10 Essential 1980s Progressive Rock Albums

IQ is one of only a few bands on this list to start in the 1980s, and as 2019’s Resistance demonstrated, they’ve remained masters of their craft.

As for their sophomore collection – 1985’s The Wake – it’s rightly considered a classic. In fact, AllMusic stated that it “helped define what neo-progressive was and generated dozens of sound-alike albums by as many bands in the U.K. and worldwide,” as well as that it’s “a must-have for anyone remotely interested in progressive rock from the 1980s.”

Without a doubt, it shows a lot of improvement over 1983’s Tales from the Lush Attic, with Outer Limits kicking things off in exemplary fashion. Dramatic yet festive keys and percussion cascade across guitar arpeggios as vocalist Peter Nicholls sings with singular urgency. It’s wonderfully galactic, engrossing, and multifaceted, essentially establishing the magical formula that made IQ a household name in the field.

The ways in which certain songs flow into each other (such as the title track segueing into The Magic Roundabout with ominous synths) is superb, too. Although much of the record sustains that chillingly cosmic vibe, tracks like the fanciful Corners and the poppy The Thousand Days add warmth and levity to the journey.