Album

In the Wake of Poseidon

Released15 May 1970

Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Deezer ↗Podcast cover

In the Wake of Poseidon is King Crimson's second studio album, released on 15 May 1970. It arrived straight after their debut, In the Court of the Crimson King, and was made while the band's line-up was in flux. Island put it out in Europe, Atlantic in the United States, Philips in Australia and Vertigo in New Zealand. It remains their highest-charting album in the UK, reaching number 4.

Musically, it keeps close to the debut, both in style and in the order of its tracks, so anyone who loved the first record will feel at home. Critics at the time praised the playing and the production, hearing it as a step up from the debut. Later writers have been more cautious, pointing out how heavily it leans on that earlier blueprint. It is a useful listen for hearing the band's early progressive and art rock sound at a restless moment, just before Lizard took them somewhere new.

Chart	Peak
UK Albums Chart · 1970–71	4
US Billboard 200 · 1970–71	31
Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1970–71	17
Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1970–71	28

Source	Date	Note
MusicBrainz	15 May 1970
Wikipedia infobox	15 May 1970
Wikidata	15 May 1970
US release	1970	earliest US date
UK / Europe release	15 May 1970	earliest UK or European date

Date	Country	Label	Barcode	Kind
—	US	E’G	5012985300223	other
—	XE	Virgin	077778674429	other
—	FR	Polydor		other
1970	US	Atlantic		other
1970	NZ	Vertigo		other
1970	AU	Philips		other
15 May 1970	GB	Island		original
July 1971	JP	Atlantic		other
1973	VE	Atlantic		other
1976	JP	Atlantic		other
1977	AR	Atlantic		other
1977	DE	Polydor		other
March 1977	GB	Polydor		other
1979	IT	Polydor		other
1980	BR	Atlantic		other
1985	US	Editions EG		other
4 March 1987	JP	E’G	4988006610156	other
1988	GB	E’G	5012985300216	other
3 March 1988	JP	Virgin	4988006610156	other
6 April 1988	JP	Virgin	4988037002128	other
1989	GB	Virgin	077778674429	other
1989	US	E’G	017046150323	other
7 March 1990	JP	E’G	4988037008250	other
July 1992	GB	Virgin	077778674429	other
16 December 1994	JP	Canyon International	4988013505636	other
1997	DE	Virgin		other
10 January 2000	GB	Virgin	724384894825	other
1 March 2000	JP	Discipline Global Mobile	4988013046702	other
10 April 2000	GB	Virgin	724384406622	other
10 August 2001	JP	—	4988013241206	other
28 January 2004	JP	Universal International	4988005354846	other
13 December 2004	XE	Discipline Global Mobile	633367050229	deluxe
20 December 2004	US	Discipline Global Mobile	633367050229	deluxe
26 March 2008	JP	WHD Entertainment, Inc.	4582213912111	other
4 October 2010	GB	Panegyric	633367400222	deluxe
2011	XE	Discipline Global Mobile	633367910219	other
2015	—	—		other
14 April 2015	XW	Discipline Global Mobile	633367880529	other
7 June 2023	JP	Discipline Global Mobile	4988031567890	other
24 October 2025	XW	Discipline Global Mobile	633367795328	other

Source	Size	Verdict
deezer ✓	1200×1200	upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
coverartarchive	1000×1000	upscaled

In the Wake of Poseidon

In the Wake of Poseidon: tracklist, credits and charts

Tracklist

Line-up

Singles

Peak chart positions

Released the same week

Also released on 15 May

More from King Crimson

The best of 1970

More on Atlantic

Releases and pressings