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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
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De ning the meaning of the term “Progressive Rock,” is a COMMENTS
di cult task. Music historians, critics and fans are in
constant debate and argument over the width of the Brian Kachejian on
lens that should be used in gauging an artist or band’s Reader’s Top 100
progressiveness. Does the term Progressive Rock Progressive Rock
pinpoint one speci c style of music or does it Bands and Artists of
encompass a series of subcategories all de ned by a All Time List
musical progression from the norm. That brings up Diane Centers on
another question in de ning what is the norm. The norm Reader’s Top 100
constantly changes. What may have been de ned as Progressive Rock
progressive in the 1950’s is now termed as traditional or Bands and Artists of
oldies. All Time List
Simon Aylward on
Rock music fans have dramatically di erent views on
Vote For Your
what de nes a band’s progressiveness, originality or
Favorite Progressive
genre. From the surveys we took, it became very
Rock Bands
obvious how serious some fans take the classi cation of
their favorite groups. Of course, we already understood Graham Weston on
that being long time rock music fans ourselves. Vote For Your
Nonetheless, it’s always interesting and helpful as Favorite Progressive
writers to see the picks and comments that we collect in Rock Bands
reader surveys. Brian Kachejian on
10 Essential Spock’s
THE FAN’S EMBRACE OF PROGRESSIVE Beard Songs
ROCK
Rock music fans have grown up with many of these
bands listed below. Fans become protective of the
legacy of bands they have supported and listened to
POPULAR
their entire lives. People also become defensive of the POSTS
genres of music they represent as fans. Many times we
heard from fans who had described themselves as “prog
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
Sincerely
Songs Featuring Annie
Brian Kachejian Haslam
March 1, 2018 No
Comments
Editor In Chief
ClassicRockHistory.com
AMAZON PICKS
You May Like These
READER’S TOP 100 PROGRESSIVE
ROCK BANDS AND ARTISTS LIST
# 100 – ANGLAGARD
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Essential Album: Hybris
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Essential Song: Hostsejd
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
Essential Song: D.O.A.
# 97 – AREA
Debut Album: Arbeit Macht Frei (1973)
Top 10 Joan Osborne
Songs
Essential Album: Crac! (1975)
December 5, 2016
Top 10 Metallica
Songs
# 95 – EDGAR WINTER September 10, 2017
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 91 – THE DOORS
Debut Album: The Doors (1967)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 89 – PLANET X
Debut Album: Universe (2000)
# 88 – STEVE VAI
Debut Album: Flex-able (1984)
# 87 – 10CC
Debut Album: 10cc (1973)
# 86 – NEW TROLLS
Debut Album: Senza orario Senza bandiera (1968)
# 84 – FAITH NO MORE
Debut Album: We Care a Lot (1985)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 82 – ROXY MUSIC
Debut Album: Roxy Music (1972)
# 81 – ANATHEMA
Debut Album: Serenades (1993)
# 79 – STEVE HACKETT
Debut Album: Voyage of the Acolyte (1975)
# 78 – DIXIE DREGS
Debut Album: Freefall (1977)
# 77 – AL STEWART
Debut Album: Bedsitter Images (1967)
# 76 – SAGA
Debut Album: Saga (1978)
# 75 – ATOMIC ROOSTER
Debut Solo Album: Atomic Rooster (1970)
# 74 – RADIOHEAD
Debut Album: Pablo Honey (1993)
# 73 – BILL BRUFORD
Debut Album: Feels So Good To Me (1978)
Essential Song: Triplicity
# 72 – THE WHO
Debut Album: My Generation (1965)
# 71 – DAVID BOWIE
Debut Album: David Bowie (1967)
# 70 – ROBERT FRIPP
Debut Solo Album: Exposure (1979)
# 69 – BRIAN ENO
Debut Solo Album: Here Come the Warm Jets (1974)
# 67 – TWELFTH NIGHT
Debut Album: Skan (1979)
# 66 – TOM WAITS
Debut Album: Closing Time (1973)
# 65 – PALLAS
Debut Album: The Sentinel (1984)
# 64 – THE ENID
Debut Album: In The Region Of The Summer Stars
(1976)
# 63 – SOLSTICE
Debut Album: Silent Dance (1984)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 62 – THE BEATLES
Debut Album: Please Please Me (1963)
# 61 – MAGMA
Debut Album: Magma (1970)
# 60 – OPETH
Debut Album: Orchid (1985)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 59 – QUEEN
Debut Album: Queen (1973)
# 58 – OZRIC TENTACLES
Debut Album: Pungent E ulgent (1989)
# 57 – LED ZEPPELIN
Debut Album: Led Zeppelin (1969)
