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{{Short description|English rock band}}
{{featured article}}
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{{Use British English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Pink Floyd
| background        = group_or_band
| image             = Pink Floyd - all members.jpg
| alt               = A black-and-white photo of the five band members standing in front of a brick wall in 1968.
| image_size        = 250px
| caption           = Pink Floyd in 1968<br />Clockwise from bottom: [[David Gilmour]], [[Nick Mason]], [[Syd Barrett]], [[Roger Waters]] and [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]].
| origin            = [[London]], England
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Progressive rock]]
* [[art rock]]
* [[psychedelic rock]]
* [[space rock]]
* [[experimental rock]]
}}
| works             = {{flatlist|
* [[Pink Floyd discography|Discography]]
* [[List of songs recorded by Pink Floyd|songs]] ([[List of unreleased songs recorded by Pink Floyd|unreleased]])
* [[Pink Floyd videography|videography]]
* [[Pink Floyd live performances|live performances]]
}}
| years_active      = {{flatlist|
* 1965–1994
* 2005
* 2007
* 2013–2014
* 2022
}}
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[EMI Records|EMI]]
* [[Columbia Graphophone Company|EMI Columbia]]
* [[Tower Records (record label)|Tower]]
* [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]
* [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* [[Sony Music]]
* [[Parlophone]]
}}
| spinoffs          = [[Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets|Nick Mason's Saucerful{{nbsp}}of{{nbsp}}Secrets]]
| website           = {{URL|pinkfloyd.com}}
| current_members   = 
* [[Nick Mason]]
* [[David Gilmour]]
| past_members      = 
* [[Syd Barrett]]
* [[Roger Waters]]
* [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]]
}}
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'''Pink Floyd''' <!-- NOTE: UK bands by convention of British English here are described as ARE/WERE. Do not use IS/WAS! -->are<!-- present tense decided by a full RFC in May 2022 – Talk:Pink Floyd/Archive 12#Past or present tense? - please leave as is unless there is a substantive change or a new RFC --> an English [[Rock music|rock]] band formed in [[London]] in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British [[psychedelic music|psychedelic]] groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments, philosophical lyrics, and elaborate [[Pink Floyd live performances|live performances]], and became a leading [[progressive rock]] band.

Pink Floyd were founded in 1965 by [[Syd Barrett]] (guitar, lead vocals), [[Nick Mason]] (drums), [[Roger Waters]] (bass guitar, vocals) and [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] (keyboards, vocals). With Barrett as their main songwriter, they released two hit singles, "[[Arnold Layne]]" and "[[See Emily Play]]", and the successful debut studio album ''[[The Piper at the Gates of Dawn]]'' (all 1967). [[David Gilmour]] (guitar, vocals) joined in 1967; Barrett left in 1968 due to deteriorating mental health.

Following Barrett's departure, all four remaining members contributed compositions, though Waters became the primary lyricist and thematic leader, devising the [[concept album|concepts]] behind Pink Floyd's most successful studio albums, ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' (1973), ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]'' (1975), ''[[Animals (Pink Floyd album)|Animals]]'' (1977) and ''[[The Wall]]'' (1979). The musical film based on ''The Wall'', ''[[Pink Floyd – The Wall]]'' (1982), won two [[BAFTA Awards|BAFTAs]]. Pink Floyd also composed several [[film score]]s.

Personal tensions led to Wright leaving the band in 1981, followed by Waters in 1985. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd, rejoined later by Wright. They produced the studio albums ''[[A Momentary Lapse of Reason]]'' (1987) and ''[[The Division Bell]]'' (1994), both backed by major tours. In 2005, Gilmour, Mason and Wright reunited with Waters for a performance at the global awareness event [[Live&nbsp;8]]. Barrett died in 2006, as did Wright in 2008. The last Pink Floyd studio album, ''[[The Endless River]]'' (2014), was based on unreleased material from the ''Division Bell'' recording sessions. In 2022, Gilmour and Mason reformed Pink Floyd to release the song "[[Hey, Hey, Rise Up!]]" in protest of the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].

By 2013, Pink Floyd had sold more than 250&nbsp;million records worldwide, making them one of the [[List of best-selling music artists|best-selling music artists of all time]]. ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' and ''The Wall'' were inducted into the [[Grammy Hall of Fame]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 2017 |title=For The Record: Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/pink-floyds-wall-record-4|access-date=7 September 2020 |website=GRAMMY.com |language=en|archive-date=11 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811161947/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/pink-floyds-wall-record-4|url-status=live}}</ref> and are among the [[List of best-selling albums|best-selling albums of all time]]. Four Pink Floyd albums topped the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] and five topped the [[UK Albums Chart]]. Although an album-orientated band, they did achieve several hit singles, including "Arnold Layne", "See Emily Play" (both 1967), "[[Money (Pink Floyd song)|Money]]" (1973), "[[Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2]]" (1979), "[[Not Now John]]" (1983), "[[On the Turning Away]]" (1987) and "[[High Hopes (Pink Floyd song)|High Hopes]]" (1994). Pink Floyd were inducted into the US [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1996 and the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2005. In 2008, they were awarded the [[Polar Music Prize]] for "their monumental contribution over the decades to the fusion of art and music in the development of popular culture".

== History ==
The founding members of Pink Floyd were [[Roger Waters]], [[Nick Mason]], and [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]], who enrolled at the [[University of Westminster|London Polytechnic]] at [[Regent Street]] in September 1962 to study architecture,<ref name=Meet /> and [[Syd Barrett]], two years younger than the rest of the band, who had moved to London in 1964 to study at the [[Camberwell College of Arts]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C&pg=PP21 |page=13 |title=Echoes: The Complete History of Pink Floyd |author=Glenn Povey |publisher=Mind Head Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-9554624-0-5}}</ref> Waters and Barrett were childhood friends; Waters had often visited Barrett and watched him play guitar at Barrett's mother's house.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=22–23}} Mason said about Barrett: "In a period when everyone was being cool in a very adolescent, self-conscious way, Syd was unfashionably outgoing; my enduring memory of our first encounter is the fact that he bothered to come up and introduce himself to me."{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=27}}

=== 1963–1965: Formation ===
==== Preceding the band ====
Waters and Mason met while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic at Regent Street.<ref name=Meet>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=37–38}}: Mason meeting Waters while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic; {{harvnb|Fitch|2005|p=335}}: Waters meeting Mason while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic.</ref> They first played music together in a group formed by fellow students Keith Noble and Clive Metcalfe,{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=15}} with Noble's sister Sheilagh. Richard Wright, a fellow architecture student,{{refn|group=nb|Wright studied architecture until 1963, when he began studying music at London's [[Royal College of Music]].{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=39–40}}}} joined later that year, and the group became a sextet, Sigma&nbsp;6. Waters played lead guitar, Mason drums, and Wright rhythm guitar, later moving to keyboards.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=39–40}}: Wright was also an architecture student when he joined Sigma 6; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|pp=13–14}}: The formation of Sigma 6; {{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=27}}: Instrumental line-up of Sigma 6: Waters (lead guitar), Wright (rhythm guitar) and Mason (drums).</ref> The band performed at private functions and rehearsed in a [[Tea house|tearoom]] in the basement of the Regent Street Polytechnic. They performed songs by [[The Searchers (band)|the Searchers]] and material written by their manager and songwriter, fellow student Ken Chapman.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=38–39}}

In September 1963, Waters and Mason moved into a flat at 39 Stanhope Gardens, [[Highgate]] in London, owned by Mike Leonard,<ref>{{cite web |title=Highgate house where Pink Floyd was formed available to rent |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/celebrity-homes/stanhope-gardens-highgate-pink-floyd-for-rent-b1127086.html |website=[[Evening Standard]] |date=17 December 2023 |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> a part-time tutor at the nearby [[Hornsey College of Art]] and the Regent Street Polytechnic.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=24–26}}{{refn|group=nb|Leonard designed light machines, which used electric motors to spin perforated discs, casting patterns of lights on the walls. These would be demonstrated in an early edition of ''[[Tomorrow's World]]''. For a brief time, Leonard played keyboard with them using the front room of his flat for rehearsals.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=24–26}}}} Mason moved out after the 1964 academic year, and guitarist [[Bob Klose]] moved in during September 1964, prompting Waters's switch to bass.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=14}}{{refn|group=nb|Wright also briefly lived at Leonard's.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=14}}}} Sigma&nbsp;6 went through several names, including the Meggadeaths, the Abdabs and the Screaming Abdabs, Leonard's Lodgers, and the Spectrum Five, before settling on the Tea Set.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=13–18}}{{refn|group=nb|Povey spelled it Meggadeaths but Blake spelled it Megadeaths.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|p=39}}: Megadeaths; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=13}}: Meggadeaths.</ref> Architectural Abdabs is sometimes suggested as another variation; Povey dismisses it as a misreading of a headline about the Abdabs in the Polytechnic's student newspaper.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=14–15}} Povey used the Tea Set throughout whereas Blake's claim of the alternative spelling, the T-Set, remains unsubstantiated.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=43–44}}: The T-Set as an alternate spelling; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|pp=28–29}}: The Tea Set used throughout.</ref>}} In September 1963, as Metcalfe and Noble left to form their own band,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S86vyiU-nwwC&pg=PT16 |page=16 |title=Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd |author=Nick Mason |publisher=Hachette UK |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-78022-175-5}}</ref> the guitarist Syd Barrett joined Klose and Waters at Stanhope Gardens.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=41}}

