Psychedelic Prog Rock Bands of the 1970s

A list of the best psychedelic prog rock bands of the 1970s.

King Crimson

King Crimson was one of the most influential Psychedelic Prog Rock bands of the 1970s. The band was founded in 1968 by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles, and they released their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King in 1969. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it is considered to be one of the best Prog Rock albums of all time. King Crimson’s second album, In the Wake of Poseidon, was released in 1970 and it was also a critical and commercial success.

In the Court of the Crimson King

In the Court of the Crimson King is the fifth studio album by English rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. It is their debut album and was co-produced by Carl Palmer’s father, Alan. The album cover was designed by Barry Godber, who died shortly afterwards in a motorcycle accident.

The album topped the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard 200. In 2003, it was ranked number 87 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2004, four of its tracks were included in Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 2006, Q magazine placed In the Court… at number 12 in its list of “40 Best Albums of the ’60s”. It has sold more than five million copies worldwide.

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Red

Red is the fourth studio album by English rock band King Crimson, released in 1974 by Island Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States. It was their last studio recording of the 1970s and the culmination of their “progressive rock” phase. The album was recorded during a period of turmoil for the group, after several changes in personnel. Though it reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and number 28 on the US Billboard 200, it received mixed reviews from critics on its release.

The album features three drummers – Bill Bruford, Ian Wallace and Jamie Muir – playing simultaneously on two tracks, “Starless” and “Red”, a technique that became known as ” polyrhythm “. It is also notable for its use of extreme dynamics , often shifting from very quiet passages to very loud ones without any warning. Critical reaction to Red was initially poor, with many reviewers feeling that it was not as good as the band’s previous albums. However, it has since been reappraised by many critics and is now considered one of King Crimson’s best albums. In 2003, it was ranked number414 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time .

Yes

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock or simply psychedelic rock, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The style is distinguished by a preoccupation with psychedelic experiences and hallucinations, often triggered by the use of drugs.

Close to the Edge

Formed in 1968, Yes is a classic example of a psychedelic prog rock band. Their most successful album, “Close to the Edge”, was released in 1972 and topped the charts in both the UK and US. The album’s title track is a 20-minute epic that showcases the band’s musical skills and compositional ambition. Other highlights include “And You and I” and “Siberian Khatru”.

Tales from Topographic Oceans

Tales from Topographic Oceans is the sixth studio album by English rock band Yes, released on 7 December 1973 on Atlantic Records. The double album is a collection of four side-long tracks, with each track depicting different philosophies outlined in Paramahansa Yogananda’s book Autobiography of a Yogi.

Genesis

Foxtrot

Foxtrot is the fourth studio album by the progressive rock band Genesis, released in October 1972 on Charisma Records. The album was recorded following singer Peter Gabriel’s departure from the group and bassist/lyricist Chris Stewart’s exit during the previous year’s sessions for Foxtrot. keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford took over production duties, while Robert Fripp of King Crimson was brought in as a session guitarist. It was the first album to feature drummer Phil Collins as lead vocalist; he replaced Gabriel as lead singer after auditions in which his drumming prowess also impressed the band. Collins’ drumming can be especially heard on the song “Watcher of the Skies”, which features a lengthy solo.

Selling England by the Pound

Selling England by the Pound is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released in October 1973 on Charisma Records. It reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 70 in the US. The album was produced by John Anthony and was their first to be recorded at Trident Studios after leaving their former label, Decca Records, and hiring hit record producer Anthony Phillips to work on some of their songs.

The album’s sleeve design, which depicts Buckingham Palace being sold off by pound signs, reflects English concerns about conservatism and high taxation under Edward Heath’s government, as well as Betjeman’s poem “Slough”. The front cover art is a homage to Peter Blake and Jann Haworth’s design for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).

The album was a return to their more compact songwriting after the ambitious Foxtrot (1972). All of the tracks were written during May–August 1973 while the group were on tour in America and Canada; only “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” had been written previously. The copyright date on the original LP sleeves was 1 October 1973, but Charisma released it early in some territories such as Italy to avoid competition with other forthcoming releases over Christmas.

