It’s time for another breakdown of the most expensive vinyl, cassettes, and CDs sold in the Discogs Marketplace. If you’re a regular reader of Discogs, then you’re familiar with our monthly roundups of pricey items, which usually feature classic records, limited LPs, and a coveted 7-inch releases.
We’re switching things up a bit and looking more closely at one specific genre: prog rock. Below you’ll find the most expensive prog-rock records ever sold on Discogs.
Prog rock, short for progressive rock, is a subgenre that was birthed in the 1960s and popularized across the United Kingdom and the United States. The style is closely associated with early psychedelic rock but often painted as more artistic, symphonic, orchestral, and complex. If we paint with even broad strokes to describe prog rock to those new to the genre, you can expect ambiance, poetic lyrics, long instrumentals, and plenty of experimentation.
As you scroll down, you’ll immediately notice a few themes. First off, there are no CDs or cassettes among the top 30 — only vinyl. Early-1970s releases from the United Kingdom dominate. In fact, there are only three albums not released in the ’70s (two from 1969 and one from 1982) and 14 from countries other than the UK (mostly Italy, Germany, and the United States).
The ’70s drops make sense because, according to the Database, that decade gave us the second-highest amount of genre releases (beat only by the 2010s). However, the most expensive list contrasts with the most collected and top-selling records in the style, which are predominantly by Pink Floyd, as well as what many prog rock fans would define as essential listening, which includes the likes of King Crimson, Yes, and Gentle Giant.
Why the difference? Well, a lot of the most expensive records are also the most rare. On the list, you’ll find a large swatch of test pressings and limited-edition releases. For example, the album at the No. 1 spot — The Love Cycle by Forever Amber, a short-lived British band with only one album — allegedly only has 99 copies in existence, and the No. 2 record, A Fleeting Glance, was created for charity.
You’ll also notice a few repeats from Genesis, Cherry Five, Mellow Candle, Room, and David Bowie. That’s because multiple copies of the same release sold for high price tags. Let’s take a closer look at that live test pressing from Genesis: There are only 16 known copies in the world and the median price on Discogs ($3,647.06) is steeper than some of the individual sales on this list! The Database calls it the “rarest official Genesis record in existence.”
Are any of the records in your collection? What about these specific releases? What are you spinning them on? If we had even one of these beauties, we would have put them on something as nice as the Technics SL-1000R. When you’ve got quality, you need a quality turntable to match.
Top 30 Most Expensive Prog Rock Albums
Pete Fine – On A Day Of Crystaline Thought
Sold for $2,500.00
Label: Not On Label
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition
Country: US
Released: 1974Gäa – Auf Der Bahn Zum Uranus
Sold for $2,546.51
Label: Kerston Records
Format: Vinyl, Album, LP
Country: Germany
Released: 1973Motiffe – Motiffe
Sold for $2,551.91
Label: Deroy
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1972Chicken Bones – Hardrock In Concert
Sold for $2,558.14
Label: Procom Records
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1976David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
Sold for $2,558.14
Label: Mercury
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1971Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs
Sold for $2,558.14
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: UK
Released: 1972Room – Pre-Flight
Sold for $2,790.70
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1970David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
Sold for $2,790.70
Label: Mercury
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1971Serenity – Piece Of Mind
Sold for $2,800.00
Label: Down Under
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: New Zealand
Released: 1972Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon
Sold for $2,905.81
Label: Harvest
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold Sleeve
Country: UK
Released: 1973Genesis – From Genesis To Revelation
Sold for $2,906.98
Label: Decca
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Country: UK
Released: 1969Genesis – Live At Leicester / Manchester
Sold for $3,139.53
Label: Philips
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Test Pressing, Stereo
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1973Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs
Sold for $3,250.00
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: UK
Released: 1972Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon
Sold for $3,313.95
Label: Harvest
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold Sleeve
Country: UK
Released: 1973Apoteosi – Apoteosi
Sold for $3,430.23
Label: Said Record
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Italy
Released: 1975Cherry Five – Cherry Five
Sold for $3,488.36
Label: Cinevox
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: Italy
Released: 1975Five Day Rain – Five Day Rain
Sold for $3,488.37
Label: Not On Label
Format: Not On Label
Country: UK
Released: 1970Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs
Sold for $3,720.93
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: UK
Released: 1972Room – Pre-Flight
Sold for $3,720.93
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1970カウント・バッファロー ウガンダ (アフリカン・ロックの夜明け) / Count Buffalo – Uganda (Dawn of African Rock)
Sold for $3,795.43
Label: Toshiba Records
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Quadraphonic, Box Set with Obi
Country: Japan
Released: 1972Analogy – Analogy
Sold for $4,069.77
Label: Dischi Produzioni Ventotto
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Italy
Released: 1972Genesis – Live At Leicester / Manchester
Sold for $4,069.77
Label: Philips
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Test Pressing, Stereo
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1973Cherry Five – Cherry Five
Sold for $4,069.77
Label: Cinevox
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: Italy
Released: 1975Pink Floyd – Meddle
Sold for $4,400.00
Label: EMI
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Blue Transparent
Country: Colombia
Released: 1982Steel Mill – Green Eyed God
Sold for $4,418.60
Label: Penny Farthing
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1975Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs
Sold for $4,593.02
Label: Deram
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: UK
Released: 1972Capitolo 6 – Frutti Per Kagua
Sold for $4,651.16
Label: it
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: Italy
Released: 1972Metaphysical Animation – Metaphysical Animation
Sold for $5,000.00
Label: Not On Label
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1973A Fleeting Glance – A Fleeting Glance
Sold for $5,813.95
Label: Not On Label
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1970Forever Amber – The Love Cycle
Sold for $6,382.98
Label: Advance
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Mono
Country: UK
Released: 1969
Published in partnership with Technics.

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