Klose introduced the band to the singer Chris Dennis, a technician with the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF).{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=42–44}} In December 1964, they secured their first recording time, at a studio in West Hampstead, through one of Wright's friends, who let them use some downtime free. Wright, who was taking a break from his studies, did not participate.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=29–30}}{{refn|group=nb|The four-song session became the band's first demo and included the R&B classic "[[I'm a King Bee]]" (original of bluesman [[Slim Harpo]], and three Syd Barrett originals, "Butterfly", "Lucy Leave" and "Double O Bo", a song Mason described as "Bo Diddley meets the 007 theme".{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=29–30}}}} When the RAF assigned Dennis a post in Bahrain in early 1965, Barrett became the band's frontman.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=19}}{{refn|group=nb|According to Povey, by 1964 the group began calling itself the Abdabs.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=14}}}} Later that year, they became the resident band at the Countdown Club near [[Kensington High Street]] in London, where from late night until early morning they played three sets of 90 minutes each. During this period, spurred by the need to extend their sets to minimise song repetition, the band realised that "songs could be extended with lengthy solos", wrote Mason.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=30}} After pressure from his parents and advice from his college tutors, Klose quit in mid-1965 and Barrett took over lead guitar.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=44–45}}: Klose quit the band in mid 1965 and Barrett took over on lead guitar (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=32}}: Klose quit the band in mid 1965 (primary source).</ref>

=== 1965–1967: Syd Barrett years ===
==== Pink Floyd ====
[[File:Pink Floyd 1967 with Syd Barrett.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Pink Floyd in 1967. From left: Nick Mason, Richard Wright, Roger Waters, Syd Barrett]]
The new group rebranded as the Pink Floyd Sound in late 1965.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=43–44}}{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=33–34}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Rob |date=3 October 2023 |title=Pink Floyd's early years: how Syd Barrett & Co. got freaky |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/pink-floyd-the-early-years |access-date=5 January 2025 |website=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2006 |title=Entertainment {{!}} Obituary: Syd Barrett |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5169682.stm |access-date=5 January 2025 |publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Barrett purportedly created the name on the spur of the moment when he discovered that another band, also called the Tea Set, were to perform at one of their gigs.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=18–19}} The name Pink Floyd is derived from the given names of two [[blues]] musicians whose [[Piedmont blues]] records Barrett had in his collection, [[Pink Anderson]] and [[Floyd Council]].<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=33–37}}: The origin of the band name Pink Floyd (primary source); {{harvnb|Povey|2008|pp=18–19}}: The origin of the band name Pink Floyd (secondary source).</ref> By 1966, the group's repertoire consisted mainly of [[rhythm and blues]] songs, and they had begun to receive paid bookings, including a performance at the [[Marquee Club]] in December 1966, where [[Peter Jenner]], a lecturer at the [[London School of Economics]], noticed them. Jenner was impressed by the sonic effects Barrett and Wright created and, with his business partner and friend [[Andrew King (music manager)|Andrew King]], became their manager.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=33–37}}: Jenner was impressed by Barrett and Wright; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=17}}: Jenner and King became Pink Floyd's business managers.</ref> The pair had little experience in the [[music industry]] and used King's inheritance to set up [[Blackhill Enterprises]], purchasing about £1,000 ({{Inflation|UK|1000|1966|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}) worth of new instruments and equipment for the band.{{refn|group=nb|Soon after, someone stole the equipment, and the group resorted to purchasing new gear on a payment plan.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=32}}}}  Around this time, Jenner suggested the band drop the "Sound" from their name.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=32–33}}

Under Jenner and King's guidance, Pink Floyd became part of London's [[underground music]] scene, playing at venues including All Saints Hall and the Marquee.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=50–51}} While performing at the Countdown Club, the band had experimented with long instrumental excursions, and they began to expand them with rudimentary but effective light shows, projected by coloured slides and domestic lights.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=46–49}}: (primary source); {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=34}}: (secondary source).</ref> Jenner and King's social connections helped gain the band prominent coverage in the ''[[Financial Times]]'' and an article in the ''[[The Sunday Times|Sunday Times]]'' which stated: "At the launching of the new magazine ''[[International Times|IT]]'' the other night a pop group called the Pink Floyd played throbbing music while a series of bizarre coloured shapes flashed on a huge screen behind them&nbsp;... apparently very psychedelic."<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=52–53}}: Jenner and King's connections helped gain the band important coverage; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=44}}: "apparently very psychedelic"</ref>

In 1966, the band strengthened their business relationship with Blackhill Enterprises, becoming equal partners with Jenner and King and the band members each holding a one-sixth share.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=32–33}} By late 1966, their set included fewer R&B standards and more Barrett originals, many of which would be included on their first album.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=49}} While they had significantly increased the frequency of their performances, the band were still not widely accepted. Following a performance at a Catholic youth club, the owner refused to pay them, claiming that their performance was not music.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=54}} When their management filed suit in a small claims court against the owner of the youth organisation, a local magistrate upheld the owner's decision. The band was much better received at the [[UFO Club]] in London, where they began to build a fan base.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=54–58}} Barrett's performances were enthusiastic, "leaping around&nbsp;... madness&nbsp;... improvisation&nbsp;... [inspired] to get past his limitations and into areas that were&nbsp;... very interesting. Which none of the others could do", wrote biographer [[Nicholas Schaffner]].{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=49}}

==== Signing with EMI ====
In 1967, Pink Floyd began to attract the attention of the music industry.<ref>{{harvnb|di Perna|2002|p=29}}: Pink Floyd as a spack rock band; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=37}}: The music industry began to take notice of Pink Floyd.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|They dropped the definite article from the band's name at some point in early 1967.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=79}}}} While in negotiations with record companies, ''IT'' co-founder and UFO club manager [[Joe Boyd]] and Pink Floyd's booking agent, [[Bryan Morrison]], arranged and funded a recording session at [[Sound Techniques]] in [[Kensington]].{{sfn|Blake|2011|pp=72,74}} On 15 February 1967, Pink Floyd signed with EMI, receiving a £5,000 advance ({{Inflation|UK|5000|1967|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). EMI released the band's first single, "[[Arnold Layne]]", with the B-side "[[Candy and a Currant Bun]]", on 10 March 1967 on its [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] label.<ref>{{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=342}}: Release date for "Arnold Layne"; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=54–55}}: Signing with EMI.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Schaffner described the £5,000 advance as generous; however, Povey suggested it was an inadequate agreement which required that the money be disbursed over five years.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=37}}}} Both tracks were recorded on 29 January 1967.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=37}}{{refn|group=nb|Previous to this session, on 11 and 12 January, they recorded a long take of "[[Interstellar Overdrive]]".{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=37}} Sometime around the sessions on 29 January, they produced a short music film for "Arnold Layne" in Sussex.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=59–63}}}} "Arnold Layne"'s references to [[cross-dressing]] led to a ban by several radio stations; however, creative manipulation by the retailers who supplied sales figures to the music business meant that the single reached number 20 in the UK.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=84–85}}

EMI-Columbia released Pink Floyd's second single, "[[See Emily Play]]", on 16 June 1967. It fared slightly better than "Arnold Layne", peaking at number&nbsp;6 in the UK.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=342}} The band performed on the BBC's ''Look of the Week'', where Waters and Barrett, erudite and engaging, faced tough questioning from [[Hans Keller]].{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=86–87}} They appeared on the BBC's ''[[Top of the Pops]]'', a popular programme that controversially required artists to mime their singing and playing.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=86–87}} Though Pink Floyd returned for two more performances, by the third, Barrett had begun to unravel, and around this time the band first noticed significant changes in his behaviour.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=43}} By early 1967, he was regularly using [[lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]], and Mason described him as "completely distanced from everything going on".<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=82}}: Barrett was "completely distanced from everything going on"; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=51}}: Barrett's increasing LSD use starting early 1967.</ref>

==== ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'' ====

{{Main|The Piper at the Gates of Dawn}}

Morrison and EMI producer [[Norman Smith (record producer)|Norman Smith]] negotiated Pink Floyd's first recording contract. As part of the deal, the band agreed to record their first album at [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI Studios]] in London.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=87–88}}: Smith negotiated Pink Floyd's first record contract; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=55}}: Morrison negotiated Pink Floyd's first contract and in it they agreed to record their first album at EMI Studios.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|At EMI, Pink Floyd experimented with [[musique concrète]] and watched [[the Beatles]] record "[[Lovely Rita]]".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=85}}}} Mason recalled that the sessions were trouble-free. Smith disagreed, stating that Barrett was unresponsive to his suggestions and constructive criticism.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=92–93}} EMI-Columbia released ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'' in August 1967. The album reached number six, spending 14 weeks on the UK charts.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}} One month later, it was released under the [[Tower Records (record label)|Tower Records]] label.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cavanagh |first=John |title=The Piper at the Gates of Dawn |year=2003 |publisher=Continuum |location=New York [u.a.] |isbn=978-0-8264-1497-7 |pages=55–56}}</ref> Pink Floyd continued to draw large crowds at the UFO Club; however, Barrett's mental breakdown was by then causing serious concern. The group initially hoped that his erratic behaviour would be a passing phase, but some were less optimistic, including Jenner and his assistant, [[Marc Bolan#1967–1970: Tyrannosaurus Rex|June Child]], who commented: "I found [Barrett] in the dressing room and he was so&nbsp;... gone. Roger Waters and I got him on his feet, [and] we got him out to the stage&nbsp;... The band started to play and Syd just stood there. He had his guitar around his neck and his arms just hanging down".<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=95}}: "The band started to play and Syd just stood there"; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=36}}: June Child was Blackhill's assistant and secretary.</ref>

