Top 10 Best Progressive Rock Bands

Rush is okay, ELP is amazing, and Supertramp is underrated. However, in the end, Pink Floyd will always be THE master of Progressive Rock. Not just progressive rock, but let's say... rock in general. Now that I think about it, they were the best in the entire history of music. Seriously, there's nothing like Pink Floyd. NOTHING. Their music was unique. What's even more impressive is that each of their songs has a distinct style. There isn't a single Pink Floyd song that sounds like another. If you've listened to all of their albums, you know what I mean.

Just consider A Saucerful of Secrets, Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, and Division Bell. All four albums were produced by the same team, yet they all sound completely different. Pink Floyd wasn't afraid to follow their artistic vision. Also, I want to address a misconception. People who claim you need LSD or some kind of drug to appreciate Pink Floyd are simply wrong. Why? Because Pink Floyd's music itself is a trip. It's an auditory journey like no other. Pink Floyd forever.

Dude! They have 20 studio albums, started in 1968, and never broke up. They boast the greatest rock bassist, the greatest rock drummer, and an incredible guitarist. I understand that some people aren't big fans of their lyrics, and they weren't as commercially successful, but give them a chance.

They've produced some powerful albums, especially ones like Counterparts, Test For Echo, Grace Under Pressure, and Fly By Night, to name a few. For 40 years, they've been a band. They took a 6-year hiatus but have never called it quits. They always find ways to try new musical styles and make their next album better than the last.

Listen to Geddy Lee's bass solos and Neil Peart's drumming. They are unbelievably good! And don't overlook Alex Lifeson's solos. There's powerful stuff in all of their albums. They deserve the number 1 slot! In my opinion, they're not only the best prog rock band but the best band ever.

From Trespass to Seconds Out, the albums are incredible. In my opinion, Peter Gabriel is one of the greatest singers in rock history. And let's talk about Phil Collins' drumming on those albums. He's possibly the best prog rock drummer, second only to Mr. Bill Bruford. He doesn't just pound on the drums. He plays intricate patterns in some of the most challenging time signatures. Like other progressive rock bands, Genesis boasts extremely talented musicians.

I find Pink Floyd to be overrated. The standout members in that band were David Gilmour and Richard Wright (RIP). Yes, they made good music, but I wouldn't categorize it all as prog. They leaned more towards art rock, with some tracks having a prog essence (like Animals), but largely, they were more psychedelic and experimental. Rush shifted more towards hard rock with their Moving Pictures album. If I were to rank, I'd say the top three would be Genesis, Yes, and King Crimson. But, of course, this is all just my opinion.

Come on, they've got to be higher than this. Pink Floyd is obviously number one, but this should be at number 2! I love them because of all the variety in their music. Just listen to different parts of their career! You can hardly tell they're the same band.

Their first period of music, in my opinion, was from 1969-70 with their first three albums. ITCOTCK is very complex and innovative. Remember, this was 1969. Progressive rock was hardly in its infancy yet. Lizard is a very weird album with strange lyrics. In 1971, they released Islands. I love the jazz-rock style they went for here. The title track is beautiful.

From 1973-74, they started to make heavier and more experimental music. In 1981-84, they delved into more new wave and a bit of pop music. From 1995-2003, they got WAY heavier than ever and made tons of industrial rock. Some songs could even be considered progressive metal. Now that they've reformed again, who knows what direction they will take!

Sheer epic brilliance on six albums in a row, and each one is different. Yes had five genius musicians, but their musical input combined into something much grander, melodic, and moving than just a bunch of technical whizzes showing off.

Yes was not just impressive. Their music was emotional, intense, and moving, but also very entertaining. And they could do it all live! No one else pulled this off to such a degree.

The brilliance may have diminished after the mid-'80s, but from '71 to '84, Yes was on an unmatched creative roll!

I'll say this now: I'm 17, meaning I'm young enough to have missed both major prog rock eras. However, I've known about prog for a good 5 years. Only recently have I started listening to the older bands. Moving Pictures and In the Court of the Crimson King (though Discipline came close) are my favorite albums thus far.

So, with this in mind, you may wonder what kept my prog fandom going for half a decade? It was Porcupine Tree, plain and simple. It was at least four and a half years before I heard other 90s bands such as Tool and Dream Theater. All I'm saying is, they must have done something right.

Not as good as Rush or Pink Floyd, but by God, they are good. John Petrucci is one of the greatest guitarists, period, and the same goes for John Myung on bass. James LaBrie has a great voice too. They are different than your average metal band.

There are no deep metal "screams" and they don't have the typical lyrics and subject matter either. They really do have some interesting lyrics if you listen. They've produced some of the best solos and riffs ever. They're also great to see live.

