10 Overlooked PROG Masterpieces | RANKED 

Camel "Moon Madness" is an album I'd put on my list

Awaken is one if the greatest compositions ever. Turn of the Century is awesome too.

Trick of the Tail is a worthy number one. It's my favourite Genesis album. I also love Discipline, which is as you say a hugely influential album.

" Trick of the Tail " is fantastic , I agree with you Andy.

Trick of the Tail is indeed a masterpiece. Selling England is the best Genesis album though. Wind and Wuthering is also very underrated.

Todd Rundgren's Utopia. Great Prog ROCK from someone too often written off as a pop/novelty act. Criminally overlooked.

chris squire's album 'fish out of water' was an overlooked masterpiece. 'Hold out your hand' and 'lucky seven' remain two of my fave prog tracks.

Some very good tips. Here are ten of mine. - Jan Akkerman 1973: Tabernakel, Seventh Wave 1975: Psi-Fi , Peter Hammill 1974: In camera, Michael Mantler 1976 (with Robert Wyatt & Terje Rypdal): The Hapless Child, Terje Rypdal 1974: Whenever i seem to be far away, Procol Harum 1973: Grand Hotel, Mahavisnu Orchestra 1975: Visions of the emerald beyond, Cardiacs 1996 Sing to God (including the most fantastic song ever written, "Dirty boy", look it up as soon as you can, if you havent already), Tim Smith (from Cardiacs) 1995 Extra special OceanLandWorld, & Älgarnas Trädgård 1972: Framtiden Är Ett Svävande Skepp, Förankrat I Forntiden

Franco Battiato's "Sulle Corde di Aries" (1973) is criminally underrated and deserves mention in this context. Takes the best of "Meddle" era Pink Floyd, free jazz, experimental use of electronics like the VCS3, and classical leanings to create a dense difficult work that I find extremely rewarding. Really left field stuff but an extraordinarily fascinating listen for the open minded. And it has one of the best album covers in prog!

Really happy to see the amazing Happy The Man getting a shout out. You’re beaming out the love, Andy. ‘Tis great.

Gino Vannelli! Huge fan! My sister and I saw him in concert during the BROTHER TO BROTHER tour, and it remains one of our most favorite shows ever.

So glad that you checked out Happy The Man. Changed my life. Thanks for your efforts. JT

I learn something new every time I visit this channel!

'Trick of the Tail' by Genesis & 'Crime of the Century' by Supertramp are my two most played albums - over 40 odd years, says it all

I'm a longtime Yes fan, and I've underappreciated Going for the One. I'm becoming more and more aware of its greatness from start to finish. It could be one of those albums that is best listening to side 2 first. A Trick of the Tail was my introduction to Genesis. Agreed on its greatness.

Rotter’s Club is SOLID. Great choice!

Very entertaining, thanks Andy. But the most overlooked Prog band is surely Gentle Giant!

I would have added Camel's the Snow Goose or Moon Madness. but you have a fantastic list here. So happy to see Happy the Man, and Discipline on your list, besides Gino Vanelli.

Happy The Man, too! Great stuff.

Greenslade is criminally overlooked. Spyglass Guest my favourite.

Discipline and Going for the One are my two favourite albums by their respective performers. So creative and satisfying. I agree about A Trick of the Tail too. Subscribed.

I’m glad to see Moon Safari on the list. Another great swedish prog band is the Flower Kings. I think the Flower Kings inspired Moon Safari a lot.

You are so right for Awaken. Speaking of Awaken, you have to listen to the version Jon Anderson made with Todmobile in Iceland 7 years ago. I cry every time I watch it. Every Yes fan should listen to this masterpiece. Goosebumps garanteed !!!

So glad you've been mentioning "First Seven Days," because I had somehow forgotten all about it -- used to listen to it and "Like Children" constantly when they came out..It has aged really well.

