prog album compilation: how to even this list out?

I don't see any problem with introducing a noob to Close to the Edge. It's one of the first prog cd's I owned, and I loved it the second time i heard it through. One of Yes' most accesible albums. Relayer however requires some time and patience.

Zac M wrote: The modern stuff is metal heavy, which is ok if you're a metal fan.

But isn't most of the recent modern stuff predominantly metal heavy? I know very little modern prog act's which aren't metal. Any suggestions?

Zac M wrote: Instead of AToTT, I'd go with SEBTP maybe??? Only one Jethro Tull album is essential IMO too, and that would be Thick as a Brick.

Well... call me obsessive compulsive (I am, a little actually, especially when it comes to music. Haha.), but I really wanted to get at least an album each from the dominant bands of this era, while at the same time getting at least an album each from each year... I was going over the album lists for the bands, and this is the combination of albums I came up with.

Like, if I replaced AToTT for SEBTP, that would give me 0 albums from 1976 and 3 albums for 1973...
And if I replaced both JT albums with Thick as a Brick, that woudl leave 0 albums for 1977 and 1978, and put 3 albums in 1972!

It's crazy, I know... But I'll work on it. Hehe. Thanks!

That looks like a very good list

Zweck wrote: lastdodobird wrote: yeah, Marillion is probably the only artist I would get from the 80s... ..but you can also get the best King Crimson albums, a few Coil-albums, Japan and a bit more.

What specific albums did you have in mind Zweck?

Get RED, instead of ITCOTCK.

Will do... and I'll see if indeed it satisfies my post-rock appetite more than the latter 

yeah, Marillion is probably the only artist I would get from the 80s...

Well if you want something from the 80's, definitely Marillion - Script for a jesters tear

If I were you, lastdodobird, I would check the top-rated albums from each sub-genre, and choose those, because there are way too many suggestions coming in at the moment IMO.

But since you seem to be a fan of post-rock, I would definitely get King Crimson's Red rather than In The Court Of The Crimson King. Not that King Crimson has anything to do with post-rock, but I think Red is closer to the genre somehow (the same "atmosphere", perhaps?)

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Top 5 essential prog rock albums - it's not possible to compile such a list, because there are far more than 5 sub genres. Each of the genres is essential, so to be really well informed about prog rock you'd at least need one album from each genre.

So how do you think this list could improve? Isn't this list getting a little too heavy on albums from the 70s? What about the 80s? Any good prog albums from that time period? What more could I do to "even it out" so to speak?

(1969) king crimson - in the court of the crimson king
(1970) van der graaf generator - h to he, who am the only one
(1971) mahavishnu orchestra - the inner mounting flame
(1971) jethro tull - aqualung
(1971) caravan - in the land of grey and pink
(1972) yes - close to the edge
(1973) genesis - selling england by the pound
(1973) gentle giant - in a glass house
(1975) camel - the snow goose
(1975) pink floyd - wish you were here
(1981) rush - moving pictures
(1992) anglagard - hybris
(1999) dream theater - metropolis part 2 scenes from a memory
(2001) pain of salvation - the perfect element i
(2005) riverside - second life syndrome

Thanks!

Top 5 essential prog rock albums - it's not possible to compile such a list, because there are far more than 5 sub genres. Each of the genres is essential, so to be really well informed about prog rock you'd at least need one album from each genre.