Selling England by the Pound received mixed reviews from critics upon its release, but has since been retrospectively praised as one of Genesis’ best albums and a significant progressive rock record of its era. In 2003, it was ranked number 366 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time; defending its position in a 2012 reassessment, it was ranked number 357. Selling England by the Pound remains one of Genesis’ most commercially successful albums: it peaked at number three in the UK and has been certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd is one of the most well-known psychedelic prog rock bands of the 1970s. They are known for their concept albums and intricate arrangements. Their 1973 album, “The Dark Side of the Moon”, is one of the bestselling albums of all time. If you’re a fan of prog rock, then you’re probably a fan of Pink Floyd.

The Dark Side of the Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album built on ideas explored in the band’s earlier recordings and live shows, but without their previous album’s lengthy conceptual excursions. It thematically explores conflict, greed, time, and mental illness, the side effects of drugs, and ageing.

The record was an immediate commercial and critical success upon its release. It topped record charts in several countries including the United States, where it spent 741 weeks on Billboard’s Top 200 chart—the longest duration of any album—and was certified platinum sixteen times. With an advance order of one million copies in the UK and 800,000 in the US, it became Pink Floyd’s most pre-ordered album ever.

Critical reaction to The Dark Side of the Moon was generally positive; contemporary reviews praised its ambition and inventiveness, and it has since been regarded as one of Pink Floyd’s greatest works. Like most of Pink Floyd’s albums, it is a concept album which uses music to capture a listener’s imagination and carry them away from their everyday lives; Rolling Stone described it as “an SDK for daydreaming”.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd was one of the most successful and influential rock bands of all time. Emerging from the London underground music scene in the 1960s, they went on to produce some of the most iconic and timeless tracks in rock history.

Their 1975 album “Wish You Were Here” topped charts around the world and is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. The title track, “Another Brick in the Wall”, “Money” and “Comfortably Numb” are just some of the Floyd’s classic hits that are still played regularly on radio today.

If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, or just want to experience one of the greatest rock bands of all time, then make sure to check out their classic album “Wish You Were Here”.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also commonly known as ELP, was an English progressive rock supergroup which was formed in London in 1970. The group consisted of keyboardist Keith Emerson, singer, bassist, and guitarist Greg Lake, and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer. They were one of the most commercially successful progressive rock bands of the 1970s.

Brain Salad Surgery

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, often called ELP, were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in 1970. They found success with their debut album, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, which reached number four in the UK and number 28 in the US. The band’s signature sound was marked by an ambitious blending of jazz, classical and rock music elements.

ELP’s second album, Tarkus (1971), was even more successful and reached number two in the UK and number 16 in the US. It was followed by Trilogy (1972), which topped the UK charts and reached number five in the US. Brain Salad Surgery (1973) was ELP’s most commercially successful album, reaching number two on both the UK and US charts.

After a three-year break, ELP returned with Works Volume 1 (1977), a compilation of orchestrated renditions of popular songs. The album was a commercial disappointment and was followed by Works Volume 2 (1977), which fared even worse. ELP’s final studio album, Love Beach (1978), was met with even less success. The band disbanded shortly afterwards.

Tarkus

Tarkus is the second studio album by the British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released on June 21, 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was recorded at Advision Studios in London between February and May 1971 and produced by Greg Lake. It is a concept album based on a fantasy story about the travels and battles of an armadillo-tank. An annotated version of the story was included in the original LP sleeve. The cover artwork is often cited as one of the most notable examples of seventies progressive rock album covers.

The first LP side consists of five tracks, four of which are instrumentals. The first track “Tarkus” is a 20-minute suite divided into seven parts that musically represent different sections of the armadillo-tank’s journey. “Bitches Crystal” and “The Only Way (Hymn)” were both released as singles in some countries, although not in the United Kingdom or United States. The second side contains three shorter tracks – two songs and one instrumental – that are lyrically unconnected to the Tarkus storyline.

The album was well-received by music critics upon its release and it peaked at number 2 on both the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200 chart. In 2003, it was ranked 368th on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.