31 Best Progressive Rock Bands

11. Styx

Defining Styx (also stylized as STYX) as purely prog-rock would be a mistake, as this band, founded in Chicago in 1972, utilizes elements of synth-pop, hard rock, and folk genres.

In fact, the band’s multiple genre directions have made them a point of contention among progressive rock enthusiasts. However, the classical influences most notably seen in their earlier albums make them one of the earliest American prog-rock bands to hit the scene.

The band’s 1977 album The Grand Illusion remains one of their most popular, likely because it debuted the hit epic ballad “Come Sail Away.”

12. Van der Graaf Generator

The story of Van der Graaf Generator, an English prog-rock band founded in 1967, is strange. Not only did the band utilize unconventional instruments to produce their songs, including a typewriter, but they weren’t particularly popular in the UK.

Their popularity significantly increased after releasing their 1971 album, Pawn Hearts. But this popularity didn’t stem from British fans. Instead, Van der Graaf Generator became a hit in Italy!

This group’s first three albums are auditory time capsules, giving you a sneak peek into the kinds of tunes that Italian rockers were digging during the early 1970s.

13. Tool

Several of the most beloved progressive rock bands started in the 1960s and 1970s. But some, like Tool, started hitting the airwaves in the 1990s.

This Grammy-award-winning prog-rock band is known for songs like “Lateralus” (from their titular 2001 album), “Forty Six & 2,” and “The Pot.” Many of their tracks have uniquely intellectual aspects.

For example, Lateralus is based on the Fibonacci sequence. Still, Tool might be more progressive metal than prog-rock, making them an interesting departure from the progressive rock giants of earlier decades.

14. Happy the Man

Despite what the name of this band might have you think, Happy the Man (HTM) isn’t a solo act (we’re looking at you, The Tallest Man on Earth). Instead, this five-member band was one of the defining American progressive rock acts of the 1970s, during the height of prog-rock.

Sadly, they only released two studio albums during their heyday, Happy the Man and Crafty Hands. But these albums continue to entrance thanks to their innovative use of synth, song structure, and slow-burn build-ups.

Even better, the band reformed in 2000, coming together to create the equally enticing 2004 album The Muse Awakens. And speaking of muses…

15. Muse

Like Tool, Muse is a progressive rock band that debuted in the 1990s. While Muse is often lumped into the expansive alternative rock (alt-rock) genre, they have prog-rock leanings that are sure to appeal to long-time progressive rock fans.

To hear these influences for yourself, look no further than the band’s 2003 album Absolution and its orchestral track “Butterflies & Hurricanes.”

With a dark harmonic backdrop that bleeds into snappy hi-hat hits and rising dread, this tune is representative of what Muse is known for: a melancholy that marches hand-in-hand with hopefulness.

16. Gentle Giant

Some progressive rock bands go on to sell out stadiums and play for decades, but not Gentle Giant.

No, this British prog-rock band sadly faded out of existence after 1980. But the 11 studio albums they released while active are some of the most complex examples of 1970s prog-rock and experimental music.

Their tunes have a distinct jazziness and avant-garde style that put them on par with The Mothers of Invention. Of these songs, “Giant” from the debut 1970 album might be the most popular. With its orchestral intro and rising bass riffs, it’s also undeniably prog-rock.

17. Big Big Train

Big Big Train was formed in 1990, and they’re one of the few still-creating British prog-rocks to come out of the 1990s.

This group’s origins are distinctly punk, but the more members that joined, the more mellow and diverse the band’s music became. That trend continues today, as their 2021 album Common Ground is one of the most recent prog-rock releases (of any group).

Want to know what progressive rock sounds like in the 21st century? Give this band’s latest albums a listen!

18. Primus

If your favorite musical genres include metal, funk, and progressive rock, you’ll love Primus.

Formed in 1984, this group (often classified as alt-rock) defies most genre conventions and labels, and they do so with an attitude that exudes classic rock rebelliousness. In fact, according to the band members themselves, they don’t fit into any genre; they simply are Primus.

Still, for a taste of this band’s most prog-rock tunes, you should turn to their 2017 album, The Desaturating Seven. Notably, Primus often performs shows with fellow prog-rock group Mastodon.

19. Mastodon

Without a doubt, Mastodon is one of the newest heavy metal/progressive rock groups on the scene. Since 2000, this group has pumped out hit after hit, many of which have notable prog-rock influences.

However, if you’re looking for a softer introduction to the progressive rock genre, Mastodon might not be for you. After all, this band rocks hard, employing plenty of metal riffs and drum smashes to make each track pound harder than a racing heart.

20. Queen

When you think about Freddie Mercury and Queen, you probably don’t think “progressive rock.” After all, many of this band’s greatest hits are considered pop classics.

But if you’ve ever picked up one of Queen’s earlier albums (pre-1980), you’ll know that this British band did a lot for the prog-rock genre. A Night at the Opera, released in 1975, might be one of the best examples of Queen’s ability to produce high-quality, multi-genre progressive rock.

After all, who can deny that “Bohemian Rhapsody” has all the classic genre-defining characteristics of progressive rock, from its classical influences to its convention-breaking length of almost six minutes?