Forced to cancel Pink Floyd's appearance at the prestigious [[National Jazz and Blues Festival]], as well as several other shows, King informed the music press that Barrett was suffering from nervous exhaustion.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=67}} Waters arranged a meeting with psychiatrist [[R. D. Laing]], and though Waters personally drove Barrett to the appointment, Barrett refused to come out of the car.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=123}} A stay in [[Formentera]] with [[Hank Wangford|Sam Hutt]], a doctor well established in the underground music scene, led to no visible improvement. The band followed a few concert dates in Europe during September with their first tour of the US in October.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=67–71}}{{refn|group=nb|Blackhill's late application for work permits forced Pink Floyd to cancel several of the US dates.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=69}}}} As the US tour went on, Barrett's condition grew steadily worse.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=88–90}} During appearances on the [[Dick Clark]] and [[Pat Boone]] shows in November, Barrett confounded his hosts by giving terse answers to questions (or not responding at all) and staring into space. He refused to move his lips when it came time to [[Lip sync|mime]] "See Emily Play" on Boone's show. After these embarrassing episodes, King ended their US visit and immediately sent them home to London.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=91–92}}{{refn|group=nb|Pink Floyd released the single "[[Apples and Oranges (song)|Apples and Oranges]]" in November 1967 in the UK.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=72}}}} Soon after their return, they supported [[Jimi Hendrix]] during a tour of England; however, Barrett's depression worsened as the tour continued.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=95–105}}: Barrett's mental deterioration and Pink Floyd's first US tour (primary source); {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=91–94}}: Barrett's mental deterioration and Pink Floyd's first US tour (secondary source).</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Barrett's absence on more than one occasion forced the band to book [[David O'List]] as his replacement.{{sfn|Fitch|2005|p=224}} Wynne-Willson left his position as lighting director and assisted the guitarist with his daily activities.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=102}}}}

==== 1967: replacement of Barrett by Gilmour ====
In December 1967, reaching a crisis point with Barrett, Pink Floyd added guitarist [[David Gilmour]] as the fifth member.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=47}}{{sfn|Blake|2011|p=109}}{{refn|group=nb|In late 1967, Barrett suggested adding four new members; in the words of Waters: "two freaks he'd met somewhere. One of them played the banjo, the other the saxophone&nbsp;... [and] a couple of chick singers".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=110}}}} Gilmour already knew Barrett, having studied with him at Cambridge Tech in the early 1960s.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=22–23}} The two had performed at lunchtimes together with guitars and harmonicas, and later hitch-hiked and [[Street performance|busked]] their way around the south of France.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=28}} In 1965, while a member of [[Jokers Wild (band)|Joker's Wild]], Gilmour had watched the Tea Set.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=34}}

Morrison's assistant, [[Steve O'Rourke]], set Gilmour up in a room at O'Rourke's house with a salary of £30 per week ({{Inflation|UK|30|1968|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). In January 1968, Blackhill Enterprises announced Gilmour as the band's newest member, intending to continue with Barrett as a nonperforming songwriter.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=110–111}}: "the band intending to continue with Barrett"; {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=109–111}}: O'Rourke set Gilmour up in O'Rourke's home; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=104}}: Gilmour was officially announced as a new member of Pink Floyd.</ref> According to Jenner, the group planned that Gilmour would&nbsp;"cover for [Barrett's] eccentricities". When this proved unworkable, it was decided that Barrett would just write material.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=107}}{{refn|group=nb|One of Gilmour's first tasks was to mime Barrett's guitar playing on an "Apples and Oranges" promotional film.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=104}}}} In an expression of his frustration, Barrett, who was expected to write additional hit singles to follow up "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play", instead introduced "[[List of unreleased Pink Floyd material#"Have You Got It Yet?"|Have You Got It Yet?]]" to the band, intentionally changing the structure on each performance so as to make the song impossible to follow and learn.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=47}} In a January 1968 photoshoot of Pink Floyd, the photographs show Barrett looking detached from the others, staring into the distance.{{sfn|Palacios|2010|p=317}}

Working with Barrett eventually proved too difficult, and matters came to a conclusion in January while en route to a performance in [[Southampton]] when a band member asked if they should collect Barrett. According to Gilmour, the answer was "Nah, let's not bother", signalling the end of Barrett's tenure with Pink Floyd.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=78}}{{refn|group=nb|Mason is unsure which member of Pink Floyd said "let's not bother".{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=111}}}} Waters later said, "He was our friend, but most of the time we now wanted to strangle him."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=112}} In early March 1968, Pink Floyd met with business partners Jenner and King to discuss the band's future; Barrett agreed to leave.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=90–113}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=78–105}}: (primary source).</ref>

Jenner and King believed Barrett was the creative genius of the band, and decided to represent him and end their relationship with Pink Floyd.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=78–80}} Morrison sold his business to [[Brian Epstein|NEMS Enterprises]], and O'Rourke became the band's personal manager.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=112–114, 127–131: On O'Rourke becoming the band's manager}} Blackhill announced Barrett's departure on 6 April 1968.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=107–108}}{{refn|group=nb|For a short period after, Barrett turned up at occasional performances, apparently confused about his standing with the band.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=112–114}}}} After Barrett's departure, the burden of lyrical composition and creative direction fell mostly on Waters.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp= 3, 9, 113, 156, 242, 279, 320, 398: After Barrett's departure, the burden of lyrical composition and creative direction fell mostly on Waters}} Initially, Gilmour mimed to Barrett's voice on the group's European TV appearances; however, while playing on the university circuit, they avoided Barrett songs in favour of Waters and Wright material such as "[[It Would Be So Nice]]" and "[[Careful with That Axe, Eugene]]".{{sfn|di Perna|2002|p=13}} Mason said later that Gilmour brought greater structure to Pink Floyd's music and that "we became far less difficult to enjoy".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 1995 |title=The 30-Year Technicolor Dream |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]}}</ref>

=== 1968–1972: Musical transition ===

==== ''A Saucerful of Secrets'' (1968) ====
{{Main|A Saucerful of Secrets}}
[[File:Saucerful of secrets2.jpg|thumb|upright=.80|The psychedelic artwork for ''A Saucerful of Secrets'' was the first of many Pink Floyd covers designed by Hipgnosis.|alt=A psychedelic album cover with mostly greenish-blue tones]]

In 1968, Pink Floyd returned to Abbey Road Studios to complete their second album, ''A Saucerful of Secrets'', which they had begun in 1967 under Barrett's leadership. The album included Barrett's final contribution to their discography, "[[Jugband Blues]]". Waters developed his own songwriting, contributing "[[Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun]]", "[[Let There Be More Light]]", and "[[Corporal Clegg]]". Wright composed "[[See-Saw (song)|See-Saw]]" and "[[Remember a Day]]". Norman Smith encouraged them to self-produce their music, and they recorded demos of new material at their houses. With Smith's instruction at Abbey Road, they learned how to use the recording studio to realise their artistic vision. However, Smith remained unconvinced by their music, and when Mason struggled to perform his drum part on "Remember a Day", Smith stepped in as his replacement.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=116–117}} Wright recalled Smith's attitude about the sessions, "Norman gave up on the second album&nbsp;... he was forever saying things like, 'You can't do twenty minutes of this ridiculous noise{{'"}}.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=117}} As neither Waters nor Mason could read music, to illustrate the structure of "[[A Saucerful of Secrets (instrumental)|A Saucerful of Secrets]]", they invented their own system of notation. Gilmour later described their method as looking "like an architectural diagram".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=118}}

Released in June 1968, ''A Saucerful of Secrets'' featured a [[Psychedelia|psychedelic]] cover designed by [[Storm Thorgerson]] and [[Aubrey Powell (designer)|Aubrey Powell]] of [[Hipgnosis]]. The first of several Pink Floyd album covers designed by Hipgnosis, it was the second time that EMI permitted one of their groups to contract designers for an album jacket.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Roberts |first=James |title=Hipgnotic Suggestion |journal=[[Frieze (magazine)|Frieze]] |issue=37 |url=http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/hipgnotic-suggestion/ |date=1 November 1997|access-date=12 September 2012 |quote=Throughout the 70s many of the more successful rock bands adopted similarly abstract imagery, in particular Led Zeppelin (the album IV, 1971, dispensed with their name and the title of the record entirely) and Pink Floyd, who, following the Beatles, were only the second band to be allowed by EMI to use an outside designer.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103080337/http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/hipgnotic-suggestion/|archive-date=3 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The release reached number nine, spending 11 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}} ''[[Record Mirror]]'' gave the album an overall favourable review, but urged listeners to "forget it as background music to a party".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=118}} [[John Peel]] described a live performance of the title track as "like a religious experience", while ''[[NME]]'' described the song as "long and boring&nbsp;... [with] little to warrant its monotonous direction".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=117}}{{refn|group=nb|Thorgerson had attended [[Cambridgeshire High School for Boys]] with Waters and Barrett.{{sfn|Fitch|2005|p=311}}}} On the day after the album's UK release, Pink Floyd performed at the first ever free [[List of concerts in Hyde Park|concert in Hyde Park]].{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=84}} In July 1968, they made a second visit to the US. Accompanied by the [[Soft Machine]] and [[the Who]], it marked Pink Floyd's first major tour.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=127–131}} That December, they released "[[Point Me at the Sky]]"; no more successful than the two singles they had released since "See Emily Play", it was their last single until "[[Money (Pink Floyd song)|Money]]" in 1973.<ref>{{harvnb|Harris|2005|p=168}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=133–135}}: (primary source).</ref>

==== ''Ummagumma'' (1969) and ''Atom Heart Mother'' (1970) ====
{{Main|Ummagumma|Atom Heart Mother}}
[[File:Roger waters leeds 1970.jpg|thumb|upright=.7|Waters performing with Pink Floyd at [[University of Leeds|Leeds University]] in 1970|alt=A monochrome image of Waters playing bass guitar. He has shoulder-length hair, black attire, and is standing in front of a microphone.]]

