The Top 10 Sophomore Albums in Rock

From finding their feet to all out masterpieces, today we explored the best Sophomore albums in our opinions. We look forward to hearing what you all think, enjoy!
#vinylcommunity #vinylrecords #vinylcollection #progrock

[@TheProgCorner]

The best father/daughter duo on KZbin!!!! 👍❤️👍❤️👍

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks Scot! ❤️❤️

[@toddhill7483]

That may be true, but Scot has the best hair on the internet.

[@TheProgCorner]

@@toddhill7483 That’s right!!!

[@jeffschielka7845]

👍😎

[@chopayrussell9660]

RUSH ..." Fly by Night" new drummer and lyricist, set the stage for progressive concept rock and changed their career trajectory into not just another band

[@craigsandry6737]

Nice work guys . Glad Chicago got a mention , I love this album .Hawkwind as well. Still going strong ! Great selections throughout . Cheers

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks a million. 👍

[@brianoakley980]

Oh yes how could I forget. ISLANDs 2nd Sampler LP Nice Enough to Eat, a classic!!

[@jeffschielka7845]

Hey Dermot and Tara! Very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing! Some excellent picks, the music just got better the second time around.👍😎

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks Jeff. We found that a lot of bands only truly defined their sound on the second album. 👍

[@jeffschielka7845]

@@SpinninProg 👍😎

[@craigherriot4026]

Enjoyed very much yet again. You two are so entertaining, it's like sitting in the pub with your mates. Getting some great pointers for stuff to explore as well. Things I would never have considered to be something I'd enjoy, like Hawkwind for example. Going to check that out. Keep it coming.

[@SpinninProg]

Glad you enjoyed it Craig, welcome to the madhouse! 😁

[@davemurphy3275]

Brilliant choices, I have them all , and my favourite would be camel . Some more , Jimi Hendrix axis, Neil Young everybody,. Great show again and again

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks. Axis is coming up in our next video. A great choice. 👍

[@richardfurness7556]

Yes - Time And A Word. Not yet the finished article, but the songwriting is flawless and the arrangements exquisite. Stackridge - Friendliness. What the Beatles might have sounded like in 1972 if they'd all grown up in Somerset. Steeleye Span - Please To See The King. A beautiful, timeless album - not my words, but I can't think of more appropriate ones. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James. Establishes the perfect relationship between artist and listener. Swing Out Sister - Kaleidoscope World. Existential avant pop of the highest calibre.

[@SpinninProg]

Great choices there. Can't argue with any of them. 👍

[@bruceg9519]

Don't sleep on Birds of Fire by The Mahavishnu Orchestra.. another great sophomore album. Love you guys!

[@SpinninProg]

A fantastic album. We're looking for a copy of it. It would have been in the video if we had it. 👍

[@Coolmore362]

Some great Albums you both selected, Trespass is a massively underrated album, one of my favourite Genesis albums, hawkwind another great band that definitely deserves more air time , thanks for sharing.

[@SpinninProg]

Thank you. We'll do all we can to keep the Hawkwind flag flying. 👍

[@PJprog]

Fabulous guys !! Strange how so many Prog bands strongly found their own direction on these second outings... Genesis , Marillion , Van Der Graaf Generator , Procol Harum , and I'll even add in the likes of Mike Oldfield , Muse , and It Bites. Uncanny isn't it. All incredible albums , non of the above quite got it nailed on their debuts ( even Tubular Bells...wow , that's a bold statement 😬 ). I just think his best work started with Hergest Ridge. Great video Dermot and Tara...as always great to see you on our screens , thanks for your enduring enthusiasm !! Stand up and fight 🎵🎵 Love The Knife !!! 😍

[@SpinninProg]

We've got to agree with you on Hergest Ridge. Without that Tubular Bells is just a novelty recording. That album cements Oldfield as a force in music. 👍

[@joeg6222]

Another enjoyable show you two - a great way to start the day! I will have to give another listen to Stand Up and Trespass, as it has been too long since I've last heard them, so thank you for the inspiration!

