Prog Magazine Issue 165 (December 2025) Porcupine Tree

Note: Our copies do not include the Deadwing Artcard advertised on the front cover.

It's our first-ever Review-Of-The-Year issue! We felt the achievements of the prog world in 2025 needed celebrating properly, so that’s what we’ve done.

Aside from grabbing chats with Steven Wilson, Yes, Marillion’s Steve Rothery, Genesis, EBB, Steeleye Span and more, we also shine a light on the work of the Progrock.com’s Essentials label and the Solent Area Prog gigs held at the 1865 in Southampton; pay our respects to those who left us in 2025; and Prog’s own newshound Julian dons his best Mystic Meg outfit and looks ahead to what’s coming your way in 2026. Oh, and even though it hasn’t happened yet, it’s been all over the media for the latter part of this year, so we look at the Rush reunion: how it happened and what we think the tour will entail.

There’s also a change in our annual Critics’ Choice: we’ve bumped the list up to a massive 50 Best Prog Albums of the Year and the 20 Best Reissues, too. There’s plenty to dive in, get your teeth into and, no doubt, debate on social media, if past years are anything to go by!

Despite all that going on, we’ve still managed to squeeze in a chat with former Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre in The Prog Interview, and bring you all the latest prog news, as well as album and live reviews.

Plus there's a fantastic downloadable 22-track sampler from our friends at Progrock.com's Essentials featuring the likes of Discipline, Phideaux, Unitopia, Solstice, Ghost Of The Machine, Spriggan Mist and more, as well as four Prog postcards.

Your Prog 166 contents...

The Top 50 Albums Of 2025 - the Prog writers’ deliver their albums of the year.

Steven Wilson - from The Overview to his plans for 2026.

Progrock.com's Essentials - we dive into the prog label of the year.

Steve Rothery - the guitarist on Bioscope, Hackett and a new Marillion album!

David Gilmour - still at the top of the prog game at 79.

Top 20 Reissues Of 2025 - the year’s very best reissues.

Genesis - fifty years of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway dissected with a bit of help from Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett.

Steeleye Span - folk proggers still going strong with new album, Conflict

Yes - Steve Howe on the band's year and also reveals a new album is on the way!

Solent Area Prog - making a prog noise on the south coast.

EBB - 2204's Best New Band poll winners are back with their second album, The Mirror.

In Memoriam - remembering those we lost in 2025.

Rush - They’re touring next year, you know!

2026 Preview - what’s progging your world next year

Martin Barre - the former Jethro Tull guitarist discusses his career on the back of his new autobiography.

Jordan Rudess - the Dream Theater keyboardist on a prog world full of ELP, Steven Wilson, VdGG and Neil Young

Plus reviews of new releases and reissues by Big Big Train, Camel, IQ, Dream Theater, Airbag, EBB, Frank Zappa, The Pineapple Thief, Martin Barre, Jerome Froese, Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side, Hällas, Procol Harum, Ultravox, Keith Jarrett, Caligula’s Horse and loads more...

This month, we’ve been to see shows by Moon Safari; Justin Hayward; Gong; Public Service Broadcasting; Black Country, New Road and more.