Best Progressive Rock + Metal Album of Each Year Since 1983
The world of progressive rock and metal has seen incredible albums over the years. Compiling a list of the best album from each year since 1983 is a daunting task due to the subjective nature of music appreciation and the rich diversity within these genres. Nevertheless, for fans of progressive sounds imbued with complexity and innovation, here’s an exploration across the decades that highlights seminal albums that have left a substantial impact on the genre.
1983: Genesis – Genesis
1984: Marillion – Fugazi
1985: Rush – Power Windows
1986: Queensrÿche – Rage for Order
1987: Marillion – Clutching at Straws
1988: Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime
1989: Fates Warning – Perfect Symmetry
1990: Queensrÿche – Empire
1991: Rush – Roll the Bones
1992: Dream Theater – Images and Words
1993: Tool – Undertow
1994: Dream Theater – Awake
1995: Porcupine Tree – The Sky Moves Sideways
1996: Tool – Ænima
1997: Porcupine Tree – Signify
1998: Opeth – My Arms, Your Hearse
1999: Dream Theater – Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
2000: Porcupine Tree – Lightbulb Sun
2001: Tool – Lateralus
2002: Dream Theater – Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2003: Opeth – Damnation
2004: Ayreon – The Human Equation
2005: Between the Buried and Me – Alaska
2006: Tool – 10,000 Days
2007: Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet
2008: Opeth – Watershed
2009: Mastodon – Crack the Skye
2010: Haken – Aquarius
2011: Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events
2012: Rush – Clockwork Angels
2013: Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)
2014: Opeth – Pale Communion
2015: Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.
2016: Haken – Affinity
2017: Mastodon – Emperor of Sand
2018: Between The Buried And Me – Automata II
2019: Tool – Fear Inoculum
2020 : Haken – Virus
2021 : Leprous – Aphelion
2022 : Dream Theater – A View from the Top of the World
These selections encapsulate just a glimpse into the evolutionary journey of progressive rock and metal, showcasing how artists have pushed boundaries by incorporating diverse influences, complex time signatures, and lyrical depth year after year. Each album listed claims its own space in the annals of progressive music history, resonating with fans and influencing subsequent generations of musicians.