50 Most Important Progressive Rock Songs - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Slartibartfast View Drop Down

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 02:08

darkshade wrote:

45. Frank Zappa – “Gregory Peccary”

What do you guys think?

Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 02:25

Darkshade wrote:

11. Rush – “YYZ”

20. Rush – “YYZ”

I knew it! Rush IS that awesome! LOL

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 03:01

darkshade wrote:

9. Pink Floyd – “Dark Side of the Moon suite”

invalid option, try again

darkshade wrote:

15. Frank Zappa – “Inca Roads”

18. Phish – “Reba”

I don't think so, Tim.

darkshade wrote:

24. YES – “Gates of Delirium”

and what did this accomplish in terms of importance that "Close to the Edge" didn't?

darkshade wrote:

30. Opeth – “The Moor”

What makes this song important at all outside of it kicking ass?

darkshade wrote:

32. Jethro Tull – “Aqualung”

not a prog song

darkshade wrote:

33. Phish – “The Divided Sky”

Cool song, but totally insignificant in the grand scheme. (Accomplished what that "YEM" did not?)

darkshade wrote:

36. Frank Zappa – “Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing”

important how?

darkshade wrote:

38. Gentle Giant – “In a Glass House”

nd this accomplished what exactly that "Knots" didn't?

darkshade wrote:

39. Dream Theater – “Octavarium”

I don't see how this is important.

darkshade wrote:

40. The Mars Volta – “Tetragrammaton”

darkshade wrote:

43. Camel – “The Snow Goose suite”

re: Dark Side of the Moon

darkshade wrote:

44. King Crimson – “Frakture”

45. Frank Zappa – “Gregory Peccary”

I don't see their significance.

darkshade wrote:

48. Phish – “Fluffhead/Fluff’s Travels”

re: The Divided Sky

darkshade wrote:

49. The Mars Volta – “Drunkship of Lanterns”

I don't understand why.

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RaphaelT

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 03:53

Let's face it, every author notices different important factors in prog rock therefore everyone could create a valid list of "important" prog songs, it all depends on the purpose you are going to demonstrate through such list (e.g. like different ways the epics were written in different eras of prog).

But making "suites" out of the concept albums? Come on, why not "90125" suite by Yes - it brought many people to listening to prog, therefore it is important

yet you still have time!

Harry Hood View Drop Down

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 05:49

I love Phish, and it's nice to see them being recognized as prog by somebody (it still pains me to see them listed as prog related on this site), but I would agree that they're getting a little too much recognition on that list. Out of all the songs listed, I'd probably pick You Enjoy Myself as being the most important.

JayDee

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 06:11

schizoid_man77 wrote:

Tool should be on there at some ppint, also YYZ is on there twice.

Yeah, it's soooooooooo good, that it deserves to be ranked twice. Clap

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 07:23

darkshade wrote:

I got this list from a friend who was doing a project at his college. I dont remember why, but part of his project was to make a list of the 50 most important progressive rock songs. So that means there's a few songs from artists that arent on this site (although some of them should be).

50 Most Important Progressive Rock Songs

11. Rush – “YYZ”

32. Jethro Tull – “Aqualung”

42. Focus – “Hamburger Concerto”

43. Camel – “The Snow Goose suite”

Apart from the massive repetition of some artists, especially Floyd, I was really puzzled by these four. Yes, a Rush inclusion is desirable, but surely either the massively famous 2112, or, more progly, perhaps Tom Sawyer or something like that would have been a better choice. Similarly, Aqualung isn't all that progressive or important, really. Hamburger Concerto, I can't think of any importance for whatsoever. Not that great, nor that influential. Similarly, The Snow Goose baffles me.

Dick Heath View Drop Down

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 07:54

laplace wrote:

what does important mean in this context? a lot of the songs on that list are only important to other prog bands...

I'd have:
#1: Can - Sing Swan Song ;P

Totally agree. "Important " in what context?

Influential? Then on the audience/recording buying fans OR fellow musicians.

Best selling?

Numbers of covers?

????

Influential and thinking out side the box::

I would suggest that Vanilla Fudge was influential especially with You Keep Me Hanging On since you see links subsequently with Nice and Touch, and then also heavy rock , e.g. Jeff Beck and Led Zeppelin.

Touch's Alesha & Others/75 : Jon Anderson and Kansas separately claim to have been influenced.

Beatles She So Heavy - made at the height the British blues boom - i.e. the Beatles (especially John Lennon) wanted part of that, so look look to who and want influenced the Beatles (Cream perhaps...)

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Raff

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 08:54

Such lists are usually very personal, reflecting the taste of the person who compiled them. Therefore, it's quite normal that other people won't find themselves in agreement with the items listed. Personally, I find the use of the word 'important' rather puzzling, since it is not clear at all in which sense those songs should be considered important.

micky

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 09:12

the site I came here from did that kind of stuff.. we tried to take influence, popularity, innovation into it

highly subjective. .but it was a hell of a lot of fun.

