My TEN Favourite PROG Albums from 1974 | Ranked

Become a Patreon! / andyedwards
Or if Patreon is not for you you can make a donation: paypal.me/AndyEdwardsKZbin
More links you might find interesting:
Listen to my music here: andyedwards.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: / andyedwardsdrumlessons
My KZbin Drum Channel: / channel
Andy's Fusion Spotify Playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/6Pd...
Andy's Prog Spotify Playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/49g...

[@pedrokropotkin9045]

My only top 5: 1) King Crimson - Red 2) Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 3) Yes - Relayer 4) Camel - Mirage 5) King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

[@docbobster]

I own a ton of Focus and Akkerman stuff, but I agree with you -- those three albums capture that brief moment when the Akkerman-van Leer collaboration was pure magic.

[@Mr4Strings]

Absolutely love your videos Andy. Banter, Banter, Banter, more Banter. Nobody does it like you. You'll be a one milly subs in no time. MORE BANTER!!!

[@johnr3587]

Andy keeps the internet fun. He is all about curation. He is not an algorithm. As Ezra Klein puts it Taste is an act of resistance. The relentless riff of Red wins.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

My old lady doesn’t care for Gong. I had “You” cranked up the other day and was having a blast. Then she came home. She hears the music then checks my eyes to see if my pupils are dilated and then smells my breath, mutters something about Dorky and then storms off puts on Placebo even louder. I can’t wait to tell her it’s the second best Prog album of 1974, yeah who’s dorky now!

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@KalmAM it really truly is

[@henrydarker4314]

Hi Mr T, saw Gong about 73 'n 2000ish, not my thing really. Here's some prog for yer below. The Nutwood Festival of Prog Shlock (Trailer) - Henry Darker

[@davidwylde8426]

😂

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@henrydarker4314 thanks Henry. :)

[@bernardjharmsen304]

Haha! Same here. Wife likes US soft rock. 'You' is my fave Gong.

[@altosplays]

What a wonderful video, as usual. I'm loving your channel and watching all the videos. You have a fan here in Brazil! It's incredible how I have the same impression regarding 1974 progg as you do. Thank you for so much good information you brought. Have a great 2024

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thank you very much!

[@nsgobbi]

Amigo, moro em SP, tenho 65 e a felicidade infinita de ter vivido a golden-era do prog em geral entre 1970-1975. Época que eu passava quase todo dia na Mesbla, Bruno Blois, Breno Rossi, a procura dos lançamentos, para decidir qual LP comprar com meu salario ridiculo de office-boy. Combinavamos entre os amigos para não comprar em duplicidade, assim poderiamos rodar os albuns e gravá-los em K7. Lagrimas rolam …. grande abraço.

[@kenlyon8285]

Ever since seeing Yes on their Relayer tour back then, I've spent tens of thousands in a futile attempt at recreating that experience of Gates of Delerium in my listening room. 50 years on and the memory still haunts me.

[@tylerboley1786]

The live version on Yesshows is jawdropping

[@JohnnyRecently]

Every time I buy a new sound system...I break the cherry with Relayer. It's a tradition.

[@jasonweinstock1282]

I like yessons better

[@TheProgCorner]

Andy!!!! Great episode!!!

[@billphelps5611]

I just spun Gong You last Saturday and it's a masterpiece top to bottom. Great list!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

It's so good!

[@johndrayton8728]

Great list, but what really grabbed me were your comments on "Going for the One". I think you're so right - the band were never more beautiful than on "Turn of the Century" or as "Yes-like" than on "Awaken".

[@Spock105]

Going for the one : have it since it was released . However , I never liked the title track and neither Parallels . So for me , it is not an album I want to listen to the whole way as f.i. a Kind of Blue or Aja.

[@jdmresearch]

Starless and bible black needs to be in the list. Incredibly underrated. Fracture is the pinnacle of prog rock (without lyrics) and the level of complexity in the playing (from anyone but especially Fripp) is jaw dropping. The perpetuo motto part is among the most complex guitar playing ever. Few people can master it. (Edit: It's on the list, I meant "be in the #1 spot").

