Artist profile · 05/07/2026
King Crimson
- 20
- Albums on Vinyles.com
- 1.3M
- Last.fm listeners
- 68M
- Last.fm plays
About
King Crimson, British progressive rock innovators since 1968.
King Crimson emerged from the late 1960s British rock scene with a shifting lineup around founding guitarist Robert Fripp, the sole permanent member. Their sound interweaves elements of progressive rock, jazz fusion, and avant-garde experimentation. Early albums such as In The Court Of The Crimson King set a template for prog rock, while subsequent releases explored darker and more complex textures.
The band experienced numerous transformations through the 1970s and 1980s, operating at times as a double trio and mixing varied instrumentation including violin, woodwinds, and intricate guitar work.
Discography
King Crimson discography
Studio albums, live records, compilations and radio recordings. Each album groups all its editions.
A Young Person’s Guide to King Crimson
King Crimson
- Vinyl 1
- CD 1
- Cassette 2
The Compact King Crimson
King Crimson
- Vinyl 1
- CD 2
- Cassette 2
The Great Deceiver
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
September 28, 1994: Prix D'Ami, Buenos Aires, Argentina
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
B’BOOM: Official Bootleg – Live in Argentina
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette 1
THRaKaTTaK
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Epitaph
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 6
- Cassette
Epitaph, Volumes 3 & 4
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 6
- Cassette
Epitaph, Volumes One & Two
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 6
- Cassette
The Nightwatch: Live at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw November 23rd 1973
King Crimson
- Vinyl 1
- CD 3
- Cassette
Three of a Perfect Pair: Live in Japan
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal 1984
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 4
- Cassette
Live at Jacksonville 1972
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at the Marquee 1969
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at Cap d’Agde 1982
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
On Broadway 1995
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
The Beat Club, Bremen 1972
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
The ProjeKcts
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Heavy ConstruKction
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Live at Moles Club, Bath – April 30, 1981
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at Plymouth Guildhall May 11, 1971
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at Summit Studios, Denver March 12, 1972
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Central Park, NYC 1974
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Berkeley, CA – August 13, 1982
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Detroit, MI, December 13, 1971
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Mainz: March 30, 1974
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
VROOOM VROOOM
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 3
- Cassette
Live at the Zoom Club
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Hyde Park July 5, 1969
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Nashville, TN: November 9 & 10, 2001
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
EleKtriK
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Eyes Wide Open
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
February 27, 1972: Kemp Coliseum, Orlando, FL
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Guildford, November 13, 1972
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Millenaris Centre, Budapest, Hungary July 15, 2003
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
National Auditorium, Mexico City, Mexico November 19, 2003
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at Fillmore East, 1969
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Philadelphia, PA: July 30, 1982
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Neal and Jack and Me
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
June 28, 1974 – Casino, Asbury Park, New Jersey
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at the Wiltern: July 1, 1995
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Brighton – October 16, 1971
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Heidelberg – March 29, 1974
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
September 29, 1994: Prix D’Ami, Buenos Aires, Argentina
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
The Collectable King Crimson, Volume 4 – Live in Warsaw 2000
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Zoom Club, Frankfurt, Germany – April 13, 1971
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1971‐04‐12: Zoom Club, Frankfurt, Germany
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1973‐10‐23: Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1974-06-27: Kennedy Centre, Washington, DC, USA
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Munich: September 29, 1982
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
