Prog Finally Gets A ‘Top 10’ List, After 50 Years

prog-magazine-coverOfficial Charts – the UK-based music sales ranking organization – has announced an Official Progressive Albums Chart.

While some may dismiss the announcement as the delirium of a 21st century schizoid man, true prog fans never let go – and think that the fact that this wasn’t introduced 40 years ago was the crime of the century.

The new monthly chart is a partnership between The Official Charts Company and Prog Magazine. The chart will act as a definitive monthly list of the UK’s most popular prog albums; giving the genre new recognition and the credit it deserves ‘as more than just an archaic 1970s phenomenon’.

Albums eligible for the chart have been identified by the progressive rock gurus at Prog Magazine, with the biggest selling titles ranked on physical and digital sales and audio streaming data.

Jerry Ewing, editor of Prog Magazine, said: “Prog artists have always pushed the boundaries of musical convention, and by doing so, many have gone on to be some of the best-selling and most influential artists of all time, but prog didn’t stop in the 1970s, there are many people out there who are into prog artists and just don’t seem to know it!

The ‘Prog Top 10’ for Sept 2015

1 CURRENTS TAME IMPALA
2 DRONES MUSE
3 AMUSED TO DEATH ROGER WATERS
4 SHOCKWAVE SUPERNOVA JOE SATRIANI
5 THE RACE FOR SPACE PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
6 SOL INVICTUS FAITH NO MORE
7 UNDERWORLD SYMPHONY X
8 THE ENDLESS RIVER PINK FLOYD
9 STUPID THINGS THAT MEAN THE WORLD TIM BOWNESS
10 ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL NIGHTWISH

In conjunction with announcing the new ranking, Offiical Charts and Prog Magazine have also announced a ranking of the biggest selling Prog artists of the 21st Century. The list includes a mix of both classic and modern prog artists, and reveals the organizers’ expansive view of prog:

The Official Top 30 Progressive Artists of the 21st Century

ARTIST BIGGEST SELLING ALBUM
1 MUSE BLACK HOLES & REVELATIONS
2 PINK FLOYD THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
3 RADIOHEAD OK COMPUTER
4 KATE BUSH AERIAL
5 JEFF WAYNE THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
6 AIR MOON SAFARI
7 SIGUR ROS TAKK
8 MIKE OLDFIELD TUBULAR BELLS
9 GENESIS SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND
10 FLAMING LIPS YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS
11 RUSH 2112
12 YES CLOSE TO THE EDGE
13 ELO OUT OF THE BLUE
14 JETHRO TULL AQUALUNG
15 JOHN MARTYN SOLID AIR
16 PETER GABRIEL SO
17 ROXY MUSIC AVALON
18 KRAFTWERK THE MAN-MACHINE
19 MOODY BLUES ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM
20 DAVID GILMOUR ON AN ISLAND
21 DREAM THEATER IMAGES AND WORDS
22 FAIRPORT CONVENTION LIEGE & LIEF
23 TOOL LATERALUS
24 SUPERTRAMP BREAKFAST IN AMERICA
25 MOGWAI HAPPY SONGS FOR HAPPY PEOPLE
26 SPIRITUALIZED LET IT COME DOWN
27 WITHIN TEMPTATION THE HEART OF EVERYTHING
28 BRIAN ENO AMBIENT 1 – MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS
29 NIGHTWISH ONCE
30 MARILLION MISPLACED CHILDHOOD

Is it finally prog’s time – or is this just about money? Check out the lists and let us know what you think!

15 thoughts on “Prog Finally Gets A ‘Top 10’ List, After 50 Years

  1. Has Mogwai, whom I love, really outsold Porcupine Tree, whom I love? PT’s shows are bigger and sold out. I saw Mogwai last year and I felt nearly alone. And Dream Theater (whom I love less) has outsold all of them.

    Most of the prog on the 21st century list was released in the 20th century.

    Kate Bush is on this but Nine Inch Nails isn’t?

    I’m glad this list exists, but frankly it makes zero sense. Seems arbitrary.

    1. “Albums eligible for the chart have been identified by the progressive rock gurus at Prog Magazine, with the biggest selling titles ranked on physical and digital sales and audio streaming data.”

      1. OK Computer is most definitely a prog-rock album. No question.

        Not a huge fan of Radiohead, but that album is incredible, and totally prog-rock.

    1. One could certainly look at Sigur Ros as progressive rock. Some of their songs and albums certainly fit that bill better than others.

      Perhaps the word “rock” needs to come off of the Progressive Rock label anyway.

    2. And so is Air, Kraftwerk, Mogwai, Spiritualized, and Eno’s Music for Airports, apparently.

      I guess prog is just a word that means “stuff I like”.

  2. 50 years isn’t so bad. It always takes prog a little longer to wrap it up. I’m just surprised it’s a top 10 and not like a top 314 or something.

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