Part of what makes prog-rock albums such a delight is how forward-thinking many of them are. At least, that’s definitely the case for progressive rock albums that came out decades ago during the genre’s heyday. We’re big fans of the following four records and think they’re still quite ahead of their time, even in the 2020s.
1. ‘Lizard’ by King Crimson
This beloved 1970 record from King Crimson is as prog as it gets. Few bands like this manage to perfectly blend avante-garde jazz with medieval fantasy quite like King Crimson did with Lizard.
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Peter Sinfield did an incredible, poetic job with the complex lyrics on this album, and those classical and jazz-focused arrangements are absolutely beautiful. The finale is over 20 minutes long, and we want it to be even longer.
2. ‘Remember The Future’ by Nektar
Out of all the prog-rock albums on this list, there’s something particularly funky about the 1973 album Remember The Future by Nektar. One could look at it as a single, conceptual song divided up into 10 different tracks, as the rhythm tracks seamlessly weave one song into another.
The way the chord progressions were written was quite smart, and the story behind the album is as bizarre as it is brilliant.
3. ‘Somewhere In Time’ by Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is better known for their heavy metal stylings over progressive rock, but Somewhere In Time is their proggiest work to date.
This record is a classic 1980s album that focuses on the relationship between science fiction and heavy metal, making it very much a product of its time. That being said, the subject matter of this album is quite futuristic compared to similar records from that era. The grooves and solos on this record might just make you ascend to another plane of existence.
4. ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ by Pink Floyd
Well, we couldn’t leave this one out. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd is the prog-rock album of all prog-rock albums.
The techniques used on this album probably wouldn’t be considered “ahead of the time” today. However, the artistry of this progressive psychedelic rock album is on another level. Few bands could craft a concept album around greed, time, mental illness, and death quite like these English rockers did in 1973.
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