Album Rating: 3.5

Procol Harum's debut and Days of Future Passed are the beginning of prog for me

Album Rating: 4.0

Ok, Sir Lord. It's your opinion. However, we can have others point of views, as you can see. Read what I'm going to write soon.

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks Jethro, for you open this discussion. Fortunately, someone decided to accept it, and I'm glad because it wasn't me.

You're right The Intruder. It's in genearl consensual to consider King Crimson and In The Court Of The Crimson King, the pioneers of prog. However, Jethro is also right, because some have other opinions.

Ok, this is what I really think. I agree that King Crimson was probably the first really prog band in history. Why? Because they always were a prog band since the beginning and all their albums are prog. For instance their debut is a totally prog album.

However, in relation to the first prog album, it's much more difficult to have a consensus. Jethro is right. All the bands mentioned by him have prog albums or albums with some prog things, even before In The Court Of The Crimson King. So, let's see that. Procol Harum released two albums before the King Crimson album, their eponymous debut released in 1967 and Shine On Brightly released in 1968. Especially their second album has a 17 minute multi movement prog suite, In Held Twas In I. The second album of The Moody Blues, Days Of Future Passed released in 1968 is an album with an historical significance as it was the first one to have Mellotrons, but also for its full-fledged orchestral arrangements and longer numbers. By the other hand we have this debut, the eponymous debut of Renaissance also with many prog traces. Finally, and no less important, we have some other albums with great and many prog traces. In this moment comes to my memory two of them. I'm talking about Tommy of The Who released also in 1969 and an obscure work, S.F. Sorrow of The Pretty Things, usually regarded as the first Rock Opera.

So, as we can see, this isn't an easy task know what was the first prog album.

So, I hope for some more opinions and suggestion about this matter.

Album Rating: 3.5

I can see why you are naming Tommy and Sorrow since both prog and rock operas require experimentation but I'd place them in pure psychedelic rock, I don't think being a rock opera is enough to label an album as prog since that would mean that Ziggy Stardust or American Idiot are prog too

Album Rating: 4.0

Yes, I think you're right. I only wanted to show that many other albums have prog elements. I agree with you. They're pure psychedelic rock pieces with some prog elements. They're rock operas and because of that they have some experimentalism. We can say that they're proto-prog albums.

Album Rating: 3.5

I can agree with that, I think if we go into a proto prog vein we could also name Sgt. Pepper as a big influence and let's not forget that Van der Graaf's debut came out in 1969

Album Rating: 4.0

Yes. He have also other albums such as, Are You Experienced of Jimi Hendrix, Twelve Dreams Of Dr, Sardonicus of Spirit and the eponymous debut of The Doors, especially because of its track, The End.

Album Rating: 4.0

yea dude prog rules

Album Rating: 4.0

holy shit we gota get dudes to check this who didnt already know it

Album Rating: 4.0

Yes, KILL. We need do that.

Album Rating: 3.5

I was not aware that it would turn to such a huge topic. We also get Yes, Soft Machine, Jethro Tull and Strawbs that came out in 1968 or 1969, but all of them were not exactly prog formations yet. They were all showing promise of something bigger to come. Their roots are from either folk, blues but for most of the proto prog school, they are directly influenced by the psych of the late 60's, and by the jam-based bands.

Van der Graaf Generator's debut was meant to be a Peter Hammill solo album, and I would class it as a proto prog album since almost no trace of prog is found there. It's rather psych-folk.

I think the real first prog album is ITCOTCK by King Crimson. Album contains exclusively prog rock tracks, save Moonchild which is an improvisation jam. I'm sure hesitating with The Moody Blues, but Days of Future Past is not a proper prog rock album, it's more like a bunch of psych-pop songs with classical orchestral arrangements thrown here and there.

It would not be the debut album of Renaissance for sure, because band started it all with a kind of psych-folk tinged by a few classical elements brought in by the piano and keys.

The first prog song ever has to be Procol Harum's ''In Held Twas in I'', agreed. But still there, we got a blend of psych, opera rock, and clever keyboards that suggest a proper prog rock song (it's more like a proto prog song), but the first pure prog album remains ITCOTCK to me.

ITCOTCK is definitely the first real prog album and also the best.

Album Rating: 4.0

strong wordz

Album Rating: 3.5

The first 100% prog album, yeah maybe, the best? never

Album Rating: 3.5

ITCOTCK would figure in my top 10 even if I dont tend to listen to it on a regular basis anymore. It obviously has its historical importance. It paved the way to all the giants of prog to come, all the generations included.

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah, not even close to being my favorite prog but its importance is more than obvious

Album Rating: 4.0

Hey dudes. We are talking about the first prog album and not about the best prog album.

the two are mutually compatible e21

Album Rating: 4.0

Not quite. You can have different opinions about both.

Album Rating: 3.5

I'm not as big a fan of early Renaissance as you guys.