Love your stuff! Renter after my own heart. This is a long comment, so don’t expect you to read it all. It’s about England. In 1978 I attended an audition as Bassist/Vocalist as a replacement for Martin Henderson. Garden Shed had just gone big in the Us and Martin had just quit. Thy needed a quick replacement for a potential US tour in about a month's time. They lived in a huge house in the country with the three existing members and an all rounder - roadie/recording engineer. The house was complete with a studio. The audition was a three job, with chat, snack and then musical audition. They were 3 really nice guys (Rob, Jode and Frank) and I fitted in well. They played me a few songs for their next proposed album, and I knew I was out of my depth! The audition was awesome. I opted to use my 83 precision, but could have chosen a 62 one off the rack of basses on the studio wall. We launched into one of the songs from Garden shed (At this time I had never heard any of this album, only what the played during the initial chat interview) and using a simple chord/tab sheet I was in! Phew, I coped, but only just. e did about three songs. They were awesome surrounding me, with beautiful, beautiful harmonies. After a chat amongst themselves, they said I hadn't passed, but kindly said that I would have fitted perfectly in the role otherwise. Alas, that was it. Apparently, I was one of about 100, so I didn't feel too bad. We said our good lucks and goodbyes. I kept my eyes on the music press, but they seemed to have dis-appeared into obscurity. I have since contacted Rob Webb (Keyboards) who is still waving the flag. Phew, you are so right, these guys could blow anyone off the stage. I still play the album often and think ... what if ... Thanks for reading all this. You (and Martin) are fantastic. Your knowledge is boundless, I spend ours watching your broadcasts and I would love to be able to do what you do. Richard (Also known as Eloi Morlock - Facebook channel @eloimorlock)

One of my favorite hidden gems is "Maelstrom" by Avant Garden (2001). This is the only album that Avant Garden released and it is definitely a hidden gem of an album.

Great choices, so nice to see Happy the Man on the list.

"Rotter's Club" is a fabulous album, full of brilliant prog music, offered with warmth, humor, and an utter lack of pretension. Dave Stewart is my favorite of all the prog keyboardists (...or is it Kerry Minnear?). Mumps is a long form masterpiece. And Stewart's work on Steve Hillage's "Fish Rising" is freaking incredible.

"Of Queues and Cures" by National Health. One of the two great prog albums released in 1978.

Great list to make us visit or revisit these albums. Thanks for including Moon Safari - Great guys and super talented. Your comparison to other bands named was all over the map but spot on. Wonderful harmonies, rhythm section, guitar and lyrics pulled together seamlessly. AND, new studio album on the way. Well done.

I recently went back to Going For The One and re listened - and I’m thankful that I did. I was Awaken-Ed!

Was fortunate to have heard Happy the Man live in D.C. many times back in the day. I was talking to them after a show one night. They had just returned from auditioning for Peter Gabriel. They told me that they tried to sound as much like Genesis as they could. And later when they were turned down, the main reason given was they sounded too much like Genesis. Might be a lesson in that.

Some great suggestions to listen to! Thank you!

Great video and chat. WOW. Moon safari!!! What a band. Listen ed to Blomdjud and also Lover's end which I thought equally as good. Your description is spot on. My ears also pick up a bit of Reo speed wagon in the vocals. Also loved your drumming in your few years with IQ.

Totally agree with your choices and thanks for bringing up Happy the Man! And, for introducing me to Moon Safari and England!!

Thanks for including Moon Safari - I love their stuff so much! 👍

Put a smile on my face seeing Gino on the list- Graham is a local and shared a few gigs with him- he has kept busy as Paul Anka's drummer and first call jazz gigs in our part of Canada..

Lunatic Soul is my favorite modern prog band. The first two releases, "Lunatic Soul" & "Lunatic Soul II" are a concept project by Riverside singer Maruisz Duda.

Maybe this would fit better on a list of 'prog albums people don't think of as prog'.... But one album I have always considered to be Prog is 'The World is a Ghetto' by War. When Eric Burdon put the band together he was envisioning a band that could play any genre... Country, Rock, Blues, Classical, Jazz, etc... which is what Prog was originally about.

Good job Andy....I took notes...

As an old crimson cat... "Discipline" was a gem. "Indiscipline". Peace on earth.

Andy, you tease me talking about Peter Hammill solo stuff and then none made the list. The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage is the perfect introduction to his gripping mania as long as you start with the side with Red Shift on it. OK fellow prog nerds, who’s with me, particularly those out here in California.

