100 Amazing Progressive Albums by Junomoogmello

I could easily think of at least 300 plus albums I would like to have added to this chart. If I added all my Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELP, Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator albums alone, I would probably fill the chart! So I have had to be a bit selective and controversially, some of my choices may surprise. For a start the boundaries of Prog are very subjective. For example, is Led Zeppelin IV heavy metal, heavy rock or progressive? Perhaps it is all three, in parts. Were Talk Talk and David Bowie progressive in some of their work? Yes, I believe they were. So what defines progressive then? Long tracks? Shifting time signatures? Changes of key signature? Heavy use of instruments like the Mellotron, Moog and CS80? Searing guitar solos? Albums where tracks have a common theme, the CONCEPT ALBUM? Long instrumental passages? Songs which are not love songs or breakup songs. Albums themed around outer space, inner space, Tolkien, Jules Verne, Atlantis, The Dark, Henry VIII and everything between. Amazing and thought provoking album cover art? It is all of the above but not necessarily all on one album, sometimes less is more. Prog morphed from Psychedelia at the tail end of the sixties, therefore it should be no surprise that many of the albums I have included were released in the seventies. However, to keep things interesting and debate open, I have included some albums which sit around the periphery. I have also not deliberately included albums which people might expect to be in in certain positions. In just about every prog chart I view, I see King Crimson ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ and Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in positions 1 and 2. I have tried to approach this chart slightly differently, there are so many amazing albums, it is unfitting to consider them in a numerical order. Therefore consider this chart as 100 amazing prog albums but not ranked numerically. I have also attempted to provide a good blend of albums, which span the six decades of progressive rock to date. I do think Prog is somewhat subjective, so if in viewing this chart, some albums don’t gel with your perspective of Prog, let it go, or maybe change perspective…

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A lot of the seventies and early eighties Rush albums had a progressive mix of ingredients. Without doubt 2112 has to steal the show. The sleeve photo of the trio in their silk kimonos indicates this may not be any average rock album. With a whole side dedicated to one theme, the word 'concept' is brought into play, however it isn't a concept album in totality, side 2 takes us in a very different direction completely, for example on the excellent 'Train to Bangkok'. The Moog synthesiser is used more for sound effects on this album, it is yet to become an instrument which will add lead lines as with their later works. The changes in dynamics on this album are constant, shifting from quiet acoustic passages to full on heavy metal in the case of side 1. In my opinion, 2112 was Rush at their most progressive. [First added to this chart: 04/01/2024]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,023
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Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/05/2024]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,297
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Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/06/2024]
Year of Release:
2016
Appears in:
Rank Score:
94
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Buy album United States
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This was the first Rush album I ever bought and remains in my Rush top three. Depending on my mood, the three albums alternate, however my favourite Rush track of all time is on this album, ‘Xanadu’. In fact, ‘Xanadu’ is very probably in my top three prog tracks of all time! The cover art, ‘Xanadu’, ‘Cygnus X1’, ‘Closer to the Heart’, are good enough reason to include the album in this chart. Add to this Mini Moog, bass pedals and Neil Pearts’ extensive percussion instruments, used to great effect on the intro of ‘Xanadu’, it reinforces what a stunning example of prog this is. [First added to this chart: 04/09/2024]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,799
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Total albums: 4. Page 1 of 1

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100 Amazing Progressive Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 0 0%
1960s 2 2%
1970s 57 57%
1980s 9 9%
1990s 7 7%
2000s 5 5%
2010s 15 15%
2020s 5 5%
Artist Albums %


Yes 4 4%
Pink Floyd 4 4%
The Alan Parsons Project 3 3%
Rush 3 3%
Genesis 3 3%
Rick Wakeman 3 3%
Camel 3 3%
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 76 76%
United States 7 7%
Germany 4 4%
Canada 4 4%
Mixed Nationality 3 3%
Norway 2 2%
Netherlands 1 1%
Show all
Live? Albums %
No 97 97%
Yes 3 3%

100 Amazing Progressive Albums chart changes

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Faller Down 1 from 17th to 18th
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TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970sJunomoogmello1970s decade chart2022
FAVORITE PROGRESSIVE ROCK ALBUMS Captain_DudeCustom chart2014
Prog magazine 100 greatest prog albums voted by readers (2014) Robert Anton WilsonCustom chart2014
Genre #1: ProgImaybeparanoidCustom chart2017Unknown
Best Ever Prog Rock btener11Custom chart2013
100 Greatest Progressive Rock AlbumsDeckillerCustom chart2019Unknown
Greatest Progressive Rock Albums FischmanCustom chart2016
Greatest Progressive Rock AlbumsCoconutCustom chart2016
Top 100 Greatest Music AlbumsJunomoogmelloOverall chart2020
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s Leanedge1970s decade chart2014

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