[@samuelbrown2147]

Thoroughly agree. Lament on that record is my all-time favorite KC song

[@samuelbrown2147]

Although I will say it’s literally on the list lol

[@jdmresearch]

@@samuelbrown2147 Oops, I meant "should be #1"

[@johnhoran9840]

Just goes to show how subjective these things are, because Lament is actually my LEAST favorite song from this lineup. Still, my favorite era of Crimson, and it's a great song.@@samuelbrown2147

[@davidstafford9921]

Andy, I am so glad to see "Hamburger Concerto" on your list. It is an underappreciated album from an underappreciated band (and one of my favorites). "Hamburger Concerto" is not only my favorite album by Focus, I count it in my top 25 albums of call time. It's definitely filled with autumnal moods, especially the "Hamburger Concerto" suite, and "La Cathedrale de Strasbourg," which is simply gorgeous and my favorite track on the album. Favorite moments of "La Cathedrale de Strasboug:" a) The tension caused by combining a major over a minor chord on piano (played only once!) during the intro, b) The first few phrases when the band comes in full, and c) The ghost-like vocal in the background as the final notes decay. The build and climax of the suite is also intensely rich and goose bump-inducing.

[@2wayplebney]

Good album.

[@luizjose778]

Tambem concordo David,o focus é genial "focus 3"hamburger concerto são obras primas de todos os tempos,Thys vanlee e.jan akkeman alem dos baixistas e baterista que são fodas.saudo desde brasil

[@innertube47]

@@luizjose778Focus are still going with Thijs and Pierre vdl. I saw them last month, brilliant!

[@mikedonoghues4018]

Great list. Pleased to see Red at #1. I love TLLDOB - and actually like side 4! I remember as a 16 year old listening to “Riding The Scree” and wondering where the hell the “Selling England” Genesis had gone! Thanks, as always, Andy.

[@MrTrueseventh]

Don't know that Supertramp's 1974 album Crime of the Century really fits under the prog umbrella, but it's a great album.

[@louise_rose]

Agree - not one filler track and several classics. Superb album. Also, Miles Davis' "Big Fun" with, like Yes' Tales, one long track per side, moves somewhere between jazz, funk and progressive/fusion in a realm all its own. Fantastic album! (and even better on the 2000 re-release which increased the playing time by around 40% with four new bonus tracks)

[@antoniodias4718]

Crime of the Century I understand although it has some pop too, what I don't understand is "Apostrophe". Frank Zappa has some prog moments but in general, it was free jazz, jazz-rock, rock, jazz, doo-wop, blues-rock, weirdo songs, and some avant-garde rock and jazz with orchestral songs in a rock/pop context.

[@louise_rose]

@@antoniodias4718 Many people who listened to prog rock at the time were also into jazz rock and fusion, they enjoyed Chick Corea/RTF, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report... Phil Collins was a big fan of Weather Report and Frank Zappa's live gigs and that's how Genesis found Chester Thompson (who, in his turn, already knew about Genesis because Alphonso Johnson had been playing "A Trick of the Tail" on WR's touring bus!)

[@Spock105]

Great album . Though I prefer the bands Even in the quietest .....for its pianoplaying.

[@johnmarchington3146]

Many thanks, Andy, for another great list. There are quite a number of albums that I need to investigate.

[@rickkearn7100]

Great choices, Andy. I was compelled to subscribe, as your "...Prog Albums from 1974" tag caught my attention and inexplicably showed up in my daily YT feed for the very first time ever. Did we somehow grow up in the same social clique? Crikey, I thought my mind was being read. Regardless, there are of course dozens of other choices but your band choices are all spot-on and I appreciate your conviction choosing what you did. Cheers.

[@TheAlbumReviewGuy]

Very interesting video Andy with some great albums and more importantly explanations of the greatness of the originals. All the best. Dave✅✅

[@Palmpilotusmc29]

Another great video! Great choices! I need more Focus albums!

[@Zzevs1000]

Agree: "Red" is a masterpiece !!!

[@kzustang]

You blew my mid, Andy. What an out-of-the-box ranking. I always love a good rank, but putting GONG at #2 and RED at #1, having 2 Zappaz in the top ten, and putting in Relayer quite low. I loved it! I think it is the closest ranking I could think of to what I love. That line between the top of the prog era and the slight downhill which is right around the corner. 1974. The year I was born. The year of all these amazing masterpieces and the year which the climax and closure to the Mahavishnu's first line-up sound with the KC 1974 lineup. What a period!! I wish I had more love for the Lamb album. It's exactly this New-York vibe that keeps me always a bit distant from this album and pushes me back to the Nursery-Foxtrot-Selling-Trick albums. Anyway, loved the video and would be happy to do a panel discussing the top 5 amongst the Patreons.

