly forget or avoid bands like Yes, Gentle Giant, King Krimson (real pioneer), IQ, Jethro Tull (for the Thick as a Brick/Passion Play period) Spock’s beard (or any Neal Morse Project), Pink Floyd (another pioneer band, especially with Sid Barrett), PFM, and so on. But there’s so many. Our age is a big factor, as our first great discovers will remain ‘major’ all our life. Mine was Foxtrot from Genesis. I don’t mean that it is the best ever, but the most signifiant for ME. All that is so subjective. Let’s just love and share our love for the best music in the world (up to me!): PROG MUSIC.
Strobinski
June 16, 2018 at 5:07 pm
1. Genesis – The lamb lies down on Broadway
2. King Crimson – In the court of the Crimson king
3. Marillion – Script for a Jester’s tear
4. P.F.M. – Photos of ghosts
5. Pink Floyd – Dark side of the moon
6. Yes – Close to the edge
7. Rush – A farewell to kings
8. Camel – The snow goose
9. Gentle Giant – Three friends
10. Jethro Tull – Aqualung
Bruce Francis Simpson
July 14, 2018 at 8:39 pm
SOMEBODY likes listening to Pete Hamill scream at things…
Rich Gentile
August 25, 2018 at 5:39 pm
Yes : Fragile
Jethro Tull : Aqualung
ELP : Brain Salad Surgery
Pink Floyd : Wish You Were Here
Atomic Rooster : Death Walks Behind You
Caravan : Caravan
Camel : Camel
King Crimson :In the Court of the Crimson King
Family : Family Entertainment
Coloseum : Daughter of Time
wedgepiece
August 30, 2018 at 5:50 pm
Yes – Tales From Topographic Oceans
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues In Aspic
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Brain Salad Surgery
Jethro Tull – Thick As A Brick
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
Rush – A Farewell To Kings
Kansas – Leftoverture
Gentle Giant – Octopus
Museo Rosenbach – Zarathustra
Carlos Terrazas
September 6, 2018 at 5:26 pm
my list is: 1 – King Crimson – Larks Tongues in Aspic 2 – Yes – Fragile 3 – Genesis – Selling England By the Pound 4 – Camel – Stationary Traveller 5 – U. K. – Same 6 – Hatfield and the North – The Rotters Club 7 – Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon 8 – Gentle Giant – Octopus 9 – Focus – Mother Focus 10 – Triumvirat – Spartacus.
David Adelman
April 6, 2019 at 5:28 pm
Chris Squire’s Fish Out of Water should be on that list.
Thomas
April 12, 2019 at 4:18 pm
Clearlight Symphony
Jethro Tull – Thick as a brick
Hatfield & the North – Rotter’s Club
King Crimson – In the wake of Poseidon
ELP – Brain Salad Surgery
Soft Machine – Third
Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom
Quiet Sun – Mainstream
Yes – Fragile
Bo Hansson – Sagan om ringen
Kevin MacNutt
April 15, 2019 at 12:12 am
Why Barclay James Harvest? Why Berlin, which is from the 1980s. At least choose one of their okay EMI era albums if you MUST include them.
Barclay James Harvest and “must have” rarely belong in the same sentence. BJH is most a band for established prog rock affcinados or completists and hardily an intro to any genre. The type of band you listen to if you cannot decide whether you want to hear Moody Blues, Procol Harum and America and want an average of all of them.
chris Brown
April 20, 2019 at 6:54 am
1. Yes- Close to the edge
2. Genesis – Selling England by the pound
3. Jethro Tull – Thick as a brick
4. Pink Floyd – Wish you were here
5. King Crimson – in the court of the crimson king
6. Van der graaf generator – Godbluff
7. Por un Amico – Premiata Forneria Marconi
8. Camel – Mirage
9. Rush – Moving Pictures
10. ÄnglagÃ¥rd – Hybris
Carl Hufton
April 20, 2019 at 12:08 pm
No Yes? King Crimson? Rubbish Top Ten.
Don Kingfisher Campbell
April 20, 2019 at 1:19 pm
My 10 essential prog albums:
1. Yes – Close To The Edge
2. Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
3. ELP – Brain Salad Surgery
4. King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King
5. Rush – A Farewell To Kings
6. Jethro Tull – A Passion Play
7. Jon Anderson – Olias Of Sunhillow
8. Gentle Giant – In A Glass House
9. Moody Blues – In Search Of The Lost Chord
10. Ambrosia – Somewhere I’ve Never Traveled
Sirio jose staub staub
June 1, 2019 at 12:09 am
Faltou Manfred mann Earth band e Tarkus Emerson Lake & Palmer.
John J
July 10, 2019 at 11:59 am
ELP – Brain Salad Surgery
Ambrosia – Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled
Jethro Tull – War Child
Jon Anderson – Olias of Sunhillow
Klaatu – Sir Army Suit
Nektar – Recycled
Peter Gabriel – 4 (Security)
Pink Floyd – Pulse
Yes – 90125
Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die
Pat
July 30, 2019 at 9:30 am
Drifting Sun should be in that list, their latest album Twilight is brilliant!
commando
July 30, 2019 at 5:42 pm
and Weather Report? and Colosseum? and ELP? and King Crimson? and Yes? and Jethro Tull?……….
B carlsson
September 21, 2019 at 9:28 pm
No ELP, King Crimson or Yes? A provocative list no doubt…, and totally wrong
Scott Moskowitz
August 7, 2020 at 3:22 am
Any PROG list would not be complete with at least one NEKTAR record! REMEMBER THE FUTURE, THE OTHER SIDE, TAB IN THE OCEAN, RECYCLED, DOWN TO EARTH to say the least!
GARY HARPER
June 17, 2022 at 2:49 am
Oh what fun to name 10 prog albums I would recommend to anyone who wants prog represented in their playlist:
1. Meddle-Pink Floyd
2. Relayer-Yes
3. In Search Of The Lost Chord-Moody Blues
4. Trilogy-Emmerson,Lake and Palmer
5. In The Court Of The Crimson King-King Crimson
6. Selling England by the pound-Genesis
7. Hergest Ridge-Mike Oldfield
8. Thick as a Brick-Jethro Tull
9. III-Led Zeppelin
10. Hounds of Love-Kate Bush