Top 100 Prog Artists

siLLy puPPy wrote: richardh wrote: My usual cut and paste comment is ELP too low and Camel too high but no problem with Crimson top. WIthout trying to study it in great length I did specifically look for Anathema. Weather Systems on it's own would put then in my top 100, the last four together is enough for my top 50 and the whole catalogue easily makes them a top 20 prog artist of all time. Entirely subjective but they have brought something new to the table in my opinion, not just 'copy and paste' (like my comments)! I considered the ELP and Camel thing. The truth is ELP's popularity has declined significantly since their heyday. Only the debut album has ranked well. If they weren't so innovative and important to history they probably would've been ranked lower. I used to feel the same about Camel but they really got under my skin in the last few years. Too high? Possibly but their popularity seems to have increased in the last few decades and their first four albums are just divine. And you're right about Anathema. Added to tag on list at the end.

Saperlipopette! wrote: siLLy puPPy wrote: ^ I wouldn't call Frumpy innovative but rather popular and instrumental for making German prog popular across its boarders which subsequently gave Krautrock a larger audience. Ok, so you've changed your mind then. siLLy puPPy wrote: Both Frumpy and Shakti were innovative and popular. Anyway, its funny. Not that we differ as to what we include and consider to be a part of Progressive Rock. No one with an opinion is in full agreement there. Mine is more inclusive than yours and many others. I know that. But you conclude with this or that are/are not Progressive Rock like you're some kind of omniscience prog-guru - while it's easy to see from the way you write that you've got a very superficial knowledge about some of the artistst & genres you are strongly opinionated about.

^ perhaps some. Keyboard oriented bands like Dream Theater that could be so but i always thought of them more influenced by 70s bands like Kansas. Prog metal is a hugely diverse universe of experimentation at this point so i would say pretty much EVERYTHING has been an influence including the kitchen sink! Watchtower for example was the very first prog metal band and has zero neo-prog influences. It is more like King Crimson meets early Metallica. So yes SOME prog metal has some neo inspiration but not all by any means :)

Cristi wrote: David_D wrote: I agree again concerning Metal, and I think Prog Metal has been influenced quite a bit by Neo-Prog. Can you give us some examples?

Cristi wrote: David_D wrote: Cristi wrote: David_D wrote: I agree again concerning Metal, and I think Prog Metal has been influenced quite a bit by Neo-Prog. Can you give us some examples?  What makes me think so is not least that both genres have rather synthetic sound and Pop-influenced vocals. A simple example could explain what you say here... Otherwise it eels like you overgeneralize.

I have felt that there is strand of Prog Metal that is very influenced by Neo-Prog, and of course Neo-Prog (as we use it at PA at the least) has been very influenced by metal (more Neo-Prog influenced my Prog Metal I would think than the other way around). This has to do with poppy vocals, the kinds of dramatacism, the ballads, kind of guitar solos and the keyboards, a certain melodicism and pop sensibility.

The first one included in Prog Metal here that I thought of is Shadow Gallery's Tyranny. And I hear a kind of Neo-Progness in Dream Theater's Octavarium. And of course Neo-Prog was very influenced by metal with bands like Arena (e.g. Contagion and The Visitor), Pendragon (Pure), Knight Area, Galahad, Frost etc. A lot of overlap of metal and Neo-Prog.

Beyond the Labyrinth in Prog Metal at PA would be a pretty good example of what I mean.



That said, that there is a certain cross-fertilisation is obvious.

Frets N Worries wrote: siLLy puPPy wrote: richardh wrote: siLLy puPPy wrote: richardh wrote: My usual cut and paste comment is ELP too low and Camel too high but no problem with Crimson top. WIthout trying to study it in great length I did specifically look for Anathema. Weather Systems on it's own would put then in my top 100, the last four together is enough for my top 50 and the whole catalogue easily makes them a top 20 prog artist of all time. Entirely subjective but they have brought something new to the table in my opinion, not just 'copy and paste' (like my comments)! I considered the ELP and Camel thing. The truth is ELP's popularity has declined significantly since their heyday. Only the debut album has ranked well. If they weren't so innovative and important to history they probably would've been ranked lower. I used to feel the same about Camel but they really got under my skin in the last few years. Too high? Possibly but their popularity seems to have increased in the last few decades and their first four albums are just divine. And you're right about Anathema. Added to tag on list at the end. Is that ''popularity'' on here or in general? I suspect that ELP reissues sell as well as Camel although I havent looked into it. ELP albums don't get great ratings mainly because they were too inconsistent. I've been over this many times and I think the 'rules' about judging progressive rock should be more about innovation as much as consistency. I do like early Camel although after Moonmadness I stop caring tbh. Both here and in general. Simply seems that ELP hasn't resonated with newer generations the way Camel has. I agree. I only really love the first four Camel albums and then they're just meh. As part of Gen Z, I love ELP WAY more than Camel.

Edited by richardh - August 10 2023 at 02:37

David_D wrote: Similarities between Prog Metal and Neo-Prog are also obvious when looking at at least some of the artwork.

Edited by David_D - August 11 2023 at 04:26

David_D wrote: I guess Camel is in general higher rated today, ....