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allmusic.com...

Yes didn't invent progressive rock, but they helped bring it to mainstream audiences, steering the development and definition of the genre. Once their classic lineup of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, and Bill Bruford locked into place for 1971's Fragile, the band crystallized all of the sonic and visual signifiers that eventually became synonymous with prog rock. Yes shifted between complicated time signatures, spliced pastoral folk, and Baroque classical in their muscular rock & roll, structured their songs as mini-suites, and wrapped the entire package in fantastical artwork by Roger Dean. This early incarnation of Yes didn't last long, and once the band regrouped in the late '70s, they embraced the steely, shiny sounds of album-oriented rock. They soared through the MTV era on the strength of their 1983 album 90125 and its dazzling, Trevor Horn-produced hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart," the band's first American number one hit. Yes' fame had diminished somewhat by the end of the '80s, but the band remained active throughout the next decade and beyond, albeit amid multiple line-up changes and hiatuses. They maintained a loyal fan base through touring and the sporadic release of new albums, continuing to explore on releases like 2014's Heaven & Earth and 2021's The Quest.