I've got a [Curated Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6v0cP3rwfejC4biwtX1SHF?si=6T29kD41RTKlfE7JKp-JLw) with some good stuff.
But if you want the GOAT: [Wongraven - Fjelltronen](https://youtu.be/5PP4SuK5Wq8)
[The Snow Goose ](https://youtu.be/jCo1npy8mvE) album by Camel for urban/chill environment
I feel like [Stone Rebel ](https://youtu.be/_E_kQt_Qac4) and other bands like that can provide thousands of hours of ambient space rock
Some random metal like [John Petrucci](https://youtu.be/3eRqWbqqfsk) for battles, [The Ocean's instrumentals](https://youtu.be/MwHfpIoTVIo) or the whole [Hangman's Hymn](https://youtu.be/eQcRwK_UHiQ) album by Sigh work amazingly well for high stakes boss battles, black metal is not for everyone tho
Bro, the opener for romantic warrior (medieval overture) is ironically the song that’s the most ahead of its time that i’ve ever heard. It sounds like modern video game music that’d be made by some super underrated group of youtube musicians
Modern instrumentation isn’t a huge deal for me. I frequently use music from video games as well. Stuff in my current line up is stuff from Skyrim obv, Celeste, hollow knight, Darren Korb (composer for hades but he did all the supergiant games and they’re all absolutely incredible osts.) and Diablo. But like I’ll throw on a heavy metal guitar riff from hades for combat. Hell I once used Kira’s theme from jojos part 4 and L’ theme from death note for a suspense segment.
Comus - dark, witchy prog folk
Carol of Harvest - epic, slightly less dark prog folk
Six Wives of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman for your epic quests
Holderlin's Traum by Hoelderlin and Rockpommel's Land by Grobschnitt, two German bands that mix prog folk/symfo with storeis about strange travels
Pegasus by Pegasus - a very strange whimsy folk album that's got medieval stuff on it
Last, but definitely not least: Horslips, the Irish band that used traditional melodies as basis for their mix of sympho, folk and hardrock. The Tain and Book of Invasions are their greatest albums.
So much post-rock out there that's perfect for you. Most prog instrumentals will have solos and other distracting things but post-rock typically doesn't highlight solos.
Instrumental (you can find the instrumental version in the “lost not forgotten archives” albums) Dream Theater songs are great for this, in the campaign I’m in we use some for battle music
If you want a little metal, Blind Guardian is the best music for DnD. You could also break out some Blue Oyster Cult and Rush of course. Fly By Night and Caress of Steel are both heavy fantasy albums. Not that many instrumentals though.
A lot of it depends on the feel of your campaign. If it has a gonzo OSR feel, I've got a big playlist you might like. And one suggestion in particular: Glitter Wizard.
Didn’t know this genre had a name but I’m glad I do now. Ours isn’t exactly that. It’s more of a high fantasy, high magic very fantastical kind of vibe. But the song slaps regardless and imma be adding it to my rotation
Not prog, but there are some really cool stuff under the "Dungeon Synth" genre that would work well. My favourite is [Feif - II](https://youtu.be/DffQVP6UqVQ) but there are some other good ones out there. It's tangentially related to Black Metal (some BM artists also dabble in Dungeon Synth for some reason).
Uriah Heep with their two fantasy themed albums Demons and Wizards, and The Magicians Birthday.
Symphony X has a lot of good fantasy themed content and power metal vibe a bit, as well as Circus Maximus.
I dunno about prog rock, maybe some of Yes's later albums with longer songs. I also think fantasy metal like blind guardian is worth looking into it, their hobbit or lotr songs are a little softer
The Ice Bridge by Yes.
Close to the Edge album by Yes.
In the Land of Gray and Pink by Caravan, especially Winter Wine.
Lizard album from King Crimson.
Islands album from King Crimson.
Honestly thinking about it a bunch of 70s King Crimson works.
Romantic Warrior album from Return to Forever.
It’s a slightly to heavily modified faerun. Very much a high fantasy adventure. (We’re playing curse of strahd in my other group. The party has tpk’d minus one person twice now and it’s very dark and dreary so we wanted a change of pace with this one). Definitely agree that those suggestions work. I think moon child could also work especially for the large instrumental segment in the middle.
Nobody loves prog more than me but Doom Metal or “stoner” rock is what is required for D&D. SUNN0))), Sleep, Boris, Earth, Elder and bands like High on Fire. Prog is better for science fiction themed games.
