Who is your favorite second tier prog band?

Of King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, ELP, Pink Floyd, and Genesis, only one of these received virtually no radio airplay in the prime years of prog.  Genesis was as obscure to most people as Gentle Giant until well after Peter Gabriel left, and they became a pop band.  While there music was every bit as prog as the rest of the list (and moreso than at least two), I believe that would make them second tier.  Their popularity came in retrospect of their prog history.

Other. Jade Warrior.

Prog_Traveller wrote: thellama73 wrote: Prog_Traveller wrote: The Dark Elf wrote: zeqexes wrote: ProgMetaller2112 wrote: bytor2112 wrote: ProgMetaller2112 wrote: VDGG and Gentle Giant aren't second tier  I tend to think of them as second tier, where as bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, ELP, Pink Floyd, and Genesis (the big 6) would be 1st tier. Though I love GG and VDGG a lot more than some of the big six bands. Anyways I'm voting for Camel, a band that is certainly in my top 5. JT??? Sure they're good but really It's not up to his opinion what's first-tier and second-tier, it's famousness. Tull are a well known rock group that are a lot more famous than Gentle Giant and VdGG, thus making them first-tier. I'm not at all saying that JT are any better than GG or VdGG, but they're just a more popular progressive rock band. Tull has sold over 60 million albums. That's more than Yes, ELP or King Crimson. Sorry but Tull have not sold more albums than Yes. You're going to need to provide some proof if you insist that they have. JT only have one multi platinum album(3 x platinum): "aqualung." Other than that they have about ten gold albums. Yes have two multi platinum albums(Fragile and 90125 with 90125 being three times platinum). Other than that they have 5 platinum albums(including classic Yes and Yessongs). Of course all of those platinum albums also went gold. I can't find any official source, but the highest number I can find for Yes' worldwide sales is 50 million, whereas Jethro Tull has sold more than 60 million, so it seems you are wrong. SEEMS being the key word here. As you said you can't find any OFFICIAL source so until you can you can't say I'm wrong. The numbers just don't add up. If you are talking US sales only then Yes definitely have Tull beat. Since I only live in the US any other numbers are irrelevant to me.

You have not provided any concrete proof to your assertions, and the numbers provided are irrelevant to you because they don't meet whatever slanted criteria you've cobbled together. The Llama offered the same numbers I saw.

You made the mistaken claim Tull has only one platinum album (Aqualung). Actually, they have two more: M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull and Original Masters. You also made the erroneous claim they only have 10 gold albums. By my count they have 16 U.S. gold albums (inclusive of platinum):

Stand Up
Benefit
Aqualung
Thick as a Brick
A Passion Play
War Child
Minstrel in the Gallery
Songs from the Wood
Heavy Horses
Stormwatch
Crest of a Knave
Live - Bursting Out
Living With the Past
Living in the Past
M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull
Original Masters

If you are strictly going on U.S. sales, then I suppose Yes has sold more; however, we are a worldwide forum and prog is a worldwide phenomena. In any case, I've proven my point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jethro_Tull_discography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_discography

The Dark Elf wrote: Prog_Traveller wrote: thellama73 wrote: Prog_Traveller wrote: The Dark Elf wrote: zeqexes wrote: ProgMetaller2112 wrote: bytor2112 wrote: ProgMetaller2112 wrote: VDGG and Gentle Giant aren't second tier  I tend to think of them as second tier, where as bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, ELP, Pink Floyd, and Genesis (the big 6) would be 1st tier. Though I love GG and VDGG a lot more than some of the big six bands. Anyways I'm voting for Camel, a band that is certainly in my top 5. JT??? Sure they're good but really It's not up to his opinion what's first-tier and second-tier, it's famousness. Tull are a well known rock group that are a lot more famous than Gentle Giant and VdGG, thus making them first-tier. I'm not at all saying that JT are any better than GG or VdGG, but they're just a more popular progressive rock band. Tull has sold over 60 million albums. That's more than Yes, ELP or King Crimson. Sorry but Tull have not sold more albums than Yes. You're going to need to provide some proof if you insist that they have. JT only have one multi platinum album(3 x platinum): "aqualung." Other than that they have about ten gold albums. Yes have two multi platinum albums(Fragile and 90125 with 90125 being three times platinum). Other than that they have 5 platinum albums(including classic Yes and Yessongs). Of course all of those platinum albums also went gold. I can't find any official source, but the highest number I can find for Yes' worldwide sales is 50 million, whereas Jethro Tull has sold more than 60 million, so it seems you are wrong. SEEMS being the key word here. As you said you can't find any OFFICIAL source so until you can you can't say I'm wrong. The numbers just don't add up. If you are talking US sales only then Yes definitely have Tull beat. Since I only live in the US any other numbers are irrelevant to me. You have not provided any concrete proof to your assertions, and the numbers provided are irrelevant to you because they don't meet whatever slanted criteria you've cobbled together. The Llama offered the same numbers I saw. You made the mistaken claim Tull has only one platinum album (Aqualung). Actually, they have two more: M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull and Original Masters. You also made the erroneous claim they only have 10 gold albums. By my count they have 16 U.S. gold albums (inclusive of platinum): Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Thick as a Brick A Passion Play War Child Minstrel in the Gallery Songs from the Wood Heavy Horses Stormwatch Crest of a Knave Live - Bursting Out Living With the Past Living in the Past M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull Original Masters If you are strictly going on U.S. sales, then I suppose Yes has sold more; however, we are a worldwide forum and prog is a worldwide phenomena. In any case, I've proven my point. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jethro_Tull_discography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_discography

Sure. Why not.

Pink FLoyd has sold more than Tull or YEs so what? Doesn't make them better. I like PF but they aren't my favorite prog band. Are they yours? Also, Genesis has sold more than Tull or Yes worldwide. Big poopy pants. I hope you are happy now that you have rubbed my nose in some trivial thing that I don't really care all that much about anyway. JT has sold maybe ten million more copies than Yes worldwide. Oh boy. Call out the search party. Get me some sleeping pills now so I don't lose any sleep over this. GOod for you. :)


Edited by Prog_Traveller - February 15 2013 at 01:07

I did include Magma in the poll though.

Good to see Gentle Giant is winning 

My favourite in this list would probably be VdGG.

And I kind of think this whole debate over the use of the term "second-tier" is a little silly.

Camel.

Magma, though i think they are number 1 prog band of all times.