Musicians alike seem to have a general infatuation and appreciation for early progressive rock in the late 1960s and 1970s. At the time, these groups pushed boundaries for what it meant to be a band. Rather than the standard approach of crafting a melody with a leading guitar riff, progressive rock transformed how many look at creating a song.

Although some rock purists might look at progressive rock as being elitist or having an overall condescending tone for what it is, this is nonsense. As long as a progressive rock outfit doesn’t view what they’re doing significantly better than any genre of music, who cares how complex they make their music?

From a textbook point of view, progressive rock is a style of rock music that was popularized throughout the 1970s and is characterized by classical influences, the use of keyboard instruments, and lengthy compositions. Considering progressive rock has influenced a number of bands such as Tool, Mars Volta, Mastodon, Porcupine Tree, Chon, and countless others, it’s interesting to look back at essential progressive rock bands.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the key progressive rock bands every person should start with upon their journey into the genre. If you’re interested in purchasing or listening to any of the artists listed below, click on the title of one for a direct link to Amazon.