2112 (album)

2112 (pronounced "twenty-one twelve") is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in March 1976 by Mercury Records. Following the disappointing sales of their previous albums Caress of Steel and Fly by Night, in which both albums failed to chart in the top half of the Billboard 200, 2112 became the band's first major commercial success. The album reached No. 5 on the Canadian charts and No. 61 in the United States. 2112 has since become a steady seller over many decades, and has maintained a cult following among some Rush fans.

The band was in financial hardship due to the disappointing sales of 1975's Caress of Steel, which also got an unfavourable critical reception and a decline in attendance at its shows. Mercury, their international label, considered dropping them but granted one more album following negotiations with manager Ray Danniels. Rush were pressured to deliver more commercial material but decided to continue developing its progressive rock direction they had explored on Caress of Steel and made the 20-minute futuristic science-fiction title track occupy side one of 2112 with a collection of shorter songs on side two that display their hard rock roots.

2112 was released to favourable reviews from music critics and quickly outsold the band's previous albums. Rush toured the album extensively in 1976 and 1977, which culminated in their debut concerts in Europe. 2112 remains the band's second-highest-selling album behind Moving Pictures with more than 3 million copies sold in the US alone. It is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and ranked second on Rolling Stone's readers' poll of favourite prog rock albums of all time. 2112 has been reissued several times: a 40th Anniversary Edition was released in 2016 with previously unreleased material, including the album performed by numerous contemporary artists.