Considered by some as the seminal King Crimson album for the band's 'classic period', Red stands as book-ends with the debut In the Court of the Crimson King, an album which guitarist Robert Fripp declared 'defined the progressive rock oeuvre'. Rumours have it that Red was the final album heard by Kurt Cobain prior to his untimely death while inspiring his band Nirvana's In Utero, citing one example of the influence it has had over the past fifty years.

Also demonstrating King Crimson's approach to re-invention, Red points the way forward for proto-punk, grunge and math rock while casting a backwards glance to the grand ballad style represented on earlier albums such as In the Court of the Crimson King, In the Wake of Poseidon and Islands. Furthermore, the 1972-1974 Crimson re-wrote the ground rules for progressive rock, daringly transiting from the classical music quotation approach of other bands by applying modernist compositional techniques to such pieces as the driving title track and the mysterious improvisation, 'Providence', while anticipating the direction the band may have taken in songs such as 'Fallen Angel' and 'One More Red Nightmare' had Fripp decided not to jump ship prior to Red's release.