Alright, here it is. It's not in order of personal importance, but rather when it came to me as a listener. It's not completely accurate, as I've listened to a lot of music in my time. It's not as varied as it would be for some people, but it's what I like, and when I came to it. I don't really care to explain much more. Here we go.
1. Garth Brooks -- In Pieces
Let's start with something from youth, shall we? Long before I was a nutty prog snob, I listened to then-contemporary country music. Hey, I was a kid, and only knew of country, rock, rap, and classical.. There wasn't a lot of gray area like there is now. This is one that I can still come back to though, even today. Some may know Bela Fleck as the brilliant lead of the Flecktones, but I recall his performance on Callin' Baton Rouge before any other. While this isn't exactly "great country music" like most people consider Johnny Cash, I still get a kick out it.
2. John Williams -- The Empire Strikes Back OST
Music seemed more important than it ever had before around the tenth time I saw the second part of the classic sci-fi series that is Star Wars. I was in elementary school, and the music from Bespin would ring through my head. I didn't actually get a copy of the soundtrack until I'd graduated from college, but it's still part of my history. If you haven't heard music from this flick, then go watch the movie.
3. Billy Joel -- Songs in the Attic
This was the first time I saw the importance of a live album. A collection of not-exactly-hits from a pop rock star who was officially coming down from his wave of decent to great albums, Songs in the Attic introduced me to such songs as Miami 2017 and I've Loved these Days. After this, the best we'd get from Billy Joel was The Nylon Curtain, which was an amazing album in its own right, and is deeply unappreciated amongst his typical fans, as far as I can tell. Great record though, even now.
4. Rush -- A Farewell to Kings
Rush was the beginning of everything. Seriously. I wouldn't have the colossal CD collection I have without Rush getting everything started. While songs from Moving Pictures got me started, and 2112 did everything I'd ever sought for music to do, A Farewell to Kings is my favorite Rush album. Xanadu, the title track, and the closer, Cygnus X-1 represent a huge part of where I've grown as a listener. To me, Rush is still the most important band that has ever graced my ears. They have given me so much, including an introduction to...
5. Dream Theater -- Images and Words
...this positively amazing collection of progressive metal classics from the early nineties. A friend of mine from high school brought me the guitar tab for the song Surrounded, which lead me to listen to the song, and immediately fall for the band. It was at this point that I pretty much gave up all of the other music I'd tried to get into in years previous. The post-grunge pop rock thing from the late nineties was dead to me. Country? Dry, boring. Pop? Plastic and empty. I shut the radio off from here forward. All I needed was progressive music.
6. Ayreon -- The Human Equation
Ayreon came from the post Dream Theater hunt for prog rock that the internet started. The Human Equation wasn't my first time out with Arjen Lucassen, but it is still the most memorable. An amazing lineup of vocalists, and a pretty solid story made for an awesome rock opera.
7. Yes -- Close to the Edge
Fragile is an amazing album. This is something different. Something almost alien. Three tracks, nothing under ten minutes, and every second of it is full of dense melodies. The title track is pitch perfect symphonic prog, but Siberia Khatru has a slick synth lead that is amongst Rick Wakeman's best work with Yes, and great vocal melodies. Such a special album.
8. Steve Vai -- Alien Love Secrets
Passion and Warfare is among the most important instrumental albums ever recorded. Alien Love Secrets is its psychotic and beautiful baby. Seven songs, each showing a different facet of Vai's musical voice. Tender Surrender is among my favorite songs to play on the guitar...in whatever capacity that I can actually toy around with.
9. Yoko Kanno -- Cowboy Bebop OST 1: TANK
Anime poked its oft ugly head into my life late in high school. The best of these, still, is Cowboy Bebop, which borrowed from film noir, science fiction, and spaghetti westerns to create a fairly sweet depiction of the near future. The music of the show borrowed from a little bit of everything, but kept a focus on jazz and blues for the majority of the score. Without the music, the show wouldn't have been as memorable. The first of three soundtracks, TANK offered the purest of the jazz tracks and the slickest blues numbers. TANK, the opening theme of the show, has some particularly amazing saxophone solos, and Space Lion could have been in the soundtrack to Blade Runner. And that's only scratching the surface.
10. Spiral Architect -- A Sceptic's Universe
The same guy who introduced me to Dream Theater took me out to his car to hear a song called Insect. Well, well played, once again, Mr. Johnson, because A Sceptic's Universe is still the best techincal metal album ever recorded as far as I'm concerned. The riffs on this record are unbelievable. Sean Malone from Cynic/Gordian Knot even appears to keep things classy. If you play guitar, or bass, or just dig music that is a bit challenging, check this one out.
11. The Tangent -- The Music that Died Alone
As you can tell, I dig my prog rock. The Music that Died Alone went beyond. A tribute to the Canterbury sound, a requiem for the genre, and one of the best progressive rock albums I've ever heard. If you don't like the title track, you have no remorse for the sad state of the genre.
12. Queensryche -- Operation: Mindcrime
As a fan of the rock opera and the concept album, Operation Mindcrime was something I had to hear as soon as I got into progressive rock. The statements the album makes are relevant today, and the record is still solid. It's a product of the 80's though, so the sound is directly reminiscent of the time. Queensryche has fallen so very far in the years since this one, but people will remember this one regardless. Suite Sister Mary is among the best on the album. It's not for the easily offended though.
