Selling England by the Pound
1973 studio album by Genesis
Selling England by the Pound is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 5 October 1973, by Charisma Records. The album was a commercial success in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart, but less so in the United States, peaking at No. 70 on the Billboard 200. 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 on the UK singles chart.
The album was recorded in August 1973 following the tour supporting their previous album, Foxtrot (1972). The group set aside a short period of time to write new material. It 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 lists of the best progressive rock albums.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Selling England by the Pound” is 1973 studio album by Genesis. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Selling, England and Pound, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “1973 studio album by Genesis” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q750081. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1973, 1974 and 1972.
Titles can refer to several editions, objects or performances, making precise identification essential before interpretation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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Three-step research path
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Selling England by the Pound” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.