[@DougTingvall]

Great list! Most of my favorites, too!

[@robertwatt4248]

What a great year for Prog, it probably peaked in '74. I have difficulty listening to both sides 3 & 4 of The Lamb, a case of better as a single album for me. I understand they where running out of studio time hence sounding a rushed. Love Relayer, cant find a fault. To Be Over is absolutely beautiful, Howe's best solo for me. Love your uploads!

[@micwar100]

Agreed, I love LLLDOB, but I always thought it was a side to long.

[@JohnnyRecently]

GONG! Fantastic analysis... The spirit bit is deep and insightful.

[@kevinbutler3665]

I would just say about Yes, To Be Over. For my tastes it is a bit twee setting off but around five mins in it hits a musical passage with one of their best ever vocal harmony sections. Worth the journey for that part.

[@frankhoulihanfh4972]

The song that gets better every time you hear it. (Another) Hidden Yes Masterpiece.

[@JohnPrepuce]

Focus - Hamburger Concerto Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends - Ladies and Gentlemen Gentle Giant - Power and the Glory Frank Zappa - Apostrophe Yes - Relayer King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Frank Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere Gong - You King Crimson - Red

[@antoniogalianojerez9942]

The lamb and red are two best. Impossible to me to say which is better. To me, 2 of the 5 best records ever (with selling england, animals and the wall).

[@garyh.238]

Agreed re the pick of King Crimson's Red as top prog album of 1974. The heaviness factor does it for me. Top drawer.

[@aardvaarkmaark]

My first time listening to you. I really enjoyed your analysis of some of my favorite bands. I especially appreciate your homage if you will to Frank Zappa. And your obvious affection for the Gong You album. With the kids exception of Focus, I have every one of these recordings.

[@glennmccudden8574]

ANDY SOUND CHASER ON RELAYER LP. IS MIND BLOWING HOW CHRIS AND ALAN ARE SO TIGHT. AMAZING VOCALS THE END WITH CHA CHA CHA. AND AND BACK INTO THE TRACK AND THEN SOOTHING ENDING. GATES OF DELIRIUM. REMINDS ME BEING INFLUENCE BY MIKE OLDFIELD TUBLAR BELLS JUST SAYING.. CHEERS

[@jornspirit]

...for me you were off to a dazzling start, Andy, as I'm listening to 'Hamburger Concerto' and 'Welcome back...' to this very day (same's true for the 'Yessongs')... after that it becomes a bit of a hit-and-miss, but I do love the agreements with my potential list as well as the disagreements... when I turn to your channel, I'm expecting some controversiality, and without that, you wouldn't be for me who you are - I need and love that!! You are one guy I could sit in a pub with, and discuss music all night long, and when it closes, we'd convince the barkeeper to permit us to stay on, helping ourselves to sustenance we might need, use the sound system to prove one choice or another, roll out our sleeping bags eventually, and leave some cash on the counter to cover, what we imbibed, when leaving in the early mornin' fog... ...such is life, as I imagine it should be, and was, in the seventies, when I was young 🎵

[@ZNRCDS]

Great list Andy. Personally I would have to squeeze in Todd Rundgren's Utopia-s/t (how much more 'prog' do you get than 3 keyboard players!) , PFM "L'Isola di Niente" ("The World Became The World") and Magma "Kohntarkosz" - I guess I would bump Zappa "Apostrophe" & ELP "Welcome Back" and Focus to make room for them but those are all great albums as well. I guess my list would look like this: #1 Yes-relayer #2 King Crimson-Red #3 Genesis-Lamb #4 GG "power & glory" #5 Zappa-roxy (though I would cheat and use the expanded version) #6 King Crimson-starless & bible black #7 Hatfield & the North-s/t #8 Magma-kohntarkosz #9 PFM-l'isola di niente #10 Utopia honorable mentions: Renaissance-turn of the cards Strawbs-hero & heroine Kayak-royal bed bouncer Supertramp-crime of the century Henry Cow-unrest Camel-mirage Finch-glory of the inner force Tangerine Dream-phaedra (though not really a 'rock' album) + the three I 'bumped' off your list!

[@ballhawk387]

When I was a college DJ I used to end shows, and perhaps sometimes terms, with "Starless". There was no way to follow that track. A fitting ending for King Crimson, Mark II. I also regard the more pop-wise and often regarded as glam "Country Life" by Roxy Music a great progressive rock album in a genuine sense of what is progressive, rather than the stereotypical long form pieces with a lot of keyboards, as Peter Gabriel had later facetiously described the characterization of it.