13. Iron Maiden -- Live After Death
Yeah, this is a bit of a cop out. Live After Death is in fact one of the greatest live albums ever recorded, but to just chose this one over the albums they'd recorded in the early eighties. I found some of my early favorites from Maiden through this record. Maiden would go on to do some amazing stuff from here, but the early eighties are considered their finest by so many for a reason.
14. Pink Floyd -- The Final Cut
Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, even Animals; all brilliant. The Final Cut does the Waters fronted Floyd sound spectacularly, but it's not really a Pink Floyd album. It's the first Roger Waters solo album, but better than any Waters solo album. The very simple narrative concept on The Final Cut allows for some very solemn songs, and a very human tone following the cold and emotionally wrenching story on The Wall. The Final Cut is the result of those severed ties from The Wall, and in their wake, a simple statement that almost seemed out of place in that age of Floyd, a band whose members hated each other so much that lawsuits and decades of arguing prevented them from even sharing the stage again...
We were all equal, in the end...
15. Strapping Young Lad -- Alien
And following the solemn beauty of The Final Cut comes the nastiest, heaviest, brutally oppressive metal album that I've ever heard in my life. Devin Townsend rolls out what should have been the last SYL album with sheer chaos. There are no song structures to follow, aside from in the sole single Love, and it's probably the weakest tune on the album. Skeksis could shake mountains, and We Ride has energy unequaled by any other speed metal song in existence.
16. Fates Warning -- Awaken the Guardian
Power metal started to reenter my life through Awaken the Guardian. Fates Warning were still trying to have their own sound after borrowing liberally from Iron Maiden on their first two albums. Prelude to Ruin is a special achievement for progressive metals foundation, and the song Guardian is one of my favorite ballads in the history of metal.
17. Godspeed You Black Emperor -- F#A#(infinity)
Post rock seemed like an obvious result of enjoying progressive rock. F#A#(Infinity) holds the song Dead Flag Blues, which opens with one of the most gorgeously ominous monologues ever spoken on an album. I still need to hear their new record...
18. Opeth -- Morningrise
Death metal came slowly to me. The Human Equation started an interest in the genre, due to the performance of Mikael Akerfeldt. Morningrise is their finest. The Night and the Silent Water is one of the most memorable songs for most, but I'm still partial to Black Rose Immortal. The closing track, To Bid You Farewell, is a sign of things to come from this still impressive band. Heritage is awesome, by the way.
19. Van Halen -- Women and Children First
You'd think that I would have heard this one sooner. Well, yeah I'd heard the singles from Women and Children First, but it was actually spinning the complete album that reminded me how great Van Halen could be. Their self titled record is a classic album, but for me, this is the peak of the band. Could This be Magic? and Loss of Control are essential Van Halen tracks.
20. Nevermore -- Dead Heart in a Dead World
I was pretty stubborn to not get into Nevermore, but I'll tell ya, this album was the fast track to getting into the band. Thrash metal ready licks and some of the best vocals in rock music are laid out perfectly on this record. A cover of Simon and Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence fills in some space nicely, but its tracks like The Heart Collector and Narcosynthesis that remind me of why metal can be so very amazing.
21. Pain of Salvation -- The Perfect Element Part 1
Now were getting into some "greatest music ever" territory. Pain of Salvation shifts gears a bit with their sound, introducing some rap vocals, and they actually find their own tonal sensibilities for the first time. I love the first two albums, but they nailed it here. The story in the lyrics is touching, heartbreaking even. I'm not going to point out particular songs. Listen to the whole album. All of it. Five times. You'll never regret it...
22. Porcupine Tree -- Stupid Dream
Stupid Dream is far from the best Porcupine Tree album, but it is my personal favorite. It's poppy, melancholic, and steals a bit from Pink Floyd and Radiohead, but without the war focused lyrics of Floyd or the painfully awful voice of Thom Yorke. It's a shame that they don't play much from this record live, because songs like Baby Dream in Cellophane and Piano Lessons are a big part of the reason I dig Porcupine Tree. Steven Wilson seems to be focusing on his solo career right now, so we won't be hearing much from PT for a while...but that's okay.
23. Helloween -- Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1
A power metal classic for a reason. Keeper was a breakout for Helloween, and its the home of so many great songs that its surprising that they could follow up with an equally impressive Keeper 2. While Helloween doesn't have the same stellar sound and songwriting that they had on the Keeper albums, they still tend to impress from time to time. It's just a shame we'll never get songs as catchy as Future World or I'm Alive.
24. Dire Straits -- Love Over Gold
Yeah, there are some really overplayed tunes from Dire Straits. I promise you that they aren't on this album. Opening with the gorgeous Telegraph Road, and rolling into the cynical Industrial Disease, Dire Straits were at the top of their game here. And then they let all of that go to waste after Brothers in Arms, which was a decent record too.
25. Rainbow -- Rising
I'm not going to justify this with an explanation. If you like heavy metal, then you owe Rising every ounce of your attention. This is Dio at his best. Deep Purple didn't get riffs this good from Ritchie Blackmore. Stargazer is one of the best songs ever recorded. The rest of the album? Yeah, it's great too. Listen to this one now.
Okay, I'll have to do the next half tomorrow or something. I've been writing for two hours. It's not been all that detailed or anything, but meh. Get out there and listen to whatever you haven't heard from this list.
The next half gets a bit more interesting. I promise.
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