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BaldJean

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 09:54

well, I certainly would have had the genres they overlooked in that poll. important songs would definitely have included "Phallus Dei" by Amon Düül 2 and "Der Elektrolurch" by Guru Guru. both songs had a big influence on the German Rock scene. also Magma's "MDK" would have been in there; another very influential song. and of Canterbury perhaps "Flying Teapot" by Gong or some song by Hatfield and the North. but the choices in that list are sometimes ridiculous

Edited by BaldJean - May 25 2008 at 09:55

A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

micky

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:03

an example... of using your mind in doing lists like this.. not your preferences...

ELP - Lucky Man

anyone care to guess.. why it should be high up on a list of important progressive rock songs?

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TGM: Orb

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:06

micky wrote:

an example... of using your mind in doing lists like this.. not your preferences...

ELP - Lucky Man

anyone care to guess.. why it should be high up on a list of important progressive rock songs?

1. Hit, and contributed substantially to ELP's popularity. It wasn't even released as a single in the UK, IIRC, so any sales contributed to album sales.
2. Archetypal and early moog solo
3. That and Take A Pebble introduced ELP to people who wouldn't normally be interested in the weight of, say, Barbarian and Knife Edge.
(4. Awesome drumming)

micky

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:07

^... bingo.. whether you like it or not... #2 is what makes the song 'important' .

these lists are hard to do.. because you just can't listen to the music.. you have to KNOW the music...

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TGM: Orb

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:11

Am I forgiven for victimising The Yes Album?

micky

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:19

hahhahahha.. of course hahahhah

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The Pessimist View Drop Down

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 15:23

I agree with some of it, but where on the list is Gentle Giant - Knots, VDGG - Sleepwalkers, Tool - Reflection and Rick Wakeman - JTTCOTE? they were all pivotal points in prog and helped define the genre: Knots and Sleepwalkers shows off and pushed the diversity of prog, Reflection showed off how one simple riff and a lot of openmindedness can be enough to create a masterpiece and Journey presented how pretentious and classically orientated prog could really be. Not the most obvious of choices, but important and influential nonetheless.

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darkshade

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 15:43

wow i didnt realize YYZ was listed twice. That actually may have been my fault since i typed the list off of the original. So i'll find out what the mystery song is.

the "importance" i think is how important the songs were to the development and progression of prog rock as a whole.

Also, other than the first 10 songs or so, i cant truly agree on the selections. I notice no one else has really complained about the top 10.

if i could, (cause i agree with it) my top ten would be tweaked...

1. King Crimson – “21^st Century Schizoid Man”

2. YES – “Close To the Edge”

3. Miles Davis – “Pharaoh’s Dance” or "Shh...Peaceful"

4. Jethro Tull – “Thick As A Brick”

5. Pink Floyd – “Echoes”

6. Genesis – “A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers”

7. The Beatles – “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

8. Frank Zappa – “Peaches En Regalia”

9. Rush - "2112"

10. Phish – “You Enjoy Myself”

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darkshade

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 15:47

Harry Hood wrote:

I love Phish, and it's nice to see them being recognized as prog by somebody (it still pains me to see them listed as prog related on this site), but I would agree that they're getting a little too much recognition on that list. Out of all the songs listed, I'd probably pick You Enjoy Myself as being the most important.

gotta agree with you on that one. Phish are so underrated here and misunderstood. They are ACTUALLY A PROG BAND yet they're in Prog-Related. im all for a new thread on trying to get Phish to be under Eclectic Prog or something.

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micky

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Posted: May 25 2008 at 16:30

darkshade wrote:

wow i didnt realize YYZ was listed twice. That actually may have been my fault since i typed the list off of the original. So i'll find out what the mystery song is.

the "importance" i think is how important the songs were to the development and progression of prog rock as a whole.

Also, other than the first 10 songs or so, i cant truly agree on the selections. I notice no one else has really complained about the top 10.

if i could, (cause i agree with it) my top ten would be tweaked...

1. King Crimson – “21^st Century Schizoid Man”

2. YES – “Close To the Edge”

3. Miles Davis – “Pharaoh’s Dance” or "Shh...Peaceful"

4. Jethro Tull – “Thick As A Brick”

5. Pink Floyd – “Echoes”

6. Genesis – “A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers”

7. The Beatles – “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

8. Frank Zappa – “Peaches En Regalia”

9. Rush - "2112"

10. Phish – “You Enjoy Myself”

honestly.. no ELP.. no credibility.. unless this is a list of your favorites... Tarkus... not in the top 5. Sort of makes it look silly.

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