By Progressive artsy psychedelic rock was basically created by Pink Floyd, right? Probably the most exciting authentic rock band from the late 60s, Pink Floyd were part of this new underground scene which really defined the era. And having released album after album for the next five decades which followed, it’s safe to say Pink Floyd are one of the most brilliantly classic, timeless rock bands of all time.
I remember the first time I ever heard them- I was genuinely shocked by the intricacy and meticulous musical depth to their tracks. Experimental, messy and cleverly created, their tracks really possess something special. Conceptually, there’s a vast amount of depth and meaning to Pink Floyd tracks, and something about their pieces both musically and lyrically has stood above all the other bands from that time.
Their influence has transcended into the 21st century, with the iconic inspiration and beauty of Pink Floyd really set to last forever. What I love most about the band is their diversity- some tracks are crazily psychedelic and trippy, for example Us and Them and The Great Gig In The Sky. Then you get slightly darker more socially aware tracks, like Another Brick In The Wall, as well as the more heavy blaring rock tunes, my favourites including See Emily Play and What Do You Want From Me.
The band formed in 1965 in the city of London, and have (so far) released fifteen LPs over a career spanning five decades. The phenomenal beauty of Pink Floyd is how effortlessly they’ve flowed through the years, softly changing and adapting their sound within the ever volatile music scene, but still retaining a unique dignity which made them the band to set the tone of ‘rock music’.
The 70s saw more progressive punk rock, the 80s indie pop, and the 90s Britpop; all this time though Pink Floyd were just there, not giving in to social convention or caring about what was popular anymore, and keeping up their timeless music. Legendary and iconic would simply be an understatement. This doesn’t just come down to the fact they’ve sold over 250 million records or the fact that they are the epitome of commercial rock success, it’s the fact that their music actually really touches and resonates with you. I was raised aware of the band but never really listening to them, and must have been around 12/13 when I first started to properly play their music. It was a shocking, and incredibly moving and beautiful revelation, consciously listening to that band for the first time.
The vast depth and soul and passionate meaning to their music gripped me from the off, and those feelings are ones which have captured millions and millions of listeners all over the world over these last 50 years. Often emotional and emotive, take Shine On You Crazy Diamond as an example, something special and magical about Pink Floyd resonates with people in the most magnificent way.
Lyrically the band are incredible too; favourite lyrics of mine would include ‘There’s someone in my head but it’s not me’ (Brain Damage) and ‘Remember when you were young…you shone like the sun. Shine on you crazy diamond’ (Shine On You Crazy Diamond). The band released The Endless River in 2014, following a twenty year break from their 1994 album The Division Bell; and with this band, another twenty years would be well worth the wait.
Top Pink Floyd tracks you need to know:
- Atom Heart Mother Suite
- Wearing The Inside Out
- Money
- Us And Them
- Poles Apart
- Time
- Pigs (Three Different Ones)
- Another Brick In The Wall
- Mother
- Brain Damage
- Echoes
- Breathe (In The Air)
- Hey You
- What Do You Want From Me
- The Great Gig In The Sky
- Wish You Were Here
- Shine On You Crazy Diamond
- Is There Anybody Out There?
- Comfortably Numb
- See Emily Play