[@tylerboley1786]

I agree about GFTO, the scope, yet focus, is a new high for them. About Relayer, Gates is a fully realized masterpiece, conceptually, musically, amazing. Sound Chaser astounds me to this day, a peak performance for them on record, but compositionally not real coherent. To Be Over is gorgeous, interesting arrangement, a pleasing listen, probably not one of their very best. I’ll look forward to a GFTO episode should you do it

[@louise_rose]

Relayer was musically at least ten years ahead of its time - a bold leap into the future and into uncharted territory for almost everybody (I first heard it around five years later, aged thirteen - I liked it but was also aware, in some sense, of never having heard anything like it before, not even by Yes themselves!). It is really special, and IMHO one of their top three studio albums. Gates is, arguably, the most musically ambitious track they ever did, and the other two songs are masterpieces as well.

[@frankeec]

I was hoping to see some more Canterbury Scene 1974 releases: Hatfield and the North, Robert Wyatt & Henry Cow put out their greatest work then. How about a Canterbury top 10?

[@tomtrana3449]

Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt is an epic album (the first after his terrible accident).

[@nosportsteamfollower516]

There's so many non-English prog rock albums. My cousins turned to some Yugoslavian prog rock albums. Just amazing.

[@bertkarlsson1421]

Milky Way Moses by Tasavallan Presidentti from 1974 is one of the best Jazz-Rock/Prog albums of all time!

[@davidstafford9921]

From the way you had spoken before about the first Utopia album, I expected to find it in your top 10 of 1974.

[@audiomez]

An experience “rare, precious and beautiful” with your list only deviating 😢from mine by 3 tracks, comments and impressions as well. Remarkable

[@audiomez]

6:44

[@audiomez]

😢😊

[@troublesomecorsair]

I think you're right on the money with Focus. Great list

[@shanebullock5005]

Great List and very well presented and I feel great mind-boggling Prog ended here for Yes, Crimson, Genesis, Greenslade and ELP but not for Floyd, Tull, Camel and Gentle Giant My studio Favourites from a 66 year old Proggy: 1.Relayer - Yes [Just The guitar alone blew me away as I had no idea Howe would actually play better than ever before in a class of his own] 2.Red - King Crimson [ Sheer power and brilliance and such feeling] 3.Phaedra - Tangerine Dream [ Alien landscape -fantastic journey] 4.Turn Of The Cards - Renaissance [ That voice] 5. Mirage - Camel [Beautiful] 6. Aqua - Edgar Froese [An extension of Phaedra] 7.Crime Of The Century - Supertramp [ may not be Prog but brilliant] 8.The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis [Still getting to know this one and liking it more] 10.The Power And The Glory - Gentle Giant [ Discovering new stuff in this album every play] The live triple " Welcome Back My Friends....ELP ' would have finished 2nd as this was a fantastic headphone experience in the day.

[@daicullinane7746]

Great choices.

[@siskokidd]

Still no love for Todd Rundgren's Utopia, which would be my 1974 choice for #1. The entire album is a masterpiece, and was completely unexpected. That collection of musicians pulled off something very special on that album, and many would say continued on the followup, Another Live album a year later. #2 is Relayer.

[@peterjackman6520]

I agree about the first 2 TR Utopia lps. But my real fave is Todd’s Initiation,and then Todd & A Wizard lps.

[@2wayplebney]

I'm a fan of Todd, and agree that the first Utopia album was excellent.

[@siskokidd]

@@peterjackman6520 If we're going to list fav TR albums, the 74 Todd album would be my #1 choice. I marveled then, and now. So many choice recordings from moment one during his career, for me lasting through the 80's, ending in early 90's with 2nd Wind, after which my interest diminished.

[@trippknotic]

The cracks were appearing in ‘74 and on full display by ‘77, just look at Going for the One! 😂

[@Pcrimson1]

I think I know why Andy is so entralled by this album. Lets face it, Awaken and Turn of the Century are Masterpieces, no doubt. The three other tracks, not so much. You can now see where they were heading. Not a big fan of 80s Yes. Andy wasn't a nerdy teen in the 70s, he was more 80s. 70s prog, for some reason hit us nerds hard. Andy kinda backed into it, so I think his perception is different than people a little older than him. However, IMO, this was the last great Yes album. Its all subjective.

