The Strawbs are one of the most distinctive and enduring bands in all of British progressive rock — pioneers who forged a singular path by weaving English folk music into the ambitious, dramatic sweep of prog. Formed in London in 1964, originally as the bluegrass-rooted Strawberry Hill Boys, and led throughout their long life by singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Cousins, the band evolved from acoustic folk into one of the era’s most inventive folk-rock and progressive outfits. Their early ranks even included keyboard virtuoso Rick Wakeman, who honed his craft with the Strawbs before joining Yes. Across six decades and more than twenty studio albums, Cousins’s literate, emotionally charged songwriting and the band’s ever-shifting line-ups produced a rich, theatrical body of work. This guide runs through the essential Strawbs studio albums in order, era by era, with a few pointers on where to begin.

The folk-rock beginnings (1969–1971)

The Strawbs’ recording career began with the graceful, folk-rooted debut Strawbs (1969), followed by the more adventurous Dragonfly (1970). It was with From the Witchwood (1971), featuring the dazzling keyboards of Rick Wakeman, that the band began edging towards the grander, more progressive sound that would define their peak.

The classic prog peak (1972–1975)

This was the Strawbs at their creative height. The atmospheric, mellotron-drenched Grave New World (1972) became their best-selling album and marked their full embrace of progressive rock, while Bursting at the Seams (1973) delivered their commercial breakthrough, including the enduring hits “Lay Down” and “Part of the Union”. After a line-up upheaval, the majestic Hero and Heroine (1974) — often considered the definitive Strawbs album — and its atmospheric follow-up Ghosts (1975) cemented their reputation, winning a devoted following, especially in America.

The later 1970s (1975–1978)

As the decade wore on, the Strawbs continued to explore, shifting between rock ambition and more song-based material. Nomadness (1975) and the punchier Deep Cuts (1976) were followed by Burning for You (1977) and Deadlines (1978), the band’s final album of a turbulent but richly creative 1970s, before they stepped away at the decade’s end.

The revival and modern era (1987–2023)

The Strawbs returned refreshed in the mid-1980s and, from the new century onwards, grew remarkably prolific once more. Albums such as Don’t Say Goodbye (1987) and Ringing Down the Years (1991) rekindled the flame, before a sustained late flowering brought The Broken Hearted Bride (2008), Dancing to the Devil’s Beat (2009), The Ferryman’s Curse (2017) and Settlement (2021). Their final studio album, the warm, reflective The Magic of It All (2023), brought a six-decade journey to a graceful close.

Where to start

With such a deep catalogue, the classics point the way. Hero and Heroine (1974) is the essential starting point — for many the definitive Strawbs album — closely followed by the atmospheric Grave New World (1972), the record where their progressive vision fully bloomed. For their most accessible, hit-laden side, Bursting at the Seams (1973) makes an ideal gateway. From there, the whole rich catalogue rewards exploring. For a fuller guide to the ideal first listens, complete with five hand-picked albums and detailed notes, see our companion piece, where to start with the Strawbs.

Go deeper

New to the genre as a whole? Start with our progressive rock for beginners guide. As the great pioneers of folk-infused progressive rock, the Strawbs share their literate, English-rooted spirit with kindred artists such as Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention — while their early alumnus Rick Wakeman went on to prog superstardom with Yes. Wondering how the greats truly compare? Settle a few debates over at our prog rock band comparisons hub. And the Beyond the Sound books chart the whole story of British progressive rock — its pioneers, its folk visionaries and its poetic songwriters — that the Strawbs enriched so distinctively, era by era.

Want the deeper story of the Strawbs and their era? The books map every era →

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