Banco, but lacking that, PFM

bit too much of the (In my point of view) 80ies prog

PFM it is..

PFM is a top ten band for me.

I'd have to go with Grobschnitt or Quella Vecchia Locanda

I voted Marillion.

I also like It Bites, IQ and Rennaisance a lot. I think Rennaisance may have got my vote, had I heard more, but I've only heard three albums. When they write a good song, its brilliant, butI've found them a little hit and miss.

IQ for sure!  going 20 years and they are still producing amazing albums

For those that felt I had included bands that should appear in a typical top 10 this would be what I woud consider to be a traditional top 10:-

Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson, Camel, ELP, Rush, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, Van Der Graaf Generator.

However I do feel I have been unfair to Marillion as clearly looking at the ProgArchives top 100 they have more right to be in the top 10 than say VDGG. Having looked at the top 100 the only other missing name would have to be Dream Theatre but every time I try typing their name my fingers just go crazy it's like there is a curse against putting them in the top 10 :)  (It's just a little personal vendetta I have against DT!)

The surprise for me is that despite a couple of the comments on this topic and the fact that at the time of writing this reply PFM do not feature in the Prog Top 100 and I don't know why this is when they obviously have such a strong following. I haven't heard much of their music but I am going to check them out.

Another shocking revelation is that Flower Kings and Spock's Beard do not have a singe vote.

You may have noticed my mistake in setting up this poll. I don't know what I did but i fully intended UK to be one of the choices. Two more bands I missed by accident and certainly not becuase of any lack of respect on my part are Asia and Pendragon. Both of which I feel would have picked up votes had they been listed. I cannot start the poll again but please feel free to mention these or any other bands I have missed off the list.

IQ

Eloy

Flower Kings

Magenta

Par Lindh Project

(Marillion should be counted as a top ten prog band)

If it were based on composition alone with gutar and keyboard solos IQ and Pendragon would win my vote. Unfortunately in both cases there is an annoying feature of their music. For IQ it is thier one trick pony singer. It's the same voice style and phrasiology all the way through. It is so noticeable. With Pendragon it is that booming drum sound. The 80's electro pop drum sound that is identical to drum sound on Bonnie Tyler's 'Looking out for a Hero'. The drum sound is made worse by the repetitive simplistic fill. 'The Masquerade Overture' should be a classic album (and probably still is) that would be so much better with say Neil Peart in charge of the sticks.

Porcupine Tree anyone???

failing that horrendous omission-Marillion,Arena and PFM.

God, this has a strong Neo Prog smell that's making me dizzy, for anyone who cares, this is my list of 10 non top prog' bands:

1. PFM
2. Triumvirat
3. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
4. Pendragon
5. Aphrodite's Child: Could be higher but they only have one prog' album)
6. Le Orme
7. Frágil: You must listen the MP3's I sent of this symphonic Peruvian band.
8. The Nice
9. Glass Hammer
10. Alan Parsons. Again could be higher but only two prog and one prog oriented, even when Tales alone deserves mention.

Don't include Renaissance because I'm sure they are top or at least deserve to be.

Magenta is starting, we don't know where they will reach, I believe they will get very high.

Iván

My vote goes for Renaissance. And, although I understand there are obvious omissions, why is always Mike Oldfield neglected as a top prog artist?. Even when other prog groups were releasing crap in the 80s, he continued recording quality prog albums (usually with the formula of a prog side A and a pop side B). And although he recorded one of the most popular prog albums ever (Tubular Bells) and one of the best (Ommadawn), even I usually don't give him as an example when other people ask me what prog is about. Is it that a vast number of proggers just don't consider groups that are mainly melodic and never dissonant or agressive or without a liking for certain keyboard sounds? For example, why Van Der Graff is top 10 and Renaissance and Oldfield don't?

PS: That 'keyboard sound' thing reminds me an unrelated complain I have against some modern prog: sometimes they concentrate more on recreating the 'sound' of prog than on compositions that could be at the same level as the classics. A Emersonish sounding keyboard solo doesn't meke a good prog song.