55 years ago today (2/19/71), Yes released their third album, The Yes Album, a turning point that signaled a dramatic shift in sound and laid the foundation for the first great phase of their storied progressive-rock run.
The record marked the arrival of Steve Howe, whose world-class fingerstyle guitar work immediately elevated the band to another level. This lineup—Howe alongside Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, and Tony Kaye—also experienced their first truly collaborative writing stretch, crystallizing what would become the classic Yes sound.
That chemistry explodes across standout tracks like “Starship Trooper,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” and “Yours Is No Disgrace.” If you want to see the moment the band is fully locked in, check out this cut of “Yours Is No Disgrace” live in 1971…
