Prog rock is a diverse, tricky genre. One where you’ll find everything from noodly album-length tracks full of warbling synths and screaming lead guitars to gentle minimalist folky ballads, with nothing more than the lead singer's voice and a flute.
And while this diversity is awesome, it has meant that fans of the genre can’t even agree on what qualifies as prog in some instances.
The only thing we know for sure is that it’s a favourite among you, our dedicated readers, who regularly suggest songs from the genre whenever we detail which test tracks we’re using each month.
Which is why, earlier in April, when we revealed our favourite prog rock albums of all time, we weren’t surprised that many of you got in touch to offer “feedback” on the list (not all of it sticking to our PG-13 language rule).
So, eager to let you offer your two cents in a more structured environment, we are opening the floodgates for our May Ask The Reader column, and asking which prog albums hold prime position in your collection.
Are you a fan of the 1970s classics? There’s plenty to choose from: King Crimson, Yes, Genesis (when they were good), Carmen, Rush and more, released some stellar stuff during the decade. If so, why this specific band and this specific album from them? Most carried on playing for decades. Some are even still actively touring…
Editor’s Note: there is a small, but vocal, part of the What Hi-Fi? team that’s convinced Geddy Lee is a positive vibes vampire – like Colin Robinson from What We Do In The Shadows, but feeding on niceness, not boredom.
Or do you prefer the modern stuff? Maybe Tool’s progressive metal is your jam? Or, you’re a big fan of one of Coheed and Cambria’s epic space opera concept albums? Opeth’s broody body of work is also pretty awesome for those of us with a soft spot for the darker side of prog. Again, we want to know which album and why it’s so special to you personally!
As always, we’ll be using your answers to create a responses piece detailing your top and most interesting choices, which we’ll publish at the end of May. So please make sure to avoid any swearing, and remember What Hi-Fi? is a safe-space publication where all are welcome. Let’s all be nice to each other, even if we disagree on some of the choices!
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