[@SpinninProg]

Thank you. Glad we got the prog mojo going again. Two albums that helped bands to define what became an iconic sound. 👍

[@melstercandies-ch2ml]

Frumpy 2 by Frumpy is a great Sophomore album with some of their best songs!!

[@marblerye123]

Love the list! Must check out The Moody Blues and Hawkwind. I would stick Doolittle, Siamese Dream, Loveless, Downward Spiral and Nevermind in there too (90s kid alert!). They're not very proggy picks but still great rock records 🤘

[@melstercandies-ch2ml]

Look into the Future by Journey Grand Funk(the Red album) by Grand Funk Railroad were decent second albums.

[@SpinninProg]

Look into the Future is an amazing album. That's a great pick. Brilliant! 👍

[@gileslesmith]

That Jethro Tull foldout is really amazing! Had it in my vinyl collection back in the 1980s. Until I had to get rid of all my albums cause I was running out of space. At the time I only had one room and this room was filled with stuff up to the ceiling. In Germany there existed a band called Hoelderlin. They released their first album in 1972 with a female singer from the Netherlands. It contained a bunch of really folky tunes. In 1975 their second album came out with some longer songs and they did sound more like a rock band. This formula continued on over the next three albums I guess including a fantastic live double album called Traumstadt in 1977 or 78.

[@SpinninProg]

We must check them out. They sound intriguing. Thanks. 👍

[@51monalisa]

there it is again chicago .but its true brilliant music and you made me re listen again to my chicago records again .chicago 1,2,3 and 7 are my favorites

[@SpinninProg]

Totally agree with your picks. They are the cream of the crop. I'd let Chicago 5 squeeze in there too, even though it's only a single album. 😁

[@51monalisa]

@@SpinninProg they made in their early days a row of good albums and difficult to choose .probaly after a renew listening i will agree

[@terrywalker8446]

Hi Spinnin' Proggers👋🏻 As usual, my tastes are a little heavier than yours but here's a few sophomores that immediately spring to mind. First is Rainbow Rising. The debut album was pretty good but Rising was so much heavier and more epic. My second offering is Queen II. Once again, the first Queen album was pretty good, but Queen II was more epic, eclectic, bombastic, and more progressive. My third offering is Sad Wings Of Destiny by Judas Priest. Their debut album was pretty meh!! But as with Queen and Rainbow the follow up was a step up. Tracks such as Victim Of Changes, The Ripper, Tyrant, and Genocide were live staples throughout the 70s. I'm really surprised that Tara didn't mention my final offering, Next by SAHB😳. Every track is a belter🥰

[@SpinninProg]

Sorry for the delay in getting back. Things are a big chaotic for us right now. But we're getting on top of the mess a bit. Great choices Terry. I don't know how we missed Rainbow Rising. It's a perennial for both of us. Shhhhh. Don't mention Alex Harvey. I think she might finally be moving on from that obsession. 😂

[@davidtytgat]

Hi! On Jethro Tull stand up album, there is the song that looks like...Hôtel in California (before the Eagles).... Another great band: Ozric Tentacles....

[@SpinninProg]

👍

[@thomaswery3087]

Steven Wilson-Grace For Drowning Kansas-Song For America couple of my favorites

[@SpinninProg]

Two brilliant choices. 👍

[@AllMediaReviewsPodcast]

nice picks. Genesis, Black Sabbath, Zeppelin.. some of my favorites Dream Theater - Images and Words King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska Jellyfish - Spilt Milk The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning of and All Things Regarding Ms.Leading The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute dredg - El Cielo Galactic Cowboys - Space in Your Face Superior - Younique Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets

[@SpinninProg]

All great choices. Nice to see Coheed mentioned and I totally agree. That was the album that defined their sound. 👍

[@51monalisa]

for me another change to bring up a earth & fire album . song of the marching children .a album where they jumped into prog comparing the first one and of course the game changer is the mellotron

[@SpinninProg]

Not familiar with that one. We must check it out. 👍

[@51monalisa]

@@SpinninProg a dutch group from the seventies:

[@SpinninProg]

@@51monalisa It would be great to delve deeply into the talent that came out of Holland. A great rock country. 👍

[@51monalisa]

@@SpinninProg the early seventies where a great moment of dutch prog .beside focus

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

Agreed for Chicago until death of terry kath ! After bof.......

