Genesis
Selling England by the Pound
The prog classic Rolling Stone called over-referential and under-vital
Released in the UK on 5 October 1973, Selling England by the Pound became Genesis's first top-ten album. A contemporary hostile review, alongside chart results with their dates.
The verdict at the time
Gambaccini praised the band for attempting something different in a stagnant pop scene but criticised the album's lyrics for overusing British pop culture references and complained about some musical passages lacking vitality, concluding the album only 'merits some recognition'.
Chart peaks
European positions are listed by country. Later chart entries are labelled separately.
Sources & context
One critic's mixed-to-negative opinion, summarised from Paul Gambaccini's Rolling Stone review of November 1973. The album is now ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's Readers' Poll of Favorite Prog Rock Albums (2012) and cited by Neil Peart, Steve Hackett and Fish as a progressive rock landmark.
