In the Court of the Crimson King

"In the Court of the Crimson King" (subtitled "An Observation by King Crimson") is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969 by Island Records. It is often regarded as one of the first true progressive rock albums, combining rock influences with elements of jazz, classical, and symphonic music. The album explores themes such as the devastating effects of war and conflict, societal alienation and disillusionment, the perceived futility of human efforts against powerful and corrupt forces, and unchecked authority and leadership. The album was King Crimson's most commercially successful release and is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever. It reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and number 28 on the US Billboard 200, where it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 2015, it was ranked number 2 on Rolling Stone's list of the "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time," behind Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973). Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.