Progressive rock’s heyday was definitely in the 1970s and 1980s, but plenty of new listeners are still learning about the magic of the genre through old albums today. Personally, I think the following progressive rock albums from the 1980s are essential listening for any new fan of the genre. And they honestly sound even better today, decades after they were first released. Let’s jump in!
‘Moving Pictures’ by Rush (1981)
Well, this one just couldn’t be left off our list of the best progressive rock albums of the 1980s. Moving Pictures by Rush makes it to just about every similar list out there. And it’s more than deserving of so much positive attention. Not only was it accessible enough in the early 80s for mainstream audiences and even non-fans of prog, but it also boasted all of the best elements of the genre. “Tom Sawyer” became the band’s signature tune from this album, and the whole of Moving Pictures is still a wild ride from start to finish today.
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‘Misplaced Childhood’ by Marillion (1985)
I don’t know if anyone would consider this gem to be a deep cut, but I certainly had never heard of it until recently. And what an incredible prog album it is! Misplaced Childhood by Marillion dropped back in 1985, and despite being very of its time, it still sounds absolutely amazing today. The themes are interesting as well, as this album explores youth, identity, and a number of other thematic elements. It’s an amazing concept album and an even more impressive prog release. Gotta love those synths, too.
‘Peter Gabriel 3: Melt’ by Peter Gabriel (1980)
I’m a big Peter Gabriel fan, so apologies if this one is self-indulgent. Peter Gabriel 3: Melt is one of the finest progressive rock albums of the early 1980s, and audiences at the time certainly thought so too. Diehard fans of Gabriel consider this solo release to be his crowning achievement, and I agree with that. “Games Without Frontiers” is an almost psychedelic and certainly creative gem from this record, but you really do need to listen to the whole thing to get how good Melt really is. This is a great example of prog getting weird in the best way possible.
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