[@johncrocker-nh7ey]

I'm not sure where to add this comment but I haven't heard you mention the group Bebop Deluxe back in the seventies I fell in love with them and as a footnote I saw a video of you playing the drums that was very short and I can't find it again but let me tell you OMG you are so inspirational I think of Rush was looking for a fill-in they could do a whole lot worse

[@stevemacarthur9660]

Apropos of nothing, really, I was catching up on back episodes of Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness's podcast (which I am quite enjoying - I don't always agree, particularly with some of my faves that don't quite measure up - for example, RA, by Todd Rundgren's Utopia - I like it for it's over-the-top qualities as much as anything, but I digress) and was listening to their Christmas episode while on my morning walk today and the conversation turned to drummers and I was happily surprised to hear Tim Bowness give props to a very musical drummer called (if this isn't a pseudonym) Andy Edwards. Captain Andy - nice one and a nice mention - good on you!

[@AntonioMagaia-Tri-Text]

I can’t believe you Andy, Mirage has just become available on iTunes after I searched for it for 3 years.

[@Spock105]

Have 7 out of 10 . I remember bying Relayer and listening to it while playing monopoly and my mother in the kitchen . First time , I thought , this is crazy , terrible ....I was afraid my father being a musical fan the likes of Roger and Hammerstein or Sinatra , Crosby would turn of the plug which he did on regular basis when I played too loud in my room. A few years later it became one of my favorite Yes albums and I mentioned it to Jon when I met him. And Gong , a band I also met and took pictures from : I like the fact that they don't take things so seriously as most Prog bands do . For them , all this is almost equal to a joke that you forget that they always had pretty good musicians.

[@bertkarlsson1421]

Some other great prog albums from 1974: Red queen to Gryphon three by Gryphon. Klossa Knapitatet by Samla Mammas Manna. Unrest by Henry Cow.

[@lymangreen5020]

I have heard that Jon Anderson based “Relayer” on Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” starting with the “soon” section and working backwards to the war section.

[@oolongoolong789]

A very interesting list, Andy. My Top 10 would be.... 1. King Crimson - Red 2. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom 3. Peter Hammill - In Camera 4. Hatfield and the North - Hatfield and the North 5. Gong - You 6. Frank Zappa - Apostrophe 7. King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black 8. Gentle Giant - The Power and the Glory 9. Peter Hammill - The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage 10. Yes - Relayer

[@fmellish71]

1. Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 2. King Crimson - Red 3. Gentle Giant - The Power and the Glory 4. Peter Hammill - The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage 5. Henry Cow - Unrest 6. Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') 7. Yes - Relayer 8. Gong - You 9. Yonin-Bayashi - Ishoku-Sokuhatsu (Japanese heavy prog in the vein of Deep Purple/Uriah Heep, but I think its better than them) 10. Sui Generis - Pequenas Anacdotas sobre las Instituciones (Third and last album by Argentine duo including Charly Garcia who would be one of the two most influential figures of Argentine prog along with Luis Alberto Spinetta. Sui Generis started as much more folk-based, but integrated a more symphonic prog approach by this point. Garcia would go on to the two great bands La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros and Seru Giran before going on to a fantastic more pop-oriented solo career in the '80s.) I disqualified Roxy & Elsewhere because its a live album and I didn't want two picks by one artist, but it would be #2 if I included it because its tied with Uncle Meat as my all-time favorite Zappa album. To reiterate a previously established point, I couldn't stress enough the importance of checking out the music of Charly Garcia and Luis Alberto Spinetta if anyone who is reading this hasn't. They both have decorated careers in the '70s in making prog and jazz-rock of the highest order.

[@geoffccrow2333]

Ok thanks for yout essay

[@harrynewiss4630]

All fairly solid choices, no big surprises.

[@YESFan1971]

Relayer at #6 for 1974? Interesting.

[@2wayplebney]

Red is the Best, finishing off prog and showing the way ahead. Relayer is in my opinion Yes's best, even though it sounds little like other Yes albums. The Power and the Glory remains my favourite Giant album, out of many masterpieces. "Lamb" is my fave Genesis album, but as you point out, Gabriel wanted out, and employed Eno to help funkify the sound. But I was gobsmacked to see "You" so high in the list. The Om riff and "Sprinkling" are so influential, if you play them to someone now they will cite numerous bands that they inspired, possibly thinking that Gong ripped them off. Both tracks sound like they were recorded yesterday, never mind 50 years ago. 1974 was a good year.

