It is known and understood that In Court of the Crimson King made a shift in how people conceived  rock's possibility in terms of aproach. It became a benchmark for most ambitious bands in the 70s, while some bands became frightend and shyed away from that path (Procol Harum for instence seemed to take a different path after A Salty Dog which was released the same year as In Court). probably they felt they did not dare to take up the challenge, but bands like Yes and Genesis took up their sleevs and made their answers (but prog was still an Underground movement)

 

Well ofcourse albums like Fragile did quite good on the charts, + other songs by Yes and Genesis managed to be heard by the public. the radio played for most part (well how could i know im born in 86  but I have not lived under a rock so Im a little aweare of the past), Motown, Funk, Disco and one-hit wonders was probably as popular then as now. 

 

the next paradigm shift(IMO) came when Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon...

 

but before that many benchmark albums were made, Fragile, Close to the Edge by Yes, Foxtrot, Selling England by Genesis, Brain Sallad Surgary by ELP

 

another important band and a brave statement in terms of exprecion within rock are Chicago's debute Chicago Transitt  Authority, which I have read became a benchmark album and changed how albums were made in the States, with ambitous instrumentation, arrangement, topp-notch execution of all 7 members, three lead singers and horn-blowers. a deffenite Paradigm shift

 

(Back to) Dark Side of the Moon... It is realy impressive that a band that at first listen don't seem to atrackt wide attention any dedication by not only Psych and prog fans, but also discoheads, probably punkheads  teenagers, grownups, kids, and it stayed for ever on Bilboard top 100 (200+ days which is a guiness record), it took prog to the masses (yeah I know that sounds like a cliched biass and not realy that important to the core of progfans, whom most shy away from comercial attempts or sell out).

 

I start of by saying that in terms of Prog In the Court...and Dark Side of... are in general terms albums that changed the landscape inside and outside of prog, (also the heyday of prog are know to have been between 69 and 74) those were albums that made a statement, of artistic freedom, creativaty, to be ambitious, it is also interesting to observe how different the KC album and the PF album are one is a showecase of musical virtuosity which never have been seen in rock/pop circus, while Dark Side is a soundexperience, a statement in terms of technology which could be used in rock.

 

69 -74  hmmm which albums came in 74 which somehowe made a shift in progressive rock The Lamb lies Down on Broadway and Tales From A Topographic Ocean which both became a Paradigm shifting in terms that they where the symbol of the decline of prog as after that it went back into the underground (but with short and pinching trips to the surface)

 

 

I do not have enough knowledge to take this out of general oppinons, I do realy lack some albums and important facets of prog, but i wouød love to hear youre imputt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

they have iconic art-work as well

 

 

Goodness ... you're asking for a lifetime worth of listening!

 

Beatles - Sgt Pepper's

 

Beatles - Let It Be (because all of a sudden you knew these were "people" not some rock stars or idiots out there that were stuck up on fame and what not!)

 

Royal Shakespeare Company - Midsummer Night's Dream, (Diana Rigg and David Warner - directed by Peter Brook) ... and Marat/Sade (Glenda Jackson, Ian Richardson, Patrick Magee - directed by Peter Brook)

 

Amon Duul 2 - Wolf City (personal paradigm shift in attention and appreciation i music)

 

Pink Floyd - Meddle

 

Klaus Schulze - X (Ten) and then Audentity (gives new meaning to the word "expression")

 

XTC - The Big Express

 

Djam Karet ( first 4 albums)

 

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

 

I really think the problem with the paradigm shift thing is that it tends to be way too personal, and I don't have a problem identifying these in my own experience, since I know what I went through. DSOTM is NOT a paradigm shift ... but it was the album that blew up PF into a major band ... for 6 years they were not "major" and they were better known as the stony band with the long cuts and the improvised stuff ... (check out Live in Pompeii if you don't believe me!) ... all of which was really well rehearsed and played. They developed that further into technological shows that were not easy all around.  But if could be a paradigm shift for others! It wasn't for most Pink Floyd fans that were there WAY BEFORE ... and DSOTM remains a beautiful thing to listen to, but I would never compare it to Echoes or Atom Heart Mother, which are much better.