Hidden Gems: Top 10 Underrated Prog Rock Albums You Need to Hear!

[@holydiver73]

Have you ever listened to Red Queen to Gryphon Three? To have vocal harmonies on a 100% instrumental album is some achievement wouldn’t you say?

[@bishma97]

Gong and Gryphon, you mention their entries as “not as well known as their other albums”, but the ones you chose are literally their most well known and most acclaimed.

[@TopTenTunes]

We would argue Gryphon and You were the most acclaimed from these artists among their entries.Compared to other releases in prog these tend to be overshadowed as well.

[@rebelalien5523]

I thought that about Gong, as well as The Yes Album and Six Wives.... These are some of their most well know albums, especially among fans.

[@gilwood7530]

@@TopTenTunes CAMEMBERT is a classic too

[@bakeone4406]

The Yes album isn't close to being underrated compared to hundreds of other excellent albums. Gong's You album documents a fair amount of growth and improvement from pretty much the same band that made Flying Teapot, both albums are commercially in the same zip code. Gryphon's Red Queen is pretty great, but is probably their best known and most widely appreciated album. Similarly, Octopus is often the favorite Gentle Giant studio album in polls and forums. If you pick two albums from Van der Graaf and two Gentle Giant releases in a top 10 list of "underrated" prog rock albums it's a good bet that you're in for a real treat when you dig a little deeper.

[@samikorban8310]

All of the albums that are mentioned are pretty well-known and are in no way underrated

[@TopTenTunes]

We would disagree!

[@samikorban8310]

@@TopTenTunes I did enjoy the video and your work is much appreciated. But I think you are right if we're talking about Rock fans in general, but for Progressive Rock listeners these albums are staples.

[@res3382]

The Yes album went platinum. I've seen all good people and Yours is no disgrace have been FM radio staples for decades, The other albums are not well-known to general rock audiences-not sure if it belongs here.Just my opinion.

[@TopTenTunes]

@@samikorban8310 True! For much more seasoned listeners these would likely be old news. I would say among other prog rock albums they are more underrated than they should be. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

Name how many guys you personally know or at least in the internet that acknowledges Gryphon

[@philvogelfilms]

Glad to see Nektar getting some attention! "Remember the Future" is another great one.

[@geldofpunk32]

You picked some of the most well known bands and albums here, there are literally hundreds of prog bands and albums that are waiting to be discovered.

[@NelsonMontana1234]

The YES album is underrated? It's regarded as an innovative masterpiece by most any prog fan as is Octopus. Where you been?

[@bookhouseboy280]

Ikr? TYA is platinum plus with not one, not two, but three of its songs getting considerable FM airplay for years. Even Rolling Stone rated it four and five stars in their album guides. Going for the One and especially Tormato are underrated. Octopus benefits from striking cover art and is somewhat overrated if anything when compared to the following peak GG albums. Interview and especially Missing Piece are underrated.

[@GG-ee9nl]

While many of the bands you've listed here are almost criminally underrated by the general public, in prog circles they are all well known and much loved. In fact, most of the albums cited here are among the most highly regarded of their respective bands. Call this video: "Ten Masterworks the Prog Newbie Should Check Out!" and you're much closer to a great video.

[@TopTenTunes]

Well said!

[@whycantiremainanonymous8091]

#5: Octopus? Underrated? I mean, there's a strong case to be made that Gentle Giant is underrated. They definitely were back in the 1970s, and even today, they're still not nearly as recognized as, say, Yes or Genesis, despite making the best music of the lot. But Octopus is the band's best-known and most popular album. Literally any of their other albums could count as underrated, comparatively speaking (I'd go for Interview and Acquiring the Taste as the two least appreciated; both are absolute masterpieces, but more often get ignored, even by fans).

[@michaelkeudel8770]

Magic Pie - The Suffering Joy tops my list this year as an epic find.

[@TopTenTunes]

We'll need to check that out! Thanks for sharing.

