"Big Generator" is the twelfth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on September 28, 1987, through Atco Records. It followed the band's successful shift toward a more pop-oriented sound with 90125 (1983). Recording began in 1985 with producer Trevor Horn in Carimate, Italy, but due to internal conflicts, production moved to London, where Horn ultimately departed. The album was completed in Los Angeles by guitarist Trevor Rabin and producer Paul DeVilliers.
The album received mixed reviews from critics and reached number 15 on the Billboard 200 and number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. It was certified platinum by the RIAA in April 1988, reflecting over one million sales in the U.S. Big Generator was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, similar to its predecessor. The album produced two singles: "Love Will Find a Way" and "Rhythm of Love." Yes supported the album with a North American and Japanese tour from November 1987 to April 1988, after which lead vocalist Jon Anderson left the band again. In 2009, Big Generator was reissued with bonus tracks.
In February 1985, Yes completed a year-long world tour in support of their eleventh studio album, 90125 (1983), which marked a significant shift from their traditional progressive rock roots to a more accessible, pop-oriented sound. The album was produced by Trevor Horn and featured the hit single "Owner of a Lonely Heart," which became the band's highest-selling single and earned them their only Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with "Cinema."
Rehearsals for Big Generator began in August 1985 in Hollywood, with Horn returning as producer. Trevor Rabin, feeling the pressure from their label Atco Records to replicate the success of "Owner of a Lonely Heart," aimed to create something distinct while still wanting to evolve the band's sound. Jon Anderson sought to explore more adventurous compositions, hoping to leverage their expanded fanbase. However, Horn's approach to isolating Anderson from the writing process until the songs were nearly complete led to tensions, with Anderson later reflecting on this as a major mistake.
The album's title came from a line in the band's concert film, 9012Live (1985), where a character mentions "the rhythm of big generators," which resonated with the band and inspired the name. The creative struggles and evolving dynamics during this period set the stage for Big Generator's production.