[@macjackson6071]

Andy, your list did not disappoint me again! Bravo! Tons of new paths to search but I would have chosen the same top album for 1974. At some point recently I was overwhelmed with prog albums thanks to youtube and all streaming comp, But those which i've listened as a youngster - Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, ELP, etc are all here in your list. Back 30+ years it took me time to understand Lamb Lies Down - now it's my fav, Relayer was accepted much easier after Topographic Ocean - good choice. ELP - who we can live w/o this live album? However I still can't get Zappa. Have no idea why. Have a feeling that he laughs at me listening to his albums. ) Kind of ironic humiliation.

[@garygomesvedicastrology]

I tend to view Apostrophe as one of the weakest Zappa albums, mainly because of Jim Gordon, whose popularity mystifies me to this day!

[@nazaholicable]

I started to write a list of my top 10 favourite photo copying companies, but I found it hard to Rank Zerox.

[@mainzergirl9610]

Listening to you discuss Red and Fripp's vision when KC created it led me to think about what is YOUR thinking when Rain composes a new album. Maybe that would be a worthy video.

[@davewaterford281]

Excellent list, no issues with your choices. KC definitely deserved Red at number one.

[@DanielMcGrath1969]

Gong yes! Probably my second favorite live band after Crimson!

[@clausappel8086]

My personal album of the year 1974 is "Crime of the century" by Supertramp and this is because for me it's the best album of all time.

[@kendavis3604]

This has been a delightful video, the best commentary over several quality progressive rock albums I’ve come across. Solid list, but Jethro Tull “Passion Play” would have fit the narrative of hitting the progressive point of having gone too far perfectly. Thick as a Brick also would have been worthy in the top 10. Pink Floyd Meddle also. I guess the video was all about 1974 also, so great list.

[@LynneConnolly]

The difference between Relayer and Going For The One is easy - it's Rick Wakeman. Relayer was made with Patrick Moraz, a heavily jazz-influenced keyboardist whose approach was very different to Wakeman's. Then Wakeman came back, and so did Yes. I love Relayer for its experimental pieces, but in the end it didn't work out. Temperament as much as anything else.

[@BringingPsycheBacktoPsychiatry]

So glad to see Gong's You so high on this list. Red is the most important album here IMO--prog metal begins with it. But You takes off from the whimsical tales of its two predecessors, and journeys into the spiritual realm like no other psych album I've ever heard. A Sprinkling of Clouds evokes in me the experience of being confronted by the horrifying/beautiful face of God. The second side continues the journey, offering a philosophical path through the folly of life and death. It probably sounds like bullshit now to some, but Gong provided me with direction when I was about 20--along with the mind-blowing drums of Pierre Moerlen, the synth swoops and drones of Tim Blake, and the spectacular guitar artistry of Steve Hillage. A great, great album unlike no other, and hardly anyone knows about it. Glad to see that someone else gets it.

[@kennethdias9988]

Hochus pocus by focus got a lot of air ply on rock stations where I lived Maryland outside of DC. Frankenstein by the Winter Brothers did also .

[@murraymaunder8754]

Agree your placement of Relayer in the great Yes catalogue.

[@ashfromlondon7008]

Crikey, I got most of those at the time and still own them although they're a little rough around the edges now... I got 'Hamburger Concerto' for Xmas so it always reminds me of that time of year... You mentioned 'Queen II' in the intro which was my fave album of that year at the time, I didn't consider it to be a prog album though... For me and my mates, Krautrock seemed to fit more into the Progsphere and '74 saw some cool releases from Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Can... Nice nostalgic video, thanks...

[@antoniodias4718]

Great show Andy, you know what you talk about. I don't agree too much with the inclusion of Frank Zappa simply because I think it is not straight prog rock at all, although it has some prog. King Crimson's "Red" is very well chosen for best album, Genesis's "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" is excellent too!!! "Mirage" by Camel could be included. Even Supertramp's "Crime Of The Century" could make it, but Gong, Yes, ELP, and Focus are such great bands. Jethro Tull in 1974 didn't make a great album, but "Warchild" has one of the best 1974 songs "Skating away on the thin ice of a new day"!! See you Andy!!!

