Progressive Soul

Categories: Genre

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Also known as “Prog-Soul”, “Progressive R&B”, “Black Prog”, “Cinematic Soul”, and “Art Soul”.

Progressive soul is, as the name suggests, soul that takes a more progressive approach rather than the usual pop-oriented approach of the genre. Progressive soul is progressive both in the musical sense and philosophical sense, as the music often takes influence from and/or incorporates elements of progressive rock, progressive pop, and jazz fusion, while also usually having politically-oriented lyrics. The genre aims to elevate soul above pop song forms, and treat it as a true form of art; songs frequently take the form of long-form suites and albums are often conceptual. It should be noted that contrary to popular belief, progressive soul is NOT synonymous with psychedelic soul, though they do have a fair amount of crossover.

This is a work in progress list that’s intended to eventually be comprehensive, so feel free to add suggestions. Why this isn’t an actual genre on RYM I’ll never know.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_soul?wprov=sfti1

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	Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul (1969)
	Isaac Hayes The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970)
	Isaac Hayes ...To Be Continued (1970)
	Isaac Hayes Shaft (1971)
	Isaac Hayes Black Moses (1971)
	Isaac Hayes Joy (1973)
	James Brown The Payback (1973)
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	James Brown Hell (1974)
	Marvin Gaye What's Going On (1971)
	Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On (1973)
	Marvin Gaye I Want You (1976)
	Marvin Gaye Here, My Dear (1978)
	Marvin Gaye In Our Lifetime (1981)
	The Temptations Cloud Nine (1969)
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	The Temptations Puzzle People (1969)
	The Temptations Psychedelic Shack (1970)
	The Temptations Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) / It's Summer (1970) [Single]
	The Temptations Sky's the Limit (1971)
	The Temptations Solid Rock (1972)
	The Temptations All Directions (1972)
	The Temptations Masterpiece (1973)
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	The Temptations 1990 (1973)
	Stevie Wonder Where I'm Coming From (1971)
	Stevie Wonder Music of My Mind (1972)
	Stevie Wonder Talking Book (1972)
	Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
	Stevie Wonder Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974)
	Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
	Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979)
	Smokey Robinson Smokey (1973)
	Smokey Robinson Pure Smokey (1974)
	Smokey Robinson A Quiet Storm (1975)
	Curtis Mayfield Curtis (1970)
	Curtis Mayfield Roots (1971)
	Curtis Mayfield Superfly (1972)
	Curtis Mayfield Back to the World (1973)
	Curtis Mayfield Sweet Exorcist (1974)
	Curtis Mayfield Got to Find a Way (1974)
	Curtis Mayfield There's No Place Like America Today (1975)
	Earth Wind and Fire Earth Wind and Fire (1971)
	Earth, Wind and Fire The Need of Love (1971)
	Earth, Wind & Fire Last Days and Time (1972)
	Earth, Wind & Fire Head to the Sky (1973)
	Earth, Wind & Fire Open Our Eyes (1974)
	Earth, Wind & Fire That's the Way of the World (1975)
	Earth, Wind & Fire Spirit (1976)
	Earth Wind & Fire All 'n All (1977)
	The Isley Brothers The Heat Is On (1975)
suggested by: olethefirst
	Jackson 5ive I Am Love (Part I) / I Am Love (Part II) (1974) [Single]
	Gil Scott-Heron Pieces of a Man (1971)
	Gil Scott-Heron Free Will (1972)
	Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson Winter in America (1974)
	Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson Midnight Band: The First Minute of a New Day (1975)
	Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson From South Africa to South Carolina (1975)
	Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson It's Your World (1976)
	Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson Bridges (1977)
	Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson Secrets (1978)
	Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson 1980 (1980)
	Gil Scott-Heron Real Eyes (1980)
	Gil Scott-Heron Reflections (1981)
	Gil Scott-Heron Moving Target (1982)
	Gil Scott-Heron Spirits (1994)
	Gil Scott-Heron I'm New Here (2010)
	Sly & The Family Stone Stand! (1969)
	Sly & The Family Stone There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
	O'Jays Back Stabbers (1972)
	The O'Jays Ship Ahoy (1973)
	Parliament Mothership Connection (1975)
	Parliament The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976)
	Parliament Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome (1977)
	Parliament Motor Booty Affair (1978)
	Eric Burdon and War Eric Burdon Declares "War" (1970)
	Eric Burdon and War The Black-Man's Burdon (1970)
	WAR War (1971)
	WAR All Day Music (1971)
	WAR The World Is a Ghetto (1972)
	WAR Deliver the Word (1973)
	WAR WAR Live (1974)
	WAR Why Can't We Be Friends? (1975)
	War/Burdon Love Is All Around (1976)
	WAR Platinum Jazz (1977)
	WAR Galaxy (1977)
	Donny Hathaway Everything Is Everything (1970)
	Donny Hathaway Donny Hathaway (1971)
	Donny Hathaway Live (1972)
	Donny Hathaway Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972)
	Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1972)
	Donny Hathaway Extension of a Man (1973)
	Rare Earth Get Ready (1969)
	Rare Earth Ecology (1970)
	Rare Earth One World (1971)
	Rare Earth Willie Remembers.. (1972)
	Rare Earth Ma (1973)
	Terry Callier Occasional Rain (1971)
	Terry Callier What Color Is Love (1972)
	Terry Callier I Just Can't Help Myself (1973)
	Terry Callier Timepeace (1998)
	Terry Callier Lifetime (1999)
	Terry Callier Speak Your Peace (2002)
	Terry Callier Lookin' Out (2004)
	Terry Callier Hidden Conversations (2009)
	Prince and The Revolution Purple Rain / God (1984) [Single] (Album version of course)
(Album version of course)
	Prince Lovesexy (1988)
	The New Power Generation The War (1998) [EP]
	Prince The Rainbow Children (2001)
	Prince HITNRUN Phase Two (2015)
	D'Angelo Voodoo (2000)
	D'Angelo and The Vanguard Black Messiah (2014)
	Bilal Love for Sale (2006)
	Bilal Airtight's Revenge (2010)
	Bilal A Love Surreal (2013)
	Bilal In Another Life (2015)
	Janelle Monáe Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase (2007) [EP]
	Janelle Monáe The ArchAndroid (2010)
	Janelle Monáe The Electric Lady (2013)
	Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer (2018)
	Michael Kiwanuka Love & Hate (2016)
	Michael Kiwanuka Kiwanuka (2019)
	Childish Gambino "Awaken, My Love!" (2016)
	Childish Gambino 3.15.20 (2020)
	Childish Gambino Atavista (2024)
	Thundercat The Golden Age of Apocalypse (2011)
	Thundercat Apocalypse (2013)
	Thundercat Drunk (2017)
	Thundercat It Is What It Is (2020)
	Kanye West 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
	Kanye West Runaway (2010) [Single] (Album version of course)
(Album version of course)
	The Beach Boys Wild Honey (1967)
	Dennis Wilson Pacific Ocean Blue (1977)
	David Bowie Station to Station (1976)
	Daryl Hall & John Oates Abandoned Luncheonette (1973)
	Daryl Hall/John Oates War Babies (1974)
	Daryl Hall & John Oates Daryl Hall & John Oates (1975)
	Graham Parker and The Rumour Stick to Me / Heat in Harlem (1977) [Single]
	Tom Jones Surrounded by Time (2021)
	Peter Gabriel This Is Home (Dark-Side Mix) (2023) [Single]
	Terence Trent D'Arby Neither Fish Nor Flesh (1989)
suggested by: chemical_think_tank
	Me'Shell NdegéOcello Plantation Lullabies (1993)
	Me'Shell Ndegéocello Peace Beyond Passion (1996)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Bitter (1999)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape (2002)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Comfort Woman (2003)
	Meshell Ndegeocello The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams (2007)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Devil's Halo (2009)
suggested by: chemical_think_tank
	Meshell Ndegeocello Weather (2011)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Comet, Come to Me (2014)
	Meshell Ndegeocello Ventriloquism (2018)
	Meshell Ndegeocello The Omnichord Real Book (2023)
	Nona Hendryx Skindiver (1989)
suggested by: chemical_think_tank
	Joi The Pendulum Vibe (1994)
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Progressive Soul

