The last Top 10 prog rock single? |
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TiddK
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Posted: August 27 2018 at 09:48 |
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See, I have a major problem with that. To me, Radiohead are far more progressive than Marillion ever were. While I agree with you that Marillion are more representative of a 'classic prog sound', that is indeed where the problem lies : how can a band be considered 'prog' if their music conforms to a certain expectation of 'approach to composing songs or a certain sound'? To me, that's a contradiction in terms, as any band that conforms to certain expectations cannot really be described as progressive. The Beatles WERE truly progressive as each album built upon and branched out from the previous one, and that IMO is how it should be, not conformity.
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Saperlipopette!
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Squonk19
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Interestingly, 'There There' was actually the one I thought about regarding Radiohead - so I see where you are coming from. Very much personal taste - but despite me being a fan of much of their output, I still think it is a touch indie/alt rather than prog. I know it's the old argument between what is 'prog' and what is 'progressive' which I don't want to re-open - so I think both these two singles represent the end of an era, I suppose, in slightly different ways.
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“Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.”
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Saperlipopette!
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Squonk19
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Thank you for all your input, folks. Some great posts, even if at times it deviated towards albums rather than singles.
As several have implied (and I agree with), the golden age of the 'single' is sadly over. Downloads and radio play dominate - and the popular culture related to the 'single' is no more. I agree that 'singles' were never important to rock bands (and definitely prog bands) other than a commercial boost (now not the case even) - but as a fan, it was so good to see 'your' band on mainstream media outlets and it did spread the word to some extent. There are people out there whose love of prog started with a popular, and maybe not even representative, single from a particular band. Nowadays, a 'single' release is merely a hint at rock-orientated radio stations to feature a particular song on their playlists (don't even start me on the playlist culture of some stations!) Having taken up some comments, and trawled through the likes of Wikipedia, I am still of the opinion that the last straight down the line, traditional prog rock single in the UK Top 10 was 'Incommunicado' by Marillion in early 1987. I don't think anything released by Kate Bush, Muse or Radiohead was truly as pure prog as that - even if I'll concede it was prog-related. Even though 2012 saw a version of 'Running Up That Hill' following the Olympics - it wasn't new or created that popular ripple that a hit single used to do for artists or bands. Still - it is good to see some modern prog bands still get some album success of sorts in the album charts (even if it is short-lived or in specialist charts) - let's face it - if everyone liked our music of choice, it wouldn't be so special! |
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“Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.”
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TiddK
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Radiohead - definitely! Also Goldfrapp, Mercury Rev, Steve Wilson, Flaming Lips, even Father John Misty, and many many other acts you may or may not have heard of such as The Besnard Lakes, and Explosions In The Sky. However, even Radiohead are unlikely to trouble the singles charts these days. And what are the singles charts now anyway? A blend of reality show wannabes, streaming downloads, and god knows what else! I think they are pretty much worthless now and I doubt there's even a Top 20 show on the radio now. Footnote: much of Kate Bush's output definitely is progressive, as is Björk's.
Edited by TiddK - August 26 2018 at 12:02 |
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tribalfusions
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This album from Big Wreck made Canada's top 5 in 2017 (as did the two albums before it in 2012 and 2014) . You can hear the Dregs/Steve Morse and Rush here quite easily: Edited by tribalfusions - August 24 2018 at 14:04 |
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tribalfusions
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Also, the Von Hertzen Brothers have had number one albums in Finland in 2008, 2011 and 2015.
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tribalfusions
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Other people who should be mentioned in various prog-related ways: Nightwish in Finland Caetano Veloso in Brazil Pino Daniele in Italy Big Wreck in Canada
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ForestFriend
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Downloads, streaming & YouTube are indeed calculated in the Billboard charts these days!
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cstack3
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Is chart position even relevant in the 21st Century?
What about Youtube watches, digital downloads etc.? Or are these calculated into the "single" designation? In 1972, "Roundabout" by Yes peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the Cash Box Top 100 singles charts.[3] ELP's "From the Beginning" reached No. 39 on US Billboard's Hot 100 in 1972. Focus' "Hocus Pocus" reached No. 9 on US Billboard's Top 100 in 1973. Etc. etc. I believe that singles from GTR, Asia and other later bands also charted very high. |
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Hercules
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That's pretty much it. Very few prog bands specifically wrote a song to try to get a no1 hit. Kayleigh and Part of the Union are two exceptions that come to mind. Both nearly succeeded.
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octopus-4
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Franco Battiato has been #1 in the Italian charts several times. The last, I think, with "La Cura" which is now considered a classic also in the mainstream world.
