Yes

As the premier band of prog rock’s first wave, Yes reshaped the rock template, twisting it into challenging new shapes that inspired an entire genre. Forming in London in 1968, the group built upon the explorations of psychedelia, incorporating jazz and classical influences, unusual (for rock) time signatures, complex song structures, heady lyrical themes, and instrumental virtuosity. Its third and fourth albums, 1971’s The Yes Album and Fragile, broke the band internationally and became prog milestones. Jon Anderson’s airy tenor, Chris Squire’s thick, high-register bass lines, Steve Howe’s mad-scientist guitar, Bill Bruford’s deft, jazzy drumming, and (on Fragile) Rick Wakeman’s rococo keyboard flourishes all contributed to the classic Yes sound. Numerous personnel and style shifts occurred over the years, most notably the band’s New Wave-tinged ’80s rebirth with the blockbuster single “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Yes marched on through it all, touring and releasing new music into the 2020s, and providing a template for generations of progressive rockers along the way.