Loudersound's Ten Essential 80s Prog albums
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Printed Date: June 29 2025 at 11:26
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Topic: Loudersound's Ten Essential 80s Prog albums
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Subject: Loudersound's Ten Essential 80s Prog albums
Date Posted: April 24 2025 at 15:03
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Please read this before voting in this poll. For this poll you can choose up to three options including the "other" option if you choose to use it. |
Replies:
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: April 24 2025 at 15:15
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Loudersound forgot... The Bears. Rush and Yes, follow. |
Posted By: Steve Wyzard
Date Posted: April 24 2025 at 15:18
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1. 90125 2. Asia 3. Emerson, Lake, and Powell 4. ABWH 5. Moving Pictures 6. A Momentary Lapse of Reason 7. Brother Where You Bound |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 24 2025 at 15:31
Not to mention any of the 80s KC albums. How can they leave off Discipline for crying out loud? I never thought the Bears were considered prog. I always thought they were an arty pop side project that Ade started. |
Grumpyprogfan wrote:Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 24 2025 at 23:28
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1. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3076#tag=%20%7bap:18469%7d" rel="nofollow - Rush - Moving Pictures (1981, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/2xg7iIKoSqaDNpDbJnyCjY" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 2. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3075#tag=%20%7bap:21199%7d" rel="nofollow - Rush - Permanent Waves (1980, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/06hsxtm7Y1gDM5sNliCD5d" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 3. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12931#tag=%20%7bap:20897%7d" rel="nofollow - Iron Maiden - Powerslave (1984, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/2HPWTaRPYl0Iu3lJrI5V2z" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 4. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=516#tag=%20%7bap:13264%7d" rel="nofollow - Eloy - Time To Turn (1982, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/24xpef77qNidD1GoWXBHLf" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 5. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=1761#tag=%20%7bap:3465%7d" rel="nofollow - Marillion - Seasons End (1989, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/19GvbpnHTIKB8HMWzNsF6j" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 6. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=1755#tag=%20%7bap:21144%7d" rel="nofollow - Marillion - Fugazi (1984, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/1qU6HQ914NtTvXmsLoGbAz" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 7. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=336#tag=%20%7bap:21335%7d" rel="nofollow - Camel - Nude (1981, listened often) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/67lhFaVaejkjxuR9JEwm91" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 8. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=608#tag=%20%7bap:354%7d" rel="nofollow - IQ - Tales From The Lush Attic (1983, listened extensively) [ https://iq-gep.bandcamp.com/album/tales-from-the-lush-attic" rel="nofollow - BC , https://open.spotify.com/album/5DcSev5ttPRnb2bSsvVxuK" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 9. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12930#tag=%20%7bap:20898%7d" rel="nofollow - Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/1rG6IgNdwE1IGFuIKuYosz" rel="nofollow - SPO ] 10. (S) https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=9801#tag=%20%7bap:4986%7d" rel="nofollow - Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985, listened extensively) [ https://open.spotify.com/album/5BWl0bB1q0TqyFmkBEupZy" rel="nofollow - SPO ] |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 00:12
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I limit my voting to the selected albums. 1. Rush - Moving Pictures 2. Yes - 90125 3. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood --- Just outside --- 4. Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound Some essential 80's albums not on this list, in order of popping up: Kate Bush - The Sensual World (1989) IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic (1983), The Wake (1985) Rush - Signals (1982) Saga - Worlds Apart (1981) ------------- 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 02:48
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from this list, way above all: Brother Where You Bound well below: Moving Pictures ELPowell alternate choice: Script For A Jester's Tears (Childhood is.... misplaced ) The rest is not worthy of a "best of" list, unless 2380's. ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 05:15
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Voted for Marillion, Pink Floyd and It Bites😎 Other favourites of mine: All 4 IQ albums from this decade Clutching At Straws and Seasons End …And Justice For All The Real Thing ------------- Heaven is waiting but waiting is Hell |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 06:26
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Yes Marillion Supertramp very honorable mention - ELPowell |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 06:34
