Top 10s and lists - The Foremost Breakthroughs of Progressive Rock?

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The Foremost Breakthroughs of Progressive Rock?

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Printed Date: March 13 2025 at 01:01
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Topic: The Foremost Breakthroughs of Progressive Rock?

Posted By: meAsoi
Subject: The Foremost Breakthroughs of Progressive Rock?
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 11:37

Let's contemplate breakthroughs for the progressive rock genre; rather than just the mainstream success an album got for a single band in terms of sales, consider diving into the rich tapestry of musical innovation and contribution to counterculture in the late 60s and early 70s.

My list would be, in chronological order:

Family Music in a Doll's House (released July 19, 1968)

The Moody Blues In Search of the Lost Chord (July 26, 1968)

Procol Harum Shine on Brightly (September 1968)

The Nice Ars Longa Vita Brevis (November 1968)

Caravan Caravan (January 1969)

The Soft Machine Volume Two (September 1969)

King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King (October 1969)

Renaissance Renaissance (November 1969)

Van der Graaf Generator The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other (February 1970)

Genesis Trespass (October 1970)

Please post your lists of a maximum of 10 albums ['cause I don't want this topic to include posting lists with an infinite number of titles. Thank you!] and discuss.

Replies:

Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 12:20

Good call on Procol Harum and Renaissance... I might add Fairport Conventions Debut album, and

Steeleye spans "Parcel of Rogues" which had their hit 'Come ye all frae France.' (1973)

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https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/new-2025-broken-hearts-troubled-minds

Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 12:24

Not from the dinosaur prog days but in 1982, Allan Holdsworth releasing i.o.u. was a game changer.

Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 12:25

Who yoo callin a Dinosaur??? LOL

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https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/new-2025-broken-hearts-troubled-minds

Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 16:06

The ones that started their own subgenre. This post is being geocopied by a green hose.

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i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag
that's a happy bag of lettuce
this car smells like cartilage
nothing beats a good video about fractions

Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 16:48

Czesław Niemen - Aerolit (1975) - the first Polish album to feature the Mellotron, which also happens to be prog.

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Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 18:00

progaardvark wrote:

The ones that started their own subgenre. This post is being geocopied by a green hose.

If you can get enough prog fans to glom onto something, it will eventually earn a coveted prog sub-genre...

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https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/new-2025-broken-hearts-troubled-minds

Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 18:38

Let's not ignore/discount the impact the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement and other periphery bands and genres had on progressive rock artists!

The Yardbirds (1964-67)

Don Ellis Orchestra 'Live" at Monterey ! (1966)

Cream (1966-69)

Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (1966-1970)

The Doors The Doors (1967)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967 & 68)

Jefferson Airplane 1967: Surrealistic Pillow and After Bathing at Baxter's

The Pentangle The Pentangle and Sweet Child (1968), Basket of Light (1969), Cruel Sister (1970)

Larry Coryell (1966-70) The Free Spirits, Lady Coryell, Coryell, Spaces

Miles Davis (1963-70, all of the "Second Great Quintet" studio albums, Miles in the Sky, Filles de Kilamanjaro, In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew

Colosseum Those Who Are About to Die Salute You and Valentyne Suite (1969)

Led Zeppelin I & II (1969)

Chicago Chicago Transit Authority (1969)

Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! (1969)

Nucleus Elastic Rock (1969) and We'll Talk About It Later (1970)

Miroslav Vitous Infinite Search and Purple (1970)

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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/

Posted By: Hosydi
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 21:15

Not in any particular order:

The Nice: Ars Longa Vita Brevis

Family: Music in a Doll's House

Touch: self-titled

King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King

Caravan: If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: self-titled

Egg: self-titled

Soft Machine: Third

Van der Graaf Generator: H To He, Who Am The Only One

Genesis: Nursery Cryme

Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 21:22

I'm not sure about the dates in the OP as both the Procol Harum album and The Nice album were released in the same week and are generally cited tied 'first' as the earliest examples of albums having side long epics.

My list:

Beatles - Revolver

The Nice - The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack

The Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed

Led Zep - I

King Crimson - In The Court

Jethro Tull - TAAB

Can - Tago Mago

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

Rush - 2112

Henry Cow - Western Civilisation

(if we are going above and beyond ''prog'' I would then be adding The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks, Gary Numan's 1979 albums and Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring and Nirvana's - Nevermind to the list)

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 23:04

richardh wrote:

I'm not sure about the dates in the OP as both the Procol Harum album and The Nice album were released in the same week and are generally cited tied 'first' as the earliest examples of albums having side long epics.