Great episode, Andy (lots of info, attitude and laughs)! I agree with you about your Yes and Genesis picks. Thanks also for giving me the heads-up on Moon Safari. Definitely a sound that resonates with me. Keep rocking!

It is an interesting list, Andy. As a Canadian, I disagree with your point about Rush (vis-a-vis Kansas and Utopia), however I was glad to see Gino Vannelli represented on your list. He really does have some great prog moments, while able to maintain a great, hooky pop sensibility. Well done.

You're absolutely right Andy the titles of your vids are truly click worthy! Keep it up.

Cat Stevens’ Foreigner Suite is epic mowtowny prog ... I love the weird fusion styles....under appreciated Cat Stevens’ Numbers is really proggy

I thought the official live album Absent Lovers by Crimson does a really great job of condensing the best of those three 80s albums...Such an amazing lineup of musicians.

My favorite overlooked prog masterpiece is definitely Peter Hammill 's The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage and if I had to choose one more , it's Fish Rising by Steve Hillage.

Going for the one is the first yes album i got , still love it .

Excellent List, very interesting picks! As always, very fun and entertaining to watch and discuss. I take a bit of issue with your comments about newer prog being too much rehash and derivative. It can generally be true, but not always: Here's 10 (no particular order) newer ones that I think are inn the spirit of progressing the music: Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium Cast - Angels and Demons DFA - DFA Animals as Leaders - Joy of Motion Saga - Generation 13 Kaipa - Urzkog Flower Kings - Flower Power Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream Opeth - Ghost Reveries Ozric Tentacles - Spirals in Hyperspace

Great show Andy. I’ve seen some of your stuff on SOT and think you have an impressive knowledge on Jazz Fusion and Prog in general… your MoonSafari pick was quite unexpected, but so accurate! Those musicians can be as symphonic as they want, as epic as they desire, and as poppy as pop music can get, and still sound perfect. That album is amazing, as is the test of their catalog, without exception. Sweet as candy (almost on the guilty pleasure frontier) and tasty as your favorite meal. Also 109% agreed on the TOFT number one choice, simply grandiose album. Kudos on your channel! Cheers 🍻

a great smile with this list. the first 6 were new for me but what a masterpieces .you said . thank you always curious about new music

Awaken/ Gates Of Delirium are my joint all time fav tracks and i also go with live version off Yesshows for Gates..

Olias of Sunhillow is a fantastic album that reminds me of a sort of distilled Tales From Topographic Oceans without the boring bits. I love Tales btw. Happy The Man I’ve seen live twice and as a stoned teenager I loved them. Still do. An undersung band

Thanks Andy. I really enjoyed the suggestions of Moon Safari and England. - Chris

So happy you mentioned Olias! And "the pinnacle", no less. Wonderful, beautiful!

Interesting video Andrew. England and Moon Safari were new bands to me, so I checked them out online. Those are both great albums. Especially the Moon Safari. Thanks for the heads up on these.

What a great list!!! Gino Vanelli, Moon Safari, Jon Anderson, Happy The Man, all would be on my list. Going For The One (Yes) and Trick Of The Tail (Genesis) are my favorite LPs of both bands. Awaken, in my opinion, surpasses Close To The Edge as the greatest prog song of all time. You have a new subscriber!

My honourable mentions: Klaatu’s 1976 debut album : 3-47 EST - never see this show up on many prog lists. And to be clear, they are from Canada. For Your Pleasure by Roxy Music - there’s enough Eno-infused weirdness, looping, effects and synth to qualify this as prog but it’s rarely viewed as such. The song For Your Pleasure has arguably one of the greatest trippy-prog outros of all time. Beatles Sgt Pepper may not be technically prog, but it’s most definitely the great proto-prog album that rarely gets classified as such outside of prog circles.

I'd throw in some Renaissance. Scheherazade is my favourite, but the most overlooked gem is probably Novella.

3000 subscribers \o/ Congratulations Andy and keep up the good work!

Happy the Man gets some love!!

Man, "Awaken". For me this is *the* most emotionally charged Yes epic. Listening to it, top to tail, makes me feel high.

