1. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here: I had the hardest time choosing the number one spot for the top progressive rock album. My choice was between Pink Floyd’s “Meddle” and their other album “Wish You Were Here.” I can never pick my favorite Floyd song – “Echoes” or “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” But after a few hours, I made my choice. The reason I picked “Wish You Were Here” is because unlike “Meddle,” every song resonates in the listener’s head.

2. Yes – Close To The Edge: For an album with only three songs, Yes manages once again to pack incredible melodies and changes into their songs. They grabbed the world’s attention with the song “Roundabout” and they had to find a way to top the album “Fragile.” And of course they did. For me, “Close to the Edge” defines the band Yes and it is certainly one of the best albums to ever come from progressive rock.

3. Chicago Transit Authority – Chicago Transit Authority: This might just be the best debut album any progressive rock band has ever created. While some people may argue that they’re not progressive rock, I beg to differ. Just listen to the debut album of Chicago Transit Authority (who later just changed their name to “Chicago”). If you are convinced that songs like “Introduction,” “Beginnings” and “Questions 67 and 68” have no progressive leanings, please – give it another spin for me.

4. Camel – Moonmadness: Camel was a band who came from the so-called “Canterbury Scene.” Their sound was progressive, jazzy, ambient and relaxing. I own their first six albums and I must say that they are a very consistent band. This band’s music has almost a tranquilizing effect on the listener.

5. Rush – Permanent Waves: How is it possible that only three people made such an album? The powerful trio’s seventh album is their best one for me. With songs like “The Spirit of Radio,” “Jacob’s Ladder” and the epic “Natural Science,” Rush showed the world what they were made of.

6. Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus: This is the only band on this list that is certainly and literally a “supergroup” - coming from the following bands: The Nice, King Crimson and Atomic Rooster. With their amazing keyboards and rhythm section, “Tarkus” is definitely their masterpiece.

7. Van Der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts: Being a progressive rock band with a darker sound, Van der Graaf Generator is an underrated band. The quite-lengthy tracks of this album contain different sounds, melodies and textures. I believe what makes this band so enjoyable are the strange interludes, jazzy sections and their overall “mysterious” sound.

8. Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells: Mike Oldfield deserves more respect. I never hear his name nowadays and that’s pretty sad. A multi-instrumentalist who blends progressive rock, folk, world music, classical, even electronic music and many others, Mike Oldfield always breaks boundaries with his unique experimentation through his albums. This album is actually his most famous and respected work because the main melody from the album was used as the theme for the movie “The Exorcist.”

9. Genesis – Selling England By The Pound: Genesis is known for their ‘80s popular sound when Phil Collins took over as the group’s leader but, personally, I loved their sound when Peter Gabriel led the group. “Selling England by the Pound” is a landmark for Genesis and progressive rock, with its colossal strong structures, gorgeous melodies, even impeccable drumming by the underrated Phil Collins. I suggest this album along with their other one, the double-LP “The Lamb Lies on Broadway.”

10. The Mars Volta – Frances The Mute: I know that the Mars Volta are a recent group and that rest of the bands on this list are quite older but I have a very good reason to include them on this list – they’re just too damn good. This album contains progressive rock, ambient segues, Latin influences and time signatures that are just so out-there that it just makes the listener think: “How do they come up with these parts?”

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