No band did more to carry progressive rock into the twenty-first century than Porcupine Tree. What began in 1987 as a private joke — a fictional band dreamed up by Steven Wilson, complete with an invented backstory — grew into perhaps the most influential prog act of its generation. Across eleven studio albums they evolved restlessly, from Floyd-soaked psychedelia to melancholic art-rock to crushing, intricate progressive metal, with Wilson’s lush production reshaping the genre along the way. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of every one.

The short version

For the heart of Porcupine Tree, start with Fear of a Blank Planet, In Absentia, Deadwing, Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun. Between them they hold the band’s acclaimed masterpiece, its breakthrough and the melodic high points that preceded it. The full ranking is below.

The band that modernized prog

Porcupine Tree’s genius was evolution. The early albums drew deeply on the psychedelic spirit of Pink Floyd; the middle years turned toward melodic, melancholic songcraft; and the imperial phase — shaped in part by Wilson’s production work with Opeth — brought a heavier, progressive-metal edge. Through it all ran Wilson’s gift for marrying beauty to darkness. His vast parallel career, as a solo artist and as the remixer of choice for the classic-prog canon, only widened the band’s reach. Few acts have influenced modern prog so profoundly.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing songwriting, atmosphere and impact across a catalogue that changed shape every few years. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate — and which era you love best will steer your own list.

The essential five

At the top sits Fear of a Blank Planet (2007), widely held to be their masterpiece — a bleak, brilliant concept album about modern alienation, anchored by the seventeen-minute “Anesthetize”. In Absentia (2002) is the breakthrough that announced their heavier sound, beloved and endlessly replayable; Deadwing (2005) carried that power forward with cinematic sweep. Stupid Dream (1999) is the melodic, song-focused turning point, and Lightbulb Sun (2000) is its gorgeous, melancholic companion.

Drawn in? The books go deeper →

Reliably great

The next tier is excellent. The Sky Moves Sideways (1995) is the epic, Floyd-indebted high point of the psychedelic years, cherished by early fans; Signify (1996) is the bridge between that era and the songs to come. Closure/Continuation (2022), the long-awaited reunion album, proved the band could return without missing a step.

The interesting middle

Here the catalogue is a touch more variable. The Incident (2009), their last album before a long hiatus, is an ambitious song-cycle with fine moments if a slightly diffuse whole; and Up the Downstair (1993) is an early, largely instrumental album where the band’s atmospheric vision was still taking form.

For completists

At the foot of the list sits the debut, On the Sunday of Life… (1992), assembled from Wilson’s early home recordings. Playful and psychedelic, it is patchy and unrepresentative of the band they became — a fascinating curio for the devoted rather than a place for newcomers to start.

Every Porcupine Tree album, in order

The complete studio run, 1992–2022, in chronological order — click through to the full write-up on any record.

Where to start

Begin with In Absentia — melodic, heavy and immaculately produced, it is the ideal gateway and the album that won the band its widest audience. From there, Fear of a Blank Planet is the masterpiece to sink into next, and Stupid Dream opens up their gentler, song-led side.

The players

Porcupine Tree are the vision of Steven Wilson, who writes, sings, plays guitar and keyboards and produces their meticulous sound. Around him, keyboardist Richard Barbieri — once of the band Japan — supplies the eerie, atmospheric textures, Colin Edwin anchors the low end on bass, and the formidable Gavin Harrison, who joined in 2002 and also drums for King Crimson, drives the band’s most complex music. Beyond the group, Wilson’s solo work and his celebrated remixes of classic albums have made him one of the most important figures in modern prog.

Why they still matter

Porcupine Tree bridged the worlds of classic and modern progressive rock, carrying the ambition of the old guard into a darker, heavier present and inspiring a whole generation of bands to follow. Through Wilson’s parallel work remixing the catalogues of King Crimson and others, their influence reaches even into how we hear the classics. For many, they are simply the definitive prog band of the modern era.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: read about the best Porcupine Tree songs, see every Porcupine Tree album in order, find your way in with our where-to-start-with-Porcupine-Tree guide, or dig up the most underrated Porcupine Tree albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with our list of the best progressive rock albums of all time.

Find your next read on the bookshelf below →