Is progressive rock classic rock or is it so much more?

As Dave said, classic rock refers to an era of music stretching from the 60's and 80's, completely disregarding actual genres and styles. Like you I hear Pink Floyd, Genesis (mostly 80's), Queen and even Yes on 102.9 MGK (Philadelphia) and other "classic rock stations", but they never dig deep into the band's prog catalogs -- they go farthest with Pink Floyd, since they're the one prog band that held the longest sustained place on the charts, but it's always stuff from "The Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here" (usually just the title track), and, of course, "The Wall". Of course they do this with bands of all different genres, but it particularly annoys me with prog bands.

(For the "least favorite" bonus questions, I'm choosing bands I hate that are considered part of those genres, not the bands I consistently listen to but rank lower -- picking from those is too much of a hassle)

BQ1: The Beatles/The Rolling Stones

BQ2: Journey (overblown arena hard rockers and sappy, lighter-waving ballad writers -- "Don't Stop Believing", either the original or the Glee version, was my high school's go-to dance song; in a truly tragic story of wasted talent, it was founded by Santana alums Gregg Rollie (keyboards, vocals) and Neal Schon (guitar))

BQ3: Pink Floyd/Genesis

BQ4: The Mars Volta (thank God these pretentious noise-makers have finally disbanded -- their so-called "music" is a nauseating slurry of dissonant guitar wanking, electronics and meaningless lyrics warbled out; think of the worst Gentle Giant experiments, but without that band's quirky charm)

@victor: I disagree with you on Pink Floyd. Prog rock is a such a wide and varied genre that it incorporates many different styles and approaches -- symphonic prog (Genesis, Yes, ELP) is certainly rooted in classical music, but Pink Floyd created a style that merged some classical and jazz influences with psychedelic/space rock and avant-garde. Of course, I never studied music -- this is all independent research. But I would have loved to have taken that course on Pink Floyd -- lucky you :D

Krishen

Many prog rock bands are also classic rock, like Pink Floyd. Classic rock isn't a genre, it's a term describing the very successful rock bands from the 60s and 70s, and sometimes 80s, like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin etc.

BQ) The Beatles

BQ2) I don't really have one.

BQ3) Pink Floyd or Emerson, Lake and Palmer

BQ4) Kraftwerk (some people call them prog for some reason)

I'd agree with victor, as he has a degree in music.

However, the way I see it is Classic Rock is more of a time period rather than a type of music. As the Beatles and Led were very diff from each other. Classic Rock identfied a time period rather than specific genre of music. That's why if a song were to just come out right now, you wouldn't be able to call it Classic Rock. Prog rock was a very special genre that just happened to bloom during the Classic Rock period, just like punk, hair metal, heavy metal or anything else before grunge took over in 1990. Prog rock is exactly what the name implies. It's progressive, it is not constant. It generally has more influences than other types of rock and has lots of contrasts in volume, from quiet, to really loud screaming. It's all considered progressive. Which is why, I personally always saw grunge as progressive punk.

BQ: Led Zeppelin

BQ2: Dire Straits (same reason as victor, few good songs but not many)

BQ3: also Dream Theater

BQ4: Queensrchye

Classic rock is about just the 70s?

Since when? Classic Rock is just the vaguely defined music of Baby boomers, after rock and roll, but not including the musical styles of Gen X.

Even that is vague, as plenty of classic rock stations now routinely play the Ramones and other Punk music, Metallica, as well as Alternative from the 90s.

Progressive rock is merely a sub genre of rock. Which means that of particular era maybe called classic rock, but with no implications that the two terms are interchangeable.

Some progressive rock is considered classic, simply due to the time period that it was popular. (For example, 60's and 70's Pink Floyd, 70's Rush).

Progressive rock is not the same as Classic Rock, though, because there are several Progressive Rock bands that are current, and making new music right now (Tool comes immediately to mind; Dream Theater, etc). "Classic Rock" music is generally accepted to be recorded/released prior to 1990, although I think it's time for some rock music from the early 90's to start being considered "classic" and played on Classic Rock stations.

BA: Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones

BA2: Probably the Beatles, although I really don't consider them Rock.

BA3: Rush, Pink Floyd, Tool (Prog Rock is my favorite genre; these are 3 of my favorite bands)

BA4: Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Yes

they are two different genres, classic rock refers more to Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Who, Doors and what not. Progressive rock is rock that uses classical and jazz musical influences, as well as very technical when it comes to playing.

Pink Floyd, as much as I love them, I do not consider them progressive. When I was doing my undergraduate degree, i had a class focused on history and analysis of pink floyd music, and the more i listened to, and analysed their music, the more i considered them experimental band, some prog aspect in their music, but missing the big ones.

BQ2) Beatles and Rolling Stones

BQ3) Eagles (they had good songs, but the amount of songs i liked from them can be counted with less than 5 fingers)

BQ4) Dream Theater

BQ5) Coheed and Cambria (dont even know why they are considered Progressive, still like few of their songs and they put hell of a live show)

Classic rock is not a genre of music: It's a radio format, not a style of music, It ranges from the late '60s to the late '80s. Focusing on hard rock and blues rock. But progressive rock is part of classic rock. No matter what anyone tries to tell you. Because as I said classic rock is a radio format not a genre of music.

take care dave