10 Progressive Rock Albums a Newbie Needs to Own!

Join Pete Pardo for 10 must-have progressive rock albums for the newbie. This is your prog rock 'starter pack'!

[seanbelcher]

I'm starting my prog rock journey today. Thanks Pete

[donnybrookdetritus]

In the Court of - King Crimson
Close to the Edge - Yes
Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
Brain Salad - ELP
Octopus - Gentle Giant
Hemispheres - Rush
Selling England - Genesis
Dark Side - Pink Floyd
Leftoverture - Kansas
Days of Future Passed - Moody Blues

[thekivster]

I think Camel is a good accessible choice for someone who's new to prog.

[MikeSheldrake]

My 10 picks for the prog newbie -

In The Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
The Yes Album - Yes
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
Argus - Wishbone Ash
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
A Trick of the Tail - Genesis
Permanent Waves - Rush
Brain Salad Surgery - ELP
Force Majeure - Tangerine Dream😎

[Crumpet_Central_]

My personal 10 picks:
1. King Crimson - In the courrt of the Crimson King
2. Yes - The Yes Album
3. Jethro Tull - Auqualung
4. Genesis - Nursery Cryme
5. ELP - Brain Salad Surgery
6. Camel - Mirage
7. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
8. Pink Floyd - Wish you were Here
9. Kansas - Leftoverture
10. Rush - Moving Pictures

[pal-of-pals]

The Yes Album was my introduction to Yes and prog rock in general. Been a huge fan of the genre ever since

[carlwmpylu]

No need to apologise for Kansas. One of the greatest prog bands ever, in this UK resident's opinion, at least. 👍

[thewalofsleep]

My list
Genesis - Foxtrot
Yes - Close to the Edge
Camel - Mirage
Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (because I'm going to assume the person has already heard DOSTM)
Rush - A Farewell to Kings
Nektar - Remember the Future
Kansas - Leftoverture
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - debut

[guytracy]

I guess my list has some prog influenced or prog hard rock albums on it but it’s the list that pulled me into a deep appreciation for the genre as a teen in the 1970’s.

Styx - The Grand Illusion
Rush - 2112
Genesis - Duke
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Kansas - Left Overture
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Yes - Fragile
ELP - Tarkus
Wishbone Ash - Argus

[awesoanimations]

I’m not the biggest prog guy out there, but I am a fan of a decent number of bands that happen to be prog. Here’s my list of albums that got me into the style:

1. The Yes Album - Yes
Not their proggiest album, but probably the best entry point into their catalog. It’s very melodic and accessible while still being musically complex and interesting.

2. Permanent Waves - Rush
This is, in my opinion, the best starting album for Rush because you can easily go from this one to nearly any other Rush album based on what you like. Are you a fan of the more radio-friendly sounds of “The Spirit of Radio?” You’ll love Moving Pictures. Enjoying “Freewill?” Try Fly By Night or A Farewell to Kings. Is “Natural Science” a favorite? Go over to Hemispheres. And if you’re more into “Entre Nous, ” you might like Signals or Grace Under Pressure.

3. Selling England by the Pound - Genesis
My personal favorite Genesis album, and the first one I really took to. I think this one has their best songs in general, with heavy hitters like “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight” and “Firth of Fifth, ” along with easier tracks like “I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe” and “More Fool Me.” Overall, just a wonderful listen for a first timer, in my experience.

4. Heavy Horses - Jethro Tull
I’m a recent Tull fan, only having gotten into them over the past couple of years. I remember starting with Aqualung and Thick as a Brick, but I didn’t enjoy them because I felt like I was immediately jumping in at the deep end. Then I moved to their “folk” period and quickly fell in love with it. I picked Heavy Horses for this because I think it has the most accessible material on it to start with (mainly “Wild Acres, ” “The Rover, ” “Journeyman, ” and “Heavy Horses”). I must say that all of the folk period is great, though, and all are equally good for starters.

5. Song for America - Kansas
American Prog Alert! Many will argue that this isn’t the first Kansas album you should listen to to get into prog. Some will say this isn’t even a prog album! But I think it’s a great introduction to the style. Many of the songs are very bluesy, which makes it very accessible to fans of blues rock. And most of the songs are lengthy epics with changing sections and wonderful instrumentation that can warm newcomers up for other prog epics.

6. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
I mean, it was the first true prog album. I think it’s a must-listen just for that fact. I’m still not a big King Crimson fan, but this is a strong album and an essential listen for people getting into prog.

7. Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
One of my personal favorite prog albums, especially since it’s more of a jazz album. Greg Lake, formerly of King Crimson, is on bass and vocals here and displays his abilities wonderfully. Keith Emerson’s piano playing is great on this album, especially on “Take a Pebble, ” and Carl Palmer’s drumming is masterful across the whole album. Anyone who enjoys great, high quality musicianship will love this album, especially if they have an appreciation for jazz.

8. Three Friends - Gentle Giant
I know, I know, Octopus should be here instead. But I find Octopus to be such a strange album and not at all beginner friendly. In fact, I find it to be the least accessible of the Gentle Giant albums from 1972 to 1977. Three Friends, on the other hand, is very easy to listen to, without sacrificing the prog sensibility. The instrumentation on display is insanely good and the vocals are anywhere from strikingly powerful to simply angelic. The songs on here are more straightforward than most of those on their other albums, so I think it makes for a great introduction to Gentle Giant. Also, it’s a concept album, so it’s a pretty good introduction to those, too.

9. Animals - Pink Floyd
I don’t really consider Pink Floyd a “prog” band. I think of them as more of a psych rock group, though they do have their prog moments. And Animals is filled with those moments. First of all, it’s another concept album, this time with epic-length songs. The epics on here are incredible and take the listener on a journey with each one. The musicianship on display is great and pretty heavy, so this could be a good introduction to some heavier prog.

10. Days of Future Passed - The Moody Blues
So technically, this could be considered the very first prog album, even before King Crimson came along. But I don’t think of it as prog in the same way as King Crimson or Yes or any of the major prog groups. This album is very orchestral, and it feels like the soundtrack to a classic Disney movie. I think it’s a good album to get into more symphonic prog. And for the more casual listeners, it has the classic “Nights in White Satin, ” and the end of “Evening” is sounds really cool.

[christopherthomas]

In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson
Close To The Edge -Yes
Trick Of The Tail - Genesis
Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd
Tarkus - ELP
Brave - Marillion
Ashes Are Burning - Renaissance
The Raven That Refused To Sing - Steven Wilson
Pawn Hearts - Van der Graaf Generator
Moonmadness - Camel

I think those would provide a nice mix for a newbie.
Early Kansas, Rush, Tull, Moody Blues et al also in with a shout.

[michaelvandiver]

Totally agree with you about The Yes Album! Best place to start.

[carlosdanger]

Genesis - Duke
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Yes - Fragile
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
King Crimson - Red
ELP - Tarkus
Rush - A Farewell to Kings
Kansas - Leftoverture
Supertramp - Breakfast in America

[knxpUnk]

Styx - Grand Illusion is another I might recommend. Great show Pete!

[ArchStanton]

Good list, but Kansas, Supertramp, Marillion and Porcupine Tree over Rush? Never. Newbies HAVE to listen to either 2112 or Moving Pictures.

[TABLSIX]

My picks:

Yes - The Yes Album (Thought Pete was going to go Fragile. This was the first Yes I've heard and I have never been the same.)
Rush - Moving Pictures (I just can't leave them off the list. And a newbie has probably heard some of this.)
Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (This is the first one from the early prog era that I heard)
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (I heard Discipline first, but that may be over the head for a newbie)
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery (Come to the SHOW!!!)
Kansas - Leftoverture (I was thinking "Point of Know Return" might be better, but in this case lets throw the newbies into the fire.)
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (I'm matching Pete too much. This was the first Floyd I heard.)
Jethro Tull - Aqualung (First Tull I heard)
Alan Parsons Project - I Robot (One of my favorite albums of all time.)
Gentle Giant - Freehand (This is what got me hooked.)

[andretmadrid]

My favorite on this list is "brain salad surgery", by ELP. Keith Emerson was, without a doubt, one of the great exponents of the prog rock scene. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[Dromeusik]

Great picks!
For whatever reason this is my very personal prog album selection (in alphabetcal order):
A Salty Dog - Procol Harum
Brain Salad Surgery - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Close to the Edge - Yes
Images and Words - Dream Theater
Lizard - King Crimson
Playing the Fool - Gentle Giant
Selling England by the Pound - Genesis
Stand Up - Jethro Tull
The Tall Ships - It Bites
Valentyne Suite - Colloseum

[mazephobiarecords]

yes - close to the edge
king crimson - in the court of crimson king
elp - tarkus
genesis - selling england by the pound
pink floyd - dark side of the moon
Jethro tull - aqualung
camel - moonmadness
rush - 2112
caravan - in the land of grey and pink
gentle giant - octopus

[cwilliamson]

Great list, Pete! For me, my 3 gateway bands were Yes, Rush, and Kansas. I would include a Rush album like Fly by Night or A Farewell to Kings since they both had radio hits that might be familiar to newbies.