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Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half.
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BrufordFreak
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David Bowie's "Lazarus" peaked at #40 on Billboard Hot 100 on 1-30-2016. But then, is/was Bowie prog or was he not prog? Was this song prog or was it not prog? Was that last album (so highly acclaimed on this site) prog or not??
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Drew Fisher
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RoeDent
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As bands stay prog throughout their career (once defined, always defined, despite what certain snobs will tell you)...Marillion's You're Gone got to the UK top 10 in 2004.
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M27Barney
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Does anybody know of a CD with extended versions of famous pop/prog hits like life on mars and Vienna...those tracks extended would be awesome prog tracks...
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Catcher10
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Songs......Pink Floyd~Another Brick = US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at #1 Album........JTull~TAAB = US Billboard 200, peaked #1 and A Passion Play also peaked at #1 source:wiki
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ForestFriend
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I'm under the impression most prog bands just wanted to make good music. And if their definition of good includes a 20 minute exploration one day and a catchy pop tune the next, so be it. Even Genesis' 70s albums would be prog epic - silly short tune - prog epic, etc.
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richardh
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In my head Paranoid Android was the last real prog track to make an impression on the charts although perhaps Kate Bush - King Of The Mountain (2005) could be a contender?. Muse often make the charts but their most proggie tracks are usually left on the albums although Knights Of Cydonia certainly qualifies. In the seventies there were a number of big prog hits . Curved Air - Back Street Luv with that wonderful Moog at the heart of the track is probably my favourite. |
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tempest_77
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If we look a little further back in Muse and Radiohead's discographies:
Three of Muse's more progressive tracks have reached pretty high on the UK Singles chart: "Knights of Cydonia" reached #10 back in 2006, and before that, in 2001 and 2004, "New Born" and "Butterflies and Hurricanes" just missed the top 10, coming in at #12 and #14 respectively. As for Radiohead, two of their proggy singles from 1997 and 2001 hit pretty high on the same chart: the epic "Paranoid Android" at #3 and the whacky "Pyramid Song" at #5 respectively. In general, this follows a trend that has always been prevalent in the history of progressive rock, which is the UK being more receptive to prog than the US. It's hard for any rock band, let alone a prog rock band, to get into the Top 100 these days. However, if we look at the Mainstream Rock chart (admittedly much easier for them to get onto), Dream Theater's "Pull Me Under" reached #10 back 1992. Tool has had quite a few major hits on this chart, including "The Pot" which reached #1, "Schism" and "Vicarious", both of which hit #2, Jambi, which reached #7, and Parabola at #10. The epic title track from Lateralus also reached #14. The only song Mastodon ever had in the top 10 on this chart was the very un-prog "Show Yourself" at #4, with the only songs coming close being "Curl of the Burl" at #15 and the prog-ish "Steambreather" at #18. If we stretch it to the top 40, though, they've had a few real prog hits, including "The Motherload" at #24, "Oblivion" at #30, and "Colony of Birchmen" at #33. As someone pointed out, it's much more common for prog bands these days to hit high on the album charts, rather than the singles charts; while it's still hard to break into in the US, top album charts are usually a little more receptive to other forms of music, rather than just pop. Using the examples already here, Muse hit #3 with Origin of Symmetry and has hit #1 with everything from Black Holes and Revelations through Drones. Radiohead has hit #1 with everything from OK Computer through In Rainbows, as well as with their latest, A Moon Shaped Pool. Their only mildly prog sophomore album, The Bends, reached #4, and The King of Limbs reached #7. As for other UK acts, the main one that comes to mind is Steven Wilson, who almost broke the top 10 with Hand. Cannot. Erase. at #13, and later did with To the Bone at #3. As for our US bands, Dream Theater has reached the top 10 with 3 of their latest albums, and has hit the top 20 with the past 5—Systematic Chaos, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, A Dramatic Turn of Events, Dream Theater, and The Astonishing—at #19, #6, #8, #7, and #11 respectively. Tool hit #2 with Ænima and #1 with both Lateralus and 10,000 Days. Mastodon almost broke 10 in 2009 with Crack the Skye reaching #11, and The Hunter, Once More 'Round the Sun, and Emperor of Sand have all broken 10 at #10, #6, and #7 respectively. Another US band, The Mars Volta, had 3 top 10 albums in a row with Frances the Mute, Amputechture, and The Bedlam in Goliath reaching #4, #9, and #3 respectively. The Decemberists have also charted pretty high, and while only their last three albums, none of which are prog, have broken the top 10, their most recent prog album, The Hazards of Love, almost broke 10 back in 2009 at #14.
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