Why isn't prog popular?

To me the question always was how can a experimental artistic current become mainstream. It does happen once in a while.

Progressive rock was a subculture of 70s pop culture, and to me it is a difficult thing to explain how the hell it actually went mainstream up to a point, considering that it was an avantgarde pop movement. I assume it was the allignement with a phase of early development of the media and entertainment industry, before it really "industrialized" itself and imposed cheap, accessible products that sell way better. Anyway, after the interest in classic rock and its culture went down in the late 70s, people who were into new, exciting things went with  post-punk, new wave, synth-pop, metal, early techno music etc. (or with the new avantgarde movements, like no-wave, industrial music, noise music, etc.) and those nostalgic with the 70s sound went with the most accessible aspects of it (like AOR). I would rather categorize this situation as normal, in the context of a well established of an entertainment industry, rather than the privileged 70s scenario.

Edited by harmonium.ro - January 21 2011 at 12:19

Acidchrist wrote: Wow, my first post! I think progressive music isn't popular because it can be challenging to our expectations of what music should be. We all grew up on music in 4/4 and in simple major or minor keys with predictable song structures. Predictable music is simply enjoyable. People might enjoy subtle changes in what they expect, but it can be a bit much at first to switch straight from radio rock to progressive music. I was raised on Yes and Rush by my father, so progressiveness became the norm for me.  For somewhat that hasn't slowly grown in the direction of progressive music, it's probably a bit much to take. Doesn't mean they're less intelligent, or have worse tastes. It just means they aren't prepared for music that's more challenging to listen to. On top of this, the long jazz and classical influenced structures of progressive songs make it easy for listeners to grasp the concepts of the music on the first listen. Most people will grow to love progressive music over time if they hear enough of it, in my experience.

Edited by JS19 - January 21 2011 at 12:15

Acidchrist wrote: Wow, my first post! I think progressive music isn't popular because it can be challenging to our expectations of what music should be. We all grew up on music in 4/4 and in simple major or minor keys with predictable song structures. Predictable music is simply enjoyable. People might enjoy subtle changes in what they expect, but it can be a bit much at first to switch straight from radio rock to progressive music. I was raised on Yes and Rush by my father, so progressiveness became the norm for me.  For somewhat that hasn't slowly grown in the direction of progressive music, it's probably a bit much to take. Doesn't mean they're less intelligent, or have worse tastes. It just means they aren't prepared for music that's more challenging to listen to. On top of this, the long jazz and classical influenced structures of progressive songs make it easy for listeners to grasp the concepts of the music on the first listen. Most people will grow to love progressive music over time if they hear enough of it, in my experience.

I agree halfway with this. But I also know people who listen to classical music who'd dismiss prog but not pop.  So, over and above the challenging nature of the music, the biggest 'problem' with prog is that it rejects established genres and established modes of rendering and seeks out those that work to achieve what expression - unique or not - that the artist may have in mind.  People like music in neat formats, it somehow makes the listening process easier for them. I personally find music too closely adhering to the format boring, so it's no wonder I love what prog stands for.

Two words: instant gratification.

zravkapt wrote: Prog was huge in the 1970s, and it's more popular now than it was in the 1980s.

Yep. It was actually about the only thing we listened to. We didn't know it was prog though.

It was the Punks that gave this kind of music a bad reputation and "music" from these orcs killed peoples apetite for more complex music it seems. At least it has taken until now for it to recover.
I think a forum like this shows that this kind of music is gathering momentum again.

People would rather tune into something simpler and easy to listen to. Also, the fact that more popular music I backed by marketing and lots and lots of money.

Most people use music as a background sound. It disturbs them, if the music constantly changes in structure, dynamics or rhythm, or if you can't hum with the chorus (because there is maybe none).

ExittheLemming wrote: 'Cos it ain't sexy and attempts to make it so would alienate it's consumers and just be plain vanilla creepy: An oiled up Robert Fripp stripped to the waist in sparkly disco pants is NOT a spectator sport.

We won't know til we try.

Prog was huge in the 1970s, and it's more popular now than it was in the 1980s.

Because it is not a type of music easy to get into, because most people aren't interested in music at all and only hear what plays on the radio or what comes to them, because it is a very intimate, personal kind of music, which would probably be laughable played in public.