2112

2112 (“Twenty-One Twelve”) is the fourth studio album by Canadian progressive rock band Rush, released in 1976. The Toronto dates of the 2112 tour were recorded and released as All The World’s a Stage in September 1976. In 2006 a poll of Planet Rock listeners picked 2112 as the definitive Rush album.

The album 2112 features an eponymous seven-part suite written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with lyrics written by Neil Peart. The suite tells a dystopian story set in the year 2112. Since the album is named after the suite it is mistakenly thought of as a concept album. Technically it is not, as the songs on the second side are completely unrelated to the plot of the suite. Rush repeated this arrangement in Hemispheres.

2112 was the first Rush album listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.


Sticking to their principles
The band, pressured by their record company not to write another concept piece (after the previous album, Caress of Steel, containing two such songs, failed commercially), stuck to their principles and created what is hailed as their first masterpiece. It garnered them their first U.S. Top 100 album and would reach Gold status on November 16, 1977 (along with the band’s then current release A Farewell to Kings and All The World’s a Stage) and Platinum on February 25, 1981 (shortly after the release of Moving Pictures in 1981).


The 2112 suite
Main article: 2112 (song)