[@SpinninProg]

Totally. The creativity went with the untimely demise of Terry Kath. Still, there's a catalogue of albums he played on that are in a league of their own. 👍

[@jessem470]

This is a great list of sophomore albums The implication being that the 2nd is better than the first ? People are Strange for example Great sophomore effort by The Doors , I actually prefer it over their debut although most people might disagree. But for this post I will pick 2 important albums in development of Prog or what can be achieved in Album setting Love : Da Capo : Side 2 truly was a Revelation Zombie : Odyssey and Oracle With the great Rod Argent Oh wait it just thought of the best sophomore of all time . Ahhh. never mind

[@SpinninProg]

Great input... The second Doors album is a much better formatted piece of music than the first. Big agreement. 👍

[@toddhill7483]

Excellent episode. A few of my favorites. A few prog, mostly not. Led Zeppelin II Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets The Cars Candy O Cheap Trick In Color Devo Duty Now for the Future Gentle Giant Acquiring the Taste Talking Heads More Songs About Buildings and Food Camel Mirage Caravan If I Could do it all Over again I'd do it all Over You Meat Puppets II The Cure Seventeen Seconds The Church The Blurred Crusade Sparklehorse Good Morning Spider David Bowie The Man who Sold the World Stan Ridgway Mosquitos Wall of Voodoo Call of the West The Police Regatta De Blanc Magazine Secondhand Daylight King Crimson In the Wake of Poseidon Pretenders II The Billy Nayer Show The Villain that Love Built Snakefinger Greener Postures The Suburbs Credit in Heaven X Wild Gift

[@jimmycampbell78]

Bowie Man Who Sold The World is his third album. He had two s/t albums before that, the second one sometimes called Space Oddity, the most prominent song which is on it.

[@toddhill7483]

@@jimmycampbell78 my mistake. I appreciate the info.

[@SpinninProg]

Great choices. All pretty strong albums and you've expanded the initial premise. Fabulous. Great to see a big list like this. 👍

[@janvrolijk9126]

The model on the cover of Roxy Music is Amanda Lear.

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks. We must look into it a bit more. Fantastic cover. 👍

[@UNIT-h2d]

Greetings and salutations! It's Andy Martin from UNIT here...again...and I realise you must be sick and tired of all my inane comments by now but I've been going through a 'progressive rock' phase since March so you, Scot and others must suffer all these comments. I've snapped on a 'like' to bring your video up to 90 although it'll soon break the 100 mark before long I expect. Anyway, after all those unkind things I said about Peter Hammill's singing, I decided to listen to the first 3 VDGG albums again, just for jolly (or perhaps to punish myself for my impertinence). As for my favourite second album by any group...er...difficult. I'll pick Acquiring The Taste by Gentle Giant although I realise there are plenty of other contenders...Genesis, Jethro Tull, Colosseum and VDGG, to give just 4 examples.

[@theother1281]

Lovely selection and I can't criticize you for any of your choices. But the one I would have found room for, possibly at No.1, Tago Mago by Can.

[@SpinninProg]

Ah yes... A great album. Well mentioned. 👍

[@georgemathie8123]

A fantastic sophomore album is saga's 1979 release images in twilight a fantastic Canadian prog band and Kansas song for America is pretty solid to

[@MattCarter67]

I’d go Hergest Ridge, perhaps an unpopular choice but I prefer it to the old TB.

