All-Time Top 10 Solo Prog Artists

Oldfield, by a very long way....

Hackett
Waters
Wilson
Wakeman
Vangelis
Gilmour
Bush
Banks
Gabriel


Edited by essexboyinwales - August 26 2020 at 06:48

Hey Psychedelic Paul, I didn't mean to put Steven Wilson as my number 1...

5. David Sylvian

Edited by BrufordFreak - August 24 2020 at 14:25

Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ Even a solo artist usually has a band behind them, unless you're Mike Oldfield.

Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ Ayreon (Arjen Lucassen) is generally regarded as a solo artist, but could also be considered as a band too, because there's a large band of guest vocalists featured in each of his albums, so he would probably fall into your third category, being somewhere between a solo artist and a band.

There are a lot of co called 'bands' that are really solo projects. John Mitchell (Frost, Arena etc) said in an interview that record companies prefer to market rock albums by 'bands' rather than 'solo artist'. My point is that there are probably more than a few bands that are really solo projects (ie The Tangent (Andy Tillson) , Lonely Robot (John Mitchell) , *Frost (Jem Godfrey) etc.

BaldJean wrote: Mortte wrote: BaldJean wrote: Mortte wrote: Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: I'm kind of surprised that solo artists better known as band members are doing so well, Hackett, Hammill, Wakeman Gilmour ahead of more pure solo artists. I believe prog listeners prefer more bands than solo artists. If Harper would had been in some prog band, really I believe he would be much more listened than he is now. On the other hand I don´t think Ayers is very popular among proglisteners (not as popular as Wyatt), although been in Soft Machine. very dubious. at least Friede and I don't think so Well, look at the PA:s top 100 list. There are 3 albums by Frank Zappa, 3 by Miles Davis, 2 by Steven Wilson, 1 by Mike Oldfield, 1 by Peter Hammill, 1 by Robert Wyatt, 1 by Steve Hackett, 1 by Bill Cobham & 1 by Al Di Meola. Rest are bands. And that list comes mostly for the ratings from PA listeners. and what exactly does that prove? in my opinion only that many people become aware of the names of many musicians first because they come across a band that they were in at some time. I know it was so with me. there was a band I liked, and when I became aware that some member of a band made a solo album I went and bought it too. an indicator for that is that the two solo artists of whom there are 3 albums in the top 100 are not best known for being in a certain band but because of their solo work

6 albums in 100 albums from solo artists that haven´t been in a known band and that doesn´t prove anything? You have to also remember that Frank had Mothers of Invention in the begin of his career, yes he was a dictator of that band, but I don´t believe he would get as famous in the sixties without his excellent band.

Catcher10 wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ Yes, really! I've been out and bought a whole load of Led Zeppelin studio albums on CD in the last couple of months. Here's what I have so far:-   Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin IV Houses of the Holy Physical Graffiti (2 CD's)   Mothership (2 CD's) The Very Best of Led Zeppelin - Early Days/Latter Days (2 CD's) The Song Remains the Same (2 CD's) Led Zeppelin Remasters (2 CD's)   Fourteen CD's in total. Your only 45+ yrs behind the 8-ball and probably 800 gazillion plays behind me.....Unless your 10yrs old, doubt you catch up.

^That's a heck of a lot of emoticons!

Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ Yes, really! I've been out and bought a whole load of Led Zeppelin studio albums on CD in the last couple of months. Here's what I have so far:-   Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin IV Houses of the Holy Physical Graffiti (2 CD's)   Mothership (2 CD's) The Very Best of Led Zeppelin - Early Days/Latter Days (2 CD's) The Song Remains the Same (2 CD's) Led Zeppelin Remasters (2 CD's)   Fourteen CD's in total.