[@stevecowder4774]

I wouldn’t say the Yes album is underrated. It’s a loaded album that really put Yes on the map, lifting them to stardom. However I would agree that Nektar’s A Tab in the Ocean is underrated. That’s a high quality piece by those guys and arguably their best. It just wasn’t radio friendly, like so many other overlooked greats from the 70s.

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

The only one that can be considered underrated is Gryphon. The rest are much well known

[@stefanaretz8136]

Alquin crash und Curved Air fallen mir da noch ein. Hab ich ne ganze Zeit lang gerne gehört. Und Fairport Convention...

[@ryoelric]

The selection is really good, but what made me love this video is that it goes straight to the point. I hope I bumped into videos like this more often.

[@TopTenTunes]

Thanks for watching! We like to get straight into it and get to the content. Hope to see you comment on another one of videos in the future!

[@DOMICO55555]

You definitely hit on some important and underrated works! Great job!

[@arekkrolak6320]

I expected to see some less known bands but they are superstars of the genre for the most part :)

[@philipferguson8570]

Excellent that you include a couple of VDGG albums.

[@Tunecranker]

Got'em all! 👍

[@edklingon]

Here's Hawkwind, Camel, Caravan, Sebastian Hardie, Focus, The Germans (Eloy, Grobschnitt, Ramses, etc), the Italians (PRF, Le Orme, etc.), the French (Ange, Quasar, etc.), the Japanese, the Iron Curtain, the Third World bands?

[@R2112-i9c]

Dekameron,Spring,Raw Material,Tonton Macoute,Affinity,Egg,Fable,Fuchsia,Tassavalan Presidenti,Museo Rosenbach i wiele innych.

[@joaq0612]

I think that you have more focused on well-known albums by underrated bands gentle giant, VDGG, Gong) rather than underrated albums themselves. No underrated bands have also their underrated albums, I’m agree with Lizard but not so much with The yes album, but I would include A passion play, Hergest Ridge or Trespass in this last category.

[@vdggmouse9512]

Top 13 underrated prog albums - but not including the well known or top tier prog artists - VdGG/King Crimson/Yes/Gentle Giant albums were always big events and most of their albums are revered - sure some are better than others but here's my list of under appreciated albums. Listed Alphabetically - After Crying 6 1997 Hungary Banco del Mutuo Soccorso Darwin 1972 Italy Cast Angels & Demons 1997 Mexico Clearlight Clearlight Symphony 1975 France Cliffhanger Cold Steel 1995 Netherlands Egoband Trip In The Light Of The World 1991 Italy The Enid Tripping The Light Fantastic 1994 UK Eternity X The Edge 1997 USA Far East Family Band Parallel World 1976 Japan The Long Hello The Long Hello 1974 UK Le Orme Uomo di Pezza 1972 Italy Premiata Forneria Marconi Storia di Un Minuto 1972 Italy Klaus Schulze X 1978 Germany

[@baldrick98007]

Did you mean Egoband Trip In The Light Of The World, or The Enid - Tripping The Light Fantastic? How come none of the prog lists include The Enid? If you don't know the Enid you don't know progressive rock.

[@vdggmouse9512]

@@baldrick98007 Yes I did - thank you for correcting me!

[@vdggmouse9512]

@@baldrick98007 In my haste I combined the two and never caught my error. Good catch!

[@paulw8860]

It feels you really have a limited knowledge about prog bands.

[@charlesperry6093]

Despite the fact I would consider this an excellent video considering the photographs of the bands photographs of the albums and the basic construction literally basic construction of the video. Additionally there is a give-and-take benefit educational wise,

[@wisardofw]

Octopus by Gentle Giant underrated???

[@TopTenTunes]

Yup!

[@paulmchugh1430]

I have all of these albums and in my mind they may have been some of the best ever released. As to whether they are underrated, I don't know. Where are albums by Italian bands like Banco or French bands like Shylock or Japanese bands like Paegent?

[@leahhcas]

Awesome video!

