What Is Progressive Rock? And Should You Care?

As a general rule of thumb, I prefer to focus on topics that have some relevance to our modern lives.  You know, things like Bitcoin and Spotify and craft beer.  Even certain topics of a historical nature might still intertwine with our day-to-day existence, despite the fact that such relationships are not always obvious.  So how did I choose to talk about a musical genre that came to prominence in the 1970’s and then sort of fell off the face of the earth? No idea.  Anyway, here goes.  What is progressive rock? And should you care?

 

A Comment on Genre

Breaking down musical genre can be a fun exercise, but it can also be a confusing one.  Why? Because everyone is using the same musical building blocks.  Trying to dissect and categorize the finished products can at times be a losing battle.  What is the difference between rock and alternative rock? Or alternative rock and indie rock? Or how about indie rock and indie pop? And indie pop and dance pop? Or just plain pop?

You get the point.  While someone somewhere will have a long-winded and highly emotional answer, at best the lines are blurry.  At worst, they don’t exist.

 

What Is Progressive Rock?

With that disclaimer out of the way, we can try to answer the initial question.  You probably have a general idea of rock (though attaching a clear definition might be a challenge).  Progressive rock, or prog rock, took that concept in a variety of different directions.  Rather than using the standard composition formula of the time, these musicians tapped into compositional techniques that were more associated with classical music and jazz.  The consequence, at times, was long and complex pieces, often with multiple time signatures.  Experimentation with new sounds was commonplace, making technology a key part of the production.  Given the resultant blend between rock and jazz, prog rock was occasionally mentioned in the same context as the similarly blended genre of jazz fusion.

Overlaid upon the music were lyrics that were often poetic and/or fantastical, also known as weird.

Some of the big names in this sphere included King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and Rush.

 

Acclaim

Progressive rock was known for its laser focus on technical expertise.  Whether or not the final product was appealing to a given consumer, few could argue with the high skill level of the musicians.  In fact, prog rock was sometimes known as music for musicians.  Paradoxically, it’s this same precision that became a source of criticism (see below).

 

Criticism

As the story goes, many music critics did not take kindly to the prog rock movement.  The open exhibition of technical prowess was viewed by some as pretentious.  Along the same lines, the attention to detail was claimed to lack authenticity.  (Keep in mind that not everything in life has to make perfect sense.)  A final source of criticism was the lyrics, which were dismissed as nonsensical.

In the same story, punk rock came to the rescue of rock, ultimately sending prog rock to a premature state of decline.  The punk rock of the 1970’s was catchy, conducive to dancing or some such body movements, and simple.  The simplicity brought a rawness and approachability that prog rock was accused of lacking.

Interestingly, as the 1980’s rolled around, several prog rock outfits went on to achieve great commercial success with songs that could be considered squarely in the domain of pop.  Examples include “Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes and “That’s All” by Genesis.

 

So at the end of the day, should you even care about progressive rock? If you can appreciate technical expertise but aren’t necessarily feeling the classical or the jazz, then absolutely.  If you’re a die hard punk fan, then stick to the Ramones and keep on hating.  And if you’re just like, whatever, play what’s on the radio, there’s always Drake.