Their newer stuff isn't as good, but "Images and Words", "Scenes From A Memory", "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", and "Octavarium" are all masterpieces. They're definitely not for everyone. I think guitarists and bassists appreciate them more than the average person. Being a guitarist myself, I can attest to this. They're a great band that I believe stands alongside Sabbath, Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica in the fact that all metalheads and guitarists like them.

What I like about ELP more than some other Prog Rock bands is the huge focus on the keys, the bass, and the drums. Most bands emphasize the electric guitar, but this band has Keith Emerson controlling the melody of the song. In that case, an electric guitar is insufficient.

With the variety brought to the table by Greg Lake, no song sounded like it was missing something. He sang, he played the bass, and he even picked up the guitar for some songs. This showed dedication and the diversity that Greg Lake brought to the band. And finally, Carl Palmer is a truly great drummer. He added rhythms that didn't always sound jazzy or grand, although he did for some songs. He added what was best for the song and the atmosphere created by Emerson and Lake. One of my favorite moments from Palmer was from the song "Rondo" (Live at Lyceum 1970). He had an excellent, long drum solo in which he really pushed the song forward through his extreme rudiments and skill.

I think that this band should be more well-known. I cannot get enough of ELP.

There is no one like Ian Anderson and no band like Tull, then or now. There's no middle ground here - you either love or hate this music. Like Yes, and to a lesser extent Genesis, the greatness diminished with the onslaught of the 80s.

But up to A, they were my favorite band of the genre. Ian is the auteur of Prog, in my useless opinion, up until his voice abandoned him. But even after that unfortunate occurrence, there were gems to be mined. Watch their live performances from the 70s and bow down to breathtaking oddity and greatness. Och Aye!

When you really think about it, any genuine prog rock fan cannot deny the incredible musical dexterity of Gentle Giant. They overlaid rhythms and vocals with some of the most complex compositions of any of the prog groups in existence.

I am a big fan of well-known prog bands such as Yes, Tull, Crimso, UK, and ELP. However, Gentle Giant is unmatched in many ways, and each album offers a new height that the band reached at the time of its release. While each album from 1970 through 1976 was once my favorite, nearly four decades later, my vote goes to Octopus for being the quintessential Gentle Giant offering.

If you haven't indulged yet, check them out and acquire the taste! - Eric Haubner

First, psychedelic and progressive are not exactly the same. The Moody Blues had multi-level meaningful themes - from individual to national, to global, to cosmic levels of analysis - and a variety of sounds. This should place them next to Pink Floyd.

To rank such seemingly irrelevant or lesser-known bands as Yes or Emerson ahead of the Moody Blues is a great injustice. This is similar to their extremely late entrance into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which feels like an ignorant oversight, akin to the biases seen in Hollywood.

I agree that The Moody Blues should definitely be in the top 5 and that "their core 7 albums are pure genius." They elevated the mellotron to new heights, and their harmony singing was unparalleled. Although Justin Hayward sang lead on most of their hits, many of my favorite songs were sung by the other three lead singers: keyboardist Mike Pinder, flautist Ray Thomas, and bassist John Lodge.

I love Kansas. They're not quite like any other Prog band. They have a violin and a more orchestral sound than most prog bands. They weren't early enough to be a Prog pioneer, so they just sort of took the concept in a different direction. It's sort of like Pink Floyd but in another direction. They are certainly the first good American Prog group, and somehow that's perceived as bad by some.

I won't lie and say that Kansas kept making the best music ever into the 80s and 90s, although some of their later stuff is fine. I just prefer Kansas in the 70s more than any other band at any other point. Choosing a longer-standing band with a less impressive peak is like picking sour candy over chocolate. Who does that?

And I don't think they get enough credit for their hot period because A) they started in nowhere America, B) they started in the mid-70s as opposed to the late 60s, and they had cooled off a few years after people had finally caught on to how great they were. Listen to their first 3 albums. They're just as good as the next 2, which are the only ones people know from them because they hadn't caught on yet.

What can I say? Just as The Beatles used to innovate, Camel capitalized on blending genres. In most of their songs, you get a fusion of Rock, Classical, Orchestra, and other musical elements, all in one track. I've always admired how they could craft a 9-minute song and make it feel like just a few minutes.

You can sense the effort and meticulous care the band pours into all their music. They employ a myriad of instruments, and the fine details genuinely shine through, without feeling excessive. The vocals, though sparse, evoke a haunting ambiance that complements the music.

Camel's music is melodic and beautiful. Although they use time signatures like 5/4 and 7/4, the music never feels complex just for the sake of being complex. Numerous talented musicians have been part of the band over the years, including Peter Bardens, who contributed significantly to the unique Camel sound, and Andy Ward, the exceptional drummer for all their 1970s material.

