http://ultimateclassicrock.com/progressive-rock-artists/" rel="nofollow - https://ultimateclassicrock.com/progressive-rock-artists/

I started obsessing on what i didn't like it then i said screw it and decided to make my own :D

My list goes all the way to 100 artists with a list of near misses that would end up on a top 200 list if i decided to expand it

This list also includes prog folk, jazz-fusion, prog electronic and of course prog rock

Hopefully my choice of ranking won't trigger anyone but i did put a lot of thought into why i chose the artists i did and ranked them accordingly

Also included are the essential albums i deem relevant

What do you think? Did i miss anyone or rank certain artists badly?

It's all just good fun. Of course opinions will vary :)

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/siLLy_puPPy/top-100-progressive-artists-of-all-time/" rel="nofollow - https://rateyourmusic.com/list/siLLy_puPPy/top-100-progressive-artists-of-all-time/

^ you're probably right about Allan Holdsworth and Pat Metheny. I'm honestly just not overly familiar with them although i do have a few Metheny albums.

Wobbler may not be the most original but included because they are very popular and they do retro prog extremely well. Originality is only one factor. Enjoyability and longevity as well as dedication to a progressive paradigm also weighs in. This isn't a scientific analysis, just the best i could do with my experience and perception of prog, fusion and electronic music. All suggestions are quite welcome because if i do expand to 200 then i'm sure i'm missing something :)

Great job! There's about 20-25 bands/artists you included that I wouldn't have, but that's only natural. 

From my point of view the first glaring omissions that stood out to me was Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Captain Beefheart, Weather Report, Embryo* and Radiohead. I quess Neu! as well. I would also have counted Post-Rock as a prog genre - which to me means that Talk Talk, Tortoise, Swans, GY!BE and perhaps Sigur Ros would find a place the in favour of all Neo Prog bands sans Marillion and UK. It's a sub genre that didn't bring anything new to the table anyway. I would also cut down a little on all things metal as well (but include Vektor). + One more from the  so-called Indo-Raga sub in addition to Shakti*. Either Andre Fertier (Clivage), Brother Ah, Ananda Shankar or Codona.

Some album-inclusions and exclusions I found particularely strange: You found a place for Genesis Revisited 2 but not Shamal, Contrappunti, Big Fun, Camel's debut or Rain Dances? With PFM I would not count their english versions as essential, as they're italian original versions are much, much better - and infact the originals.

Not to be taken as complaints, just my opinions based on .

*surely more essential than Frumpy:)

*I might have replaced Shakti with another too

With all respect and recognition, this list is very good for discussion, but I find this kind of lists to be most interesting when done 

on some specified inter-subjective basis like this one  https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=127673" rel="nofollow - Top 100 all-time as rated on RYM and PA  .

Looking at the list though and considering your criteria which are "....artists ...who i deem to be the most INFLUENTIAL, 

most ENDURING and most ORIGINAL. ", I don't understand the high position of black midi (#35).

^+^^ Black Midi are relevant enough for a list like this imo. They represent a whole scene really. But your post reminded me the the missing King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are a much bigger. Probably the biggest progband of the last five-ten years.

Also I don't see any problem with a curated list based on one persons knowledge such as this one.

While I would rank Marillion (#28) higher.

WIthout trying to study it in great length I did specifically look for Anathema. Weather Systems on it's own would put then in my top 100, the last four together is enough for my top 50 and the whole catalogue easily makes them a top 20 prog artist of all time. Entirely subjective but they have brought something new to the table in my opinion, not just 'copy and paste' (like my comments)!

miamiscot wrote: I will settle this once and for all with a future video...

You go! As long as anyone doesn't take these things too seriously, it's kinda fun to see how others interpret things

As a general, short reply. Ok we think differnetly as to what we consider Progressive Rock, and that's fair enough I guess. If you'd heard all Kraftwerk (including their three first) you wouldn't just think of them as experimental synth pop. I disagree with everything you claim about genres like Post Rock and such. But as you don't even think Krautrock is Progressive Rock, we have very little common ground and we might as well just continue to disagree. To me Neo isn't genuine Progressive Rock, but Tortoise and late Talk Talk (obviously) etc... is.

-I don't like Shakti very much so that's the reason I'd replace them with something I enjoy more and that I think would represent the "sub genre" better. That's all. But Frumpy innovative? How?

^ I wouldn't call Frumpy innovative but rather popular and instrumental for making German prog popular across its boarders which subsequently gave Krautrock a larger audience.

I'm on the PSIKE team and we've had this debate over the years. Krautrock MAY or MAY NOT be progressive rock. There have been many Kraut bands rejected here because they are grounded in basic blues rock or not rock at all. Kraftwerk is an excellent band but they're not prog rock. The first three albums do have some rock elements but it mixes with droning, electronica and experimentalism. The popular albums were more synthpop based. Same for Neu! Not really prog rock. I've heard all of their works. To me they are experimental but not prog much like post-punk.

This is the only site i know of that considers post-rock as prog. To me they are cousins but not siblings. Of course there is crossover with some bands clearly fitting into both camps but how anyone can call Mogwai prog is beyond me. Post-rock is its own genre with some bands that happen to be prog as well.

Whether you like Shakti or not (i happen to) they were the only significant Indo-jazz band that caught any public attention and the only such band that has albums that sold significantly and are now considered classics. They also were the best at their game. While most Indo-raga-jazz bands were more on the psychedelic side of things, Shakti was a powerhouse of virtuoso musicians that blew the roof off the house.

