The last Top 10 prog rock single?

Edited by tribalfusions - August 24 2018 at 14:04

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!

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.

Saperlipopette! wrote: Squonk19 wrote: 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. Which is also fine. I think Radiohead in that particular period were a uniquely progressive rock band. Moreso than most further out and more experimental bands of the same era. But they don't sound like "prog rock" the way I know many associate the term as an approach to composing songs, and a certain sound etc... But by now - out of the 10350 bands in the PA index there's thousands of bands that are progressive in one way or another but not prog rock. I focus on progressive as what it means, not prog as genre but understand the confusion/difference.