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Ouch - only 3? A lot of great listens here. RRUUSSHH ABWH Yes ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: frankbostick
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 10:45
| King Crimson - Discipline |
Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 11:02
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Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason Emerson, Lake & Powell - Emerson, Lake & Powell Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 11:15
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While my top ten would be totally different, I will vote for the two in the list that make the most sense to me from a mainstream Prog perspective which are the Rush and Marillion albums. For another, despite not being a much-liked album by me, the biggest omission does seem to be King Crimson's Discipline. Enjoyment wise, I prefer Rate Your Music's top ten Progressive Rock albums list: https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1980s/g:progressive%2drock/" rel="nofollow - https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1980s/g:progressive%2drock/ which has Eskaton's 4 Visions at number six (love the album), two Cardiacs albums and Camberwell Now at number 10 if one includes subgenres, otherwise another Cardiacs album is at ten. and I like the Los Jaivas albums. It's not a very trad prog kind of list. My personal list going with what is in PA would be RIO/Avant Prog heavy. Loudersound's looks AOR/ melodic rock heavy. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 11:36
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From the List: 1) Rush 2) Yes 3) ABWH Just missing: Asia Not on the list albums I like and would would have considered: Yes (Drama), Rush (Permanent Waves), Jethro Tull (Crest of a Knave) and Saga (Worlds Apart). |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 12:19
Yeah, to be honest I'm kind of surprised that Drama was not listed. It almost seems as though this is a list of the most well known or biggest selling albums except for maybe It Bites or World Trade that is. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 13:18
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Yes, I would imagine it's more about sales and well-knownness than, say, after considering thousands of albums from around the globe, these are ten of the most primo albums of progressive rock as curated by a group of serious progressive rock aficionados. I wish it was not so Anglo-centric. Here is alink to the article: https://www.loudersound.com/features/top-10-essential-80s-prog-albums" rel="nofollow - https://www.loudersound.com/features/top-10-essential-80s-prog-albums I hoped that might give some context to how the albums were chosen (I'm not that familiar with Loudersound). I see it's just one guy's opinion from an article, thought it would be a panel making the choices rather like (but probably less ambitious and organised) when Sight and Sound make their best films lists. https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time" rel="nofollow - https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time
I hate it when arts writers make claims like "These are the ten best". He seem to only be into the more pop-rock/ melodic rock stuff (symph prog, neo-prog, maisntream hard rock prog...) ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 14:17
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I'm so glad the Emerson, Lake, & Powell album is among the choices! Such a surprisingly good album! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 16:36
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Quite a piss-poor list. Besides what others have mentioned: Peter Gabriel III (Melt) Peter Gabriel IV (Security) A Crest of Knave Turn of a Friendly Card Lucifer Rising En Tournée Duke Discipline Whatever. I hate lists. Particularly ones I don't agree with. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 17:49
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From the choices: Emerson, Lake & Powell Moving Pictures Other: King Crimson – Discipline ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 22:27
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SBB - Memento z Banalnym Tryptykiem (1981) Progres 2 - Treti Kniha Dzungli (1982) ------------- 
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 25 2025 at 23:06
| Well, there's no way I could vote for 90125 over ABWH. I suspect those who voted for 90125 and not ABWH have either not heard ABWH or are on this site by accident and are not real prog fans. :p I also voted for Misplaced Childhood and Moving Pictures. |
Posted By: Enchant X
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 05:48
| Marillion,Rush,Yes |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 08:40
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I was rather surprised at first to see those Asia, Yes and Pink Floyd albums listed in the list as I had not thought of those as generally highly regarded (or the ELP actually, never heard it myself, and AWBH...). I would rather things like Art Zoyd, Univers Zero, Present, Shub-Niggurath, Eskaton, Dun, Swans for Children of God (if it counts), Thinking Plague, Cardiacs, Jean-Paul Prat, Talk Talk, Kate Bush if it counts... Of course not only does it depend on familiarity and interest (and those choices are one's guy's opinion in an article who clearly has very different tastes to mine, thought at first it might have been a group of contributors to the publication), but also one how one defines Prog. I think many would sooner see that Asia album as AOR and pop-rock than progressive rock, and as more related to prog via personnel than the music itself being of a progressive nature. I'm no expert by any means on the kinds of music in the poll... ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 09:29