# 56 – PENDRAGON
Debut Album: The Jewel (1985)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 55 – RICK WAKEMAN
Debut Solo Album: The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973)
# 54 – SPOCK’S BEARD
Debut Album: The Light (1995)
# 53 – ANEKDOTEN
Debut Album: Vemod (1993)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 51 – CURVED AIR
Debut Album: Air Conditioning (1970)
# 50 – FAUST
Debut Album: Faust (1971)
# 49 – FATES WARNING
Debut Album: Night on Bröcken (1984)
# 48 – DAVID GILMOUR
Debut Solo Album: David Gilmour (1978)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
10 Essential David
Gilmour Songs
# 46 – IQ
Debut Album: Tales from the Lush Attic (1983)
10 Essential IQ Songs
# 44- COLOSSEUM
Debut Album: Those Who Are About to Die Salute
You (1969)
# 43- ASIA
Debut Album: Asia (1982)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
Essential Song: Turbulence
# 38 – STRAWBS
Debut Album: Strawbs (1969)
# 36- NEKTAR
Debut Album: Journey to the Centre of the Eye (1971)
# 35 – QUEENSRYCHE
Debut Album: The Warning (1984)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 34 – CAN
Debut Album: Monster Movie (1969)
Essential Album: Aqualung (1971)
# 32 – KATE BUSH
Debut album – The Kick Inside (1978)
# 31 – MUSE
Debut Album: Showbiz (1999)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 30 – TOOL
Debut album: Undertow 1993
Essential Album: Lateralus
# 29 – ROGER WATERS
Debut Solo Album: The Pros and Cons of Hitch
Hiking (1984)
# 28 – HAWKWIND
Debut Album: Hawkwind (1970)
# 27- KRAFTWERK
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 26 – ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
Debut Solo Album: Velvet Darkness (1976)
# 24 – STEVEN WILSON
Debut Solo Album: Insurgentes (2008)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 23 – PETER GABRIEL
Debut Solo Album: Peter Gabriel (1977)
Essential Song: Sledgehammer
# 22 – PROCOL HARUM
Debut Album: Procol Harum (1969)
# 21- RENAISSANCE
Debut Album: Renaissance (1969)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 19 – GONG
Debut album: Magick Brother (1970)
# 18 – GENTLE GIANT
Debut album: Gentle Giant (1970)
# 17 – CARAVAN
Debut album: Caravan (1969)
# 16- RUSH
Debut album: Rush (1974)
# 15 – MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA
Debut album: The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
Essential Album: Apocalypse
# 14 – CAMEL
Debut album: Camel (1973)
# 13 – MARILLION
Debut album: Script for a Jester’s Tear (1983)
# 12 – SOFT MACHINE
Debut album: The Soft Machine (1968)
# 10 – DREAM THEATER
Debut album: When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
# 9 – KANSAS
Debut album: Kansas (1974)
# 8 – PORCUPINE TREE
Debut album: On the Sunday of Life… (1992)
Essential Song: Anesthetize
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 6 – FRANK ZAPPA
Debut album: Freak Out! (1966)
# 5 – KING CRIMSON
Debut album: In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 3 – PINK FLOYD
Most people argued for Pink Floyd. However there were
just a couple who argued against them. Nonetheless,
most fans realize know how important they were in
Progressive Rock history.
# 2 – GENESIS
When we listed the Genesis Peter Gabriel Era in our Top
10 Progressive Rock Bands list, the Steve Hackett fans
went crazy over the fact that we did not specify that
Hackett had continued on for two more albums after
Peter Gabriel left. We also got some emails form angry
Phil Collins fans saying he has been underappreciated in
the band. So, in the end we are just listing Genesis as a
whole in the number three spot based on the amount of
people who argued they should be at the top of the list.
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 1 – YES
Not one person argued against our choice of Yes as the
number one progressive rock band of all time in our top
10 Progressive rock bands list. Furthermore, most
people who commented on the list and sent us emails
all chose Yes. They were the only band in which there
was a complete agreement in their legacy and
importance to rock and roll history. So why oh why did it
take them so long to be inducted into the rock and roll
hall of fame? One thing is certain, if it were real rock and
roll fans voting, Yes would have been inducted in the
rst couple of years.
Why its time to put Yes into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.
