Worst Year For Classic Progressive Rock?

I haven't bought any album or rarely bought albums from the late year because of that. So I would guess 78 - 79 also

Cheesecakemouse wrote: in the dark years of 78-80s Rush was really the only group to keep the torch alight. Mind you 78 had Magma's Attahk, not a bad album, but then they broke up. So Rush was the only hope until Neo Prog.

I noticed that prog didn't really die out. It just went sputtering, but bands like Rush and Marillion somewhat kept the genre alive in the 80s

Rush, I think, was the leading prog band for that period in the late 70s until the early 80s. The only year they didn't have a release was 1979. Then where Rush weakened, Marillion took up the challenge as a neo-prog band.

I figure that the "dark ages" for prog were probably that period from the late 80s to the early 90s, then it got revived by bands like Tool and Dream Theater to be what it is now.

Haha. I don't know why I pointed that out, and I don't know if it's even accurate to say that, but it's just an observation.

It's just a little too obvious to add any year after 1979, since prog didn't figure too prominently in the music world after that... So I just took these years into consideration... like "the worst of the best years for prog rock"

MANDRAKEROOT wrote: THE YEARS BETWEEN 1977 and 1989

Abstrakt wrote: 1977 was dry...

I think that would depend on taste, especially the sound. The sound is changing at that time for sure, but to my taste it's for the better.

Prog for me would not be the same without (by PA top 100 rating):

GENESIS     Wind And Wuthering (A fine non-Gabriel album)
YES     Going for the One (for me the best Yes album!)
JETHRO TULL     Songs From The Wood (for me the best JT album!)
SHAKTI with John McLaughlin     Natural Elements (5/5 for me)

and I think it was a fine year for jazz rock fusion:

AL DI MEOLA     Elegant Gypsy
BRAND X     Livestock
     Morrocan Roll
Weather Report: Heavy Weather
among others

And at the top of course you'd find

PINK FLOYD Animals
RUSH A Farewell to Kings

and
Genesis and Gentle Giant with live albums...
    

Edited by esha9751 - May 20 2006 at 12:29

lastdodobird wrote: Well, pretty much everyone thinks that 1973 was the best year for prog rock, now what's the worst? And why?

If you look at the top of TOP-100 (or rather at the TOP-10 where Fragile used to belong so I count it in here) 1972 seems the better year...

esha9751 wrote: lastdodobird wrote: Well, pretty much everyone thinks that 1973 was the best year for prog rock, now what's the worst? And why? If you look at the top of TOP-100 (or rather at the TOP-10 where Fragile used to belong so I count it in here) 1972 seems the better year...

Oh okay. I was just basing that on the poll I made asking which the best year for prog rock was, and 1973 was the runaway winner

lastdodobird wrote: Cheesecakemouse wrote: in the dark years of 78-80s Rush was really the only group to keep the torch alight. Mind you 78 had Magma's Attahk, not a bad album, but then they broke up. So Rush was the only hope until Neo Prog. I noticed that prog didn't really die out. It just went sputtering, but bands like Rush and Marillion somewhat kept the genre alive in the 80s. Rush, I think, was the leading prog band for that period in the late 70s until the early 80s. The only year they didn't have a release was 1979. Then where Rush weakened, Marillion took up the challenge as a neo-prog band.I figure that the "dark ages" for prog were probably that period from the late 80s to the early 90s, then it got revived by bands like Tool and Dream Theater to be what it is now.Haha. I don't know why I pointed that out, and I don't know if it's even accurate to say that, but it's just an observation.It's just a little too obvious to add any year after 1979, since prog didn't figure too prominently in the music world after that... So I just took these years into consideration... like "the worst of the best years for prog rock"

If you study TOP-100 (it's not the Bible, I know ) that picture is confirmed - regarding Rush and Marillion. BTW I got my idea supported: that the great time of prog were the years 1970-77

'69 has got 2 albums in the TOP-100
'70-77 has got around 60 albums
(1970     5     all in lower half
1971          8     
1972          10     (Incl. Deep Purple)
1973          9     
1974          9     (Incl. Queen)
1975          6     
1976          5     
1977          7)     
'78-79 has got 3(!)
'80-89 has got 5 (neo-prog)
90-99 has got 10 (prog metal and some neo-prog and Porcupine Tree)
2000-2005 'round 20 (prog metal even more dominating)

So if that's the true tendency (exponential growth!?) prog is really on its way back!

Arsillus wrote: 1979- Because the Wall was released. Terrible album....

I absolutely agree. The Wall is a disaster

"The Wall" is a MASTERPIECE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prolly 79. The Wall issue aside, the only great studio album released was Spectral Mornings. And Joe's Garage?