I would like to thank everyone who voted, even though it meant I had a mountain of votes to count when I returned to work after the festive period! Still, it's great to see such a fantastic response. Congratulations to all the nominees and a big round of applause to all of those who topped their respective categories.
This, then, was your prog year for 2023. Here's to even more diverse 2024!
BEST BAND/ARTIST
1. STEVEN WILSON 2. MARILLION 3. THE FIERCE & THE DEAD 4. HAKEN 5. SOLSTICE 6. RIVERSIDE 7. LIFESIGNS 8. MOON SAFARI 9. TESSERACT 10. THE EMERALD DAWN
"In the increasingly dilapidated stately home of rock music I sometimes feel prog resides in the broom cupboard (or maybe the library?), so I thank Prog readers for their enthusiasm and support, not just in 2023 but over the past 15 years or so. I never take it for granted!"
STEVEN WILSON
BEST VOCALIST
1. EINAR SOLBERG (LEPROUS) 2. PETER GABRIEL 3. STEVE HOGARTH (MARILLION) 4. JESS HOLLAND (SOLSTICE) 5. ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM 6. CODY BOWLES (CROWN LANDS) 7. STEVEN WILSON 8. MARJANA SEMKINA (IAMTHEMORNING) 9. MARIUSZ DUDA (RIVERSIDE) 10. PETER JONES (TIGER MOTH TALES)
"Wow, thanks a lot to all the people who voted for me! This is a very pleasant surprise. Thanks for listening to my newest solo album, and who knows, maybe you'll see something new from Leprous soon as well? But first we'll do our last tour for Aphelion in Europe. See you in the UK soon!"
EINAR SOLBERG
JAKKO M JAKSZYK
King Crimson's vocalist and guitarist shares anecdotes from his revealing new autobiography, discusses his lost career as a footballer and reveals what he said when he met the former king of pop.
A Part & Yet Apart
Sheffield-based 80s proggers Haze have returned with a new studio album, The Water's Edge - their third since their 2013 comeback record, The Last Battle. Prog catches up with threequarters of the band to discuss Haze's DIY ethos, the curse of prog and playing to Cumbrian sheep farmers.
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
He's about to embark on Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary Tour, but keyboard maestro Jordan Rudess has taken time out to discuss his soaring new solo album, Permission To Fly.
On The Wing
Birds, break-ups, big choruses and the Charlie Chaplin effect can all be found on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers. But as they embrace their power pop influences, have the Finns cast off their prog wizard cloaks once and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks about the Seattle influence, songwriting secrets and sax solos.
Fourth Dimension
The stock of melodic Northumberland-based proggers Stuckfish has been rising since they formed six years ago. Their fourth studio album, Stuckfish IV, represents an important watershed in the band's musical evolution. Co-founders Adrian Fisher and Phil Stuckey tell Prog about the diverse influences that have helped to shape it.
Symphly The Best
In the 70s, Barclay James Harvest almost bankrupted themselves by performing with an orchestra, but, several decades on, they’re celebrating last year’s performance with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic, captured on their latest live record, Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert. John Lees reminisces over the band’s ambitious early years and bassist Craig Fletcher fills Prog in on JLBJH’s upcoming “progtastic” double album.
We've Not Been Expecting You
The unpredictable Frost* are back with Life In The Wires, a bold double concept album that revisits the mood of Milliontown. Bandleader Jem Godfrey tells Prog why he rolled out the solos on a record he describes as the most fun since their dazzling debut.
FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS
Dutch five-piece Lesoir have been steadily gathering momentum over the last 15 years, and they hope to build on that with their latest release, Push Back The Horizon. Vocalist/ instrumentalist Maartje Meessen and guitarist Ingo Dassen discuss the creation of their sixth album, working with Muse's production team, and their dream of bringing their intricate music to new audiences.
'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'
Tony Banks reflects on his role as a 21st-century classical composer.
There Can Be Only One!
Never meet your heroes, or so the saying goes, but Opeth have had a blast working with Ian Anderson on their latest, The Last Will And Testament. Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson discuss the band's proggiest album to date, the return of the growl and why blood isn't always thicker than water.
