[1][2][3] In an attempt to depart from their neo-prog past for a contemporary sound, Marillion introduced elements of rap, groove, funk, trip hop, blues, jazz and dub.

[5] The whole idea, known as crowdfunding, was conceived and realised by fans without any involvement from the band,[6] and although music lovers had always backed their favorite performers in various ways, such a successful Internet campaign was unprecedented.

Although a number of independent labels were interested in signing the band, its members wanted to have total control of their music and still be able to use distribution facilities of a major record company.

As they had already learnt of the dedication of the fanbase which had underwritten the North American tour, the band sent e-mails to over 30,000 people who subscribed to their website, asking whether they would buy an unrecorded album.

A worldwide marketing and distribution deal was concluded with EMI, and the album would be released for retail by their Liberty Records imprint.

To work on the album, the band chose Dave Meegan who had previously been an assistant engineer on Fugazi (1984) and had produced their last two recordings with EMI, Brave (1994) and Afraid of Sunlight (1995).

[12] Bassist Pete Trewavas, said the band had not had any tracks left over from previous sessions which could have been used, so the entire album was written "from scratch".

[13] Since they had been unfashionable in the eyes of the media and had been largely ignored by the music press, Marillion deliberately attempted to create a modern sound and distance themselves further from their neo-prog past.

"[6] Thus, the songs "Between You and Me" and "Map of the World" have drawn comparisons to U2, while the nine-minute "Quartz", which contains a rap section, has been compared to the sound of Massive Attack.

[16] The artwork for Anoraknophobia as well as some other related music releases and press materials feature cartoon graphics of a boy named Barry who wears a rain parka.

Inside the liner notes for the pre-order edition of the album, there is a photograph of each of the band members posed in a similar manner and standing near a telephone box.

First, its pre-order sales were direct through the band's website and as such could not be counted independently; second, the retail version contained a sticker of Barry within the jewel case.

Selected winners from over 500 participants were awarded a cash prize and their remixes were included on a double album which was released in August 2004 by Racket Records as Remixomatosis[nb 5].

AllMusic reviewer Andrew Hamlin criticised the band for "high 'pricing' of their new project" and called the above-mentioned "challenge" imperious.

[29] Anoraknophobia was played live in its entirety during Friday night shows of the Marillion Weekend 2015 events, which took place in the Netherlands, the UK, and Canada.

In November 2016, three separate 2-CD albums commemorating the concerts recorded at Center Parcs village Port Zelande in the Netherlands during 20–22 March 2015 were released.