The Ultimate PA Album List - Results!!!

No changes. It is a labor of love. My personal valentines day gift to PA.

#30 Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
(12 votes - 2307 points) Highest rating: #1 by Kenmartree
It seems that most hardcore Genesis fans have a hard time liking The Lamb compared to Foxtrot, Selling England, etc. However, I much prefer this album. There are so many unforgettable passages in this two-disc experience beginning with the opening piano solo. Some of them are haunting in their solemn melodies and some are thought-provoking with their anguished lyrics, but all are great music, in my opinion.{Lofcaudio #9)


#29 Yes - Fragile
(13 votes - 2322 points) Highest rating: #20 by 1800iareyay
It stands as their heaviest and most metallic disc. Fragile took the momentum gained from Steve Howe's induction on the previous outing The Yes Album and propelled it forward into one of the greatest prog albums of all time. As a whole, Fragile is an incredible work of art. This is an excellent starting point for newbies to Yes.(1800iareyay)


#28 Dream Theater - Images and Words
(11 votes - 2327 points) Highest rating: #2 by English Assassin
this is the album were it really all started: Images and Words. Yes its not their debut but this was the album that everyone took notice of for its blend of metal and prog by using complex arrangements and impressive musicianship, both mainstays of classic prog.This album is a masterpiece in my opinion, there is nothing that I would consider changing. (sleeper #11)


#27 Tool - Aenima
(11 votes - 2337 points) Highest rating: #3 by Acebad
Being the die hard Tool fan that I am, it must sound pretty lame that I just got this album about a month and a half ago, well the wait was worth ending the as-of- now Tool discography with this bold album. I have no idea what people were supposed to think back in the mid nineties when they first heard Aenima, a vulgar, blasphemous album, contrary to the grudge/ thrash metal scene that had been dominating for about five years thanks to Pantera and Nirvana.(Schizoid_Man77 #18)


#26 King Crimson - Discipline
(12 votes - 2346 points) Highest rating: #1 by Man With Hat
Stunning. Absolute brillance here. This is THE best Crimson album. Other albums come close to it, esp. Larks' Toungues in Aspic and It The Court..., but none can surpass it. The music is deffinatly different than anything before it. It was truely groundbreaking, so much so that they made three albums based on this sound. Any Serious KC fan needs this album, as it set a path for thier direction in the 80s. Absoulte brillance (as i said). Recommended Higher than humanly possible. (Man With Hat)


#25 Opeth - Blackwater Park
(11 votes - 2407 points) Highest rating: #4 by Sleeper
Its not hard to find, these days, comments making out Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree) to be a man possessed with some sort of Midas Touch, that everything that he works on turns to gold. Whether I agree with this or not is besides the point, what is beyond doubt for me is that he has given Opeths Blackwater Park a very liberal sprinkling of Gold Dust. As the successor album to the very impressive Still Life, Blackwater Park had a lot to live up to, and not only does it not disappoint but it exceeds expectations and dishes out one of the best albums of the last 10 years. (sleeper)


#24 Radiohead - OK Computer
(11 votes - 2470 points) Highest rating: #4 by El Böthy
With this album, the band truly began incorporating the progressive elements to their sound, causing it to form the style which today, can be considered one of the finest in modern progressive rock. The songwriting is near perfect. It is evident that this album is a cornerstone of the nineties, a gem in times where bubblegum pop was bubbling up. This album does not follow the trend and the result was a breathtaking release with moments of somber hauntingness and epic achievement. (Moreitsythanyou #20)


Edited by moreitsythanyou - February 16 2008 at 15:24

I gotta admit, like 5 albums in a row on this section that I think were on my list, good show!

#20 Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
(13 votes - 2565 points) Highest rating: #7 by EnglishAssassin
With their switch to a major label before this album, Porcupine Tree is growing in popularity and recognition. Luckily, they did not sacrifice the quality of their music, creating what is easily one of the most interesting, skillful, and creative albums so far this year.One thing that the band is noted for is its unique style, which often shows dynamic changes between progressive metal outbursts amongst ethereal serenity. Generally, the album is very catchy and melodic. Despite mood and tempo changes, the band remains consistent in musicianship. The talent of Porcupine Tree is in full force on this album and the creative delivery of each song makes me want to keep listening to this album.(moreitsythanyou #11)


#19 Jethro Tull - Aqualung
(13 votes - 2622 points) Highest rating: #4 by Zappa88, EnglishAssassin
None of that really matters to me. What does is the music on the album. I immediately fell in love with the sound of Jethro Tull on its first spin through. There is such a perfect blend of instrumentation, with acoustic guitars, pianos, and of course, the wonderful flute. The songwriting here is perfect, and for some reason, I especially love the short acoustic pieces, even though they aren't that much. I highly recommend this album for anyone.(asimplemistake #7)


#18 Gentle Giant - The Power and the Glory
(13 votes - 2688 points) Highest rating: #4 by Man with Hat
Wow, stunning album! This is the BEST album by them. It is very complex and full of the proggy juices we all love to snack on. All [songs] are fantastic as well. There is NO weak spot on this album (which is a problem on a few other of thiers). Recommended ten ways to sunday. (Man With Hat)


#17 Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
(13 votes - 2842 points) Highest rating: #1 by MusicalSalmacis
Holy smokes these guys are odd. But oddity is a key ingredient in creativity. And Hammill and the gang accomplished something substantially great here. Every track is slick and layered with heavy, dark atmospheres and fantastic musicianship.I find this album one of the most captivating series of sounds available to man. I'm sure hundreds of other proggies can agree with me there. So if you're new to prog, new to Van Der Graaf, or if you're reading this and haven't heard this album, than get on amazon and order it! I promise you a thrill ride of emotional proportions. (Shakespeare #6)


#16 Genesis - Nursery Cryme
(15 votes - 2976 points) Highest rating: #2 by MusicalSalmacis
Five stars from me means that it is one of the best albums I have heard in my entire life. This means that i cannot give away five stars to just anything, it has to be something really special, the fact that the album is a masterpiece is not enough. It has to do something for me, touch me in a way that no other album has ever done. This applies to Nursery Cryme. The music is still amazing, and Nursery Cryme stands as one of the highest points in rock (yes, not just prog) music ever. (MusicalSalmacis)


#15 Tool - Lateralus
(14 votes - 2981 points) Highest rating: #3 by El Böthy
To say the least, an extremely interesting album..To say the truth: A masterpiece in music. Tool’s music, what makes them so damn good is that they are not evident, to understand and appreciate Tool one must really dive in it, one must listen to their albums entirely, and maybe even keep in mind that you are not listening to a collection of songs, but rather one big piece of music. This album has some of the best, if not the best songwriting I have ever heard and read, all thanks to Mr. Keenan. (El Böthy)


#14 Rush - A Farewell to Kings
(15 votes - 2983 points) Highest rating: #1 by EnglishAssassin
Rush has such a passion when they play. A great majority of their songs touch me, whether by lyrical intelligence, musical adrenaline, or just the atmosphere. A Farewell To Kings is an extremely intelligent, moving, and plainly entertaining piece. (Shakespeare #90)


#13 Rush - Hemispheres
(14 votes - 3021 points) Highest rating: #10 by kenmartree
There is something special about this record. Something strange and wonderful. The music seems to arrive straight from the cosmos onto the playing fields of paradise, delivered by deities for our pleasure and sparkling with incredibly bright electrical power. (Atavachron #13)


#12 Gentle Giant - Octopus
(15 votes - 3032 points) Highest rating: #3 by Martinn
This is another jarringly complex album from them though a bit more matur than their three first releases, but it still carries elements from the past. Musically, this album is really entangled. Sometimes, it's like "Hey, let's see how many notes we can put into a song!", but it works extremely well. The songs are well written, original and ecletic, showing a mix of folk and jazz influences too. It's not to be missed by any prog-rock fan.(Bj-1 #5)


#11 Pink Floyd - Animals
(15 votes - 3341 points) Highest rating: #3 by kenmartree
This is the album that Pink Floy should be remembered for. The three main suites are amongst the greatest songs ever written, all three holding their own form of majesty and power. The concept is displayed skillfully. Actually, everything about this album is pretty damn skillful. It displays musicans at their most creative and most able and the result is an immense prog gem.(Moreitsythanyou #7)

Edited by moreitsythanyou - February 15 2008 at 00:07

Epic Fail. Fear of a Blank Planet is a cool album, but how is it even close to the top 20? Top 200 or 100, maybe, but 20?
Aqualung should be top 10, IMO, and I figured Animals was going to make top 5! Oh well, I guess its a good thing we don't all have the same favorites.

Oh, after much reconsideration, I'm 99% sure that Wish You Were Here is going to get #1 and Dark Side will get get in the top four. My bet:

#1 Wish You Were Here
#2 Thick as a Brick
#3 Selling England By the Pound
#4 Darkside
#5 Close to the Edge

Anyway, this is shaping up to be a great list!

lolwut indeed.

Half of those last ten are the sort of album I got bored with half a year after I knew about prog. *looks sleepy* =(

Meh, GG are overrated at best according to me. Animals is great, Aqualung is completely epic and FoaBP is very good to me. Nursery Cryme and Meddle are also very good. Other than that though, I'm shocked with the last maybe 40 or so.

      keiser willhelm:  PS - i guess this means i should listen to gentle giant? wow thats a lot of top 30 albums.


Edited by glass house - February 15 2008 at 15:50

YAY my two favourite albums in the top 20.