[@TopTenTunes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@keithamandahall8548]

I could throw some Henry Cow or Grobschnitt, in there, and maybe some Magma.. Great list tho. 👍🏻

[@SteveMichaelson-tn2js]

Octopus is one of my favorite lps of all time

[@gilwood7530]

I was lucky enough to work with Daevid Allen And Gilli Smyth in the 90s ...I would say "TEAPOT" or "Part 1" is one of their better known albums ...nonetheless ...A terrific album and I always hope videos like this get some kids to look into these great old bands ...almost every song on THE YES ALBUM was a radio hit ..."Time and a word" was the album before YES ALBUM...much more obscure

[@joakimskurk]

I wouldn't call any of these hidden.

[@OutRAjious]

Sea Shanties by High Tide ✨

[@paulbrookes413]

Greenslade/Dave Greenslade albums !

[@jonmccormick602]

Absolutely! Saw Greenslade a couple of times in the 70s. Very underrated. Particularly liked the concept of two keyboard players. Dave Lawson was a great partner for Dave Greenslade.

[@Amusiastudio]

What no Camel?

[@gilwood7530]

PAWN HEARTS was my first VAN DER GRAFF album as a kid and was just getting into obscure prog ...a few friends would say "Put on that FREAK ALBUM" LOL We were just stoner kids so many years ago ...now were old stoners

[@johnkx2484]

Ummo ( Magnum Opus )

[@paulpace9237]

Barclay James Harvest- everyone is everybody else. Home- The Alchemist

[@zelly8163]

Right On!

[@axxellein]

Angel-S/T, 1975 Essential POMP= Epic/Majestic!

[@JPvanNiekerk-i5l]

What,no Strawbs?

[@TimJackson-eq6iy]

Unsurprisingly I have all these albums.

[@tonyanderton3521]

The large majority of these albums are hardly "hidden gems" or even underrated, at least in the UK. Presumably this video is for the non-UK audience.

[@МаксРогозин-е1ю]

Those bands are rather well known among prog rock music listeners. But are some really obscure but worth listening Comus and Gnidrolog.

[@TopTenTunes]

Yes, I suppose well known among seasoned listeners. We found these albums although well known in this sub-genre are also underrated compared to other work of that era. Will have to check out Gnidrolog! Thanks for watching!

[@alfredogarzzia]

How about Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum, and Bloodrock - Bloodrock 3.

[@TopTenTunes]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching!

[@richardrose2606]

Vincebus Eruptum is in no way, shape or form progressive rock. It's basic blues-based rock.

[@MikeFlood-oe3tu]

Home, 'the Alchemist'.

[@lukaf2393]

I know the title of the video must be "attractive" but c'on, most of these albums are "classics" and definetely not underrated.... (VGG, Gentle Giant...)

[@SteveMichaelson-tn2js]

Quit saying challenging. Gentle Giant is not challenging

[@yvesturgeon9585]

Octopus underrated??!! Screw you guys..I'm going home!

[@Cosmicprog2012]

Ha ha ha - are you joking!!! Of course, if someone doesn't know KING CRIMSON, GENTLE GIANT, VDGG, YES or Soft Machine, knows nothing about PROG!!!! But definitely has to know nothing about Rick Wakeman or Nektar, in order to enjoy the magnificent genius of Pink Floyd or Zappa-Mothers (or ART BEARS or Yezda Urfa)!!!

[@slowpawstevet3676]

these were all very well known albums of their Genre, not all to my taste but none of them "underrated" ??

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

The Yes Album underated? I don't think so. This album contains Starship Trooper and Yours Is No Disgrace FFS, It might not be as big as Close to the Edge but anyone who knows anything about Yes, fan or not, or even Prog Rock for that matter will know this album.

[@nicoz2078]

Underrated??

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Most everyone I know has heard and likes Gong - Flying Teapot !! 🫖 But we are all into Really good Music and Classic Prog and Rock not most of the noise the last 25 yrs plus !! 👍Not as well known ?? Yes, VDGG, GG, KC, Nektar, Wakeman all are Very well known and great albums !!! 🤨 I guess you need to hang with more knowledgeable music friends maybe 🎶🎼

[@Roberto-e4q]

you are wrong....