I skewed lazy and went with the choices in the poll. I think Clutching at Straws is much better than Misplaced Childhood. I'd sooner revise my list to include Tangerine Dream, Kenso and Goblin, but it was an absolutely bonkers day at work yesterday. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 09:51
I may not be that big on Marillion, but I agree with you. I still went with that Marillion because it's there and seems quite sensible still, and the Rush and an other vote for Discipline (not because I like it actually, but because I think it a sensible one for such a list). ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 10:12
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I voted for that Marillion too even though I prefer Clutching At Straws. Is it much better? I can't say for sure but I've listened to it more and it grew on me more. Clutching took quite a while for me to get into when I first heard it back in the early 90s.I think M.C. is more immediately accessible while C.A.S. is more of a slow burner. I still haven't heard Brother Where You Bound even though I own all of the 74-79 Supertramp albums on cd. Is Brother typically considered to be the best post Hodgson ST album? |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 10:45
Barry Robinson ( Classic Album Review) rates Brother Where You Bound quite highly. I remember another Prog reviewer giving Brother good marks, although I can't remember exactly whom ( maybe Scott from The Prog Corner, but don't quote me on that). |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 12:03
Greg, You know this, but Yes, Pink Floyd and Asia are going to generate far more traffic to their site than Art Zoyd, Cardiacs or Thinking Plague. Prog is not Loudersound's primary genre they cover. They have people who visit their site who are not big time Prog fans, but have heard of Asia's debut album or Yes's 90125 and remember them as being pretty good albums. I'm going to take a moment to defend Asia and 90125. Outside of the hardcore Proggers who seem to hate any artist who sold more than 25 copies of any album that an artist released or in the case of Yes if Trevor Rabin is involved it's trash and not a real Yes album, Asia and 90125 among the general public like those albums and rate them highly. The problem Asia faced among the hardcore was when they heard Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and John Wetton were involved, they were expecting ( hoping?) for a return of the glory days. A mashup of Yes, meets ELP and KC. But, that debut didn't have any epics. To my ears, however, sonically it has much in common with Yes's Drama, an album that has retrospectively aged quite well and is thought of highly. There is no Machine Messiah on Asia, which is an awesome track. But, beyond that, is Tempus Fugit, Run Through the Light or Does it Really Happen? any more proggy than Sole Survivor, Time Again or Wildest Dreams? Does it Really Happen has a bass solo. Well, Wildest Dreams has a drum solo. Heat of the Moment, the big hit single off of Asia, in the verse is in 10/4. The middle eight has Howe playing a Koto. The second half of Cutting it Fine has Downes's keyboard instrumental with Palmer adding some snare drumming. Not exactly pop. As for 90125, it is in my opinion, a smartly made, sophisticated Pop-Rock album in the mould of Synchronicity from the Police. It was never supposed to be a Yes album. It became one when Anderson became involved. There are Prog flourishes found on the album and there is some great playing. I never saw it as an album where Yes sold out. This is not Invisible Touch. I'm thankful for the album as it allowed Yes to continue to play arenas and large outdoor amphitheaters. That's my take anyway. |
Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 13:18
| Rush, Supertramp, and Marillion got my votes. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 14:08
Indeed I would not expect that article to cover any of those I mentioned. That would be my personal list, forgot Dead Can Dance, and it is not a best of list. I have some familiarity with this publication and looked into the reviewer (as mentioned earlier). Here is Nick Shilton's bio (the writer of the article)
And he has written this about his interests:
As he contributes to that publication I would expect his interests and coverage to align with it. He has an interest in melodic forms of rock, AOR, Symphonic Prog and Neo-Prog and that is reflected in his list and article for Loudersound. He can like what he likes and that magazine can cover what they like. It is a business concern and the writer is a contributor who comes from a business/ corporate-interest background. Not all of those in the list are well-known. The one I know not at all is World Trade. Nick Shilton has a muic management company called Kingmaker: https://kingmakermgmt.com/" rel="nofollow - https://kingmakermgmt.com/ How much of the list is about traffic and how much of what he knows, likes or wants to publicise, I don't know. I see World Trade is listed as AOR at RYM which aligns with his interests and maybe of many people at that publication. My biggest issue I have mentioned in my posts here is this part in bold from the article:
That's a big claim, and such big claims require some big methodology for me to give the conclusion any validity. I tend to hate such claims. If it had been "These are ten of my favourite albums that I think this readership might appreciate" I would not be so fussed. I'm not that readership, but I still doubt that the majority of it who do know Prog well would agree with the claim. And those who don't know Prog fairly well likely would not know any better. That's not the kind of thing I would expect of a serious journalist or academic but of a hack. It's all too common in entertainment type articles and music forums. I would not be comfortable making a best of list, but if I was tasked with making a ten significant prog albums of the 80s list, then I would want a methodology that is not based on my tastes. I likely would stick with a more traditional idea of Prog, which I would define, I would look though lots of charts and reviews for research, I would research articles etc. I don't think much research went into the article. Like I said, I don't care for King Crimson Discipline yet to me that still seems an omission. But then maybe that would not have music appeal to that publication business's audience let alone to the melodic rock oriented and commercially oriented article writer. The music in the article seems based on his taste as well as, I guess, what he thinks the audience will be interested in. Fine, but maybe this lawyer/businessman could be a little more precise, expository, and accurate in his language. I can "object" to that. As for the worth of those albums, maybe that would have been better for an article by him called, although I tend to dislike this term, "Commonly Underrated Prog Albums of the 80s." I have no issue with people liking them, but when you have albums that I have seen a lot of condescension towards (rightly or wrongly) I would not so much expect to see those dropped in a best list. That's going to get criticism, but then the whole exercise would no matter what. At least that gets clicks and attention and that is important to the publication. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 15:48
I love both, but I prefer 90125. I've been at both the tours, also. Brother of Mine is a great mini-epic, there's also an appearance by Vangelis, but 9025 is for me the best non-prog album of YES. I actually loved (and actually played with a cover band) Misplaced Childhood. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 17:03
| I've been looking for a similar list for 90s prog but can't seem to find one. If anyone finds one let me know and I'll do a poll for that or you can do it yourself. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 17:05
Just out of curiosity do you consider Big Generator to be a non-prog album and also what other Yes albums do you consider to be non-prog? |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 22:31
I started having a serious issue with Barry when he put The Bends at the top of his best albums of the 90's list and then the last video I watched of his was the best of 1970 list which did nothing for me. Although he likes a certain amount of prog I don't think it's his favourite genre (he likes Yes a lot though and Pink Floyd). Apart from the longish track on the album I don't find Brother Where You Bound that interesting personally. A lot of the magic walked out the door with Hodgson. Rick Davies was certainly the anchor in the band but it would be a bit like The Beatles carrying on without Macca. IMO. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 26 2025 at 22:46
I loved Asia's debut album and remember being at a packed Shepherd's Bush Empire back in the 00's when the original line up of the band reformed to play the whole album. It was a perfect AOR/prog crossover album at the time but what gave it an edge was Carl Palmer and Steve Howe playing together for the first time. There was a special energy there and Howe admitted it was very exciting for him when he first got in the studio with Carl. I don't hear that on 90125 where too much sounded restricted and enclosed to my ears. I like the Police as well. They were getting seriously progggy at the time of Synchonicity and then just stopped ( go figure) but I liked Sting's subsequent solo work such as Bring On The Night, Dream Of The Blue Turtles and even the more mainstream hit album Ten Summoner Tales (although none of it is 'prog'). Never liked 80's Yes at all bar Drama or even the AWBH album which did nothing for me ( I will sling me hook now :) ) . In fact all the major seventies prog bands (the so called ''Big Six'') all made horrid records in the 80's to my ears. Asia kind of worked only for one album and then went rotten pretty quickly. I like Drama a lot but don't really regard it as Yes. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 01:29
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Another I would add is the Dream Theater debut, When Dream And Day Unite😎 ------------- Heaven is waiting but waiting is Hell |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 02:16
| If I believed this was the Ten Essential 80's Prog albums, there would be no reason to investigate the decade any further. But to me it surely isn't, as most of these don't even belong in the prog category for me (the Neo-Prog I've heard is just "Prog-Related" to my ears). It's actually the least interesting proglist I've ever seen. I know that the Rush album is solid, but I'm not the biggest fan. Placing A Momentary Lapse of Reason in the top ten for a whole decade of Prog, means that you simply haven't heard enough relevant music to boldly claim that "This is the Ten Best". I quessing Nick Shilton's "old school", and haven't ever considered looking beyond the Anglosphere to find out it there's maybe more exciting "Prog" out there than It Bites. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 03:05
