Since we published the results of the very first Prog readers’ poll in 2010, the genre has flourished and your votes have grown simultaneously. We know we say this every year, but we really have had another phenomenal response, with even more of you voting than in previous years.
As with 2014, it’s been another excellent year for prog, which has been reflected in the quality of the releases, musicianship and gigs that we’ve received nominations for. There’s a great deal of diversity across each of the categories and it’s been exciting to see a large number of newer acts rubbing shoulders with prog’s more established names. It’s been a tough job counting up all the entries and, once again, the voting has been extremely tight across several categories, with only a vote or two separating the winners from the runners-up.
Congratulations to everyone who got nominated, and to all the winners themselves. A heartfelt ‘thank you’ goes out to all of you for voting too. Here’s to another excellent year of progressive music.
BAND OF THE YEAR
1) The Enid
2) MARILLION
3) STEVEN WILSON
4) BIG BIG TRAIN
5) RIVERSIDE
6) KING CRIMSON
7) LIFESIGNS
8) RUSH
9) ANATHEMA
10) iamthemorning
“Trying to survive as full-time musicians can be really tough, and knowing that we have the support of so many friends out there really makes a difference to the band’s morale. Daring and driven, we are in the hands of our fans, and we thank you for trusting us with complete freedom to pursue our vision.” – The Enid
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
1) STEVEN WILSON – Hand.Cannot.Erase.
2) LONELY ROBOT – Please Come Home
3) THE ENID – The Bridge
4) RIVERSIDE – Love, Fear & The Time Machine
5) NEAL MORSE – The Grand Experiment
6) STEVE HACKETT – Wolflight
7) MYSTERY – Delusion Rain
8) BEARDFISH – +4626-COMFORTZONE
9) KARNATAKA – Secrets Of Angels
10) IO EARTH – New World
“So many great albums over the last 12 months, so this is a great honour, and I’m very happy that the album resonated so deeply with Prog readers.” – Steven Wilson
MALE VOCALIST
1) JOE PAYNE (The Enid)
2) DAVID LONGDON (Big Big Train)
3) STEVE HOGARTH (Marillion)
4) TED LEONARD (Spock’s Beard)
5) MARIUSZ DUDA (Riverside)
6) STEVEN WILSON
7) JOHN YOUNG (Lifesigns)
8) NAD SYLVAN
9) JAKKO JAKZSYK (King Crimson)
10) VINCENT CAVANAGH (Anathema)
“Topping the Male Vocalist category last year meant so much after working so hard to refine my voice. It really means the world to have such support doing something I care so much about. Thank you, and lots of love.” – Joe Payne
FEMALE VOCALIST
1) LEE DOUGLAS (Anathema)
2) MARJANA SEMKINA (iamthemorning)
3) CHRISTINA BOOTH (Magenta)
4) NINET TAYEB
5) ANNE-MARIE HELDER (Panic Room)
6) KATE BUSH
7) ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN
8) LINDA ODINSEN (IO Earth)
9) KIM SEVIOUR (Touchstone)
10) LESLIE HUNT (District 97)
“Really?! You’re not sick of me yet!? You are too kind though, honestly. D’ya know what, I really love what I do and if it means that I’ve made an impact on people’s lives for the better, then I’m a happier person for that, so thank you.” – Lee Douglas
GUITARIST
1) GUTHRIE GOVAN (THE ARISTOCRATS)
2) STEVE ROTHERY (Marillion)
3) STEVE HACKETT
4) NIKO TSONEV (Lifesigns)
5) JASON DUCKER (The Enid)
6) ROBERT FRIPP (King Crimson)
7) DAVID GILMOUR
8) DAVE GREGORY (Big Big Train)
9) JOHN PETRUCCI (Dream Theater)
10) JOHN MITCHELL (Lonely Robot)
“Well, this news is most heartening and flattering – not to mention unexpected! I’d like to express my humble gratitude to the noble readers of Prog, who have evidently managed to find some merit in the noises I make: thanking you all most kindly!” – Guthrie Govan
BASSIST
1) NICK BEGGS (STEVEN WILSON)
2) CHRIS SQUIRE (Yes)
3) PETE TREWAVAS (Marillion)
4) GEDDY LEE (Rush)
5) MARIUSZ DUDA (Riverside)
6) JON POOLE (Lifesigns)
7) TONY LEVIN (King Crimson)
8) GREG SPAWTON (Big Big Train)
9) JONAS REINGOLD (Karmakanic)
10) JOHN MYUNG (Dream Theater)
“Really? This is the third year in a row! My lawyer will be issuing a restraining order.” – Nick Beggs
KEYBOARDS
1) ROBERT JOHN GODFREY (THE ENID)
2) ADAM HOLZMAN (Steven Wilson)
3) JOHN YOUNG (Lifesigns)
4) MARK KELLY (Marillion)
5) JORDAN RUDESS (Dream Theater)
6) NEAL MORSE
7) GLEB KOLYADIN (iamthemorning)
8) RICK WAKEMAN
9) ANDY TILLISON (The Tangent)
10) CAGRI TOZLUOGLU (Karnataka)
“While I can think of many other accomplished pianists deserving of your love, I and the band are touched and thrilled to have topped this poll. Thank you.” – Robert John Godfrey
MULTIMEDIA
1) STEVEN WILSON – HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.