Rotter's Club! 👏 The ultimate Canterbury album! And Happy the Man too! There are a few great Happy the Man offshoots, such as Oblivion Sun and Frank Wyatt & Friends.

Love the way you pick out the Collins-Hackett era as Genesis peak. I agree 100!!

dude i love your videos, I've learned so much and I thought I knew a lot...friggin Gino Vannelli. Never gave the guy a second thought. Who knew! Been going through the fusion videos too, thank you for sharing!

You actually made me think as to why I come to the channel. Is it that you 'Rank' these albums? Not for me. It is true, that I gravitate to many of your Prog-Fusion sensibilities and therefore enjoy your selections (mostly). Now when I don't agree? So be it. But, more valuable for me is when I don't know the album at all. This then throws gasoline on my 'Prog -Fusion Fire' to search them out and listen. I find the channel highly educational for me in that regard.

Thank you for the well-deserved shout out to Moon Safari, Mr. Edwards. All you said rings true in my (amateur) opinion. Genesis is (and has always been) my favourite: '71-'80, but I was so happy to have discovered Moon Safari during the pandemic. I would love it if they toured Canada!

Wow! Great list. definitely agreeing on some of the albums here. Top notch. I've got a list of my own, of course. Just to hit ya'all - On my top ten overlooked prog jams you can find - 10. The Hampton Grease Band - Music To eat (1970 ,US) 09. ELO - No Answer (1972, UK) 08. Boud Deun - The Stolen Bicycle (1998, US) 07. High Tide - High Tide (1970, UK) 06. Tasavallan Presidenti (1972, Finland) 05. Kahn - Space Shanty (1972, UK) 04. Riff Raff - Original Man (1974, UK) 03. King Crimson - Lizard (1970, UK) 02. Glenn Philips - Lost at Sea (1975, US) 01. The Cardiacs - Songs for Ships and Irons (1989, UK) There are a hundred more but I can clearly explain the thought behind each of these. On my Progometer they rank very high. These are albums that are true gems which have expanded the rock artform in the right proggy way. the compositions, English aesthetic (or other), virtuosity, instrument/studio trickery, long forms, jazz and classic influences, etc. I'd love to share more thoughts, arguments and deep dive analysis of some of the greatest moments in music history. Camel - Moonmadness, Yes - Going for the one, KC - Discipline, VDGG - Still life and Genesis TOTT - are all excellent records but I wouldn't call them overlooked! They are huge! super popular by most prog fans. Really difficult to make the list if the album sold over 100k copies.

Andy is so funny. I just subscribed to the channel today. I've been listening for a few weeks now. This was pretty spot on. I saw Crimson for the Discipline tour (Stonybrook LI) and Yes Going for the One at the Garden. Both Amazing! Unfortunately, I didn't see Genesis until And Then There Was Three at the Garden. However, Gabriel came out for the encore, did I Know What I Like (triple drums! Peter, Phil, and Chester). This channel is hitting a lot of sweet stuff for me, glad I found it...

Always like A Trick of the Tail. For me Genesis doesn’t divide into Gabriel/post Gabriel eras but rather Hackett/post Hackett eras.

Great list! Many recordings to explore, that are new to me. I knew the name Gino Vannelli, and likely heard a couple of his hit singles, at one time or another. Gist of the Gemini is a REALLY BIG surprise! What a voice and what great compositions. If you haven't read his bio on Wiki, it is worth the read. For the benefit of Andy's faithful viewers, let's not overlook the band Caldera (for some awesome jazz-latin fusion) and the Christian Prog band, Iona (for amazing Celtic-infused prog). I'm bad at picking favorite releases, so you'll have to largely explore them on your own. But if pressed, I'd start with Caldera's 1978 Time And Chance, and Iona's 1996 Journey Into The Morn. Keep up the great vids, Andy! We're on the same page.

Congratulations on 3k subs 🎉

Good list! The albums I know, I agree about which means I’m going to have to find the couple I don’t and check them out. In my book Trick of the Tail is Genesis’ best album, Going For The One is Yes’ second best (after CttE) and Discipline is the KC album I enjoy most, even though it seems to lack a little of the seriousness and intensity of their early 70’s output. I might have added in some Gentle Giant (Octopus? Interview?) and definitely Cardiacs (On Land And In The Sea). Good to see some love for Olias, Hatfield and the North, Jan Hamer and England. Excellent stuff.

