Official 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!
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.
What kind of data are the rankings based on?
“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.”
Sigur Ros is prog?
Yup! As is Björk……discuss.
And apparently Radiohead is too.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
someone must be kidding… oh.. ah.. prog-rock gurus.. that explains a lot!!
Where is Can? Gentle Giant? ELO over ELP? Hmmm …
Guess who went to see King Crimson last night?
The Guess Who saw King Crimson last night?
Awesome!
I’m shocked that Ayreon is not on this list. This just doesn’t make sense.