100 Greatest Progressive Rock Artists.
 

Since we've seen DDD's punk list, here's the prog list.

100 Greatest Progressive Rock Artists

It hasn't been updated in 4 years. :laughing:

Here's some of my two cents.

I think KC deserve to be number 1, Yes at 2, and either Genesis or Pink Floyd at 3. I know a lot of you will say Floyd should be number one. But the idea is who is the greatest band in the context of prog. Not who is the greatest band overall. Just remember that.

I think Radiohead probably shouldn't count, if they do count then there's no excuse for their hideously low placement, below Toto? REALLY? And Asia? Since when does having members who USED to be in prog bands make THEM a prog band?

The Beatles sure as hell shouldn't be there either. And Kyuss? Lol wut?

And making it a top 200 is a bit much.

What are your thoughts on this list? What would your list look like?

Based on the grading criteria they gave GY!BE needs to be way higher.

well they're not too far off

Wait a minute, I just noticed this. Yngwie Malmsteen? Uh, HELL NO!

Even though there is a massive amount of wankery in prog, he still doesn't deserve to be anywhere near this list.

He's about as prog as Joe Satriani is punk.

Satriani is hardcore not punk you moron.

ELP, Asia and Stratovarius are in the top 100. :laughing:

Another ELP hater I see. :(

Well even as a fan I can't say I blame you but hey, this is a greatest list, ELP are the most polarizing of all prog bands, and like them or not they did much to popularize and define the genre in the 70s, so they deserve to be in the top 10 at least.

Well I can understand why ELP were included when you consider the criteria - I've just never understood the fascination with them.

Maybe I should give Tarkus another listen? It has been a few years since I dismissed it.

That you should. I love Tarkus.

Alan Parsons should be in the top 30. This list is bs for the most part. The top 7 are good except for KC at # 2.

Only reedeming feature of that list is that muse is not on it.

Well, what's already been said aside, Gentle Giant and Anglagard should both be lot fucking higher on that list than they are.

And secondly, where's Brazil's Bacamarte? They did one of the 15 best prog. rock albums of all damn time!!

Can at #36? BELOW Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk?

WHAT THE FUCK.

Let me take a whack at it.

1. King Crimson
2. Yes
3. Pink Floyd
4. Genesis
5. Frank Zappa
6. The Moody Blues
7. Rush
8. ELP
9. Jethro Tull
10. Brian Eno
11. Can
12. Traffic
13. Mahavishnu Orchestra
14. Gentle Giant
15. Van Der Graaf Generator
16. Tangerine Dream
17. Hawkwind
18. Caravan
19. Marillion
20. Procol Harum
21. Henry Cow
22. Mike Oldfield
23. Gong
24. Magma
25. The Soft Machine
26. Dream Theater
27. Uriah Heep
28. Hatfield & The North
29. Camel
30. The Strawbs
31. Porcupine Tree
32. Premiata Forneria Marconi
33. Renaissance
34. Focus
35. Barclay James Harvest
36. The Mars Volta
37. Eloy
38. Tool
39. Pendagon
40. Muse
41. Spocks Beard
42. Comus
43. Flower Kings
44. Ozric Tentacles
45. Supertramp
46. Arena
47. Harmonium
48. Gryphon
49. Nektar
50. Anglagard

I know Dream Theater sucks balls, but impact is impact.

I left out most of the krautrock, prog metal and post rock bands because they can usually be pigeonholed into other genres.

No thoughts whatsoever? :(

OK just for you Boo Boo

Uriah Heep just 2 lower than Soft Machine

:laughing:

Should be at least 50

Uriah has a lot of influence on prog metal, which is why I think they warrant a high placement.

That and they're awesome and I'm biased.

I wasn't aware of that not listening to either Uriah Heep or Prog Metal.

That just makes me want to bump them down another 100 places.

you still left the gigantic stain that is ELP on that list?

and what about Roxy Music? Ferry may not be as good a songwriter as Eno but they're certainly influential enough.

Uriah Heep are my guilty pleasure band.

Though I'm not really guilty about it.

He was the wizard of a thoooousand kings, and I chanced to meet him one night waaaandering. He told me tales, and he drank my wine. Me and my magic man kinda feeeelin' fine.

Well I love ELP and while most of you hate them. They are still one of the most influencial and defining bands of the genre. So they get their credit.

Roxy Music. I don't know. I certainly consider early Eno prog. But Roxy Music I'm not sure about, they are such a unique band, but they are often more associated with glam rock and proto punk than prog. Eno is respected in prog circles, at least he is now. He has a good deal of influence on krautrock too.

But Roxy Music were greatly despised by prog fans back in the day, because they felt they were trying to take the sound and make it more "rock n roll", the idea of which prog fans obviously hated, and while their influence outside of prog is great, their influence within prog itself is miminal.

Their status as a prog band is highly debatable and I feel if I included them, there would be no reason not to include Radiohead or Queen either.

It's awesome seeing The Moody Blues so high.

If we are talking artist as one person, then right now is Steven Wilson, but then again I'm such a fan-boy....

I wanted to see
1. King crimson
2.Can
3. kraftwerk

...but that will never happen.

I smell a Top 100 Prog band thread brewin'. Get at it Boo.

You know they were stretching for acts when Trans Siberian Orchestra makes it. Kraftwerk and Can seem like their places should have been switched. GY!BE? Are they actually prog? The Mars Volta deserve to be ahead of shit like Fates Warning. Nice to see some love for Comus though. Genesis should be down about 20 spots imo. I could go on but meh...

Thats the first time I've seen that site (DDD) and i don't know how the hell anyone operates on it.

Math rock and post rock are considered off shoots of prog to a degree. The kind of things math rock bands do isn't too different from what King Crimson was doing in the early 70s.

I think Godspeed could be considered prog. Of course post rock is such a unique category that can't just easly be pigeonholed into another genre, but it's basic premise isn't all that different from prog, in that it's anti-rock music, Godspeed do undeniably have a lot of prog elements. Complex, multi-layered and really long compositions, as well as classical and jazz influences.

As for Genesis, sorry dude but they're definetely top 5 worthy, they were one of the most original bands for their time, they're one of the most acclaimed prog bands and they're easly the most influencial prog band after KC and Yes.

Yeah that's why I made sure to add the "imo." Genesis is just one of those bands I'll never 'get.'

Also I just noticed Portishead on the list. Trip-hop =/= prog rock.

Portishead? Are you serious? :laughing:

I swear some people want to call everything prog, it's getting ridiculous.

Like people that think Journey is prog.

Seriously. If Journey is prog, every band ever is prog. Only their early stuff was prog, which was so awful that not even Journey fans like it.

Thats a great list, I especially like your placement of Rush and ELP in the top 10. But seriously, top 50 and no Alan Parsons?? WTF? but whatever, your top 10 is solid as hell, altough I would have gone with Can or Gentle Giant over Brian Eno at 10. Overall, I think you did a pretty good list as usual, Alan Parsons though... come on!

You know, I've only heard one or two songs from the guy, I need to check him out, any albums I should start with?

I need to do another review for my prog stash.

I'm really digging The Strawbs right now, might review Hero & Heroine.