[@SpinninProg]

You're not the only one to mention that album Matt. So, no worries. Without it Mike Oldfield would never have established himself as anything other than a novelty act. A very important album that cemented the position of a very important musician. A great choice. 👍

[@toddhill7483]

Wow, I always thought Days of Future Passed was the debut from Moody Blues. Until now I have never heatd of The Magnificent Moodies. (1965) Learned something new today!

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks. 👍

[@brianoakley980]

Oh yes...Camel..Roxy..Sabbath..Zep..Van Der......I like Floodland Sisters of Mercy...TARKUS...OVERKILL, I love Homes self titled 2nd LP, I like early Elton John, the self titled one too?

[@toddhill7483]

Good call on that Sisters of Mercy.

[@SpinninProg]

All great. Tarkus.... What a second album! 👍

[@kevinputry5655]

Solid list! My top ten: Sweet-Sweet Fanny Adams, Judas Priest-Sad Wings of Destiny, Devo-Duty Now For the Future, Iron Butterfly-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Alan Parsons Project-I Robot, Black Sabbath-Paranoid, Led Zeppelin-Led Zeppelin II, The Police-Regatta De Blanc, Ozzy Osbourne-Diary of a Madman and Alice in Chans-Dirt.

[@SpinninProg]

Great list. All classic albums. 👍

[@BG-id2cv]

What, no mention of the The Táin by my beloved Horslips?!!!! The most important and probably the first Celtic Prog rock album in the history of this universe. C'mon you guys!!!!

[@SpinninProg]

We're saving them for the Horslips special, coming soon 😉

[@brianoakley980]

Here's a thought it doesnt have to be the first LP maybe a later Album that absolutely defined them😅, but the first track on preferably your first LP that NAILED your direction , clearly Black Sabbath on the 1st lp, 21st Century Schizoid man, The Barbarian ELP..maybe Musical Box i think Genesis took off on Nursery Cryme, Maybe Killer H to He? Remake Remodel Roxy?

[@SpinninProg]

Interesting concept alright. There are a lot of albums that contain that perfect distillation of the creative essence of bands. It's definitely worth spending some time considering. Thanks Brian. 👍

[@Pellefication]

Manfred Mann's Earth Band's second album 'Glorified Magnified' is significantly better than the self-titled debut in my opinion. 'Glorified Magnified' is also for some strange reason a very underrated record. Nobody ever talks about that record. PS. The period 1971 - 1975 was their period...after that they suck big time imho. DS.

[@SpinninProg]

I do agree that they went down hill pretty badly. When they were great, they were great. We have everything from Messin' to Watch. They do tail off alright.

[@Sabotage8675]

In my heart Images and words was their debut. But i guess it wasn't 🤷‍♂️🤣🤣🤣 Kind of like In Rock....

[@jimmycampbell78]

I actually like their debut very much with Charlie Domenici. I think its underrated. Probably because most people discovered DT with Images and Words/Pull Me Under etc and identify very much with LeBrie on vocals.

[@josephgerard5473]

PS Yes, Scot Lade does have the best hair on the internet. I want You Tube to make it a rule that anyone who talks about progressive or classic rock on a video MUST HAVE HAIR NO SHORTER THAN 6 INCHES. If, like me, the unfortunate chap is going bald then he must don a wig. Actually, I think handlebar moustaches ought to be included, too...but only for the men.

[@SpinninProg]

😂

[@bruceg9519]

The Police Regatta de blanc is a great sophomore album but a great list nonetheless!

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks. You'll have no argument from us if you include that album. 👍

[@ElliotCrowe-b4y]

Great to see you back! Brilliant stuff again! 😀

[@ElliotCrowe-b4y]

Fugazi by Marillion is a good example of that "difficult" second album. It's a brilliant album anyway. Fish era Marillion can do no wrong for me.

