10 albums from 1979-80
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=134664
Printed Date: March 27 2025 at 21:45
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: 10 albums from 1979-80
Posted By: Steve Wyzard
Subject: 10 albums from 1979-80
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:00
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To this day, there are many people who are fully convinced that Prog died on December 31st, 1977. Some of the biggest names/groups were either no longer together, or were soldiering on and releasing material that just wasn't as popular as their earlier albums. For those of us who were there at the time, the decade reached its excessive peak in 1978, while 1979-80 became transitional years of looking forward to the new decade. All of the albums in this poll were released during these years and are in their respective year's Top 50 on this site. The performers had all been treading the boards throughout the 1970s, and while these albums are definitely different from what they had previously recorded, there is very much a sense of change/revitalization in formats/instrumentation/songwriting. They are listed alphabetically by performer. (With apologies to those who wanted to see Gentle Giant's Civilian or Jethro Tull's "A".)
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Replies:
Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:04
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Supertramp: Breakfast in America Genesis: Duke
Yes: Drama Rush: Permanent Waves |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:16
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The Wall Drama Permanent Waves Breakfast in America Danger Money One of a Kind Peter Gabriel III Spectral Mornings Duke Sky II
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:25
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:32
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While it is not an album i have returned to much in over 25 years, The Wall has been very important me, I find the Peter Gabriel excellent, loved that Supertramp album especially as a child, only in recent years did I finally hear that Bruford album (I might put it higher but listened the once). My top five from the poll. 1. The Wall 2. Melt 3. Breakfast in America 4. One of a Kind 5. Permanent Waves Lacking familiarity with Sky and the Steve Hackett album (I know that that SH is big one not to know and I will try to remedy). While the conventional more mainstream Prog genre/ bands may have largely lost lustre by the late 70s (from a Prog standpoint especially), progressive and experimental music, and what I think of as prog umbrella music, was very much alive and well. I have seen that claim, but I think it comes from the more narrow-focused (one might say narrow-minded) old school, traditional, conservative, less adventurous, and most conventional of Prog listeners. And I find such people commonly are not open to other interpretations or ideas, as well as not being open to a wide variety of musical expression from around the world. ------------- "Questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself" (The Prisoner, 1967). |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 11:49
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There's nothing in this poll I dislike and I actually own all six CD albums below. 1. Sky - Sky 2 2. Pink Floyd - The Wall 3. Steve Hackett - Spectral Mornings 4. Supertramp - Breakfast in America 5. Yes - Drama 6. Rush - Permanent Waves |
Posted By: Cambus741
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 12:49
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this is impossible. Both The Wall and Peter Gabriel 3 are such amazing albums. To try to choose between them is virtually impossible
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Posted By: pauldunhill
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 12:53
| Just Bruford for me. Not keen on any of the others |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 14:04
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Every album is a keeper in my opinion. Drama edges Permanent Waves for top spot. |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 14:34
| One of a Kind is a masterpiece. |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 15:41
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The Wall ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 15:55
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Today feels like a Duke day, so Duke it is. I usually do my crimping in three passes while I sprinkle cinnamon all over my knees. ------------- ---------- 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: MortSahlFan
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 16:06
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The last great album Pink Floyd: The Wall ------------- https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition https://www.scribd.com/document/382737647/MortSahlFan-Song-List |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 16:41
| Sky II > Spectral Mornings > Wall, Breakfast, One |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 18:31
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Melt is the most consistently good album song to song, so it edges out The Wall. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 18:42
Hi, The only comment here, that needs observing, is a question ... why does everything have to remain the same all of the time? The stuff from the earlier days had run its course, and the music world was now more aware of a lot more bands from many places, not just from America and England. In my defense, by that time I was full on the European scene with some Japanese as well. There was a lot more outstanding work elsewhere than the list mentioned, for example, and it is sad that it looks like most folks were not aware of anything else ... which is not true at all. THE WALL might be the best appreciated here, but in many ways, the whole thing made a lot better sense as a live show .... specially the original one ... as the later versions by RW were not very good, and were cheapened a heck of a lot compared to the original in QUAD and all that. It's just sad that folks think it all died ... heck, we wouldn't be here if that had happened!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Steve Wyzard wrote:Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 19:05
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My vote went to Drama but DM and Perm very close. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 22:35
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Definitely Bill Bruford: One of a Kind However, Peter Gabriel: III (Melt) and Pink Floyd: The Wall also deserve a special mention. I would've liked to have seen Peter Hammill: pH7 in the list. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 20 2025 at 22:44
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I could vote for any of these which is rare for any poll on the forum. I went for Yes - Drama because they retained what was brilliant about the band but added a fresh take and an incredible amount of energy. It still sounds great to this day. Chris Welch who was in the UK the foremost journalist on progressive rock suggested that UK - Danger Money was the last call of the original movement. I agree and it's also an excellent album if perhaps not the perfection of their debut. For me 1979 was owned by 2 huge Gary Numan albums and to this day I believe he reperesented the 'new progressive rock' of the day. Latterly I became a massive Eloy fan and they released 2 significant and excellent albums (Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes plus Colours) in those 2 years. I could say similar things for Tangerine Dream (2 great releases) and Vangelis released his masterpeice China in 1979. In general there was quality music a plenty but by the mid eighties it was getting harder to find decent stuff. Many of the best musicians found a haven in so called 'New Age Music' and recently I watched a BBC documentary 'Enya At The BBC' looking back on Enya's career and digging into her old interviews. Watermark was and still is a beautiful drop in the ocean. Pop and rock music however had largely become stale and prog in its original form was dead. IMO
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Posted By: Heart of the Matter
Date Posted: March 21 2025 at 09:25
| Spectral Mornings |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: March 21 2025 at 11:04
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Rush... my fave album of theirs, but in truth I own 7 of them and listen to them regularly (I don't own the top 3, but know 2 of them) ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: Floydoid
Date Posted: March 21 2025 at 12:04
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Sky2 > The Wall ------------- Is it any wonder that the monkey's confused? |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: March 21 2025 at 18:03
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Tough one (great poll)! Spectral Mornings Drama Permanent Waves PG III ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: March 21 2025 at 19:38
That it is. Fainting in Coils, Hell's Bells, 5G, etc, etc. Four monster players in Bill Bruford, Jeff Berlin, Allan Holdsworth and Dave Stewart (as well as top notch guest appearances). It is number three for me behind Yes and Rush. But, I could probably be talked into it being my number one. Great list of albums in this poll. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: March 22 2025 at 10:54
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Nice selection. Danger Money is top 10 for me. ------------- 
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