2) RUSH – R40
3) THE ENID – The Bridge
4) ANATHEMA – A Sort Of Homecoming
5) MARILLION – Unconventional
6) ROGER WATERS – The Wall
7) LIFESIGNS – Under The Bridge
8) NEAL MORSE – Morsefest
9) KATATONIA – Sanctitude
10) FLYING COLORS – Live At The Z7
“This accolade belongs to a whole group of people that worked on the project, especially Lasse Hoile [photographer] and Carl Glover [design] – many thanks on their behalf!” – Steven Wilson
EVENT OF THE YEAR
1) BIG BIG TRAIN LIVE
2) MARILLION WEEKENDS
3) STEVEN WILSON – Royal Albert Hall
4) CRUISE TO THE EDGE
5) KING CRIMSON UK TOUR
6) RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR
7) THE ENID – Union Chapel
8) DAVID GILMOUR – Royal Albert Hall
9) NIGHT OF THE PROG
10) SUMMER’S END FESTIVAL
“We are honoured and delighted to win this category. Good shows are normally a communal experience shared by the band and fans and we’d like to thank our listeners for helping to make the gigs such memorable events.” – Big Big Train
NON-EVENT
1) DEATH OF CHRIS SQUIRE
2) NO CAMBRIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL
3) NO HIGH VOLTAGE
4) NO RUSH EUROPEAN TOUR
5) NO GENESIS REUNION
6) KANYE WEST
7) WAKEMANFEST CANCELLATION
8) GLASTONBURY
9) NO MARILLION US TOUR
10) NO ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FOR YES
REISSUE OF THE YEAR
1) YES – FRAGILE
2) GENTLE GIANT – Octopus
3) KING CRIMSON – Thrak
4) PETER GABRIEL – Vinyl Reissues
5) OPETH – Deliverance/Damnation
6) STEVE HACKETT – Premonitions
7) ROGER WATERS – Amused To Death
8) JETHRO TULL – The Minstrel In The Gallery
9) RUSH – Vinyl Reissues
10) JETHRO TULL – Too Old To Rock’n’Roll…
DRUMMER
1) MARCO MINNEMANN (THE ARISTOCRATS)
2) NICK D’VIRGILIO (Big Big Train)
3) GAVIN HARRISON (King Crimson)
4) NEIL PEART (Rush)
5) MIKE PORTNOY
6) IAN MOSLEY (Marillion)
7) CRAIG BLUNDELL (Steven Wilson)
8) DAVE STOREY (The Enid)
9) PAT MASTELOTTO (King Crimson)
10) MARTIN AXENROT (Opeth)
“Thanks so much to all the Prog readers for liking and believing in my musical adventures. I feel very honoured and grateful for that. So, see you very soon at a show or a stereo system near you!” – Marco Minnemann
MAN OF THE YEAR
1) STEVEN WILSON
2) ROBERT JOHN GODFREY (The Enid)
3) STEVE HACKETT
4) CHRIS SQUIRE (Yes)
5) ROBERT FRIPP (King Crimson)
6) NEAL MORSE
7) JOE PAYNE (The Enid)
8) GREG SPAWTON (Big Big Train)
9) JOHN YOUNG (Lifesigns)
10) DAVID GILMOUR
“Deepest gratitude to the readers of Prog magazine for their interest and encouragement. On we go!”** – Steven Wilson**
VENUE
1) ROYAL ALBERT HALL
2) DE BOERDERIJ, NETHERLANDS
3) KING’S PLACE, LONDON
4) ROBIN 2, BILSTON
5) LORELEY, GERMANY
6) UNDER THE BRIDGE, LONDON
7) ASSEMBLY ROOM, LEAMINGTON SPA
8) THE STABLES, MILTON KEYNES
9) ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL, LONDON
10) THE BORDERLINE, LONDON
“We’re delighted to be named Venue Of The Year by readers of Prog magazine. Accolades likes this are always special, but knowing that it has been voted for by audiences makes it doubly so.” – Lucy Noble, Director Of Events
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
1) CHRISTINA BOOTH (MAGENTA)
2) ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN
3) KATE BUSH
4) LEE DOUGLAS (Anathema)
5) MARJANA SEMKINA (iamthemorning)
6) NELLIE PITTS
7) KIM SEVIOUR (Touchstone)
8) HAYLEY GRIFFITHS (Karnataka)
9) ANNE-MARIE HELDER
(Panic Room)
10) ANNIE HASLAM (Renaissance)
“What a great start to the new year. I am honoured and very grateful to all who voted for me – I hope I can live up to the title.” – Christina Booth
TIP FOR 2016
1) TIGER MOTH TALES
2) KYROS
3) VLY
4) BAROCK PROJECT
5) KIAMA
6) MANTRA VEGA
7) CALIGULA’S HORSE
8) LION SHEPHERD
9) VOLA
10) GHOST COMMUNITY
“It’s an honour to be top of this poll and it’s really good to know that the Prog readership are interested in Tiger Moth Tales. I have various plans for new music this year and I hope they live up to expectations. Thank you.” – Tiger Moth Tales