Well done, Andy. No easy feat. Thank you.

Thanks Andy. Glad you made this list, great you mentioned Discipline and Trick of the Tail two great albums. I would add Land of Grey and Pink by Caravan and Moonmadness by Camel. Keep it up.

I couldn’t agree more with your take on ‘Trick of the tail’. I’m so glad you added Happy the Man and the other choices are great too.

The last three albums, mate, absolutely spot on!!!

Moon Safari are great Lovers End part3 is Prog beach boys Beautiful and rocking with melodies to die for. Saw them live with Lazuli what a great double header that was.

Thanks Andy! Great list, I've got some to listen to. 👍 Great you mention Gino Vannelli, love his early stuff. So... What's next? 🤔😄

You are bang on about Going for the One AND Trick of the Tail !!! Both albums are absolute masterpieces.

Agreed ,Going For The One is my fave Yes album and Awaken is my fave piece of music ever. As for Genesis, Trick and Wind are my favourites, can't agree about after 1980 though when they went completely downhill imho..as did Yes. I stuck with Rush through the 80's though.

Thanks so much for doing this, you had me at Happy The Man...I thought I was the only that had the album...lol

Nektar - Remember The Future 🎶 No doubt the most overlooked Prog Masterpiece !!!

I've always considered the Who's Quadrophenia is their one Prog album. Long instrumentals, synths/ horns and effects...my fave from this classic band.

I wore out the 8 track of Going For The One. Awaken is monumental. They all fight for the last note. Steve Howe plays varied instruments in varied styles. A tour de force. JT

Thank you so much for featuring my favourite album of all time Blomljud. This is a band that mean so much to me. England excellent choice and the Fusion gig was great.

Another great episode, Andy.

- YES "TORMATO " , the last great album by the band ( the album "Anderson, Bruford,Wakeman,Howe"notwithstanding). - GINO VANELLI : incredible mix of jazz fusion and prog with musiciens of Santana, Chick Corea, Jean Luc Ponty...

21:52 From Genesis to Revelation; and when I heard Rick Wakeman's North Plain like it was a tune from this album, it all makes sense. Both The Serpent and In the Wilderness come to mind.

Your list is like a Cream Doughnut!😺 Nobody ever mentions CAN, so I will -Tago Mago is worth a listen. Or two... or...

Bo Hanssen's -'Lord Of The Rings' is a good listen.Very spooky and ethereal keyboarding's that had Hendrix keen to work with him.I would think it fits into the prog genre to a degree ?.'House of Elrond' is especially beguiling.

Daryl Way’s band Wolf a worthy add as well - his violin cuts an edge of fusion and an edge of prog

Yesterday prompted me to recall another very overlooked prog masterpiece: "In a Glass House" by Gentle Giant. It was overlooked when it came out. The record company refused to release it in the US. It was only available in Europe. Well, yesterday was the 49th anniversary of the release of the album.

Focus 3 by Focus would be my contender.

Ooh, I'm gonna enjoy this channel!

I only knew Larks Tongues and In The Court when Discipline came out. I was shocked by how different it was. It took me several listens to get my head around it. It's a brilliant album. I too think Awaken is one of Yes' best tunes and I loved Going For The One since it was released. Trick of the Tail is superb but Robbery, Assault and Battery I struggle to like. Wind and Wuthering is definitely on a par with Trick, for me at least but let down by a slightly meandering first side. The second side of Wind and Wuthering is, I feel, the best 20 minutes they ever produced. Garden Shed is a great album too but I'll have to investigate some of you other suggestions. Thanks as ever for a great video.

Totally agree Andy. Just to mention one exception that would be in the list: Absolute Elsewhere, In Search of Ancient Gods! Where Bill's drumming is ABSOLUTE something ...

You listed Gino Vanelli, but left out Milli Vanilli...😿

Some more: Focus - Hamburger Concerto Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Solar Fire Stomu Yamashta - Go Steve Hillage - Green 801 Live Jakko Jakszyk - The Bruised Romantic Glee Club