Procol Harum's Shine On Brightly was first released in the US in September 1968; it was released in the UK only in December 1968. Although it didn't chart in their native nation, the record was a commercial success in the US and outperformed their debut album. The album peaked at number 26 in Canada.

The Nice's Ars Longa Vita Brevis came out in November 1968, according to Wikipedia.

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 11 2025 at 23:11

Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Not from the dinosaur prog days but in 1982, Allan Holdsworth releasing i.o.u. was a game changer.

For the jazz-rock genre, in my opinion, the game-changer could have been only Larry Coryell's Barefoot Boy, released in 1971, not an album released in the early 80s.

Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 03:03

meAsoi wrote:

Svettie, I'm not sure you know how to use the word "breakthrough" in the usual sense of the word in music.

While your list makes sense (except for the one below), most of these albums are/were not massive commercial breakthrough (that's what was meant in the other thread). Whether Tresspass, NC, SEBTP or Lamb, Genesis' real breakthrough is really either ATTWT or Duke.

What ou may mean with your current list is probably groundbreaking, and if the case, I will agree with your current list.

meAsoi wrote:

The Nice Ars Longa Vita Brevis (November 1968)

You seem to forget The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack

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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 06:10

Sean Trane wrote:

meAsoi wrote:

Svettie, I'm not sure you know how to use the word "breakthrough" in the usual sense of the word in music.

What ou may mean with your current list is probably groundbreaking, and if the case, I will agree with your current list.

meAsoi wrote:

The Nice Ars Longa Vita Brevis (November 1968)

You seem to forget The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack

Svettie? I thought we were talking about music, not Svetonio's fan club, to which you obviously belong since he is apparating for you everywhere! Well, as far as I know, in a musical context, a breakthrough refers to a significant advancement or development that changes the course of an artist's career as well as a new genre's evolution. Personally, I see 'breakthrough' as something that resonates widely at a specific time. Prog was something new in 1968. Although it failed to chart, the aforementioned Ars Longa Vita Brevis received very positive reviews, and people were talking about the album. Symphonic prog made a breakthrough with that album. Melody Maker wrote, "A vast improvement on their first album, which shows them moving in a direction far removed from any other group, British or American." Additionally, the cover won that year's NME award for Best Pop Album Sleeve.

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 10:17

richardh wrote:

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

I'd take it back to Zeit, or maybe even the debut, Electronic Meditation. Tangerine Dream kicked open so many doors, it makes one dizzy.

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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 10:21

Valdez wrote:

Good call on Procol Harum and Renaissance... I might add Fairport Conventions Debut album, and

Steeleye spans "Parcel of Rogues" which had their hit 'Come ye all frae France.' (1973)

If Fairport Convention's 1968 debut gets on the list, we mustn't exclude Jethro Tull's This Was. Same year.

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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 11:08

meAsoi wrote:

Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Not from the dinosaur prog days but in 1982, Allan Holdsworth releasing i.o.u. was a game changer.

For the jazz-rock genre, in my opinion, the game-changer could have been only Larry Coryell's Barefoot Boy, released in 1971, not an album released in the early 80s.

Great choice: great album! But Spaces came out in late 1970 even though the material was recorded in March of 1969! A trio core of Larry, Billy Cobham, and Miroslav Vitous with a song each collaborated with Joe Zawinul and John McLaughlin!!! Talk about breakthrough stuff!

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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/

Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 11:37

King Crimson - ItCotCK

Renaissance - the debut

ELP - the debut

Genesis - Trespass

VdGG - H to He

Magma - the debut

Soft Machine - Third

Yes - The Album

Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste

Jethro Tull - TaaB

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quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond

Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 14:57

That's what I was trying to do Mr. S.

Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 14:58

I guess I'm going to have to disagree about Trespass being their big prog breakthrough.I'd say Foxtrot at the earliest especially if we are talking the US.

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 16:24

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I guess I'm going to have to disagree about Trespass being their big prog breakthrough.I'd say Foxtrot at the earliest especially if we are talking the US.

Genesis defines their trademark pastoral sound on Trespass. It blended English folk and progressive rock elements, featuring a heavier-sounding nine-minute track, The Knife. It was released in Italy, under the Charisma license, on the major European label Phillips, which also operated in what was then West Germany, distributing records throughout Western Europe. Consequently, Trespass reached No. 1 in Belgium in 1971. Genesis toured Italy and Belgium in early 1971 alongside fellow Charisma labelmates Van der Graaf Generator (and Lindisfarne). Both bands gained popularity in those nations. This marked a significant breakthrough for the genre.