March 6, 1972: Stanley Warner Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
March 8, 1972: Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
November 14, 2003 – Ulster Performing Arts Centre, Kingston, New York
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1984‐06‐22: Hoffman Estates, Poplar Creek Music Theatre
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Denver, CO: March 13, 1972
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Kassel: April 1, 1974
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1996‐08‐26: Philadelphia, PA, USA
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Aichi Kosei Nenkin Kaikan, Nagoya, Japan (April 20, 2003)
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Aug 7, 2008 – Chicago – Park West
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
February 11, 1972: Armory, Wilmington, Delaware
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at the Pier, New York – August 2, 1982
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Milan, June 20, 2003
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
The Collectable King Crimson, Volume Three: Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 1996
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
1972-03-27: Boston, MA, USA
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
1995-11-29: Live in Chicago, IL, USA
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
February 17, 1972: Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Zurich (November 15, 1973)
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
March 19, 1974: Palazzo Dello Sport, Udine, Italy
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
The Collectable King Crimson, Volume 5 – Live in Japan 1995
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
Volkshaus Zurich 1995‐05‐06
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in New Haven, CT: November 16, 2003
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live in Toronto – June 24, 1974
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
March 10, 1972: The Barn, Peoria, IL
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
February 19, 1972: Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
February 25, 1972: Auditorium, Miami Beach, FL
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
March 11, 1972: FairGround Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD
- Cassette
Live at The Marquee, 1971
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
From$20.00
at eBay
Sheltering Skies (Live in Fréjus, August 27th 1982)
King Crimson
- Vinyl 1
- CD
- Cassette
From$40.89
at eBay
Sheltering Skies / Live In Frejus, August 27th 1983
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
From$14.59
at eBay
Live in Toronto November 20th 2015
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
From$12.95
at eBay
Heroes - live in Europe 2016
King Crimson
- Vinyl 1
- CD
- Cassette
From$7.00
at eBay
Music Is Our Friend Live In Washington And Albany 2021
King Crimson
- Vinyl
- CD 1
- Cassette
From$13.99
at eBayData provided by Discogs
Listen
Signature songs
- 01I Talk to the Wind
- 0221st Century Schizoid Man - Including "Mirrors"
- 0321st Century Schizoid Man
- 04Epitaph - Including "March For No Reason" And "Tomorrow And Tomorrow"
- 05
StarlessRed · 1974 - 06The Court of the Crimson King - Including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets"
- 07Epitaph
- 08RedRed · 1974
Essentials
3 King Crimson albums you need to own
Our picks, approved by the editors.
#1 · 1974A pivotal 1974 album with a dark tone featuring five tracks including the 12-minute "Starless." It remains highly sought after on vinyl.
5 tracksIncludes "Starless"Original Island Records pressings1974 release
#2 · 1982Released in 1982, Beat features eight tracks blending rock and prog influences, noted for complex guitar interplay and rhythmic innovation.
8 tracksWarner Bros. Records US original pressing1982 releaseProg Rock style
#3 · 19811981's Discipline marks King Crimson's return with intricate guitar work and seven progressive rock tracks balancing melody and experimentation.
7 tracksOriginal UK EG label pressing1981 releaseProg Rock
Go further
Artists similar to King Crimson
Artists who share part of King Crimson's musical DNA.
B-side
B-side: the hidden stories of King Crimson
Studio secrets, tour stories and B-sides worth the whole album.
Formation led by Robert Fripp in London
King Crimson was formed on November 30, 1968, in London with Robert Fripp as the founding guitarist and the only constant member through the band's history.
In the Court Of The Crimson King breakthrough
Their debut album was recorded in London and released in 1969, blending progressive rock with contemporary music and jazz influences, setting a precedent for their sound.
Early member departures shaped sound
After their initial touring in 1969 and 1970, key members Ian McDonald and Michael Giles left the band, allowing Fripp to steer the group's evolving musical direction.
King Crimson is "a way of doing things," not a fixed entity.— Robert Fripp
Red album recorded as a dark final studio statement
The 1974 album Red was recorded with a trio lineup, featuring contributions from former members, culminating in a dense and somber soundscape.
