ProgMagazine, an offshoot of the UK mag Classic Rock, has announced details on its inaugural Progressive Music Awards. Co-sponsored by Orange Amplification, the awards celebrate a long-underserved genre that has, in recent years, finally been getting its due.

For years, progressive signified lengthy recordings, excessive noodling and technicality, and lyrical content that jumped into the realm of fantasy. In the last ten years or so, the moniker was simply streamlined to the all-encompassing tag of ‘Prog,’ and the music has been given a second chance. And while there’s still plenty of the descriptors that defined the genre, there is also plenty that escapes those cliches and stands as truly, well, progressive.

In addition to the standard ‘Best Album’ ‘Best Live Show’ and so forth, there are categories unique to the event including ‘Guiding Light,’ ‘Prog God,’ ‘Virtuoso,’ ‘Lifetime Achievement’ and more. Along with the usual suspects like Yes, Genesis, Rush, Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, there are true visionaries included in the mix such as Peter Hammill, Van Der Graaf Generator, Can, Hawkwind, Kraftwerk and King Crimson.

In addition, there are also several third- and fourth-generation progress such as Opeth and Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree (and so much more), who was nominated in five different categories.

‘Prog’ Editor Jerry Ewing said, “These awards have been a long time coming, but certainly when one considers the enormous amount of success that progressive artists have garnered over the past four decades, and perhaps more importantly the enjoyment they have given millions of fans over the years, it’s only right we give something back to the musicians themselves.”

The first annual Progressive Music Awards will be held in London this September.

Album of the Year

Anathema ‘Weather Systems’
Storm Corrosion ‘Storm Corrosion’
Opeth ‘Heritage’
It Bites ‘Map of the Past’
Rush ‘Clockwork Angels’
Yes ‘Fly From Here’
Nightwish ‘Imaginaerum’

Grand Design

Pink Floyd ‘Immersion Reissues’
King Crimson ‘Panegyric Reissues’
Peter Gabriel ‘New Blood Deluxe Edition’
Steven Wilson ‘Grace for Drowning Deluxe Edition’
Rush ‘Sectors Box Sets’
Jethro Tull ‘Aqualung 40th Anniversary Special Edition’
Tangerine Dream ‘Zeit Box Set’

Lifetime Achievement

Jethro Tull
Pink Floyd
Yes
Moody Blues
Genesis
Van der Graaf Generator
ELP

Prog God

Ian Anderson
Rick Wakeman
Roger Waters
Peter Gabriel
Jon Anderson
Kate Bush
Steve Hillage

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