10 Essential 1980s Progressive Rock Albums

In a sense, Genesis’ career can be boiled down to three chapters: the Peter Gabriel era (1967 – 1975), the post-Gabriel era (1975 – 1977), and the post-Hackett era (1978 – 2022). Undoubtedly, the Gabriel chapter was the strongest from a progressive rock standpoint, as it yielded some of the greatest records the genre has ever produced (namely, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway).

Fortunately, the group rebounded remarkably as a quartet (with drummer Phil Collins also providing lead vocals). Honestly, it wasn’t until guitarist Steve Hackett left near the end of the ‘70s that Genesis – now a trio – truly began leaning closer and closer toward unabashed commercial pop. As such, 1980’s Duke serves as a respectable bridge between Genesis’ two drastically different styles.

By and large, the LP successfully upholds the quirkily cultured instrumentation and simpler songwriting of predecessor ...And Then There Were Three... This is best represented by Man of Our Times, Behind the Lines, Cul-de-sac, and the closing Duke suite. Each of them strikes a fine balance between their former inventiveness and their future accessibility.

Even the two most predictively mainstream pieces – Misunderstanding and Turn It On Again – are passable rather than egregious.