King Crimson vinyl discography
See allNew Lizard (2025 David Singleton Elemental Mixes)
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2025-10-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$31.53
2 offersSheltering Skies (Live in Fréjus, August 27th 1982)
King Crimson
Rock internationalRock
2024-07-19DGMFrom$40.89
1 offerLarks' Tongues In Aspic (2023 Steven Wilson Mixes)
King Crimson
Rock internationalRock
2023-10-20MUSEAFrom$39.49
2 offersStarless and Bible Black (Remix 2020 Ltd Edition)
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2022-06-29MUFrom$45.99
1 offerLarks' Tongues in Aspic (Remix 2020 LTD Edition)
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2022-06-29MUFrom$27.56
1 offerin The Wake of Poseidon Remix 2020 ltd Edition
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2020-09-09MUFrom$29.98
1 offerIn the court of the Crimson King ( 50th anniversary)
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2019-12-06MUSEAFrom$37.00
2 offers
King Crimson CDs
See allNew 1974 Penn State University
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2026-06-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$21.99
1 offer2015 Japan Tour Box Part 2 : Tokyo Show 4, 5, 6
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2026-02-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$272.99
1 offerReconstrukction Of Light
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2025-11-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$13.77
1 offerSheltering Skies / Live In Frejus, August 27th 1983
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2024-09-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$14.59
2 offersLarks’ Tongues In Aspic (The Complete Recording Sessions)
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2023-10-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$50.23
1 offerMusic Is Our Friend Live In Washington And Albany 2021
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2021-11-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$13.99
1 offerThe Reconstrukction Of Light 40th Anniversary Edition
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2019-06-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$27.17
1 offerLive in Toronto November 20th 2015
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2016-04-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$12.95
1 offerLive at The Marquee, 1971
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2015-04-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$20.00
1 offerKing Crimson : Live at the Orpheum - 2 CD
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2015-01-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$12.99
1 offerLark's tongue in aspic - CD + DVD-Audio
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2012-10-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$15.12
1 offerDiscipline - 40th anniversary series
King Crimson
Prog RockRock
2011-10-01Discipline Global MobileFrom$23.99
1 offer
Recommended accessories
See allBig Fudge 4-in-1 Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit, Brush and Cleaning Fluid | Anti Static Velvet and Stylus Brushes, Storage Pouch, Full Clean in Under a Minute, Gentle on Grooves
$24.99
View on AmazonBig Fudge 12" Vinyl Record Inner Sleeves, 50 Pack, Acid Free Paper | Heavyweight Construction, Safe for Long Term Storage, Protects LP Albums from Dust, Dirt and Scratches
$21.99
View on AmazonBig Fudge 7" Vinyl Record Sleeves - Inner Sleeves 50 Pack - Anti Static Rice Paper Acid Free Vinyl Covers - Vinyl Accessories Protect LP Albums from Dust, Dirt & Scratches
$21.99
View on AmazonBig Fudge 7" Vinyl Record Sleeves - Inner Sleeves 25 Pack - Anti Static Rice Paper Acid Free Vinyl Covers - Vinyl Accessories Protect LP Albums from Dust, Dirt & Scratches
$14.99
View on AmazonBig Fudge 7" Vinyl Record Sleeves - Round Bottom Inner Sleeves 50 Pack - Anti Static Rice Paper Acid Free Vinyl Covers - Vinyl Accessories Protect LP Albums from Dust, Dirt & Scratches
$21.99
View on Amazon
FAQ
FAQ
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
When and where was King Crimson formed?
King Crimson was formed in London, United Kingdom, on November 30, 1968.
What genres best describe King Crimson's music?
Their music blends progressive rock, jazz fusion, experimental rock, and avant-garde elements.
Which King Crimson vinyl albums are most sought after by collectors?
Albums like Red (1974), Beat (1982), and Discipline (1981) are well-regarded and have original pressings that collectors value.
What are typical vinyl formats for King Crimson releases?
The band’s vinyl releases include LPs, limited editions, double LPs, and special remix editions on 180g vinyl.
What is the price range for King Crimson vinyl albums?
Prices for key albums vary from approximately €5.51 for early Lizard pressings up to €55 for rare original pressings of Red.
How does King Crimson's lineup changes affect their vinyl releases?
Frequent lineup changes brought varied styles and experimentation reflected in different eras of their vinyl catalog.
Where can you find King Crimson vinyl records in France?
French collectors can find King Crimson vinyls available from various European retailers and secondhand markets, with some catalog listings offering country-specific pressings.
Are there notable live King Crimson vinyl albums?
Yes, live vinyl albums such as Live At The Orpheum and Live In Toronto capture different lineups and eras, appreciated by collectors.
Transparency
Sources & method
This profile is compiled by the vinyles.com editors from public sources and our marketplace.
Our method
- Discography data from MusicBrainz (dates, country, active years).
- Tracklists, covers and genres from Discogs Masters.
- Values (low / median / high) and stock from the Discogs Marketplace.
- Audience and similar artists from Last.fm.
- Page updated automatically and reviewed by the editors.