The King of Rock 'n' Roll
Prefab Sprout
1988
Annual listening list: initial release cycle, with recent carryovers; not an original-release-date field. Release chronology remains partly unverified.
Release year not established
Release year not establishedDate review open
A first-release date was not established in the available metadata.
The large badge identifies this listening list, not a newly issued recording. Later reissues and renewed chart popularity do not replace an original release date. How years are assigned.
About Prefab Sprout
Song-specific inspiration or recording background is not established for this entry. This sourced artist profile provides career context.
Prefab Sprout developed around singer and songwriter Paddy McAloon and his bass-playing brother Martin in northeast England. Early independent recordings led to Kitchenware and the debut album Swoon in 1984. Wendy Smith's vocals and Neil Conti's drums became part of the group's sound, while producer Thomas Dolby worked on the 1985 album Steve McQueen. McAloon's detailed lyrics and elaborate melodies continued through From Langley Park to Memphis and the more expansive Jordan: The Comeback.
Artist background sources
Prefab Sprout - Contemporary Musicians / Encyclopedia.com
Read the published reference biography, which cites Kitchenware publicity materials: early McAloon brothers, Kitchenware/Swoon, Smith/Conti roles, Dolby/Steve McQueen and subsequent albums. Conflicting formation dates, psychological characterization, hyperbolic reviews, unissued future projects and personal health are omitted. | Retrieved 2026-10-18
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-18. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
Retained annual-list context
The King of Rock 'n' Roll by Prefab Sprout is included for 1988 on the basis of the cited chart-associated source. This establishes the annual connection, not the circumstances in which the song was written. No reliable song-specific account of its inspiration was established in this review.
Annual-list context only; songwriting inspiration remains unestablished
UK top-ten singles in 1988 (Wikipedia chart transcription)
Secondary chart transcription reviewed: title, artist and presence in the UK top ten during this year. Supplemental annual selection, not an original release date or a U.S. year-end rank.
Other appearances and versions
catalog version unspecified
Textual identity reconciliation, not audio-fingerprint or exact-pressing verification. Version labels are catalog safeguards.
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Source-backed annual association (secondary source; not a complete discographic review)
Editorial artist-repertoire classification
UK top-ten singles in 1988 (Wikipedia chart transcription)
Secondary chart transcription reviewed: title, artist and presence in the UK top ten during this year. Supplemental annual selection, not an original release date or a U.S. year-end rank.
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