[@danielfuentes3226]

Excelent picks their great albums.Another great album is " Pawn Hearts" by Van der Graaf Generator

[@SpinninProg]

A great album but it isn't their Sophomore album! ☺️

[@danielfuentes3226]

@@SpinninProg 👍I agree

[@51monalisa]

i am glad you did stand up thats the one i thought about right away

[@SpinninProg]

Cheers. It had to be in the top three. 👍

[@51monalisa]

@@SpinninProg and, thanks, tara for pointing out i didn.t know either 🤣

[@51monalisa]

the wisdom of dermot😁

[@SpinninProg]

Don't know about that. I can't even keep track of the numbers we're on in these lists. 😂

[@newdawnofprog]

Brilliant episode, love your picks. I've made a list of newer sophomore prog albums that I really love: Duty Free Area - Duty Free Area, Seven Impale - Contrapasso, The Worm Ouroboros - Endless Way From You, VAK - Budo, Hackberry - Breathing Space, Arabs in aspic - Strange Frame Of Mind, Amoeba Split - Second Split, Beat Love Oracle -Turning the Table, Accordo Dei Contrari - Kublai, The Tronosonic Experience - II: The Big Blow, Krokofant - II, Il Bacio Della Medusa -Discesa Agl'Inferi d'un Giovane Amante, Ring Van Möbius -The 3rd Majesty, Shamblemaths - 2, La Theorie Des Cordes - 4U-9525, Zopp - Dominion, Guranfoe -Gumbo Gumbo, Gargamel - Descending, Anekdoten -Nucleus, Anglagard - Epilog. Cheers and all the best.

[@SpinninProg]

Wow!!!! A lot of stuff here that we haven't heard of. We must check it all out. 😁👍

[@petertaylorson5783]

Lovely chemistry between the two of you - so enjoyable. Great choices, to which i would add one of the albums behind you - BJH - Once Again and Caravan's - If i Could Do it all Over Again.... , Beggars Opera - Waters of Change, BOC's -Tyranny & Mutation, Wishbone Ash - Pilgrimage and from a different era The Sound - From The Lions Mouth, Comsat Angels - Sleep No More and The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean, Basically?

[@SpinninProg]

Great choices. We left the BJH one behind us as it was on the shortlist. Pilgrimage is an amazing album... That's a fantastic choice. 👍

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

Sorry this not the first! Lp of Camel The first is "CAMEL" 1973 ref Mups 473 happy to see you BOTH !😊

[@SpinninProg]

Yes we know, we showed the second album, hence the title 'top sophomore albums'

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

​@@SpinninProgdésolé j'avais mal compris.😊

[@SpinninProg]

@@jean-lucpernel2202 No problem Jean Luc. We're always happy to see you commenting. 😁

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

@@SpinninProg Tara a reçu les résultats de ses examens ???

[@SpinninProg]

@@jean-lucpernel2202 She is still doing her exams. She has another one next Wednesday and then we're going to see Riverside on Thursday night. I think that's the celebration that they're over. 😁

[@markspooner1224]

I'm stumped to think of many others, you've named most of the best ones. Maybe Acquiring The Taste by Gentle Giant which I like more than their first. BTW there's a 5 hour loop of Planet Caravan on youtube which is perfect for an evening with candlelight and wine!

[@SpinninProg]

We did think of acquiring the taste and it was in the shortlist. The only argument against it's inclusion was that, although it's better than the first one, the first one is great too. Still, we all hear things differently, so why not put it in as an extra? 👍

[@richard127gm]

Great taste Tara, Hawkwind are my favourite band. They never made a bad album in 50+ years.

[@SpinninProg]

Couldn't agree more. 👍

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

Agreed for SABBATH !

[@melstercandies-ch2ml]

A very enjoyable video,look forward to your next one.Take care!

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks. 👍

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

Good taste both , good luck for university Tara 😊

[@SpinninProg]

Thanks Jean Luc. 👍

[@mythoflogic]

Great show!! I would have included "Fly By Night", "Song For America" and "Danger Money" in my own list.

[@SpinninProg]

Three very strong albums. Great picks. 👍

[@mythoflogic]

@@SpinninProg - It's a great topic!!