# Best Yes Studio Albums (POLL) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 27, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897 "2022-10-27T20:25:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/1 "2022-10-27T20:25:06Z")
You define the criteria. Just pick the studio album from Yes you think is best. I have to say, 1971 was a remarkable year for Yes with two great albums. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/1))_ I’m limited to 20 options so I dropped Keys to Ascensions the hybrid albums. If this proves at all popular, I’m going to do some other discographies. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/2 "2022-10-27T20:28:50Z")
I voted The Yes Album, but I fondly recall 90125, also. That was when CD’s were coming on strong and the word was that the sound quality of CDs was outstanding. And the sound quality on that one was outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/3 "2022-10-27T20:31:53Z")
90125 was the first Yes Album I bought. I was in High School at the time. Close to the Edge, The Yes Album and Fragile were already in the house though between by older sister and older brother. Come to think of it, 90125 was in tape format and I ended up buying it again years later in CD format. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/4 "2022-10-27T21:13:06Z")
I think _Time and a Word_ doesn’t get much recognition. It has some great songs on it. # Then [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/W10qiXqlvo8/maxresdefault.jpg "YES - Then") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W10qiXqlvo8) # Time and a Word [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6Uu2mpXE-mQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Time and a Word") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uu2mpXE-mQ) I saw them perform this live to open the concert. It was incredible. # Astral Traveller [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qEUkRRLe6vQ/maxresdefault.jpg "YES - Astral Traveller") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEUkRRLe6vQ) # The Prophet [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/g0Tw2iwA2Lk/maxresdefault.jpg "The Prophet by Yes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Tw2iwA2Lk) # No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/A_NrBG0FUWA/maxresdefault.jpg "YES - No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_NrBG0FUWA) Of course, I voted for _Close to the Edge_ and _Fragile_ was my second choice. The _Yes Album_ is incredible and also _Relayer_. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/5 "2022-10-27T21:21:04Z")
My favorite Yes album, which is the first album of any kind that I bought, was Yessongs - a wonderful three-disc purchase from the Sound Warehouse up on Coit Road in Dallas for $5.99. Since that’s live, though, you do exclude it, and I voted Fragile. There are other great albums, but “South Side of the Sky” is such a banger. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/6 "2022-10-27T21:23:57Z")
I knew Fragile would win, since it always does in polls about Yes. But my first encounter was Close to the edge, about a year after the release, so I’ll always stick to that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/7 "2022-10-27T21:27:51Z")
I voted for Fragile, but in reality I really highly esteem what I consider the Tetralogy of Yes, which is **The Yes Album** , **Fragile** , **Close to the Edge** , and **Tales From Topographic Oceans**. All from around the same time representing different facets of what I liked best in them. Off topic, I also have a “Tetralogy of Floyd” for Pink Floyd, which to me would be Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/8 "2022-10-27T21:28:17Z")
I voted for “The Yes Album” because Starship Trooper is one of those songs I could listen to over and over again, especially the guitar solo (and the build up to it) in the outro. I haven’t heard 90125 in ages but I remember that being a really enjoyable album to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/9 "2022-10-27T21:29:26Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I voted for Fragile, but in reality I really highly esteem what I consider the Tetralogy of Yes, which is **The Yes Album** , **Fragile** , **Close to the Edge** , and **Tales From Topographic Oceans**. Same here, and though it’s always been polarizing among fans of “classic Yes,” I also love 90125. It came out just as I entered college, and it was my gateway to Yes, and to progressive rock in general. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/10 "2022-10-27T21:30:23Z")
These match close to mine. I would replace Tales with Relayer for Yes and Floyd would need to expand to 5 to include Meddle. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/11 "2022-10-27T21:37:12Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Off topic, I also have a “Tetralogy of Floyd” for Pink Floyd, which to me would be Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall Meddle should be in there, so pentalogy? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/12 "2022-10-27T21:42:22Z")
I also enjoyed **90125** and **Relayer** but I never listened to them as much as those other 4. As for my off topic Floyd comment, **Meddle** was also a very good album but I never got endlessly lost in it like I did the other 4. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/13 "2022-10-27T21:56:30Z")
I voted for _Relayer_ because it’s kept me engaged over time better than any of the others. The battle part in “The Gates of Delirium” hasn’t gotten old one single bit in forty-eight years (_damn!_), and I’ve been playing it with some consistency the whole time. But I really like all the seventies stuff pretty well (except with _Tormato_ being a _very_ distant last place). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/14 "2022-10-28T02:14:20Z")
I’m not sure there is anything on Drama I love. Tormato has at least two songs. Don’t kill the Whales and Arriving UFO. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/15 "2022-10-28T04:05:27Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > Meddle should be in there, so pentalogy? Meddle is still my favorite Floyd record. Not much of a theme to it, but I really like the songs. “One of These Days” is my favorite. I voted for Fragile, and have never really like 90125. My brother likes it, though. I should probably give it another try. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/16 "2022-10-28T04:24:34Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Meddle is still my favorite Floyd record. Not much of a theme to it, but I really like the songs. “One of These Days” is my favorite. Now that I have a turntable, I’ve been listening to my old copy of Meddle quite a bit lately. Every song on it is great (yes, even Seamus), and the crowd singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the end of “Fearless” is a favorite moment across pretty much all Floyd. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/17 "2022-10-28T04:46:12Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > …and the crowd singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the end of “Fearless” is a favorite moment across pretty much all Floyd Oh man, it still makes my nipples hard. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/18 "2022-10-28T05:38:30Z")
Well, now I’m going back through my old _Yes_ vinyl, and I’ve made a discovery: Jon Anderson writes lyrics that are pretty vapid, and would go better on Hallmark’s _‘Psychedelic New Age’_ greeting card line. Not bad per se, and they do fit the music. But to actually read the lyrics (I started with the first video here, _‘THEN’)_… it was awkward. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/19 "2022-10-28T14:30:36Z")
Wanted to vote for Close To The Edge (definitely the best!), but I missed and got Fragile, which is probably #3 for me behind The Yes Album. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897/20 "2022-10-28T14:39:14Z")
I’m pretty sure you have the option to change your vote. One of the features in Discourse I do like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-yes-studio-albums-poll/973897.md?page=2)