progressive metal artists

112 published progressive metal artists, led by Avenged Sevenfold, Tool and Dream Theater.

At a glance

112 published progressive metal artists; 855 studio albums have verified cover art.

Published artists1 tier 1 · 3 tier 2 · 108 tier 3: 112
Release groups: 3,323
Studio albums: 888
Albums with cover artverified Cover Art Archive: 855
Timeline events: 2,158
Monthly listenerssum across artists: 19.3M
Claimed salessum of stored claims; implausible values excluded: 30M
Average career spanfirst to last dated release: 26.6 years
Full biographies: 85
Biography words: 244,598

When they started

Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1990s (46 artists).

Artists by debut decade
Decade	Artists
1970s	3
1980s	24
1990s	46
2000s	29
2010s	5
2020s	1

4 artists have no dated release or formation year and are not plotted.

Where they come from

Countries with the most progressive metal artists. United States leads with 45.

Often paired with

Genres that share artists with progressive metal. The most shared is progressive rock, with 21 artists in both.

Covers from progressive metal

855 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.

Life Is But a Dream…
Avenged Sevenfold · 2023
The Stage
Avenged Sevenfold · 2016
Hail to the King
Avenged Sevenfold · 2013
Nightmare
Avenged Sevenfold · 2010
St. Louis, Mo, USA (17.02.09)
Avenged Sevenfold · 2009
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold · 2007
City of Evil
Avenged Sevenfold · 2005
Waking the Fallen
Avenged Sevenfold · 2003
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
Avenged Sevenfold · 2001
Fear Inoculum
Tool · 2019
10,000 Days
Tool · 2006
Flood: Demos and Outtakes 1991 - 1995
Tool · 2005

Leaders

Dream Theater has the most release groups (226); Triumph the longest career (50 years); Enslaved the most awards (7).

Most prolific

Most prolific, by number of release groups
Artist	release groups
Dream Theater	226
Tool	200
Buckethead	199
Porcupine Tree	124
Dir En Grey	105

Longest careers

first to last dated release

Longest careers, by number of years
Artist	years
Triumph	50
Coroner	43
Savatage	43
Voivod	43
Primus	42

Most decorated

Most decorated, by number of awards
Artist	awards
Enslaved	7
Gåte	2
Triumph	2
Mastodon	1
Arjen Lucassen	1

Most famous progressive metal artists

Avenged Sevenfold

United States · Group · 1999–present

heavy metal music, progressive metal, metalcore

12.6M listeners · 64 wikis

Tool

United States · Group · 1990–present

psychedelic rock, progressive rock, art rock, alternative metal, progressive metal

6.7M listeners · 59 wikis

Dream Theater

United States · Group · 1985–present

progressive rock, progressive metal

66 wikis

Jason Newsted

United States · Person · born 1963

hard rock, traditional heavy metal, heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal

46 wikis

X Japan

Japan · Group · 1982–1997

heavy metal music, progressive metal

51 wikis

Opeth

Sweden · Group · 1990–present

progressive rock, progressive metal, death metal, technical death metal

50 wikis

Sonata Arctica

Finland · Group · 1996–present

progressive metal, power metal

47 wikis

John Petrucci

United States · Person · born 1967

progressive metal

44 wikis

Meshuggah

Sweden · Group · 1987–present

progressive metal, avant-garde metal, extreme metal, djent

43 wikis

Porcupine Tree

United Kingdom · Group · 1987–present

psychedelic rock, progressive rock, progressive metal

41 wikis

Steven Wilson

United Kingdom · Person · born 1967

pop music, progressive rock, alternative rock, progressive metal

41 wikis

Mastodon

United States · Group · 2000–present

heavy metal music, progressive metal, sludge metal

40 wikis

More progressive metal artists

Showing 1–100 of 100 artists

Trivium

United States · Group · 1999–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic metalcore

38 wikis · Tier 3

James LaBrie

Canada · Person · born 1963

progressive metal

37 wikis · Tier 3

Buckethead

United States · Person · born 1969

hard rock, experimental rock, funk, country rock, funk metal, avant-garde jazz, experimental music, noise rock, progressive metal, dark ambient

36 wikis · Tier 3

Mudvayne

United States · Group · 1996–2010

alternative metal, nu metal, progressive metal

35 wikis · Tier 2

Jordan Rudess

United States · Person · born 1956

progressive metal

35 wikis · Tier 3

Symphony X

United States · Group · 1994–present

progressive metal, neo-classical metal

35 wikis · Tier 3

Devin Townsend

Canada · Person · born 1972

heavy metal music, ambient music, industrial metal, progressive metal

35 wikis · Tier 3

Dir En Grey

Japan · Group · 1997–present

alternative metal, progressive metal, extreme metal

34 wikis · Tier 3

Amorphis

Finland · Group · 1990–present

progressive metal, death-doom, melodic death metal, folk metal

34 wikis · Tier 3

Enslaved

Norway · Group · 1991–present

progressive metal, black metal

33 wikis · Tier 3

Primus

United States · Group · 1984–present

progressive rock, alternative rock, alternative metal, progressive metal

32 wikis · Tier 3

Nevermore

United States · Group · 1991–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, power metal

30 wikis · Tier 3

Liquid Tension Experiment

United States · Group · 1997–present

progressive rock, progressive metal

29 wikis · Tier 3

Pain of Salvation

Sweden · Group · 1984–present

progressive metal

28 wikis · Tier 3

Mikael Åkerfeldt

Sweden · Person · born 1974

progressive metal, death metal

28 wikis · Tier 3

Derek Sherinian

United States · Person · born 1966

new wave, progressive metal

27 wikis · Tier 3

Gåte

Norway · Group · 1999–present

folk rock, progressive rock, electronica, progressive metal, folk metal

27 wikis · Tier 3

Ayreon

Netherlands · Group · 1995–present

progressive metal, rock opera

26 wikis · Tier 3

The Gathering

Netherlands · Group · 1989–present

alternative rock, progressive metal, gothic metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Voivod

Canada · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Savatage

United States · Group · 1978–present

heavy metal music, progressive metal, power metal

24 wikis · Tier 3

The Dillinger Escape Plan

United States · Group · 1997–present

progressive metal, post-hardcore, metalcore, avant-garde metal, mathcore

24 wikis · Tier 3

Anneke van Giersbergen

Kingdom of the Netherlands · Person · born 1973

progressive rock, post-rock, progressive metal, acoustic music

24 wikis · Tier 3

Strapping Young Lad

Canada · Group · 1994–2007

thrash metal, industrial metal, progressive metal, death metal

24 wikis · Tier 3

Evergrey

Sweden · Group · 1995–present

progressive metal

24 wikis · Tier 3

Riverside

Poland · Group · 2001–present

progressive rock, progressive metal

23 wikis · Tier 3

Angra

Brazil · Group · 1991–present

progressive metal

23 wikis · Tier 3

Arcturus

Norway · Group · 1987–present

progressive metal, black metal, avant-garde metal

23 wikis · Tier 3

Borknagar

Norway · Group · 1995–present

progressive metal, black metal

23 wikis · Tier 3

Arjen Lucassen

Kingdom of the Netherlands · Person · born 1960

folk music, progressive rock, classical music, psychedelic music, progressive metal, rock opera

22 wikis · Tier 3

Atheist

United States · Group · 1984–present

progressive metal, technical death metal

22 wikis · Tier 3

Glen Drover

Canada · Person · born 1969

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal, progressive metal

22 wikis · Tier 3

Jinjer

Ukraine · Group · 2009–present

progressive metal, groove metal, metalcore, djent

21 wikis · Tier 3

Spock's Beard

United States · Group · 1992–present

progressive rock, progressive metal

20 wikis · Tier 3

Coroner

Switzerland · Group · 1985–present

progressive metal, technical thrash metal

20 wikis · Tier 3

Joe Duplantier

France · Person · born 1976

thrash metal, progressive metal, groove metal, death metal

20 wikis · Tier 3

Leprous

Norway · Group · 2001–present

progressive metal

20 wikis · Tier 3

Coheed and Cambria

United States · Group · 1995–present

progressive rock, alternative rock, progressive metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Polyphia

United States · Group · 2010–present

progressive rock, art rock, instrumental rock, progressive metal, math rock

19 wikis · Tier 3

Kip Winger

United States · Person · born 1961

progressive metal

18 wikis · Tier 3

Edge of Sanity

Sweden · Group · 1989–present

progressive metal, death metal

18 wikis · Tier 3

Cynic

United States · Group · 1987–present

alternative rock, progressive metal

17 wikis · Tier 3

Warrel Dane

United States · Person · born 1961

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, power metal

17 wikis · Tier 3

Vintersorg

Sweden · Group · 1994–present

Sweden · Person · born 1981

progressive metal

15 wikis · Tier 3

Protest the Hero

Canada · Group · 1999–present

progressive metal, metalcore

15 wikis · Tier 3

Pagan's Mind

Norway · Group · 2000–present

progressive metal

15 wikis · Tier 3

Karnivool

Australia · Group · 1997–present

progressive rock, alternative rock, alternative metal, progressive metal

14 wikis · Tier 3

Watchtower

United States · Group · 1983–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

14 wikis · Tier 3

Green Carnation

Norway · Group · 1990–present

progressive rock, heavy metal music, doom metal, progressive metal, death metal, avant-garde metal

14 wikis · Tier 3

Crimson Glory

United States · Group · 1982–present

progressive metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

Manilla Road

United States · Group · 1977–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, power metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

Triumph

Canada · Group · 1975–present

hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal music, progressive metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

Sikth

progressive rock, progressive metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Toxik

United States · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Pan.Thy.Monium

Sweden · Group · 1990–present

progressive metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Solefald

Norway · Group · 1995–present

progressive metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Magellan

United States · Group · 1985–present

progressive rock, progressive metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Believer

United States · Group · 1986–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Symphorce

Germany · Group · 1998–present

progressive metal, power metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Age of Silence

Norway · Group · 2004–present

progressive metal, avant-garde metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Atrox

Norway · Group · 1988–present

progressive metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Winds

Norway · Group · 1998–present

progressive metal

9 wikis · Tier 3

Angel Dust

Germany · Group · 1984–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal, progressive metal, power metal

8 wikis · Tier 3

Tourniquet

United States · Group · 1989–present

thrash metal, progressive metal, Christian metal

8 wikis · Tier 3

Pyramaze

Denmark · Group · 2001–present

progressive metal

8 wikis · Tier 3

Panzerballett

Germany · Group · 2004–present

progressive metal

7 wikis · Tier 3

Ted Kirkpatrick

United States · Person · born 1960

thrash metal, progressive metal, Christian metal

7 wikis · Tier 3

Madder Mortem

Norway · Group · 1993–present

progressive metal

7 wikis · Tier 3

Lux Occulta

Poland · Group · 1994–present

progressive metal

7 wikis · Tier 3

Blind Illusion

United States · Group · 1979–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

6 wikis · Tier 3

Puya

United States · Group · 1988–present

nu metal, progressive metal, Latin metal

6 wikis · Tier 3

Aftermath

United States · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

5 wikis · Tier 3

Anacrusis

progressive metal, technical death metal, technical thrash metal

3 wikis · Tier 3

Manapart

Russia · Group · 2018–present

hard rock, heavy metal music, alternative metal, nu metal, progressive metal

3 wikis · Tier 3

Moonlight Agony

Sweden · Group · 1999–present

progressive metal

3 wikis · Tier 3

Engine

United States · Group · 1999–present

progressive metal

2 wikis · Tier 3

Haji's Kitchen

United States · Group · 1992–present

alternative metal, nu metal, grunge, progressive metal, groove metal

2 wikis · Tier 3

Entity Paradigm

Pakistan · Group · 2000–present

progressive metal

1 wikis · Tier 3

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