A beginner’s guide to progressive rock in five essential albums
Progressive rock developed as psychedelia declined, with musicians choosing to explore symphonic and classical elements rather than pursue heavy rock. Bands including Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Pink Floyd shared a willingness to experiment in the studio and blend disparate musical influences into ambitious arrangements.
Despite punk's emergence in the late 1970s, progressive rock continued to develop and experienced renewed popularity in the 1980s with acts like Marillion. The genre remains influential in contemporary music, though debate persists about what strictly constitutes progressive rock.
- Progressive rock emerged in the late 1960s as bands fused psychedelia with classical influences
- Key early bands (Yes, Genesis, King Crimson) shared fearless studio experimentation; the genre survived punk and revived in the 1980s