Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a studio double concept album by American-British composer and musician Jeff Wayne, released on 9 June 1978 by CBS Records. A progressive rock and orchestral retelling of H. G. Wells's 1898 science fiction novel, the work is structured as an "album musical" that employs narration, leitmotifs, and rhyming melodic lyrics to convey the story from the perspective of a Victorian journalist. The production features a prominent ensemble cast, including actor Richard Burton as the spoken-word narrator, alongside vocal and dramatic performances by Justin Hayward, David Essex, Phil Lynott, Julie Covington, and Chris Thompson. Wayne conceived the adaptation after being introduced to the novel by his father, and secured the rights from Wells's estate in 1975.