''Ummagumma'' represented a departure from Pink Floyd's previous work. Released as a double LP on EMI's [[Harvest Records|Harvest]] label, the first two sides contained live performances recorded at [[Manchester College of Commerce]] and [[Mothers (music venue)|Mothers]], a club in [[Birmingham]]. The second LP contained a single experimental contribution from each band member.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=87–89}} ''Ummagumma'' was released in November 1969 and received positive reviews.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=135–136}} It reached number five, spending 21 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}}

In October 1970, Pink Floyd released ''Atom Heart Mother''.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=344}}{{refn|group=nb|The band recorded their previous LPs using a [[Multitrack recording|four-track]] system; ''Atom Heart Mother'' was their first album recorded on an eight-track machine.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=154}}}} An early version premièred in England in January, but disagreements over the mix prompted the hiring of [[Ron Geesin]] to work out the sound problems. Geesin worked to improve the score, but with little creative input from the band, production was troublesome. Geesin completed the project with the aid of [[John Alldis]], the director of the choir hired to perform on the record. Smith earned an executive producer credit, and the album marked his final official contribution to Pink Floyd's discography. Gilmour said it was "a neat way of saying that he didn't&nbsp;... do anything".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=148}} ''Atom Heart Mother'' became Pink Floyd's first number-one album and spent 18 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}} Waters was critical of ''Atom Heart Mother'', saying he would prefer if it were "thrown into the dustbin and never listened to by anyone ever again".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=144}} Gilmour once described it as "a load of rubbish", and said "we were scraping the barrel a bit at that period".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=144}}

Pink Floyd toured extensively across America and Europe in 1970.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=128–140}}{{refn|group=nb|A theft of the band's equipment, worth about $40,000, after a May 1970 show at the Warehouse in New Orleans, nearly crippled their finances. However, hours after the band notified the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] they had recovered most of the stolen equipment.}} In 1971, they took second place in a reader's poll, in ''Melody Maker'', and for the first time were making a profit. Mason and Wright became fathers and bought homes in London while Gilmour, still single, moved to a 19th-century farm in Essex. Waters installed a recording studio at his home in [[Islington]] in a converted tool shed.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=150–151}} In January 1971, upon their return from touring ''Atom Heart Mother'', Pink Floyd began working on new material.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=122}} Lacking a central theme, they attempted several unproductive experiments; engineer [[John Leckie]] described the sessions as often beginning in the afternoon and ending early the next morning, "during which time nothing would get [accomplished]. There was no record company contact whatsoever, except when their label manager would show up now and again with a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints".<ref>{{harvnb|Harris|2005|p=71}}: "a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints"; {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=153: Lacking a central theme they experimented.}}</ref> The band spent long periods working on basic sounds, or a guitar riff. They also spent several days at Air Studios, attempting to create music using a variety of household objects, a project which would be revisited between ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' and ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]''.{{sfn|Harris|2005|p=72}}

==== ''Meddle'' (1971) ====
{{Main|Meddle}}
[[File:Pink Floyd, 1971.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2| left|The inner sleeve of ''Meddle'' (1971). From left to right: Waters, Mason, Gilmour, Wright.]]
''Meddle'' was released in October 1971, and reached number three, spending 82 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}} It marks a transition between the Barrett-led group of the late 1960s and the emerging Pink Floyd;<ref>{{cite web |title=Review of Pink Floyd&nbsp;– Meddle |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/wnbd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816063435/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/wnbd |archive-date=16 August 2012 |access-date=5 August 2012 |publisher=[[BBC Music]]}}</ref> Jean-Charles Costa of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that "not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence as a real shaping force with the group, it states forcefully and accurately that the group is well into the growth track again".<ref>For "''Meddle'' not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence" see: {{cite magazine |last=Costa |first=Jean-Charles |title=Pink Floyd: Meddle |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/235970/review/6067420/meddle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104170149/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/235970/review/6067420/meddle|archive-date=4 January 2008 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=6 January 1972|url-status=dead|access-date=19 August 2009}}; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=150}}: The release dates for ''Meddle''.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Povey states that the UK release date was 5 November, but Pink Floyd's official website states 13 November. All sources agree on the US release date of 30 October.<ref>{{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=150}}: A 5 November UK release date for ''Meddle''; For a 13 November UK release date for ''Meddle'' see: {{cite web |title=Pink Floyd&nbsp;– Echoes (click Echoes image link) |url=http://www.pinkfloyd.com/ |publisher=pinkfloyd.com|access-date=22 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828101353/http://www.pinkfloyd.com/|archive-date=28 August 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>}}{{refn|group=nb|''Meddle''{{'s}} production consisted of sessions spread over several months; the band recorded in the first half of April, but in the latter half played at Doncaster and Norwich before returning to record at the end of the month. In May, they split their time between sessions at Abbey Road, rehearsals and concerts across Great Britain. They spent June and July performing at venues across Europe, and August in the far east and Australia, returning to Europe in September.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=157}}: (primary source); {{harvnb|Povey|2008|pp=142–144}}: (secondary source)</ref> In October, they made the [[concert film]] ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii]]'', before touring the US in November.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=155: Touring the US in November; 174: Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii}}}} ''NME'' called it "an exceptionally good album", singling out "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]" as the "Zenith which the Floyd have been striving for".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=155}} However, ''Melody Maker's'' Michael Watts found it underwhelming, calling the album "a soundtrack to a non-existent movie", and shrugging off Pink Floyd as "so much sound and fury, signifying nothing".{{sfn|Watts|1996|pp=56–57}}

==== ''Obscured by Clouds'' (1972) ====
{{Main|Obscured by Clouds}}
Pink Floyd had already recorded the soundtracks to the films ''[[The Committee (film)|The Committee]]'' (1968) and ''[[More (1969 film)|More]]'' (1969){{sfn|Manning|2006|loc=p. 164, ''"The Albums"''}} and part of ''[[Zabriskie Point (film)|Zabriskie Point]]'' (1970). On the back of ''More''{{'}}s success, the director [[Barbet Schroeder]] asked them to record the soundtrack of his next major project, ''La Vallée''.<ref name="Mason-2004">{{Cite book |last=Mason |first=Nick |title=There Is No Dark Side Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd |publisher=Widenfeld & Nicolson |year=2004 |isbn=0-297-84387-7 |edition=New |pages=164}}</ref> The band took two breaks to [[Strawberry Studios]], [[Château d'Hérouville]], France, either side of a Japanese tour, to write and record music for the film.<ref name="Povey-2006">{{Cite book |last=Povey |first=Glenn |title=Playing Different Tunes 1972–1973 Echoes : The Complete History of Pink Floyd |publisher=Mind Head Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-9554624-0-5 |edition=New |pages=155 and 166}}</ref> The album was mixed from 4–6 April at [[Morgan Studios]] in London.<ref name="Povey-2006" /> During the first recording session in February 1972, the French television station [[ORTF]] filmed a short segment of the band recording the album, including interviews with Waters and Gilmour.<ref name="Povey-2006" />

Waters said that early UK pressings of the album contained "excessive sibilance". After recording had finished, the band fell out with the film company, prompting them to release the soundtrack album as ''Obscured by Clouds'', rather than ''La Vallée''. The film was retitled ''La Vallée (Obscured by Clouds)'' on its release.<ref name="Mason-2004" />

The songs on ''Obscured by Clouds'' were all short and economical, with a strong country music influence. The album also featured the [[EMS VCS 3]] synthesiser, which Wright had purchased from the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]]. "[[Burning Bridges (Pink Floyd song)|Burning Bridges]]" was one of two songwriting collaborations between Wright and Waters. "[[Childhood's End (Pink Floyd song)|Childhood's End]]" was the last song Pink Floyd released to have lyrics written by Gilmour until the release of ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' in 1987. "[[Free Four]]" was the first Pink Floyd song since "See Emily Play" to attract significant airplay in the US, and the second to refer to the death of Waters' father during World War II. "Stay" was written and sung by Wright, with lyrics by Waters. The closing instrumental on the album ends with a recording of the Mapuga tribe chanting, as seen in the film.

