The Yes Album  by YES

The Yes Album, released in 1971, is the third album by the British band YES and the landmark that defined their course. It marks the debut of guitarist Steve Howe, who brought elements of jazz, country, and classical guitar, while it was the last album (of the first period) with Tony Kaye on keyboards. This particular album is considered a cornerstone of progressive rock. It combines polyphonic harmonies, extended compositions (like Starship Trooper), and virtuoso solos, escaping the narrow confines of pop.

It was released in the United Kingdom on February 19, 1971, by Atlantic Records. It is their first album with exclusively their own compositions. Jon Anderson is involved in most of the album's compositions. The production was done by themselves in collaboration with the legendary Eddie Offord, who played a decisive role in shaping their complex sound. The recording of The Yes Album took place in the autumn of 1970 at Advision Studios in London. The band prepared the material on a farm in Devon, seeking isolation to experiment with new sounds. The cover shows the band sitting in a room, with Tony Kaye having his leg in a cast due to an accident that occurred during recording (!).

This album marked their commercial "take-off," reaching No.4 on the UK charts and No.40 in the USA. The album eventually went platinum (over 1,000,000 sales) in the USA.