However, it's the unparalleled Andrew Latimer, a deeply emotional guitarist and flautist and a gifted composer, who is the heart and soul of this fantastic band.

The greatest band since The Beatles! Music that never grows old, whether you're in your teens or in your 60s. This band's greatness, along with the other fifty or so albums these astounding musicians made with each other under a variety of names (Peter Hammill, The Long Hello, Nic Potter, Judge Smith, Guy Evans, David Jackson) from 1967 until now (2016), and currently awaiting a brand new VdGG album (out September 30, 2016) - all prove quite substantially that these guys make up the ultimate prog band.

No other comes even close. Sorry Genesis, Yes, and King Crimson fans. As for Pink Floyd, you may ask? They don't have enough material to compete with VdGG's prolific output. Van der Graaf Generator is for everyone!

I agree. Child in Time is prog. Try listening to April from 1969 and tell me that it's anything but prog. It's absolutely awesome, but mostly lost, as Deep Purple fans are generally oblivious to the early stuff.

I love this band. But they are not a progressive rock band. Maybe they're closer to a heavy metal blues band or just a metal band. However, that being said, they are one of the greatest bands of all time.

Deep Purple was formed as a progressive rock band and carried that style throughout their early years. They are one of the absolute best. Being 17th on this list is a joke.

They are progressive rock in the sense that Jeff Lynne openly embraced classical music and combined it with classic rock to create something unique. They advanced rock in an intriguing direction while still remaining widely accessible.

I find it hard to believe that ELO hasn't been on this list before. Some of their prog rock songs are among the best I've ever heard, and they remain one of my favorite bands today.

What?! ELO has to be my favorite band, alongside The Who and Pink Floyd. But why are The Who, Queen, and Smashing Pumpkins included here?

Highly underrated. I find them to be the most interesting, complex, and original band of the last few decades. I especially appreciate them for not being preoccupied with just sounding "so metal" (not that the other bands necessarily are, but some fans would want them to).

Fascinating harmonies, always surprising, delicious, original, and fresh on every level. Not swamped in cliches. Music that is both intelligent and atmospheric.

18? This band should be much higher. There is a ton of variety in their music, with some of it being very heavy and containing death growls, and some of it very soft with clean vocals.

They have been very prolific over the years with 11 studio albums since 1995. They are one of the best prog bands out there.

Contrary to what many believe, Queen was very much a Progressive Rock band. Their earliest works showcased their most intricately constructed pieces and innovative studio engineering. Their mid-career marked a more Pop-driven era, but they concluded with a more refined Prog Rock sound.

Even Bohemian Rhapsody is a distinguished Progressive Rock track. Its immense popularity might overshadow its progressive nature, but it was ahead of its time. Prog is all about innovating with unique song structures, often merging classical themes with experimental recording. Queen embodies this essence.

Queen II and A Night At The Opera are remarkable Prog albums, while The Miracle and Innuendo aptly encapsulate their association with the genre. Labeling them merely as Pop and Rock would be a dramatic understatement.

Who compiled this list?

It doesn't make sense!

Yes, Genesis, Supertramp.

Close to the Edge, Selling England by the Pound, and Crime of the Century are the definitive prog rock albums to bring to a desert island. There are many more albums by the same bands, but these are the perfect ones. Think about it!

I'm astounded how low (#17) Supertramp is on the list.

Honestly? Supertramp is a terrific band with at least three solid albums (Crime Of The Century, Even In The Quietest Moments, Breakfast In America) and many well-written tracks.

I'm especially huge on "Fool's Overture." It's genuinely beautiful: fantastic vocals from Hodgson per usual and Churchill's social commentary was a clever touch.

While not officially a prog rock band, I do see hints of prog in some of their songs, especially if you delve deeper into their discography and move away from their pop rock hits. Either way, I love the band.

Whilst not the greatest progressive rock band (that belongs to either Genesis or Yes), these five fantastic musicians created some of the genre's finest material, including the eight-minute masterpiece "Ocean Gypsy" and the 24-minute "Song of Scheherazade," which is one of the most underrated epics of the genre.

These classically trained musicians are unique among the genre, and Annie Haslam's voice is possibly one of the finest of the 20th century. The rest of the band weren't that bad either.

Although this probably isn't the best band of all time and wasn't very influential, I feel that Renaissance is so underrated. Almost nobody knows them, and it's easy to see their greatness. Just listen to the whole Ashes Are Burning, Mother Russia, Song of Scheherazade, or anything. It is quite epic.

You just can't deny their progressive elements, such as fusing so many genres and their unorthodox writing. It's just how it is.