=== 1973–1982: International success ===

==== ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' (1973) ====
{{Main|The Dark Side of the Moon}}
Pink Floyd recorded ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' between May 1972 and January 1973 with EMI staff engineer [[Alan Parsons]] at Abbey Road. The title is an allusion to lunacy rather than astronomy.<ref>{{harvnb|Harris|2005|pp=103–104}}: Recording schedule for ''Dark Side''; {{harvnb|Harris|2005|p=104}}: Alan Parsons as an engineer on ''Dark Side''; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=159}}: ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' as an allusion to lunacy, rather than astronomy.</ref> The band had composed and refined the material while touring the UK, Japan, North America, and Europe.{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=164–173}} Producer [[Chris Thomas (record producer)|Chris Thomas]] assisted Parsons.<ref>{{harvnb|Harris|2005|pp=140–141}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=177}}: (primary source).</ref> Hipgnosis designed the packaging, which included [[George Hardie (artist)|George Hardie]]'s iconic refracting [[Prism (optics)|prism]] design on the cover.{{sfn|Harris|2005|p=151}} Thorgerson's cover features a beam of white light, representing unity, passing through a prism, which represents society. The refracted beam of coloured light symbolises unity diffracted, leaving an absence of unity.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=86}} Waters is the sole author of the lyrics.{{sfn|Harris|2005|pp=12–13, 88–89}}

[[File:ROCK CONCERT. (FROM THE SITES EXHIBITION. FOR OTHER IMAGES IN THIS ASSIGNMENT, SEE FICHE NUMBERS 42, 97.) - NARA - 553890.jpg|thumb|Pink Floyd performing on the ''[[Dark Side of the Moon Tour]]'' in mid-1973]]
Released in March 1973, the LP became an instant chart success in the UK and throughout Western Europe, earning an enthusiastic response from critics.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=166}} Each member of Pink Floyd except Wright boycotted the press release of ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' because a quadraphonic mix had not yet been completed, and they felt presenting the album through a poor-quality stereo [[Public address system|PA system]] was insufficient.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=160}} ''[[Melody Maker]]''{{'s}} Roy Hollingworth described side one as "utterly confused&nbsp;... [and] difficult to follow", but praised side two, writing: "The songs, the sounds&nbsp;... [and] the rhythms were solid&nbsp;... [the] saxophone hit the air, the band rocked and rolled."<ref>{{cite web |title=Historical info&nbsp;– 1973 review, Melody Maker |url=http://pinkfloyd.com/history/timeline_1973.php |last=Hollingworth |first=Roy |publisher=pinkfloyd.com |year=1973|access-date=28 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515095602/http://www.pinkfloyd.com/history/timeline_1973.php|archive-date=15 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone''{{'s}} [[Loyd Grossman]] described it as "a fine album with a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites, but demands involvement".<ref name=RSReview>{{cite magazine |last=Grossman |first=Lloyd |title=Dark Side of the Moon Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=24 May 1973 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/270102/review/6212432/dark_side_of_the_moon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618145828/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/270102/review/6212432/dark_side_of_the_moon|archive-date=18 June 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=7 August 2009}}</ref>

Throughout March 1973, ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' featured as part of Pink Floyd's US tour.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=166–167}} The album is one of the most commercially successful rock albums of all time. A US number-one, it remained on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape]] chart for more than fourteen years during the 1970s and 1980s, selling more than 45&nbsp;million copies worldwide.<ref>For ''Billboard'' chart history see: {{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58524/floyds-dark-side-celebrates-chart-milestone |title=Floyd's 'Dark Side' Celebrates Chart Milestone |last1=Titus |first1=Christa |last2=Waddell |first2=Ray |magazine=Billboard |year=2005|access-date=12 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330033818/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58524/floyds-dark-side-celebrates-chart-milestone|archive-date=30 March 2013|url-status=live}}; for sales figures see: {{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1552399/pink-floyd-the-dark-side-of-the-moon-at-40-classic-track-by-track-review |title=Pink Floyd, 'The Dark Side of the Moon' At 40: Classic Track-By-Track Review |first=Richard |last=Smirke |magazine=Billboard |date=16 March 2013 | access-date=22 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706221342/http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1552399/pink-floyd-the-dark-side-of-the-moon-at-40-classic-track-by-track-review | archive-date=6 July 2016 | url-status=live }}; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=345}}: A US number 1.</ref> In Britain, it reached number two, spending 364 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}} ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the world's third best-selling album, and the twenty-first best-selling album of all time in the US.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=345}} The success of the album brought enormous wealth to the members of Pink Floyd. Waters and Wright bought large country houses while Mason became a collector of expensive cars.{{sfn|Harris|2005|pp=172–173}} Disenchanted with their US record company, [[Capitol Records]], Pink Floyd and O'Rourke negotiated a new contract with [[Columbia Records]], who gave them a reported advance of $1,000,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|1974}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US}} In Europe, they continued to be represented by Harvest Records.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=173}}

==== ''Wish You Were Here'' (1975) ====
{{Main|Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)}}
[[File:Black Strat.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|[[The Black Strat]], a black [[Fender Stratocaster]] bought by Gilmour in 1970 and used on songs including "[[Shine On You Crazy Diamond]]", "[[Money (Pink Floyd song)|Money]]" and "[[Comfortably Numb]]"]]

After a tour of the UK performing ''Dark Side'', Pink Floyd returned to the studio in January 1975 and began work on their ninth studio album, ''Wish You Were Here''.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=184}} Parsons declined an offer to continue working with them, becoming successful in his own right with [[the Alan Parsons Project]], and so the band turned to Brian Humphries.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=177: Parsons declined an offer to continue working with Pink Floyd, 200: Pink Floyd hired Humphries}} Initially, they found it difficult to compose new material; the success of ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' had left Pink Floyd physically and emotionally drained. Wright later described these early sessions as "falling within a difficult period" and Waters found them "tortuous".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=184–185}} Gilmour was more interested in improving the band's existing material. Mason's failing marriage affected his mood, which interfered with his drumming.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=184–185}}

Despite the lack of creative direction, Waters began to visualise a new concept after several weeks.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=184–185}} During 1974, Pink Floyd had sketched out three original compositions and had performed them at a series of concerts in Europe.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=178–184}} These compositions became the starting point for a new album whose opening four-note guitar phrase, composed purely by chance by Gilmour, reminded Waters of Barrett.<ref>{{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=184}}: The motif reminded Waters of Barrett; {{harvnb|Watkinson|Anderson|2001|p=119}}: Gilmour composed the motif entirely by accident.</ref> The songs provided a fitting summary of the rise and fall of their former bandmate.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=185–186}} Waters commented: "Because I wanted to get as close as possible to what I felt&nbsp;... [that] indefinable, inevitable melancholy about the disappearance of Syd."{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=184}}

While Pink Floyd were working on the album, Barrett made an impromptu visit to the studio. Thorgerson recalled that he "sat round and talked for a bit, but he wasn't really there".{{sfn|Watkinson|Anderson|2001|p=120}} He had changed significantly in appearance, so much so that the band did not initially recognise him. Waters was reportedly deeply upset by the experience.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=231}}{{refn|group=nb|Immediately after the session, Barrett attended a pre-party held for Gilmour's upcoming first wedding, but eventually left without saying goodbye and none of the band members ever saw him again, apart from a run-in between Waters and Barrett a couple of years later.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=189–190}} The inspiration behind the cover image, designed by Thorgerson, is the idea that people tend to conceal their true feelings for fear of "getting burned", wrote Pink Floyd biographer Glen Povey. Therefore, it features two businessmen shown shaking hands; one of them is on fire.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=346}}}} Most of ''Wish You Were Here'' premiered on 5 July 1975, at an open-air music festival at [[Knebworth House|Knebworth]]. Released in September, it reached number one in both the UK and the US.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=346}}

==== ''Animals'' (1977) ====
{{Main|Animals (Pink Floyd album)}}
[[File:Battersea Power Station in London.jpg|left|thumb|Battersea Power Station is featured in the cover image for ''Animals''.|alt=Colour picture of a power station factory with four tall white chimneys. The image was taken on a sunny day. The sky is blue and the building is brown.]]

In 1975, Pink Floyd bought a three-storey group of church halls at [[Britannia Row Studios|35 Britannia Row]] in Islington and began converting them into a recording studio and storage space.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=236}} In 1976, they recorded their tenth album, ''Animals'', in their newly finished 24-track studio.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=200}} The album concept originated with Waters, loosely based on [[George Orwell]]'s political fable ''[[Animal Farm]]''. The lyrics describe different classes of society as dogs, pigs, and sheep.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=241–242}}{{refn|group=nb|Brian Humphries engineered the album, which was completed in December 1976.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=218–220}}}} Hipgnosis received credit for the packaging; however, Waters designed the final concept, choosing an image of the ageing [[Battersea Power Station]], over which they superimposed an image of a pig.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=245–246}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=223–225}}: (primary source).</ref>{{refn|group=nb|The band commissioned a {{convert|30|ft|m}} pig-shaped balloon and photography began on 2 December. Inclement weather delayed filming, and the balloon broke free of its moorings in strong winds. It eventually landed in [[Kent]], where a local farmer recovered it, reportedly furious that it had frightened his cows.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=246}} The difficult shoot had resumed before they decided to superimpose the image of the pig onto the photograph of the power station.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|p=246}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=223–225}}: (primary source).</ref>}}

The division of royalties was a source of conflict between band members, who earned royalties on a per-song basis. Although Gilmour was largely responsible for "[[Dogs (Pink Floyd song)|Dogs]]", which took up almost the entire first side of the album, he received less than Waters, who contributed the much shorter two-part "[[Pigs on the Wing]]".{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=242–245}} Wright commented: "It was partly my fault because I didn't push my material&nbsp;... but Dave ''did'' have something to offer, and only managed to get a couple of things on there."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=242}} Mason recalled: "Roger was in full flow with the ideas, but he was really keeping Dave down, and frustrating him deliberately."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=242}}{{refn|group=nb|"Pigs on the Wing" contained references to Waters's romantic relationship with Carolyne Anne Christie.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=244–245}}}} Gilmour, distracted by the birth of his first child, contributed little else toward the album. Similarly, neither Mason nor Wright contributed much toward ''Animals''; Wright had marital problems, and his relationship with Waters was also suffering.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=242–243}} ''Animals'' was the first Pink Floyd album with no writing credit for Wright, who said: "This was when Roger ''really'' started to believe that he was the sole writer for the band&nbsp;... that it was only because of him that [we] were still going&nbsp;... when he started to develop his ego trips, the person he would have his conflicts with would be me."{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=242–243}}

