The 2000s: the second best decade for prog?

Guldbamsen wrote: I guess it's all down to what you think of as being prog (no let's not get into that again), but if we're simply talking bands featured on PA, then I'd take the 80s over anything since due to the incredible RIO/Avant boom.  Yeah well maybe not. I just find it hard to put one decade over another when talking about music.

I agree wholeheartedly. Even in the "dreaded 80s" there are still a collection on gems and wonderful albums that people often overlook just because of their vintage. We might also be looking at the last two decades through rose tinted glasses just because it is easier to see and discover the wealth of music that is out there.

In the 90s you have Spock's Beard, TFK and Porcupine Tree starting (all titans in the prog scene) - in the 00's they slow down a bit - and SB and TFK have had major reboots in recent years with some of their highest rated albums. For those bands the 00s could be seen as their own slow time, their own 80s.

I think looking at things in very broad strokes would see a higher audience because of accessibility (the internet) but overall every decade has it's ups and downs - along with definite defined styles that each band uses to various degrees with varying degrees of success depending on the listener (I for one cherish the entirety of Rush's 80s synth drenched output.) and in that regard you could see prog being it's most "pure" at different times.

Mellotron Storm wrote: Svetonio wrote: ProgSword wrote: (...)  And also, what do you all think of how this decade will match up with the rest? I think the 2010s have done a pretty good job running with the momentum last decade had. I think that this decade is already great. And I don't think that the best new prog bands will turn into pop-rock in the second half of this dacade as it was the case with many of the 70s bigs in the second half of '70s and beyond. I don't think anyone would think a Prog band would switch to Pop in this day and age. Why would they? What happened with many of the seventies bands who continued to make music into the eighties was unique to that time.

Svetonio wrote: ProgSword wrote: (...)  And also, what do you all think of how this decade will match up with the rest? I think the 2010s have done a pretty good job running with the momentum last decade had. I think that this decade is already great. And I don't think that the best new prog bands will turn into pop-rock in the second half of this dacade as it was the case with many of the 70s bigs in the second half of '70s and beyond.

I fully agree with this.

^Good topic!  I agree, the Internet has had a very beneficial effect upon prog.  Sites like Youtube have brought a great catalog of rarely-seen footage, and new music has many outlets - direct sales to fans from bands, streaming, sampling etc.