In the US, meanwhile, in the early 1970s, the Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator approach to progressive rock was regarded as “snob rock” by most; back then, for instance, Jethro Tull was perceived as “hard rock” in the US, which is why they found early success there. Although the aforementioned Italy and Belgium are relatively small markets compared to the US market, those countries have been far more engaged with progressive rock than other markets, which has been beneficial for the genre. Steve Hackett believed that the sensibilities of Catholic countries generally aligned well with Genesis. I think the classical heritage in Europe really captures it.

Posted By: Cosmiclawnmower
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 16:38

meAsoi wrote:

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I guess I'm going to have to disagree about Trespass being their big prog breakthrough.I'd say Foxtrot at the earliest especially if we are talking the US.

It didnt help matters that in the States, Dunhill (part of the ABC group) label released trespass initially on its 'Impulse!' imprint which was a predominantly Jazz label. It did re-issue it on Dunhill/ ABC along with VDGG but i don't think there was any promotion so very little interest. Most of the US presses of Trespass that made their way back to UK collectors tend to be either 'Impulse!' or white label radio promo Dunhill which tell you very little actual standard stock was pressed or made it on to the markets. With Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot, although Charisma was licensed and pressed by Buddha records, it was so difficult to obtain (initially) that most copies were UK imported into the States. I think there were about 3 separate US re-issues before 'Best of Genesis' double lp which featured both. None of this was going to help them get anything but minimum interest but they certainly were not the only band to suffer from this.

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Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:11

I’d sure like to find a copy of trespass on Dunhill Impulse. Just as a collectors piece. Probably quite rare!

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Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:17

I’m of the opinion that Genesis didn’t make its big mark until Lamb hit the shelves. Sure they had a following, but Lamb pushed them to huge acclaim in the U.S. it was a monster here. I could be wrong.

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https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/new-2025-broken-hearts-troubled-minds

Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:22

Valdez wrote:

I’m of the opinion that Genesis didn’t make its big mark until Lamb hit the shelves. Sure they had a following, but Lamb pushed them to huge acclaim in the U.S. it was a monster here. I could be wrong.

I'm not sure if I would say "huge" acclaim but they were starting to play bigger venues by then. Not really a monster either unless you are talking about quality. The album didn't go gold until 1990.

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:28

Cosmiclawnmower wrote:

meAsoi wrote:

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I guess I'm going to have to disagree about Trespass being their big prog breakthrough.I'd say Foxtrot at the earliest especially if we are talking the US.

Genesis indeed experienced their breakthrough in the US on a scale that was notably significant even for such a large market, solely with A Trick of the Tail, the album and tour, as @Hosydi pointed out in another thread.

However, it may also be worth mentioning that Genesis' sound changed with ATotT, transitioning into what would eventually be referred to as neo-prog in contrast to their earlier English folk-tinged symphonic prog albums.

Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:29

BrufordFreak wrote:

meAsoi wrote:

Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Not from the dinosaur prog days but in 1982, Allan Holdsworth releasing i.o.u. was a game changer.

For the jazz-rock genre, in my opinion, the game-changer could have been only Larry Coryell's Barefoot Boy, released in 1971, not an album released in the early 80s.

Even though I like Spaces and I believe it's a criminally underrated progressive jazz masterpiece, I think that Barefoot Boy is the first truly jazz-rock album of Coryell and a real breakthrough for guitar-orientated jazz-rock.

Posted By: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 17:34

Chicago

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Posted By: meAsoi
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 18:05

In the UK, Trespass received critical acclaim, which was significant for the genre during its early stages. A review in Melody Maker described the album as "tasteful, subtle, and refined" and awarded it Album of the Month, despite it being released in the same month as esteemed albums such as Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother, Led Zeppelin III, and Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection.

Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 23:13

meAsoi wrote:

The Nice's Ars Longa Vita Brevis came out in November 1968, according to Wikipedia.

wiki is not always correct..

However from digging I can't find an exact release date for Ars Longa Vita Brevis other than November.

Those release dates for Shine On Brightly are very odd. Whiter Shade Of Pale was a big hit in the UK a year earlier so holding back the second album must have been some strange contractural issue I guess. The Nice apparently recorded Ars longa Vita Brevis in October 1968 so it's not inconceivable they had heard the Procol album before going in the studio. Interesting.

Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 12 2025 at 23:22

verslibre wrote:

richardh wrote:

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

I'd take it back to Zeit, or maybe even the debut, Electronic Meditation. Tangerine Dream kicked open so many doors, it makes one dizzy.

I'm sure you are right but I am very vague on anything TD pre Phaedra to say the least. What I know is that Phaedra was their first big UK release (on Richard Branson's newly formed Virgin Music label) and did very well propelling them into the big league. Artistically though they were already well on the way before Branson's involvement. That is perhaps more relevant to the other thread that is going though!