Released in January 1977, ''Animals'' reached number two in the UK and number three in the US.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=347}} ''[[NME]]'' described it as "one of the most extreme, relentless, harrowing and downright iconoclastic hunks of music", and ''Melody Maker''{{'s}} [[Karl Dallas]] called it "[an] uncomfortable taste of reality in a medium that has become in recent years, increasingly soporific".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=247}}

Pink Floyd performed much of ''Animals'' during their "[[In the Flesh (1977 Pink Floyd 'Animals' tour)|In the Flesh]]" tour. It was their first experience playing large stadiums, whose size caused unease in the band.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=252–253}} Waters began arriving at each venue alone, departing immediately after the performance. On one occasion, Wright flew back to England, threatening to quit.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=235–236}} At the [[Montreal]] [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]], a group of noisy and enthusiastic fans in the front row of the audience irritated Waters so much that he spat at one of them.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=207}}{{refn|group=nb|Waters was not the only person depressed by playing in large venues, as Gilmour refused to perform the band's usual encore that night.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=235–236}}}} The end of the tour marked a low point for Gilmour, who felt that the band achieved the success they had sought, with nothing left for them to accomplish.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=230}}

==== ''The Wall'' (1979) ====
{{Main|The Wall|Pink Floyd – The Wall}}
In July 1978, amid a financial crisis caused by negligent investments, Waters presented two ideas for Pink Floyd's next album. The first was a 90-minute demo with the working title ''Bricks in the Wall;'' the other later became Waters's first solo album, ''[[The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking]]''. Although both Mason and Gilmour were initially cautious, they chose the former.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=258–259}}{{refn|group=nb|In 1976, Pink Floyd had become involved with financial advisers Norton Warburg Group (NWG). NWG became the band's collecting agents and handled all financial planning, for an annual fee of about £300,000 ({{Inflation|UK|300000|1978|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). NWG invested between £1.6&nbsp;million and £3.3&nbsp;million of the band's money in high-risk venture capital schemes, primarily to reduce their exposure to UK taxes. It soon became apparent that the band were still losing money. Not only did NWG invest in failing businesses, they also left the band liable for tax bills as high as 83 per cent of their income. The band eventually terminated their relationship with NWG and demanded the return of any funds not yet invested, which at that time amounted to £860,000; they received only £740,000.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=206–208}} Pink Floyd eventually sued NWG for £1M, accusing them of fraud and negligence. NWG collapsed in 1981: Andrew Warburg fled to Spain; Waterbrook purchased Norton Warburg Investments, and many of its holdings sold at a significant loss. Andrew Warburg began serving a three-year jail sentence upon his return to the UK in 1987.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=206–208}}}} [[Bob Ezrin]] co-produced and wrote a forty-page script for the new album.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=260}} Ezrin based the story on the central figure of Pink—a ''gestalt'' character inspired by Waters's childhood experiences, the most notable of which was the death of his father in [[World War II]]. This first metaphorical brick led to more problems; Pink would become drug-addled and depressed by the music industry, eventually transforming into a megalomaniac, a development inspired partly by the decline of Syd Barrett. At the end of the album, the increasingly fascist audience would watch as Pink tore down the wall, once again becoming a regular and caring person.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=260–261}}{{refn|group=nb|[[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]] replaced engineer Brian Humphries, emotionally drained by his five years with the band, for the recording of the album.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=238}} In March 1979, the band's dire financial situation demanded that they leave the UK for a year, or more and recording moved to the Super Bear Studios near [[Nice]].<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=240–242}}: (primary source); {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=213}}: (secondary source).</ref>}}

During the recording of ''The Wall'', the band became dissatisfied with Wright's lack of contribution and fired him.{{sfn|Simmons|1999|pp= 76–95}} Gilmour said that Wright was dismissed as he "hadn't contributed anything of any value whatsoever to the album—he did very, very little".<ref>{{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=219}}: That's why Wright "got the boot"; {{harvnb|Simmons|1999|pp= 86–88}}: Wright, "hadn't contributed anything of any value".</ref> According to Mason, Wright would sit in on the sessions "without doing anything, just 'being a producer{{'"}}.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=246}} Waters said the band agreed that Wright would either have to "have a long battle" or agree to "leave quietly" after the album was finished; Wright accepted the ultimatum and left.{{sfn|Simmons|1999|p=88}}{{refn|group=nb|Pink Floyd employed Wright as a paid musician on their subsequent ''The Wall'' tour.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=285–286: Wright as a paid musician during the tour}} Towards the end of ''The Wall'' sessions, Mason left the final mix to Waters, Gilmour, Ezrin and Guthrie, travelling to New York to record his debut solo album, ''[[Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports]]''.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=249}}}}

''The Wall'' was supported by Pink Floyd's first single since "Money", "[[Another Brick in the Wall, Part II|Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)]]", which topped the charts in the US and the UK.<ref>{{harvnb|Bronson|1992|p=523}}: Peak US chart position for "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)"; {{harvnb|Roberts|2005|p=391}}: Peak UK chart position for "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)".</ref> ''The Wall'' was released on 30 November 1979 and topped the ''Billboard'' chart in the US for 15 weeks, reaching number three in the UK.<ref>{{harvnb|Roberts|2005|p=391}}: Peak UK chart position for ''The Wall''; {{harvnb|Rosen|1996|p=246}}: Peak US chart position for ''The Wall''.</ref> It is tied for sixth most certified album by [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]], with 23&nbsp;million certified units sold in the US.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=awards_by_album#search_section |title=RIAA most certified albums |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=14 February 2021|archive-date=25 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225031458/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS#search_section|url-status=live}}</ref> The cover, with a stark brick wall and band name, was the first Pink Floyd album cover since ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'' not designed by Hipgnosis.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=279}}

[[Gerald Scarfe]] produced a series of animations for the [[The Wall Tour (1980–81)|''Wall'' tour.]] He also commissioned the construction of large inflatable puppets representing characters from the storyline, including the "Mother", the "Ex-wife" and the "Schoolmaster". Pink Floyd used the puppets during their performances.{{sfn|Scarfe|2010|pp=91–115}} Relationships within the band reached an all-time low; their four [[Winnebago Industries|Winnebagos]] parked in a circle, the doors facing away from the centre. Waters used his own vehicle to arrive at the venue and stayed in different hotels from the rest of the band. Wright returned as a paid musician, making him the only band member to profit from the tour, which lost about $600,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|1981}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}).{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=285–286}}

''The Wall'' was adapted into a film, ''Pink Floyd – The Wall.'' It was conceived as a combination of live concert footage and animated scenes; however, the concert footage proved impractical to film. [[Alan Parker]] agreed to direct and took a different approach. The animated sequences remained, but scenes were acted by actors with no dialogue. Waters was screentested but quickly discarded, and they asked [[Bob Geldof]] to accept the role of Pink. Geldof was initially dismissive, condemning ''The Wall''{{'s}} storyline as "bollocks".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=289}} Eventually won over by the prospect of participation in a significant film and receiving a large payment for his work, Geldof agreed.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=288–292}}{{refn|group=nb|Waters took a six-week leave during filming and returned to find that Parker had used his artistic licence to modify parts of the film to his liking. Waters became incensed; the two fought, and Parker threatened to walk out. Gilmour urged Waters to reconsider his stance, reminding the bassist that he and the other band members were shareholders and directors and could outvote him on such decisions.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=288–292}}}} Screened at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in May 1982, ''Pink Floyd – The Wall'' premièred in the UK in July 1982.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=229}}{{refn|group=nb|Pink Floyd created a modified soundtrack for some of the film's songs.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=288–292}}}} It won the [[BAFTAs]] for "Best Original Song" (for "Another Brick in the Wall") and [[BAFTA Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]].<ref name="BAFTA">{{cite web |title=Past Winners and Nominees – Film – Awards |url=https://www.bafta.org/film?year=1982 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015100457/http://www.bafta.org/film?year=1982 |archive-date=15 October 2017 |access-date=26 December 2010 |publisher=[[BAFTA]]}}</ref>

=== 1983–1985: Departure of Waters ===

==== ''The Final Cut'' (1983) ====
{{Main|The Final Cut (album)}}
In 1982, Waters suggested a project with the working title ''Spare Bricks'', originally conceived as the soundtrack album for ''Pink Floyd – The Wall.'' With the onset of the [[Falklands War]], Waters changed direction and began writing new material. He saw [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s response to the invasion of the Falklands as [[Jingoism|jingoistic]] and unnecessary, and dedicated the album to his late father. Immediately arguments arose between Waters and Gilmour, who felt that the album should include all new material, rather than recycle songs passed over for ''The Wall''. Waters felt that Gilmour had contributed little to the band's lyrical repertoire.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=294–295}} [[Michael Kamen]], a contributor to the orchestral arrangements of ''The Wall'', mediated between the two, performing the role traditionally occupied by the then-absent Wright.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=296–298}}{{refn|group=nb|Recording took place in eight studios, including Gilmour's home studio at [[Outside Studios|Hookend Manor]] and Waters's home studio at [[East Sheen]].<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=296–298}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=268}}: (primary source)</ref>}} The tension within the band grew. Waters and Gilmour worked independently; however, Gilmour began to feel the strain, sometimes barely maintaining his composure. After a final confrontation, Gilmour's name disappeared from the credit list, reflecting what Waters felt was his lack of songwriting contributions.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=295–298}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=268}}: (primary source)</ref>{{refn|group=nb|During the sessions, Waters lost his temper and began ranting at Kamen who, out of frustration during one recording session, had started repeatedly writing "I Must Not Fuck Sheep" on a notepad in the studio's control room.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=296–298}}}}