[@jerrypotente872]

Thanx , ANDYFOR MENTIONING- FOCUS -I absolutely love’MOVING WAVES’ , BUTSTILL listen relentlessly to my vinyl copy of’ the HAMBURGER CONCERTO ‘,,, which inmy late 60s -I believe is their ultimate masterpiece,,!!tome YES’S masterpiece iz also 1977s ‘GOING FOR THE ONE”!!!!!!good critique!!!!!!,,,, - and it’Struve -‘the LA,B LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY ‘-IS THE Peter Gabriel Genesis masterpiece,,,[[and no one ever -ever mentions Gabriel’s plethora of witty references to American Tin Pan ALLEY pop hits …..

[@EliteMelodies]

Here's another quiz for you. In 1969 Jimi Hendrix attended to a concert of a prog band. In the end he search for the guitarist and told him this: You're the best guitar player in the world! Here's a tip: the band and of course the guitarist are mentioned in this video. Who is he?

[@Nuclearmagenta]

For me, the best prog album of 1974 is Todd Rundgren’s Utopia. But I agree with a lot of what’s on your list.

[@h.m.7218]

TR's Utopia and Queen II for me.

[@edlawn5481]

Side 3 of "The Lamb" is my favorite, especially "Anyway" and "The Lamia"

[@nsgobbi]

Focus’ Hamburger Concerto must be heard on your knees !!

[@leoalexhorta]

Relayer is absolutely one of the best if not the best prog rock albums ever made.

[@jasonweinstock1282]

My favorite song from "hamburger concerto" is "harem scarem"

[@stevesmith3990]

Going For The One is my fave album of all time, Relayer is close behind.

[@WaxOrphanage]

Entertaining/informative as ever, but to split hairs I would have liked Zappa in the Fusion video and two more British Prog choices on this one

[@tadpoleslamp]

Er... are you aware that fripp is a confirmed McLaughlin fan (might be a love hate envy sort of thing). I don't know it for an ABSOLUTE FACT myself. My cousin says he is. What I do know, and hope you do as well, is that fripp interviewed McLaughlin a little bit after the release of discipline (I think McLaughlin was about at music spoken here, at that point). McLaughlin expressed that he had listened to discipline. Fripp gorged on candies McLaughlin had set out. An absolute must read interview! As in must read to believe, it's hilarious and awesome!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Yes, I knew all this...and more

[@gregoryg3256]

🌠🌹🐞🥀🍉🍎 alright Andy ..it has 2 b RED...JUST Starless alone...come on ...so good ...& 2 Zappa's on the list obviously Masterpieces...Good List ..u Rock ..happy new year

[@jasonweinstock1282]

My favorite song from the apostrophe album is stink foot

[@kennethdias9988]

Are you going to do a deep dive on steely Dan?

[@samuelbrown2147]

Hamburger concerto is one of my favorite albums of all time

[@geoffccrow2333]

Hamburger concerto is a live recording and you can also see the video of it.

[@kevinogracia1615]

Speaking of "The Mothers at the Roxy" - One must not forget the third percussionist: Ruth Underwood! Also check out "Roxy by Proxy," Peace on earth.

[@geoffccrow2333]

You are constantly moving in and out closer to the camera . You trying to hypnotize us?:)

[@ganazby]

That was fun! Can’t disagree with the top two, although I probably would’ve put ‘You’ in pole position.

[@JohnnyRecently]

I prefer the Yes Shows' version of Gates of Delirium.

[@cbr9914]

74 was the high water mark for progressive pock. it was all downhill after this. having said that, my fav tull albums are the run from minstrel to heavy horses (songs from the wood is in my top 3 albums of all time. too old to rock n roll is wayyyy better than everyone remembers-listen to it again for the first time). also, tormato in probably my most listened to yes album after relayer. it's a bonkers, surreal album with wild arrangements, over the top playing and the band's best vocals put on tape. the vocal harmonies are SUBLIME.

[@1MysteryZ1967]

Yes. Relayer. Its great. Don’t forget about Tormato.