Ads by Amazon
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 200 – GILGAMESH
# 199 – FLASH
# 198 – DRUID
# 197 – MESHUGGAH
# 196 – HIGH TIDE
# 195 – GRYPHON
# 194 – FLASH
# 193 – STORMU
# 192 – YAMASHTA’S EAST WIND
# 191 – GREENSLADE
# 190 – KHAN
# 189 – RIVERSIDE
# 188 – MOSTLY AUTUMN
# 187 – JOHN TABACCO
# 186 – ABIGAIL’S GHOST
# 184 – OPUS 5
# 183 – GURU GURU
# 182 – RADIO MOSCOW
# 181 – THE FLYING
LUTTENBACHERS
# 180 – HARMONIUM
# 179 – BIG WRECK
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 178 – GROBSCHNITT
# 177 – SPARTACUS
# 176 – CARIO
# 175 – HAPPY THE MAN
# 174 – KOSTAREV GROUP
# 173 – THE DOORS
# 172 – AMON DUUL II
# 171 – KALUTALIKSUAK
# 170 – BIRDSONGS OF THE
MESOZOIC
# 169 – STYX
# 168 – ART BEARS
# 167 – PREMIATA FORNERIA
MARCONI
# 166 – FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE
# 165 – VINTERSORG
# 164 – A PERFECT CIRCLE
# 163 – FLORENCE AND THE
MACHINE
# 162 – NIGHTINGALE
# 161 – MAGELLEN
# 160 – EVERGREY
# 159 – KARMAKANIC
# 158 – VIOLENT SILENCE
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 91 – MUSE
# 90 – PETER HAMMILL
# 89 – THE DECEMBERISTS
# 88 – COHEED AND CAMBRIA
# 87 – PALLAS
# 86 – QUEEN
# 85 – BEARDFISH
# 84 – ENCHANT
# 83 – SOFT HEAP
# 82 – OSANNA
# 80 – AREA
# 79 – SOLSTICE
# 78 – ANEKDOTEN
# 77 – FAUST
# 76 – STEVE HOWE
# 75 – KRAFTWERK
# 74 – DAVID GILMOUR
# 73 – BIG BIG TRAIN
# 72 – CURVED AIR
# 71 – OZRIC TENTACLES
# 70 – LED ZEPPELIN
# 69 – VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
# 68 – ANATHEMA
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 44 – OPETH
# 43 – SPOCK’S BEARD
# 42 – SPIROGYRA
# 41 – ASIA
# 40 – MARILLION
# 39 – HAWKWIND
# 38 – QUEENSRYCHE
# 37 – STRAWBS
# 36 – MAGNA CARTER
# 35 – HENRY COW
# 34 – KEITH EMERSON AND THE
NICE
# 33 – CAN
# 32 – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
# 31 – MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA
# 30 – PETER GABRIEL
# 29 – ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
# 28 – ATOMIC ROOSTER
# 27 – NEKTAR
# 26 – IQ
# 25 – PORCUPINE TREE
# 24 – BRIAN ENO
# 23 – FRUPP
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5/2/2018 Reader's Top 100 Progressive Rock Bands and Artists of All Time List - ClassicRockHistory.com
# 22 – GONG
# 21 – PAVLOV’S DOG
# 20 – UTOPIA
# 19 – CARAVAN
# 18 – CAMEL
# 17 – RUSH
# 16 – DREAM THEATER
# 15 – STEVE HACKETT
# 14 – GENTLE GIANT
# 13 – JETHRO TULL
# 12 – KANSAS
# 11 – RENAISSANCE
# 10 – THE MOODY BLUES
# 9 – STEVEN WILSON
# 8 – ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
# 6 – KING CRIMSON
# 5 – PINK FLOYD
# 4 – GENESIS
# 3 – EMERSON LAKE & PALMER
# 2 – YES
# 1 – FRANK ZAPPA
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Brian Kachejian
Brian Kachejian is the founder and
Editor in Chief of
ClassicRockHistory.com. Brian Kachejian
is also an award winning writer and
Certi ed New York State History and Music teacher. He
holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University,
New York. Brian Kachejian is also a professional
musician having spent twenty ve years performing on
the concert stage.
2 Comments
Diane Centers MAY 1, 2018
Despite Nirvana’s short tenure due to Kurt
Cobain’s untimely death
(or shall I more accurately say MURDER),
this band stepped into the Rock Music
scene and proceeded to turn it upside
down. They looked and sounded like no
one who came before them.
They, along with Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains,
Seven Mary Three and so many others
literally de ned the sound of a generation,
known as Grunge.
Music that is unapologetically di erent,
bold, intelligent, blatantly honest and lled
with raw emotion…
…and THAT is the very embodiment and
de nition of Progressivism as pertaining to
music of ANY genre.
I may be a bit partial, but I truly believe
Nirvana should have been included, even if
only in the Sta ’s list.
Thanks…Diane Centers of Cincinnati, OH
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