Gong were one of the most gloriously strange bands prog ever produced. Founded in Paris by Australian guitarist Daevid Allen (a co-founder of Soft Machine) and his partner Gilli Smyth, they built a whole mythology — Planet Gong, the Pot Head Pixies, flying teapots — around a psychedelic, jazz-inflected space-rock. Their Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy remains a cornerstone of the genre. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Master Builder”, “Flying Teapot”, “I Never Glid Before” and “The Isle of Everywhere” — their towering space-rock peak, the title track that launched the mythology, Steve Hillage’s glissando showcase, and a hypnotically funky jam. The full ranking is below.

Space rock from the Planet Gong

Few bands have ever been as joyfully, defiantly odd as Gong. Founded in Paris in the late 1960s by Australian guitarist Daevid Allen — fresh from co-founding Soft Machine — and his partner, the poet Gilli Smyth, the ever-shifting collective wrapped a psychedelic, jazz-inflected space-rock around one of rock’s great mythologies: the peaceful Planet Gong, its Pot Head Pixies, Octave Doctors and Radio Gnomes. With Steve Hillage’s glissando guitar, Tim Blake’s synths, Didier Malherbe’s saxophone and Smyth’s ethereal “space whispers,” they made the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy — Flying Teapot, Angel’s Egg and You — a high-water mark of the era, before drummer Pierre Moerlen steered them into instrumental jazz-fusion. These fifteen songs are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing invention, that cosmic whimsy, the musicianship and lasting impact. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Master Builder” (1974), their towering, “om”-chanting space-rock peak. With it: “Flying Teapot” (1973), the psychedelic title track that launched the whole mythology; “I Never Glid Before” (1973), Steve Hillage’s glorious, glissando-soaked showcase; “The Isle of Everywhere” (1974), a hypnotically funky ten-minute jam; “A Sprinkling of Clouds” (1974), a beautiful, proto-ambient synth odyssey; and “The Pot Head Pixies” (1973), a joyous, irresistible slice of Gong whimsy.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever” (1974) is the manic, scat-jazz finale of the trilogy; “Zero the Hero and the Witch’s Spell” (1973) is a glissando tour de force; “Oily Way” (1973) is a sax-and-flute calling card; “You Can’t Kill Me” (1971) is an early, riff-driven classic; and “Sold to the Highest Buddha” (1973) is a witty, melodic highlight.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Dynamite / I Am Your Animal” (1971) is a raw, playful early gem; “Bambooji” (1976) is a globe-trotting, flute-led fusion piece; “Esnuria” (1976) is a lengthy showcase from the Pierre Moerlen jazz-fusion era; and “Heavy Tune” (1978) is a warm, funky instrumental opener.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy — Flying Teapot, Angel’s Egg and You, the last often hailed as their peak. From there, explore the earlier, scruffier Camembert Electrique and the sleek jazz-fusion of Shamal and beyond. Their debut, Magick Brother, and the later Pierre Moerlen albums reward deeper exploration.

The players

Gong revolved around founder Daevid Allen — guitarist, singer and chief mythologist — and his partner Gilli Smyth, whose “space whisper” was one of the band’s signatures. Their classic lineup added guitarist Steve Hillage (later a solo star in his own right), synth pioneer Tim Blake, saxophonist Didier Malherbe, bassist Mike Howlett and drummer Pierre Moerlen, who would go on to lead the band’s jazz-fusion era. Founder Daevid Allen died in 2015 and Gilli Smyth in 2016; Pierre Moerlen had died in 2005. Steve Hillage, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe and Mike Howlett are among the survivors.

Why they still matter

Gong proved that progressive rock could be as playful, spiritual and cosmic as it was virtuosic. A bridge between the Canterbury scene and European space-rock, they influenced everyone from psychedelic revivalists to ambient and festival culture, and their Planet Gong mythology still inspires devotion. Kindred spirits of Caravan and Hatfield and the North, they remain utterly, wonderfully unique. Decades on, You endures as a space-rock landmark.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Gong albums, or place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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