10 Best Progressive Rock Albums Of All Time
2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Marking the peak of prog rock's popularity, 'Dark Side of the Moon' set the world on fire in 1973.
Cutting short their signature, long form instrumentals from prior releases, Pink Floyd otherwise blended much of their ideas and earlier sounds into one perfect LP. There's so much to unpack in this pop cultural watershed moment that one barely even knows where to begin.
Roger Waters' lyrics are both high concept and easily accessible, crafting a story of the human experience from start to finish. This idea is greatly enhanced by the easy flow nature of the album's composition, allowing songs to blend into one another to form a continuous musical piece.
Seminal tracks like 'Us and Them', a jazzy take on the horrors of war and blindness of materialism, and 'Money', a fast-paced, snarky rock tune about the pitfalls of capitalism vs. socialism, displayed the group at their versatile best.
By the time the album's closing heartbeat has come and gone, listeners have truly experienced a work of art. Almost transcending what prog rock (or any other genre of music for that matter) is capable of, 'Dark Side of the Moon' has only grown in stature in the years since. From humorous film and TV references to that bizarre 'The Wizard of Oz' sync-up, the album has captured imaginations worldwide.
Simply a must-listen for fans and non-fans of the genre alike.