[@aliensporebomb]

If you liked Focus you might like the Dutch band "Finch" (not the modern alt-rock one, the prog version that existed between 1975-1977). The first record "Glory of the Inner Force" has its moments but they really hit their stride on "Beyond Expression" where they remind me a bit of Yes meets Mahavishnu meets Schicke-Fuhrs-Frohling. The final record "Galleons of Passion" you can tell they were listening to a lot of Mahavishnu especially due to the song titles like "Unspoken is the Word", "With Love As the Motive" and "As One". Bandleader Joop Van Nimwegen (guitar) is a big jazz aficionado today and has played in the pit orchestra of Dutch stage musicals for many years now. Ad Wammes (who played keyboards in Finch) re-started his old pre-Finch band Montoya with Henk Heger (ex-Diesel) as vocalist/bassist. Wammes also has spent many years composing for pipe organ and accordion. He's probably more well known as a modern classical organist these days than the guy who played keyboards in Finch!

[@rakeshadhin]

My number 1 is Utopia's debut album and it's not even on the list! How did this one fall through the cracks?

[@davidwylde8426]

Good stuff. As is clear from your ranking and the various posts in the comments section, it’s fair to say that it’s ultimately all down to subjective taste. I have to say though that for me it has to be The Lamb. I wasn’t aware of it in 74, as was probably at that time into the opening credit music from Stingray, UFO etc or perhaps The Wombles or Billy Don’t Be A Hero or something or other. However, when I finally got to hear it around 84/85 it sounded like nothing I’d ever heard before either by them or frankly anyone else. I’ve never considered the concept to be at fault as for me Gabriel’s lyrics,( either consciously or unconsciously), gave the listener sufficient wiggle room to apply interpretation, with him simultaneously offering clues to possible meta-narratives and therefore making the album an almost, if not actual, Post Modern exercise in the musical art form. The music had so much breadth it’s hard to know where to start. I would say however that there were a couple of moments on this album where the music moved me in ways that I couldn’t even explain. It was almost as if I’d unearthed some long lost mood or emotional state within myself that I was now only just starting to remember and re-experience through their music. It went way beyond the relatively simple appreciation of how good their composition and ensemble playing was,( I’ve said it for ages, I don’t think any of the individual band members have, to this day, a clue about what they actually created on this album). Now if that little lot doesn’t meet the requirement of being ‘Progressive’ then I don’t know what does.

[@jurgenkoslowski2097]

I was kind of hoping for Red to come out on number 1, an it did! Just like last year's countdown, which was won by Lark's Tongues In Aspic ;-)) King Crimson twice and Zappa twice, perfect. And a huge motivation to listen to the other albums mentioned here again. I urge all of you to watch the video for Roxy and Elsewhere, which was delayed for many years due to synchronization issues between film and sound. The scary thought of course is that this great music is already 50 years old could be forgotten some day. I took my son to see King Crimson in Berlin in 2018 when he was 9 year old, as he was fascinated by the video with the three drummers. Besides the new stuff he's listening to he also likes Sofa 2 and Let Me Take You To The Beach by Zappa...

[@Wayner71]

1974 was a fascinating year. It was the first year of the 70's proper. '70, '71, '72 and '73 were all heavily influenced by the late 1960's paradigm. By 1974, that counter-cultural element had faded. At the time, this felt disappointing but was inevitable. I love 'The Lamb' in total. It is my favorite Prog album. Side 4 is as integral as the other sides and does not disappoint me whatsoever. "The Gates of Delirium" is so good its inevitable that Side 2 of 'Relayer' would not be considered as monumental, but I do love both. 'Going for the One' is indeed an incredible album. As you mentioned, its album cover art lets it down quite a bit. Some Dean would have been preferable. Cheers.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

This is a very good point

[@markspooner1224]

Although Zappa gave him a credit on Apostrophe Bruce denied that he played on it. Great list btw.

[@-SYB-61]

Yay. Hamburger Concerto. Dutch whimsy

[@Oenloveslife]

Apostrophe is one of my favorite records and so I'm really glad you put it on your list BUT, I'd've put it higher!

[@smalltown2223]

Is that a giants contact lens on the shelf behind you?

[@majorpayne8373]

Yes never did it for me. Their compositional skills were sub par. But I did see their 1975 tour in LA. I recall someone in our party say afterwards, "I'd like to get my hands on the air filters for this place. I'd take them home and smoke them." Those two King Crimson discs are the best. What year did 'Lark's Tongues' come out?

[@REFaust]

A very good list. I would definitely agree regarding the live version of Gates Of Delirium, I also much prefer it to the studio one. I would rank The Lamb higher and Starless a little lower and maybe add Renaissance Turn Of The Cards

[@klnine]

My fave Brummie, after Carl Palmer ! And Plant. .. and Justin, ad.. oh well he’s top 20