BTW, I think that Loudersound should've listed Floyd's last great album Final Cut, instead of listing that Floyd-travesty Permanent Lapse of Reason (a Gilmour solo album)
BWYB is the only post-Hodgson album (and it's a monster) just like Roger's Eye of the Storm is the only album worth having around. BWYB is a (very) musically-brilliant and politically-angry album (Cold War & Reaganomics) much in the same mould that Floyd's Final Cut was. (the link is David Gilmour, who played on both). Lyrics-depth-wise, only Crime of the Century rivals with BWYB. Both albums should also be viewed via the videos, for a better understanding of what is meant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N15Bos4O9KI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE_dA479MCs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvfoyXfcwVU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-4hU43Wowk TBH, I don't miss Roger at all in that album... and sadly, he's not really needed (Gorham & Gilmour played guitars) and Helliwell doesn't even try to sing like Hodgson at all. Hodgson's ITEOTStorm is rather good as well, but the mood is depressing - whereas it's angers that dominate BWYB. The constant whining seems to echoes Roger's mood in FLW with Raining gain, Don't Leave Me Now, etc...). Both albums are quite proggy, IMHO. Soooo, BWYB is Davies' magnum opus, and as such, it's only even more of a shame that he f**ked up with the following Free As A Bird (only the album's name is good and its better track is ironically called An Awful Thing To Waste) . ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 05:18
I disagree here. I for one could never get into ABWH. And I've tried a few times. Wasted time... I've always loved 90125.  |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 09:37
That's fine as long as you don't consider 90125 a prog album.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 10:02
A few songs on the album i find progressive. 
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 11:49
maybe something here will help. I did not find one for Loudersound, but I did find this from Album of the Year which is yet another list based on charts, but then one could do Prog Archives or rateYournmusic: https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/user-highest-rated/1990s/progressive-rock/" rel="nofollow - https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/user-highest-rated/1990s/progressive-rock/ More like what you posted in terms of approach, I found this. I think this one might fit your bill fairly well (a reasonably comparable approach I have seen to the Nick Shilton of Loudersound list you posted) from John Cunningham at WhatCulture : https://whatculture.com/music/10-essential-1990s-progressive-rock-music-albums" rel="nofollow - https://whatculture.com/music/10-essential-1990s-progressive-rock-music-albums Number one is Hybris, which seems very sensible to me. And here is Jordan Blum's article of Loudwire's 12 best progressive metal album of the 90s: https://loudwire.com/best-prog-metal-albums-1990s/" rel="nofollow - https://loudwire.com/best-prog-metal-albums-1990s/ It has Dream Theater, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory in top spot and Opeth's Still Life in second spot. And here is list of the top 90s albums that I think that guy from loudersound might want to cover (what a year 1991 is): Asia - Aqua (1991) Rush - Roll the Bones (1991) Yes - Union (1991) Supertramp - Some Things Never Change (1997) Marillion - Holidays in Eden (1991) ELP - In the Hot Seat (1994) Pink Floyd - The Division Bell (1994) It Bites - Thank You and Goodnight (1991, live) ABWH: An Evening of Yes Music Plus (1993, live) World Trade - Euphoria (1995) ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 12:20
| ^As I've said many times before: Music fans have better taste and greater knowledge than the average rock journalist. The non-curated charts on PA, RYM, Album of the Year etc... are far superior to those made by the "professionals". |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 13:06
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Voted Other: Solaris - Marsbéli krónikák Present - Triskaïdékaphobie Present - Le poison qui rend fou If forced to vote for those listed, I would choose these: Rush - Moving Pictures Emerson Lake & Powell - same Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound Special mentions: Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear Social Tension - Macbethia King Crimson - Discipline IQ - Tales From the Lush Attic Scott Walker - Climate of Hunter This Heat - Deceit Bacamarte - Depois do Fim Het - Let's Het ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 27 2025 at 13:08
Thank you very much Logan. I might use some of these to compile my own list. I don't think I'll include live albums though. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 28 2025 at 13:29
Most people seem to cite Cinema and Changes but I would add Hearts to that list which to me sounds kind of like a sequel to Awaken. Overall, it's proggy but not full blown prog (ditto the first Asia album). |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: April 28 2025 at 13:35
The fact that it's not full-on prog does not affect my listening enjoyment. I enjoy the song-writing, that's all .