Hot Buttered Soul (1969)

The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970)

...To Be Continued (1970)

Shaft (1971)

Black Moses (1971)

Joy (1973)

The Payback (1973)

Hell (1974)

What's Going On (1971)

Let's Get It On (1973)

I Want You (1976)

Here, My Dear (1978)

In Our Lifetime (1981)

Cloud Nine (1969)

Puzzle People (1969)

Psychedelic Shack (1970)

Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) / It's Summer (1970) [Single]

Sky's the Limit (1971)

Solid Rock (1972)

All Directions (1972)

Masterpiece (1973)

1990 (1973)

Where I'm Coming From (1971)

Music of My Mind (1972)

Talking Book (1972)

Innervisions (1973)

Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974)

Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979)

Smokey (1973)

Pure Smokey (1974)

A Quiet Storm (1975)

Curtis (1970)

Roots (1971)

Superfly (1972)

Back to the World (1973)

Sweet Exorcist (1974)

Got to Find a Way (1974)

There's No Place Like America Today (1975)

Earth Wind and Fire (1971)

The Need of Love (1971)

Last Days and Time (1972)

Head to the Sky (1973)

Open Our Eyes (1974)

That's the Way of the World (1975)

Spirit (1976)

All 'n All (1977)

The Heat Is On (1975)

I Am Love (Part I) / I Am Love (Part II) (1974) [Single]

Pieces of a Man (1971)

Free Will (1972)

Winter in America (1974)

Midnight Band: The First Minute of a New Day (1975)

From South Africa to South Carolina (1975)

It's Your World (1976)

Bridges (1977)

Secrets (1978)

1980 (1980)

Real Eyes (1980)

Reflections (1981)

Moving Target (1982)

Spirits (1994)

I'm New Here (2010)

Stand! (1969)

There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)

Back Stabbers (1972)

Ship Ahoy (1973)

Mothership Connection (1975)

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976)

Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome (1977)

Motor Booty Affair (1978)

Eric Burdon Declares "War" (1970)

The Black-Man's Burdon (1970)

War (1971)