Progressive Rock

Progressive rock is a Rock subgenre associated with complex harmonies and instrumental virtuosity inspired by Western Classical Music and Jazz. Generally, song structures consist of many sections and typically feature shifts in tempo and time signatures. Broader instrumentation compared to other Rock subgenres is also utilized to provide a wider selection of moods, which includes keyboards, as well as wind and bowed instruments, to the point of sometimes replacing the guitar as the dominant instrument in the music. Songwriting-wise, prog rock bands often opt for concept albums, where songs are tied to themes such as history, science fiction, and fantasy, with lyricists drawing inspiration from poetry, literature, and cinema. The genre is also occasionally influenced by Contemporary Folk and Traditional Folk Music. The roots of progressive rock date back to the innovations introduced by Psychedelic Rock and Baroque Pop sounds of the mid-1960s, with groups like The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Moody Blues utilizing new recording techniques, lush orchestral arrangements, integrating influences outside of rock music, and focusing on highly harmonized, psychedelic compositions. The earliest prog bands emerged in the United Kingdom during the late 1960s, including The Nice and Procol Harum, seeking to push for further innovations within rock music. The style saw a massive rise in popularity during the early 1970s, with King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, and later Pink Floyd leading the wave, scoring commercial