Neo-progressive rock

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Neo-progressive rock (also known as neo-prog) is a subgenre of progressive rock which developed in the UK in the early 1980s. The genre's most popular band, Marillion, achieved mainstream success in the decade. Several bands from the genre have continued to record and tour.[2][3]


Neo-progressive rock (or simply "neo-prog")[4] is characterized by deeply emotional content, often delivered via dramatic lyrics and a generous use of imagery and theatricality on-stage. The music is mostly the product of careful composition, relying less heavily on improvised jamming. The subgenre relies very much on clean, melodic and emotional electric guitar solos, combined with keyboards. The main musical influences on the neo-prog genre are bands from the first wave of progressive rock such as early Genesis, Camel, and to a lesser extent Van der Graaf Generator and Pink Floyd.[2] Funk, hard rock and punk rock were also influences on the genre.[1]



A predecessor to this genre was the Enid, who fused rock with classical but were more heavily influenced by Ralph Vaughan Williams than by more modern composers.[6] The change of approach can be heard in the shift toward shorter compositions and a keyboard-based sound in Rush albums such as Grace Under Pressure.[7] Neo-progressive bands emphasized individual solos instead of group improvisation, and they included more world-music elements. Lyrics became more personal and less esoteric. Concept albums were still created, but not as frequently and on a smaller scale.[7] Digital synthesizers took over many of the roles formerly filled by bulkier keyboards such as Mellotrons and organs,[8] and their modern sound tended to minimize the folk influences that had been typical of 1970s progressive rock.[9] Heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche began to explore the mythological themes and extended concepts that had previously been the territory of progressive rock.[10]


List of artists[edit]


  1. ^ a b c d e Romano, Will (2010). Mountains Come Out of the Sky: The Illustrated History of Prog Rock. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0879309916. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Neo-Prog and the Bad Rap by Jerry Lucky, author of 'The Progressive Rock Files'". Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
  4. ^ Covach & Boone 1997, p. 5.
  5. ^
  6. ^ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, pp. 184–185.
  7. ^ a b Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, pp. 183–186.
  8. ^ Macan 1997, p. 35.
  9. ^ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, p. 242.
  10. ^ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, p. 187.
  12. ^ Reed, Ryan (17 June 2015). "30 Years Ago: Marillion Release 'Misplaced Childhood'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  15. ^ Various press articles about Solstice, Feb 2013



Further reading[edit]
