Top 10 best prog albums of all time

richardh wrote: AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: richardh wrote: ^ I agree with your reasoning. I left on out ELP - BSS for that reason. It's my favourite of all time but their debut is much more consistent.  BSS would be number two for me as far as ELP albums go. For the most part it's very strong but there are parts that are a bit repetitive (the welcome back my friends thing kind of goes on a little too long imo). Other than that no issues although apparently some people have an issue with the drumming. It probably is their most wild album though mainly because of Tocatta but also the computer voice at the end. never heard there were any issues with the drumming although for KE9 3rd Impression I actually prefer an instrumental alternative version (drumming wise) that was on the deluxe version.

I never heard of any drumming issues either concerning BSS. Carl Palmer during the 70s captured numerous drumming polls as the top drummer including Playboy, Circus and Music Life Magazine ( Big Japan music mag). From 1970-78 he topped Melody Maker Best Drummer Poll.

There was a book that sold well that came out in the early 80s titled A to Z of Drummers. Gave a nice description of Palmer, calling him a virtuoso, highlighting his speed and dexterity. The two albums that were recommended to hear his drumming was ELP's debut album and Brain Salad Surgery.

richardh wrote: ^ I agree with your reasoning. I left on out ELP - BSS for that reason. It's my favourite of all time but their debut is much more consistent.

If we are talking best and not necessarily my personal favorites then I will go with (in no particular order):

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - April 06 2024 at 16:42

Magog2112 wrote: 1. Marillion - Brave 6. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part I 8. IQ - Subterranea

Personal list

Going with my 10 favorite, no one album per artist rule.

1) Yes: Close to the Edge
2) Yes: Relayer
3) Yes: The Yes Album
4) Genesis: Selling England by the Pound
5) Genesis: A Trick of the Tail
6) Gentle Giant: Three Friends
7) Rush: A Farewell to Kings
8) Emerson Lake and Palmer: Brain Salad Surgery
9) King Crimson: Red
10) Steven Wilson: The Raven that Refused to Sing

Honorable Mentions:

UK: UK
Kansas: Leftoverture
Big Big Train: The Underfall Yard
Steven Wilson: Hand Cannot Erase
Rush: Moving Pictures
Yes: Fragile
Genesis: Foxtrot
Porcupine Tree: Deadwing
Brad Mehldau: Jacob's Ladder *
Tigran Hamasyan: Red Hail *

* Mehldau and Hamasyan are two of the brilliant Jazz artists of our time. Red Hail is as much a Prog album as it is a Jazz/ Fusion album. Jacob's Ladder is a incredible reworking of Prog Classics such as Rush's Tom Sawyer, Yes' Starship Trooper, Gentle Giant's Cogs in Cogs among others.

Don't worry about it Gnik (aka nice anagram of kinG crimsoN). The forum search takes some getting used to. You need to use advanced search and then play with the parameters. many fail to notice that the default is Find Posts -> Last Week. I set it to all-time, and look for topics specifically.

These are always interesting as one gets different results, and I always like to share that which I care about. While I did a top 10 (no specific order) and eight of those were from the 70s, I will follow the above and come up with, well I decided on post 80s and no band I mentioned already (lots I love from the 80s), in this case a baker's dozen (I prefer 13 to 12, and 12 to 10, but I guess it can depend on how many limbs one has to count - j/k).

In no particular order

Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! (2000)
David Bowie - Blackstar (2016)
Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1996)
Guapo - Black Oni (2005)
Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic (2018)
North Sea Radio Orchestra - I a Moon (2011)
Mr. Bungle - California (1999)
black midi - Cavalcade (2021)
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock (1991)
Cardiacs - Sing to God (1996)
Current 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind (1992)
William D. Drake - Briny Hooves (2007)
Kayo DOt - Hubardo (2013)

Great to have you onboard, and I look forward to having you here in a wide variety of discussions and topics.

Cristi wrote: I'm sure there's got to be a thread like this already.  edit: https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=122983&KW=Top+10 https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=127094&KW=Top+10 https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=118480&KW=Top+10 https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=127717&KW=Top+10

I won't put them in any order, but here would be 10 desert island disks from the classic era for me:

My list looks like this (one per artist rule in effect!)