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: April 28 2025 at 18:58
  ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 28 2025 at 23:51
The sequel that ends the franchise maybe. 
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 29 2025 at 00:12
You have a better description there buddy?
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: April 29 2025 at 00:12
I'm pretty sure that's all was Genesis.
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Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: May 01 2025 at 19:09
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Marillion, ABWH, and one not listed: Discipline by King Crimson. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 01 2025 at 19:45
It's pretty ridiculous that none of the 80s KC albums are on there. I can kind of see leaving out ToaPP and Beat but not Discipline. That's a real headscratcher for me. |
Posted By: ThyroidGlands
Date Posted: May 01 2025 at 20:38
Marillion
 ------------- ⋆la faulx⋆ |
Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: May 02 2025 at 10:39
Not really a fan of the Red, Blue and Yellow era of King Crimson, but yeah, taking my personal likes out of the equation, if there is a list of best / most important Prog Rock albums from the 1980s, Discipline and Moving Pictures are the two albums that have to be on that list. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 03 2025 at 01:36
if anything Discipline should be there (not that I would've voted for it), indeed, but not Beat or Pair no head-scratching, we're dealing with Loudersound, here. FTM, I'm relatively surprised they didn't include the "87 best metal album" Crest Of A Knave in their list Only NME and Rolling Stones are less credible  ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: May 04 2025 at 05:17
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Voted other as my faves from the decade aren’t listed. King Crimson - Beat Solaris - Marsbelis… SBB - Memento Z… Kultivator - Barndomens Stigar Jean-Paul Prat - Masal Plus a slew of others I can’t remember right this minute. I am leaving out all the wonderful fusion from the decade, but I can name a number of ECM artists that I prefer over the ones listed in this poll. Egberto Gismonti and Eberhard Weber to name a few  ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Hector Enrique
Date Posted: May 09 2025 at 16:08
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1. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood 2. Rush - Moving Pictures 3. ABWH . . 4. Pink Floyd -AMLOR Others: - Marillion - Script for a Jester`s Tear - Peter Gabriel IV ------------- Héctor Enrique |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: May 09 2025 at 16:17
| Big fan of Discipline and many other 80s albums but not of any album listed here. As I don't like to vote for "other" categories, I'll give my vote to 90125, which at least beats the rest in my book. |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 09 2025 at 17:38
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I can repeat what others have already said. I chose the first 3, but there are others missing that I think are important: Rush - Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, Hold Your Fire Saga - Worlds Apart, Heads or Tails Allan Holdsworth - IOU and Metal Fatigue Queensryche - Rage for Order, Operation Mindcrime Asia - Alpha, Astra Yes - Drama King Crimson - Discipline, Beat, Three of a Perfect Pair Steve Vai - Flex-able Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien Kate Bush - Hounds of Love Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel, So Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly, Control and Resistance Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Styx - Paradise Theater Barnabas - Approaching Light Speed and Feel the Fire Kansas - Vinyl Confessions, Power GTR - GTR |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 09 2025 at 17:42