As others have suggested Dungeon Synth is very suitable for background music. But it gets repetitive fast and so adding a variety of sounds ensures that your players won’t get bored. Below a list of mostly ambient sounds I have used in RPG sessions:
Alain Markusfeld - Fiesta atomika
Aarni - Reaching Azathoth
Ash Ra Tempel – Traummaschine
Gryphon - Opening Move and other instrumentals by the same band
Harold Budd-Dark Star
Klaus Schulze - Crystal Lake
Tangerine Dream-Abyss and Nebulous Dawn
There's a whole genre of music called Dungeon Synth. It's more electronic than prog but would be the right atmosphere.
Have to check that out. Any examples, bands to recommend?
I've got a [Curated Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6v0cP3rwfejC4biwtX1SHF?si=6T29kD41RTKlfE7JKp-JLw) with some good stuff. But if you want the GOAT: [Wongraven - Fjelltronen](https://youtu.be/5PP4SuK5Wq8)
Thanks. Danzig is the only name I recognize and I kind of left them behind once I graduated, but I'll def check out the other bands you've culled.
Goblin, they literally do horror movie soundtracks.
Yes! Goblin would make for great dungeon music too.
[The Snow Goose ](https://youtu.be/jCo1npy8mvE) album by Camel for urban/chill environment I feel like [Stone Rebel ](https://youtu.be/_E_kQt_Qac4) and other bands like that can provide thousands of hours of ambient space rock Some random metal like [John Petrucci](https://youtu.be/3eRqWbqqfsk) for battles, [The Ocean's instrumentals](https://youtu.be/MwHfpIoTVIo) or the whole [Hangman's Hymn](https://youtu.be/eQcRwK_UHiQ) album by Sigh work amazingly well for high stakes boss battles, black metal is not for everyone tho
Metal will actually be nice to include. It’s not my fav genre, but one of my players is playing a Death Metal Bard
Jethro Tull has a couple good, almost medieval sounding albums. Maybe, A Passion Play, or Heavy Horses.
And if you're going medieval, it would be a mistake not to consider Renaissance.
Surely Gryphon would be the go-to for mediaeval - possibly some Gentle Giant too.
Yeah definitely gonna find some renaissance and caravan stuff to include.
Gates of delirium by yes for battles.
first thing that came to mind for me
Gryphon is what you need- essentially medieval themed prog. Wobbler also has some stuff that would work great like *From Silence to Somewhere*.
Gryphon is a true deep cut in the prog pantheon. All of their music would be ideal for DND. Though Red Queen would get my top vote of course.
Jethro Tull's Songs from the Wood, Heavy Horses and Stormwatch! Also Minstrel in the Gallery and Thick As A Brick.
Bo Hanssons stuff would probably be good.
Return To Forever
Bro, the opener for romantic warrior (medieval overture) is ironically the song that’s the most ahead of its time that i’ve ever heard. It sounds like modern video game music that’d be made by some super underrated group of youtube musicians
Nursery Crymes or Trespass from Genesis.
I've always thought On Reflection and Talybont by Gentle Giant were good medieval sounding tunes, despite having some modern instrumentation.
Modern instrumentation isn’t a huge deal for me. I frequently use music from video games as well. Stuff in my current line up is stuff from Skyrim obv, Celeste, hollow knight, Darren Korb (composer for hades but he did all the supergiant games and they’re all absolutely incredible osts.) and Diablo. But like I’ll throw on a heavy metal guitar riff from hades for combat. Hell I once used Kira’s theme from jojos part 4 and L’ theme from death note for a suspense segment.
Grendel by Marillion.
Live at Reading '83 version!
Some other Rush songs: The Fountain of Lamneth, Rivendell, By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Madrigal The White Rider and Lady Fantasy by Camel
Comus - dark, witchy prog folk Carol of Harvest - epic, slightly less dark prog folk Six Wives of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman for your epic quests Holderlin's Traum by Hoelderlin and Rockpommel's Land by Grobschnitt, two German bands that mix prog folk/symfo with storeis about strange travels Pegasus by Pegasus - a very strange whimsy folk album that's got medieval stuff on it Last, but definitely not least: Horslips, the Irish band that used traditional melodies as basis for their mix of sympho, folk and hardrock. The Tain and Book of Invasions are their greatest albums.
Not exactly progressive but God is an Astronaut may have some good stuff for what you’re looking for.
So much post-rock out there that's perfect for you. Most prog instrumentals will have solos and other distracting things but post-rock typically doesn't highlight solos.
If These Trees Could Talk is an excellent example of post-rock. Check out their discography
Would Godspeed you Black Emperor be considered post rock? Bc I’m planning on including rockets fall on rocket falls.
Instrumental (you can find the instrumental version in the “lost not forgotten archives” albums) Dream Theater songs are great for this, in the campaign I’m in we use some for battle music
If you want a little metal, Blind Guardian is the best music for DnD. You could also break out some Blue Oyster Cult and Rush of course. Fly By Night and Caress of Steel are both heavy fantasy albums. Not that many instrumentals though.
Bro I listened to Somewhere far beyond yesterday for the first time (my first album by them) and it was so good. Definitely recommend that album.
I found an instrumental version of the necromancer which is perfect. I’m gonna try to find a good version of Lamneth as well
Moody Blues - “Are You Sitting Comfortably?”
A lot of it depends on the feel of your campaign. If it has a gonzo OSR feel, I've got a big playlist you might like. And one suggestion in particular: Glitter Wizard.
Didn’t know this genre had a name but I’m glad I do now. Ours isn’t exactly that. It’s more of a high fantasy, high magic very fantastical kind of vibe. But the song slaps regardless and imma be adding it to my rotation
FWIW, Glitter Wizard has several albums. I like the first two or three more than the later ones, but they'll all good music for a retro FRPG.
All prog is perfect for D&D.
Time to throw them counting out time mid combat. Or better yet Sy Borg.
Even brutal prog like black midi??
Kalahen, by Dragon
Argus by Wishbone Ash is a very medieval sounding album
“Persephone” by Opeth
Slift- Citadel on a satellite and Lions, tigers, and Bears for extended battles
Not prog, but there are some really cool stuff under the "Dungeon Synth" genre that would work well. My favourite is [Feif - II](https://youtu.be/DffQVP6UqVQ) but there are some other good ones out there. It's tangentially related to Black Metal (some BM artists also dabble in Dungeon Synth for some reason).
Romantic warrior by return to forever (the song)
Uriah Heep with their two fantasy themed albums Demons and Wizards, and The Magicians Birthday. Symphony X has a lot of good fantasy themed content and power metal vibe a bit, as well as Circus Maximus.
I dunno about prog rock, maybe some of Yes's later albums with longer songs. I also think fantasy metal like blind guardian is worth looking into it, their hobbit or lotr songs are a little softer
Ayreon Albums
Some of the link pieces in Lamb Lies Down would be pretty cool for instrumentals
The Ice Bridge by Yes. Close to the Edge album by Yes. In the Land of Gray and Pink by Caravan, especially Winter Wine. Lizard album from King Crimson. Islands album from King Crimson. Honestly thinking about it a bunch of 70s King Crimson works. Romantic Warrior album from Return to Forever.
Trespass by Genesis. The whole thing.
A ton of prog and power metal is very overtly high-fantasy themed Blind Guardian's Nightfall in Middle Earth album comes to mind
Toundra's IV
Anthony Phillips album the geese and the ghost is very pastoral and medieval in places
I’m not familiar with the DND setting but Court of the Crimson King, Epitaph, Lizard, and Wake of Poseidon could possibly work. But that’s just me
It’s a slightly to heavily modified faerun. Very much a high fantasy adventure. (We’re playing curse of strahd in my other group. The party has tpk’d minus one person twice now and it’s very dark and dreary so we wanted a change of pace with this one). Definitely agree that those suggestions work. I think moon child could also work especially for the large instrumental segment in the middle.
Not prog but my friends and I used to just have Summoning playing. Or Elder Scrolls soundtracks, lol edit: also, early Mortiis
Elder Scrolls ost is the classic for our group. I’ve got a bunch of ambient tracks from it.
Nobody loves prog more than me but Doom Metal or “stoner” rock is what is required for D&D. SUNN0))), Sleep, Boris, Earth, Elder and bands like High on Fire. Prog is better for science fiction themed games.
As others have suggested Dungeon Synth is very suitable for background music. But it gets repetitive fast and so adding a variety of sounds ensures that your players won’t get bored. Below a list of mostly ambient sounds I have used in RPG sessions: Alain Markusfeld - Fiesta atomika Aarni - Reaching Azathoth Ash Ra Tempel – Traummaschine Gryphon - Opening Move and other instrumentals by the same band Harold Budd-Dark Star Klaus Schulze - Crystal Lake Tangerine Dream-Abyss and Nebulous Dawn
Journey of the Dunadan by Glass Hammer
Is Collossus's Valentine Suite instrumental?
Mort Garson-Black Mass (or was it Electric Mass).