If i was going to do a list for experimental rock that is more broad than prog rock / folk / metal i would definitely include Kraftwerk, Neu! and post-rock bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The few prog electronic bands on my list are there simply because they did venture into prog rock at some point and were too popular not to include basically.

I agree, together with the emerging Prog Metal. I find also Neo-Prog to be innovative to some degree.

Is that ''popularity'' on here or in general? I suspect that ELP reissues sell as well as Camel although I havent looked into it. ELP albums don't get great ratings mainly because they were too inconsistent. I've been over this many times and I think the 'rules' about judging progressive rock should be more about innovation as much as consistency. I do like early Camel although after Moonmadness I stop caring tbh.

siLLy puPPy wrote: Both Frumpy and Shakti were innovative and popular.

Anyway, its funny. Not that we differ as to what we include and consider to be a part of Progressive Rock. No one with an opinion is in full agreement there. Mine is more inclusive than yours and many others. I know that. But you conclude with this or that are/are not Progressive Rock like you're some kind of omniscience prog-guru - while it's easy to see from the way you write that you've got a very superficial knowledge about some of the artistst & genres you are strongly opinionated about.

That sentence was badly constructed. Frumpy was innovative in that it mixed ELP keyboards with female vocals and was one of Germany's most popular bands during the early 70s. Shakti was much more innovative and was also popular. Frumpy wasn't as innovative as other bands but was in its own way which is why it was a hugely popular band. This list is not just innovation and longevity but also popularity and relevance at a certain period in time. Hope that explains better

I agree again concerning Metal, and I think Prog Metal has been influenced quite a bit by Neo-Prog.

Can you give us some examples? 

What makes me think so is not least that both genres have rather synthetic sound and Pop-influenced vocals.

A simple example could explain what you say here... Otherwise it feels like you overgeneralize. 

Both here and in general. Simply seems that ELP hasn't resonated with newer generations the way Camel has. I agree. I only really love the first four Camel albums and then they're just meh.

Cristi wrote: Nice list, great work!

Thanks :) I just noticed your reply now

My 27yr old Nephew also likes ELP although admittedly he enjoys Floyd a lot more (and loves Animals). Funnily enough I did mention Camel as another band he should check out (I've stopped short of suggesting Gentle Giant and VDGG just yet!)

Similarities between Prog Metal and Neo-Prog are also obvious when looking at at least some of the artwork.

examples?! 

Of course some like ELP more than Camel but if you go by the overall ratings on PA and RYM then Camel leaves ELP in the dust.

I guess Camel is in general higher rated today, while ELP was without doubt a much greater pioneer of Progressive Rock. 

I still find them to be greater Prog than Camel, even I love The Snow Goose.

Reasons to love ELP

1) The whole idea of Tarkus

2) They made some decent 90s songs in Black Moon which I will defend

3) Underrated Classics (which INCLUDES MEMOIRS OF AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN AND I WILL FIGHT Y'ALL FOR THIS)

4) Keith Emerson flying around with a piano

But it's maybe not quite sure that Camel is in general more appreciated today than ELP. It would be good with

 some other significant sources than RYM and PA.

Anyway, with the popularity of Metal, it may turn again, as ELP is more Metal-like than Camel. 

Popularity of metal?! Again generalizing. It's still a niche genre, just like prog. 
 

A few albums that sold well does not mean the genre is popular. 

It also depends where you live. There are countries where it is more popular than other places. 

It depends on the subgenre, some are more popular than others. 

^ no way. Metal is one of the most popular genres EVER

Approximately 1500 metal albums are on the RYM top 10,000 album list of all time.

That's competing with every genre ever invented

Dozens of bands have sold millions and millions of albums not just Metallica

and then there's this:

Pop and other genres of music are constantly playing on commercials, radio, and TV. It is usual for people to assume that heavy metal music is no longer a thing. Research conducted by Spotify reveals that heavy metal is the most popular music genre

Likewise metal is one of the most popular styles of prog

Is it THE MOST popular genre of all time? Nope but it's more than just a niche at this point.

It's a force to be reckoned with

Research from spotify?! I LOLed and cringed at the same time. I wonder what metal bands are so popular on spotyfry. Other than the famous ones and whatever is trending now in the mainstream. 

You ignored what i previously said. It depends where you live. If you don't get that, I'll just see myself out... 

You're probably right, I just think these two genres of music have specific audiences, with specific expectations generally (if that makes sense).

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: Wow. Great job and great list! I don't agree with everything 100 percent but then again it's not your list of personal favorites anyway (although I'm sure you like a lot as do I). I'm not really much into prog metal but being how popular it seems to be you can't really not include it. Anyway, thanks for doing it.

If this was a list of my personal favorites it would've been waaaaaaay different! I don't like Genesis much at all and probably wouldn't have made it on the list at all! Thanks for the kind words :)

Yeah and the distinctions between rock and metal have been blurred in the 21st century so i see no reason to not mix them. Same with certain electronic and folk bands. And of course nobody will agree with any list! That's why i made my own :)

^ totally agree about Riverside and Haken switching places here :)

Yeah in the 70s most bands today are labeled as both hard rock and heavy metal because every album featured songs that were indeed heavy metal and songs that weren't heavy enough to escape the confines of hard rock status. In the 2000s even neo-prog bands have added metal elements after Porcupine Tree took metal into the world of space rock. Even Hawkwind started out with a near metal guitar heft with their unique space rock. Some of the newer prog / avant / metal bands are much more rooted in 20th century classical than anything from the world of rock or trad metal. It's a full time job keeping up with it!