| I think by essential, I mean essential when they were released. People were buying a lot of records, tapes, and CDs back then and waiting on pins and needles for next albums to come out. I don’t mean essential looking in the rearview mirror. Nowadays it’s a giant Spotify haystack. |
Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: May 14 2025 at 07:05
| ELPowell easily the best of this bunch. Just listening to Camberwell Now's Ghost Trade - such a fine album from 86. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 14 2025 at 09:51
Re ELPowell, which isn't saying much to be honest from this selection -- at least per my tastes. I'm totally with you on Camberwell Now. That is one of my favourite albums. I really love the 80s. I prepared this list of some of my favourites early last year for a topic of David_D's (course probably too much quantity for his wonts). So many of my favourites are not in the list because I tried to mostly limit to ones in PA: see topic: https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=131956&PN=7" rel="nofollow - 1980s' other Progressive Rock than Neo-Prog? Or as I put it there: I've read that the 80s sucks by more than one person, but I love the 80s. Focusing on what is in PA (and there is a heck of a lot that I love and think progressive outside of PA)... 1980-1984 Abus Dangereux - Le quatrième mouvement (1980, Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl) Laurie Anderson - Big Science (1982, Art Pop, Experimental, Electronic) Aksak Maboul - Un peu de l'âme des bandits (1980, Rock in Opposition) Art Bears - The World as It Is Today (1981, RIO/ Avant Prog) Art Zoyd - Génération sans futur (1980, Rock in Opposition) Art Zoyd - Symphonie pour le jour où brûleront les cités (1981, R.I.O.) Art Zoyd - Phase IV (1982, R.I.O.) Art Zoyd - Les espaces inquiets (1983, R.I.O.) Adrian Belew - Lone Rhino (1982, Art Rock) Bobby Beausoleil and The Freedom Orchestra - Lucifer Rising (1980, Psych Rock) David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980, Art Rock) Glenn Branca - The Ascension (1981, No Wave) (don't think he is in PA, but felt kind of weird leaving this out) Kate Bush - Never for Ever (1980, Art/Progressive Pop) Kate Bush - The Dreaming (1982, Art/Progressive Pop) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Doc at the Radar Station (1980, Exp./Art Rock) Cardiacs - The Seaside (1984, Art Punk) Codona - Codona 2, 1981, Jazz Fusion/ Indo Prog/Raga Rock) Codona - Codona 3 (1983, Jazz Fusion/ Indo Prog/Raga Rock) Lindsay Cooper - The Gold Diggers (1983, Avant Prog) Holger Czukay, Jah Wobble & Jaki Liebezeit - Full Circle (1982, Krautrock) Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance (1984, Darkwave, Gothic Rock) Dün - Eros (1981, Avant-Prog, Zeuhl) Eskaton - Ardeur (1980, Zeuhl) Eskaton - 4 Visions (1981, Zeuhl) Eskaton - Fiction (1983, Zeuhl) Fabio Frizzi - L'aldilà/ The Beyond (1981, Horror Synth/ RPI) Fabio Frizzi - Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1982, Film Score, RPI) Peter Gabriel - 3/Melt (1980, Art Rock) Patrick Gauthier - Bébé Godzilla, 1981, Zeuhl) Goblin - Tenebre, 1982, Film Score, Electro-Disco, RPI) Peter Hammill - A Black Box (1980, Art Rock) Itoiz - Ezekiel, 1980, Prog Folk) Kitaro - Silk Road II (1980, Electronic) Kraftwerk - Computerwelt (1981, Synth Pop, Electronic) Kultivator - Barndomens Stigar (1981, Avant-Prog, Zeuhl) Magma - Rétrospective Vol. 1 & 2 (1981, Zeuhl, Jazz-Rock) News From Babel - Work Resumed on the Tower (1984, Avant-Prog) Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1981, Chamber Jazz) Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Broadcasting From Home (1984, Chamber Music) Picchio dal Pozzo - Abbiamo tutti i suoi problemi (1980, Avant-Prog, Canterbury Sound) Jean-Paul Prat - Masal (Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl) Present - Triskaidékaphobie (1980, RIO/Avant Prog) Rahmann - Rahmann (1980, Avant Prog, Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl) The Residents - Mark of the Mole (1981, Experimental) The Residents - The Tunes of Two Cities (1982, Art Pop, Experimental) The Residents & Renaldo and The Loaf - Title in Limbo (1983, Exp. Rock) Terry Riley "Celestial Valley" (Shri Camel, 1980, Minimalism, Electronic) Slapp Happy "Charlie 'n Charlie" (Slapp Happy or Slapp Happy, 1980, Art Pop) Snakefinger - Greener Postures (1980, Zolo, Exp. Rock) David Sylvian - Brilliant Trees (1984, Art Pop) Tangerine Dream - Tangram (1980, Berlin School, Progressive Electronic) A Thinking Plague - ...A Thinking Plague, 1984, Avant-Prog This Heat - Deceit (1981, Exp. Rock, Post-Punk) Univers Zéro - Ceux du dehors (1982, Rock in Opposition) Univers Zéro - Uzed (1984, R.I.O.) Von Zamla - Zamlaranamma (1982, R.I.O.) Wha-Ha-Ha - Shinutokiwa Betsu (1981, Avant Prog) Yog Sothoth - Yog Sothoth (Avant Prog, 1984) Zamla Mammaz Manna - Familjesprickor (1980, Rock in Opposition) Zanov - In Course of Time (1983, Progressive Electronic, Berlin School) 1985-1989: After Dinner - Paradise of Replica (1989, Art/Avant Pop/Folk, Japan) Art Zoyd - Le mariage du ciel et de l'enfer (Rock in Opposition, 1985, France) Art Zoyd - Berlin (1987, Rock in Opposition, 1985, France) Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985, Art Pop, England) Kate Bush - The Sensual World (1989, Art Pop, England) Camberwell Now - The Ghost Trade (1986, Avant Prog, Art Punk, England) Cardiacs - Big Ship (1987, Art Punk, England) Cardiacs - A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988, Art Punk, US) Cardiacs - On Land and in the Sea (1989, Art Punk, England) Coil - Horse Rotorvator (1986, Industrial, England) Current 93 - Earth Covers Earth (1988, Neofolk, England) Dead Can Dance - Spleen and Ideal (1985, Neoclassical Darkwave, Gothic Rock, Australia) Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (1987, Neoclassical Darkwave, Australia) Dead Can Dance - The Serpent's Egg (1988, Neoclassical Darkwave, Australia) Geinoh Yamashirogumi - Ecophony Rinne (1986, Tribal Ambient, Japan) Geinoh Yamashirogumi - Symphonic Suite AKIRA (1988, Tribal Ambient, Japan) Hellebore - Il y a des jours (1985, Avant Prog, France) Miriodor - Rencontres (1986, Progressive Jazz/Rock, Canada) Miriodor - Miriodor (1988, Avant Prog/Jazz, Canada) News From Babel - Letters Home (1986, Avant Prog, England) Present - Le poison qui rend fou (1985, Rock in Opposition, Belgium) The Residents - God in Three Persons (1988, Exp./Avant Rock, US) Shub-Niggurath - Shub-Niggurath (1985, Zeuhl, Avant Prog, France_ Shub-Niggurath - Les morts vont vite (1986, Zeuhl, Avant Prog, France) Swans - Children of God (1987, Exp./ Gothic, Rock, US) Swans - The Burning World (1989, Neofolk/ Gothic Ruck, US) David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive (1987, Art Pop, England) Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden (1988, Post/Art Rock, England) Thinking Plague - Moonsongs (1986, Avant Prog, US) Thinking Plague - In This Life (1989, Avant Prog, US) Univers Zéro - Heatwave (1986, Rock in Opposition, Belgium) Robert Wyatt - Old Rottenhat (1985, Canterbury Scene, England) John Zorn - Spillane (Avant-Garde, 1987, US) ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: May 14 2025 at 10:01
| Kraftwerk Computer World is amazing! I forgot King’s X, too. Anyone remember Zebra? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 14 2025 at 10:30
Compuer World is indeed! I've heard of the American band, Zebra. Hard rock/AOR acoording to RateYourMusic which, prog or not, might be be right up the alley of the guy who prepared the list for Loudersound used in the poll. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |