10 Greatest Prog Rock Bands

In the early '60s, prog was still just being born. With bands still having a foot planted firmly in the psychedelic genre, it was hard to differentiate the complex bands from the acid rock of the day. Yes may have been cut from that cloth in the beginning, but their vision for their music was a lot broader in scope.

Starting with Time and a Word, the band ventured into areas most bands wouldn't consider touching, as they covered everything from classical chops to jazzier sections. Almost any member of this band could be considered a virtuoso on their instrument, from Steve Howe's beautiful guitar work to Chris Squire's rumbling bass guitar. Albums like Relayer or Close to the Edge may seem like a bit of an undertaking with 20-minute pieces, but when you actually take the dive, you get a taste at just adventurous rock can be.

The band's ability to push the rock genre into more progressive material almost couldn't even be contained in one band. With keyboardist Rick Wakeman filling out Black Sabbath's spacey sound and Steve Howe contributing to Queen records, the guys in Yes are not just some of the greatest players in prog rock. These were the grand ambassadors for the more complex forms of rock and roll.