 The group wished to release it as their second album, but Atlantic Records declined to as it is a classical-oriented piece and claimed it would not sell or receive any radio airplay, and offered to release it through Nonesuch Records which handled more budget, classical, and avant-garde albums.The band refused, and delayed its release on purpose until after "Tarkus"; Emerson said the delay was to also show to the press and public that they could write their own songs and were not merely a "band that did classical music".Following Island Records' decision to import 250,000 copies into the US which sold within a short amount of time, helped by radio DJ Scott Muni playing the entire album uninterrupted on WNEW in New York City, Atlantic decided to release it through Cotillion as a budget album in January 1972.