Selling England by the Pound

Selling England by the Pound
Cover painting by Betty Swanwick
Studio album by
Released5 October 1973[1]
RecordedAugust 1973
StudioIsland (London)
Genre
Length53:48
Label
Producer
Genesis chronology
Genesis Live
(1973)
Selling England by the Pound
(1973)
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
(1974)
Singles from Selling England by the Pound
  1. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"
    Released: February 1974[3]

Selling England by the Pound is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 5 October 1973 on Charisma Records.[1] It reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom and No. 70 in the United States. A single from the album, "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)", was released in February 1974 and became the band's first top 30 hit in the UK.

The album was recorded in August 1973 following the tour supporting the previous album, Foxtrot (1972). The group set aside a short period of time to write new material, which covered a number of themes, including the loss of English folk culture and an increased American influence, which was reflected in the title. Following the album's release, the group set out on tour, where they drew an enthusiastic reception from fans.

Critics and the band members themselves have given mixed opinions of the album. Its reputation has improved over time, appearing on various critical and fan-voted rankings of the best progressive rock albums.[4][5] The album has continued to sell and has reached Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry and the Recording Industry Association of America. It was remastered for CD in 1994 and 2007. Several of the album tracks became fan favourites and featured as a regular part of the band's live setlist into the 1980s.

  1. ^ a b Schütz, Peter; Sturm, Alex. "Release Date Mystery (IV). When was "Selling England" released? About the search for the right release date". genesis-news.com. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Genesis – Selling England by the Pound (album review 5) | Sputnikmusic". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. ^ Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 249.
  4. ^ Greene, Andy (26 July 2012). "Readers' Poll: Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time, page 5 of 11". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. ^ "10 Classic Prog Rock Albums". IGN. 28 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2015.