10 Best Progressive Rock Bands Of All Time
7. Porcupine Tree
Granted, it's hard to really get any of the casual rock fans into something like prog overnight. After all, seeing the sheer song lengths on some of these records might have the AC/DC stripe of rock fan a little bit intimidated. And yes, this genre can be a little bit of a lot to take in, but that doesn't mean there aren't some kickass gateway bands along the way.
Around the time that prog rock was starting to make a resurgence in the '90s, we got Porcupine Tree coming up with some of the more radio friendly prog rock that was hard to come by at the time. From the way that he constructs melodies to how he puts together arrangements for songs, Steven Wilson seems to be just as inspired by bands like Pink Floyd and Dream Theater as he does with acts like the Beatles, never letting the song get in the way of a great hook.
That's not to say that this is the lightweight version of prog rock by any stretch. Listening to records like In Absentia will really keep you on your toes, going from catchy songs to riffs that feel like they're about to rip your head off. Because prog rock isn't always about pushing the limits of the listener. There's nothing wrong with kicking back with a good tune every once in a while.