It’s hard to write about progressive (prog) rock without sounding pretentious. Perhaps it’s because it’s an inherently self-important genre of music. With its complex and conceptual approach to writing songs and albums and emphasis on grandiosity, it’s hard to say that prog doesn’t take itself seriously.

But prog is a quite rewarding genre for anyone who appreciates the complexity, grandiosity and occasional (OK, frequent) self-indulgence that it brings to the table. Prog rock is music that can tell a compelling story, take you to another world or on a journey through the mind. Plus, it features top-notch musicians producing great melodic works unhindered by the limits of convention.

Though it’s by no means all I listen to, prog rock is definitely my favorite genre of music, and I’m always eager (maybe a little too eager) to share it with others. So for anyone who is interested in finding new music and to whom the above description of prog appeals, I put together a guide of where to start with progressive rock (ordered roughly by how well they represent the genre). With these six in your collection, you’ll hopefully be well on your way to being a prog convert.

6. Pink Floyd - "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973)

For fans of: Classic rock, jazz, psychedelic

Almost everyone is at least passingly familiar with this cultural touchstone, which is why it makes a great introduction to a new genre. Even if you have no idea what prog rock is, it’s entirely possible that you know Pink Floyd. For more ambitious music like this, read the rest of the list!

"The Dark Side of the Moon" is the consummate full-album experience. Songs on this record often segue smoothly into each other, making large sections of this album feel like single compositions. This is most evident on the last four tracks, which together comprise the over 17 stellar minutes that close off this classic.

This album may or may not be Pink Floyd’s most ambitious or greatest work, depending on who you ask. But it’s almost certainly the best introduction to the band’s work — it encapsulates their style of powerful melodies, smooth guitar work from David Gilmour, conceptual songwriting and incorporation of unconventional instrumentation. And it’s a great introduction to prog rock.

Selected tracks: "Time," "Money," "Us and Them"

Also by this band: "Wish You Were Here," "Animals," "The Wall"

5. Coheed and Cambria - "Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness" (2005)

For fans of: Pop punk, post-hardcore, radio rock

Coheed and Cambria has always walked the line between prog and radio-oriented rock. Their songs are often compact and catchy — frontman and songwriter Claudio Sanchez never met a hook he didn’t like! But they also have a conceptual side. Their first seven albums are all part of a long science-fiction story. Though the story can be hard to follow at times, it has led Coheed to write some great and often complex music.

"Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One" (or "Good Apollo 1") is generally thought of as Coheed’s crowning achievement, and it’s hard to disagree. It’s a diverse album Coheed gets things going with one great, hook-laden rock song after another, split into fast tracks with ripping guitar leads, mid-tempo burners and a lovely ballad in "Wake Up."

The album closes with a daunting 28-minute four part suite called "The Willing Well." But Coheed makes the transition from the early pop tracks into the complex closing suite feel natural. "Good Apollo 1" is a long, massive album, but it feels eminently approachable at the same time.

Selected tracks: "Welcome Home," "Wake Up," "The Suffering," "The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness"

Also by this band: "The Second Stage Turbine Blade," "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3," "The Afterman: Ascension"

4. Dream Theater - "Images and Words" (1992)

For fans of: Metal, 80s rock

One of the best known modern prog bands, Dream Theater was one of the pioneering bands to combine progressive rock with heavy metal to create a genre even more grandiose and self-indulgent than either could possibly be on its own.

"Images and Words" is as happy as metal gets. This album exudes positivity while running through metallic riffs and fast-paced guitar and keyboard solos. While long, complicated songs like “Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper” and "Learning to Live" are quintessentially prog, the album is run through beautiful shorter works like "Wait for Sleep" and influences from other genres, like the sax-laden "Another Day" and the sometimes-funky "Take the Time." All punctuated with virtuosic work from all players in the band, particularly guitarist John Petrucci and drummer Mike Portnoy.

Selected tracks: "Pull Me Under," "Take the Time," "Surrounded"

Also by this band: "Awake," "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory," "Dream Theater"

3. Steven Wilson - "The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)" (2013)

For fans of: Classic rock, jazz, folk rock

Steven Wilson is one of the most diverse, prolific and beloved prog songwriters of the 21st century. Known for his work in the band Porcupine Tree, Wilson has since set out on his own writing such albums as "The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)." This work carries great emotional weight without sacrificing complexity and ambition — a typically Steven Wilson combination.

Opener "Luminol" exemplifies the prog genre, while other songs like "Drive Home" and "The Watchmaker" are stylistic excursions. Each song is a small storytelling vignette, and they lead to the closing title track, an emotional piano ballad.

Selected tracks: "Luminol," "Drive Home," "The Raven That Refused to Sing"

Also by this artist: "Hand. Cannot. Erase.", Porcupine Tree’s "In Absentia" and "Deadwing"

2. Yes - "Fragile" (1971)

For fans of: Classic rock, folk, Yes

Yes is the quintessential prog band. If you ask me to name one prog rock band, I have to say “Yes.” In their 40+ year, 21 album discography, there are some great places to start and some places definitely not to start. I think "Fragile" may be the best of all choices. For one thing, it’s bookended by two classic Yes songs: "Roundabout" and "Heart of the Sunrise." It also encapsulates the classic Yes sound without all the pomp (some would say excess) of some of their later works.

All five musicians here are masters of their instruments, which leads to the unconventional inclusion of five solo pieces in the tracklist. The solos range from short and plain (drummer Bill Bruford’s "Five Per Cent for Nothing") to touchstones for their respective instruments (guitarist Steve Howe’s "Mood for a Day"). The solo pieces can be a little strange on first blush, but they play a good role, and feel natural when listening to the album as a whole. And this one simply is a must listen for any progger.

Selected tracks: "Roundabout," "Long Distance Runaround," "Heart of the Sunrise"

Also by this artist: "The Yes Album," "Close to the Edge," "Relayer"

1. Haken - "The Mountain" (2013)

Ever since I thought of writing this list, I knew that Haken’s third album would earn the top spot. This album embodies so many dimensions of prog, while being a stellar album. Haken brings a fun attitude to their music that prog so often needs and sometimes lacks, while also writing a serious concept on "The Mountain" that has real maturity and depth. "Cockroach King" is a truly bizarre track featuring a smattering of high-pitched a capella melodies, but it feels perfectly in place on the same album as the wistful "Somebody" and contemplative "Falling Back to Earth."

There is also a perfect sense of pace and dynamics on "The Mountain." The soft songs work just as well as the bold, anthemic tracks, and create a natural flow from start to finish. The centerpiece of the album is the unassuming “Because It’s There,” a short, relatively quiet track that is nonetheless the emotional soul of the record.

"The Mountain" is a great record in any genre, and it perfectly encapsulates what prog is: simultaneously virtuosic and emotive, complex and atmospheric, silly and serious. Any of these albums is a good place to start, but "The Mountain" might be the best of all.

Selected tracks: "Atlas Stone," "Cockroach King," "Because It’s There"

Also by this band: "Aquarius," "Restoration," "Affinity"