Though Mason's musical contributions were minimal, he stayed busy recording sound effects for an experimental [[Holophonics|Holophonic]] system to be used on the album. With marital problems of his own, he remained distant. Pink Floyd did not use Thorgerson for the cover design, and Waters designed the cover himself.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=299}}{{refn|group=nb|Waters commissioned his brother-in-law, Willie Christie, to take photographs for the album cover.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=299}}}} Gilmour did not have any material ready and asked Waters to delay the recording until he could write some songs, but Waters refused.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=295}} Gilmour later said "I'm certainly guilty at times of being lazy&nbsp;... but he wasn't right about wanting to put some duff tracks on ''The Final Cut''."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=295}}{{refn|group=nb|Though Gilmour's name did not appear on the production credits, he retained his pay as musician and producer.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=294–300}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=269–270}}: (primary source).</ref>}}

Released in March 1983, ''The Final Cut'' went straight to number one in the UK and number six in the US.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|p=300}}: Peak US chart position for ''The Final Cut''; {{harvnb|Roberts|2005|p=391}}: Peak UK chart position for ''The Final Cut''.</ref> Waters wrote all the lyrics, as well as all the music.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|p=294}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=265}}: (primary source).</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' gave the album five stars, with [[Kurt Loder]] calling it "a superlative achievement&nbsp;... art rock's crowning masterpiece".{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=243}}{{refn|group=nb|Released as a single, "[[Not Now John]]", with its chorus of "Fuck all that" bowdlerised to "Stuff all that"; ''Melody Maker'' declared it "a milestone in the history of awfulness".{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=300}}}} He viewed ''The Final Cut'' as "essentially a Roger Waters solo album".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Loder |first=Kurt |title=Pink Floyd&nbsp;– The Final Cut |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-final-cut-19830414 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080622041133/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/107472/review/5943392/the_final_cut |archive-date= 22 June 2008 |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=14 April 1983 |access-date=4 September 2009}}</ref>

==== Waters's departure and legal battles ====
Gilmour recorded his second solo album, ''[[About Face (album)|About Face]]'', in 1984, and used it to express his feelings about a variety of topics, from the murder of [[John Lennon]] to his relationship with Waters. He later stated that he used the album to distance himself from Pink Floyd. Soon afterwards, Waters began touring his first solo album, ''[[The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking]]'' (1984).{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=302–309}} Wright formed Zee with Dave Harris and recorded ''[[Identity (Zee album)|Identity]]'', which went almost unnoticed upon its release.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=309–311}}{{refn|group=nb|Wright was also in the midst of a difficult divorce and later said that the album was, "made at a time in my life when I was lost."{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=309–311}}}} Mason released his second solo album, ''[[Profiles (Nick Mason and Rick Fenn album)|Profiles]]'', in August 1985.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=311–313}}

Gilmour, Mason, Waters and O'Rourke met for dinner in 1984 to discuss their future. Mason and Gilmour left the restaurant thinking that Pink Floyd could continue after Waters had finished ''The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking'', noting that they had had several hiatuses before; however, Waters left believing that Mason and Gilmour had accepted that Pink Floyd were finished. Mason said that Waters later saw the meeting as "duplicity rather than diplomacy", and wrote in his memoir: "Clearly, our communication skills were still troublingly nonexistent. We left the restaurant with diametrically opposed views of what had been decided."<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005}}</ref>

Following the release of ''The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking'', Waters publicly insisted that Pink Floyd would not reunite. He contacted O'Rourke to discuss settling future royalty payments. O'Rourke felt obliged to inform Mason and Gilmour, which angered Waters, who wanted to dismiss him as the band's manager. He terminated his management contract with O'Rourke and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=311–313}}{{refn|group=nb|Waters went on to record the soundtrack for ''[[When the Wind Blows (1986 film)|When the Wind Blows]]'', as well as his second solo album, ''[[Radio K.A.O.S.]]''.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=263–266}}}} Waters wrote to [[EMI]] and [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] announcing he had left the band, and asked them to release him from his contractual obligations. Gilmour believed that Waters left to hasten the demise of Pink Floyd. Waters later said that, by not making new albums, Pink Floyd would be in breach of contract—which would suggest that royalty payments would be suspended—and that the other band members had forced him from the group by threatening to sue him. He went to the [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] in an effort to dissolve the band and prevent the use of the Pink Floyd name, declaring Pink Floyd "a spent force creatively".<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=311–313}}: O'Rourke's involvement in the settlement; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=240}}: "a spent force".</ref> When Waters's lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed, Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to obtain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour responded with a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=271}}

=== 1985–1994: Gilmour-led era ===
==== ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' (1987) ====
{{Main|A Momentary Lapse of Reason}}
[[File:Astoria (Péniche).jpg|left|thumb|The ''Astoria'' recording studio|alt=A colour image Gilmour's houseboat and studio the Astoria, anchored in a river. The background is green forest and it is a bright sunny day.]]
In 1986, Gilmour began recruiting musicians for a new project.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=268–269}}</ref> Initially, there was no commitment to a Pink Floyd release, and Gilmour maintained that the material might become his third solo album. However, by the end of 1986, Gilmour had decided to make the material into a Pink Floyd project, the first without Waters.<ref name="Redbeard2007">{{Citation |title=In the Studio with Redbeard, A Momentary Lapse of Reason |year=2007 |type=Radio broadcast |publisher=Barbarosa Ltd. Productions}}</ref>{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=264–268}}{{refn|group=nb|Artists such as [[Jon Carin]] and [[Phil Manzanera]] worked on the album, joined by Bob Ezrin.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=264–268}}}} There were legal obstacles to Wright's re-admittance to the band, but after a meeting in Hampstead, Pink Floyd invited Wright to participate in the coming sessions.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=316–317}} Gilmour later stated that Wright's presence "would make us stronger legally and musically", and Pink Floyd employed him with weekly earnings of $11,000.<ref>{{harvnb|Manning|2006|p=134}}: Pink Floyd employed Wright as a paid musician with weekly earnings of $11,000; {{harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=269}}: "would make us stronger legally and musically".</ref>

Recording sessions began on Gilmour's houseboat, the ''Astoria'', moored on the [[River Thames]].{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=318}}{{refn|group=nb|[[Andrew Jackson (recording engineer)|Andy Jackson]] engineered the album.{{sfn|Fitch|2005|p=158}}}} Gilmour felt that lyrics had become more important than the music under Waters, and sought to restore the balance.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=274}}</ref> The group found it difficult to work without Waters's creative direction;{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=320}} to write lyrics, Gilmour worked with several songwriters, including [[Eric Stewart]] and [[Roger McGough]], eventually choosing [[Anthony Moore]].{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=284–285}} Wright and Mason were out of practice; Gilmour said they had been "destroyed" by Waters, and their contributions were minimal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Greatest Feud in Rock |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-greatest-feud-in-rock-494131.html |date=14 June 2005 |website=The Independent |language=en|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Pink Floyd (1989).jpg|thumb|Pink Floyd in 1989 on the [[A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour|''Momentary Lapse of Reason'' tour]]]]
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was released in September 1987. Thorgerson, whose creative input was absent from ''The Wall'' and ''The Final Cut'', designed the album cover.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=273}} To emphasise that Waters had left the band, they included a group photograph on the inside cover — the first since ''Meddle'' — featuring only Gilmour and Mason.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=166}}{{refn|group=nb|Wright's name appears only on the credit list.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=366}}}} The album reached number three in the UK and the US.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=349}} Waters said: "I think it's facile, but a quite clever forgery&nbsp;... The songs are poor in general&nbsp;... [and] Gilmour's lyrics are third-rate."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=328}} Although Gilmour initially viewed the album as a return to the band's top form, Wright disagreed, saying: "Roger's criticisms are fair. It's not a band album at all."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=327}} ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' described it as essentially a Gilmour solo album.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=326–327}}

Waters attempted to subvert the [[A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour|''Momentary Lapse of Reason'' tour]] by contacting promoters in the US and threatening to sue if they used the Pink Floyd name. Gilmour and Mason funded the start-up costs with Mason using his [[Ferrari 250 GTO]] as collateral.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=322}} Early rehearsals for the tour were chaotic, with Mason and Wright out of practice. Realising he had taken on too much work, Gilmour asked Ezrin to assist them. As Pink Floyd toured North America, Waters's [[Radio K.A.O.S. (tour)|K.A.O.S. On the Road tour]] was on occasion, close by, in much smaller venues. Waters issued a writ for copyright fees for Pink Floyd's use of the [[Pink Floyd pigs|flying pig]]. Pink Floyd responded by attaching a large set of male genitalia to its underside to distinguish it from Waters's design.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=277}} The parties reached a legal agreement on 23 December; Mason and Gilmour retained the right to use the Pink Floyd name in perpetuity and Waters received exclusive rights to, among other things, ''The Wall''.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=329–335}} In 2013, Waters said he regretted the lawsuit and had failed to appreciate that the Pink Floyd name had commercial value independent of the band members.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2013 |title=Pink Floyd star Roger Waters regrets suing band |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24160584 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228034159/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24160584 |archive-date=28 February 2016 |access-date=10 March 2016 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

==== ''The Division Bell'' (1994) ====
{{Main|The Division Bell}}
[[File:Pink Floyd - Division Bell.jpg|thumb|upright=.73|The album artwork for ''The Division Bell'', designed by Storm Thorgerson, represented the absence of Barrett and Waters.|alt=A colour photograph of two large silver-grey iron sculptures of opposing silhouetted faces. The sculptures are standing in a brown wheat field with a blue sky behind them.]]

For several years, Pink Floyd had busied themselves with personal pursuits, such as filming and competing in the ''[[La Carrera Panamericana]]'' and recording a soundtrack for a film based on the event.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=311–313}}{{refn|group=nb|Gilmour divorced his wife Ginger and Mason married actress Annette Lynton.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=352}}}} In January 1993, they began working on a new album, ''The Division Bell'', in Britannia Row Studios, where Gilmour, Mason and Wright worked collaboratively, improvising material. After about two weeks, they had enough ideas to begin creating songs. Ezrin returned to co-produce the album and production moved to the ''Astoria'', where the band worked from February to May 1993.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=314–321}}

Contractually, Wright was not a member of the band, and said he almost did not work on the album.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=355}} However, he earned five co-writing credits, his first on a Pink Floyd album since 1975's ''Wish You Were Here''.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=355}} Gilmour's future wife, the novelist [[Polly Samson]], is also credited; she helped Gilmour write songs including "[[High Hopes (Pink Floyd song)|High Hopes]]", a collaborative arrangement which, though initially tense, "pulled the whole album together", according to Ezrin.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=356}} They hired Michael Kamen to arrange the orchestral parts; [[Dick Parry]] and Chris Thomas also returned.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=356–357}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=314–321}}: (primary source).</ref> The writer [[Douglas Adams]] provided the album title and Thorgerson the cover artwork.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=359}}{{refn|group=nb|Thorgerson also provided six new pieces of film for the upcoming tour.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=322}}}} Thorgerson drew inspiration from the [[Moai]] monoliths of [[Easter Island]]; two opposing faces forming an implied third face about which he commented: "the absent face—the ghost of Pink Floyd's past, Syd and Roger".{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=357–358}} To avoid competing against other album releases, as had happened with ''A Momentary Lapse'', Pink Floyd set a deadline of April 1994, at which point they would resume touring.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=319}} ''The Division Bell'' reached number 1 in the UK and the US,{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=345}} and spent 51 weeks on the UK chart.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=391}}

Pink Floyd spent more than two weeks rehearsing in a hangar at [[Norton Air Force Base]] in [[San Bernardino, California]], before opening [[The Division Bell Tour|''The Division Bell'' tour]] on 29 March 1994, in Miami, with an almost identical road crew to that used for their ''Momentary Lapse of Reason'' tour.<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=330: ''Momentary Lapse of Reason'' tour crew was almost identical to the ''Division Bell'' tour crew}}; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=270}}: Rehearsing for over two weeks at Norton Air Force Base before opening in Miami.</ref> They played a variety of Pink Floyd favourites, and later changed their setlist to include ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' in its entirety.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=363–367}}{{refn|group=nb|Waters declined their invitation to join them as the tour reached Europe.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=367}}}} The tour, Pink Floyd's last, ended on 29 October 1994.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=367}}{{refn|group=nb|In 1995, Pink Floyd released the live album, ''[[Pulse (Pink Floyd album)|Pulse]]'', and an accompanying [[Pulse (1995 film)|concert video]].{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=264, 285, 351–352: ''Pulse''}}}} Mason published a memoir, ''[[Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd]]'', in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=David |date=6 November 2004 |title=Review: XS All Areas and Inside Out |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2004/nov/06/highereducation.biography1|access-date=27 September 2020 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

=== 2005–present: Reunions ===

==== 2005–2006: Live 8 reunion ====
[[File:Pink floyd live 8 london.jpg|thumb|Waters (right) rejoined his former bandmates at Live&nbsp;8 in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]], London on 2 July 2005.|alt=A concert stage lit by purple lighting. Four men are performing on the stage as a crowd stands in front of it. Behind the men are video screens displaying images of vinyl records.]]

On 2 July 2005, Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright performed together as Pink Floyd at [[Live&nbsp;8]], a [[benefit concert]] raising awareness about poverty, in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]], London.<ref name="Mason 2005">{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=342}}: (primary source); {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=237}}: (secondary source).</ref> It was their first performance together in more than 24&nbsp;years.<ref name="Mason 2005" /> The reunion was arranged by the Live&nbsp;8 organiser, [[Bob Geldof]]. After Gilmour declined, Geldof asked Mason, who contacted Waters. About two weeks later, Waters called Gilmour, their first conversation in two years, and the next day Gilmour agreed. In a statement to the press, the band stressed the unimportance of their problems in the context of the Live&nbsp;8 event.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=160}}

The group planned their setlist at the [[The Connaught (hotel)|Connaught]] hotel in London, followed by three days of rehearsals at Black Island Studios.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=160}} The sessions were problematic, with disagreements over the style and pace of the songs they were practising; the running order was decided on the eve of the event.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=380–384}}: (secondary source); {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=335–339}}: (primary source).</ref> At the beginning of their performance of "Wish You Were Here", Waters told the audience: "[It is] quite emotional, standing up here with these three guys after all these years, standing to be counted with the rest of you&nbsp;... We're doing this for everyone who's not here, and particularly of course for Syd."{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=287}} At the end, Gilmour thanked the audience and started to walk off the stage. Waters called him back, and the band embraced. Images of the embrace were a favourite among Sunday newspapers after Live&nbsp;8.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=386}}{{refn|group=nb|In the week following their performance, there was a resurgence of commercial interest in Pink Floyd's music, when according to [[HMV]], sales of ''Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd'' rose more than one thousand per cent, while [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] reported a significant increase in sales of ''The Wall''.<ref name="Live8">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4651309.stm |title=Donate Live&nbsp;8 profit says Gilmour |date=5 July 2005 |work=BBC News |access-date=2 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103043430/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4651309.stm |archive-date=3 November 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Gilmour subsequently declared that he would give his share of profits from this sales boost to charity, urging other associated artists and [[Music industry|record companies]] to do the same.<ref name="Live8" />}} Waters said: "I don't think any of us came out of the years from 1985 with any credit&nbsp;... It was a bad, negative time, and I regret my part in that negativity."{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=395}}

Though Pink Floyd turned down a contract worth £136&nbsp;million for a final tour, Waters did not rule out more performances, suggesting it ought to be for a charity event only.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=386}} However, Gilmour told the [[Associated Press]] that a reunion would not happen: "The [Live&nbsp;8] rehearsals convinced me it wasn't something I wanted to be doing a lot of&nbsp;... There have been all sorts of farewell moments in people's lives and careers which they have then rescinded, but I think I can fairly categorically say that there won't be a tour or an album again that I take part in. It isn't to do with animosity or anything like that. It's just&nbsp;... I've been there, I've done it."<ref>{{cite web |title=Gilmour says no Pink Floyd reunion |url=http://www.today.com/id/26628516/site/todayshow/ns/today-entertainment/t/gilmour-says-no-pink-floyd-reunion/#.UP3hhSc4t8E |publisher=NBC News |date=9 September 2008|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501173223/http://www.today.com/id/26628516/site/todayshow/ns/today-entertainment/t/gilmour-says-no-pink-floyd-reunion/#.UP3hhSc4t8E|archive-date=1 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2006, Gilmour was interviewed for the Italian newspaper ''[[La Repubblica]]'', which announced that Pink Floyd had disbanded.<ref name="LR06">{{cite web |url=http://www.repubblica.it/2006/b/sezioni/spettacoli_e_cultura/gilmo/gilmo/gilmo.html |date=3 February 2006 |last=Castaldo |first=Gino |language=it |work=La Repubblica |title=The requiem of David Gilmour: Pink Floyd gone?|access-date=9 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522010708/http://www.repubblica.it/2006/b/sezioni/spettacoli_e_cultura/gilmo/gilmo/gilmo.html|archive-date=22 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Gilmour said that Pink Floyd were "over", citing his advancing age and his preference for working alone.<ref name="LR06" /> He and Waters repeatedly said that they had no plans to reunite.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/pink-floyd-was-over-in-1985-says-waters/ |title=Pink Floyd was over in 1985 says Waters |last=Kielty |first=Martin |work=Classic Rock Magazine |date=7 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005138/http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/pink-floyd-was-over-in-1985-says-waters/|archive-date=3 December 2013}}; {{cite news |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/28/pink-floyd-star-reunion-unlikely |title=Pink Floyd star: Reunion unlikely |date=28 September 2011 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |publisher=wenn.com|access-date=1 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203012113/http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/28/pink-floyd-star-reunion-unlikely|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/david-gilmour-confirms-pink-floyd-are-broken-up-for-good-im-done-with-it |title=David Gilmour Confirms Pink Floyd Are Broken Up for Good: "I'm Done with it" |last=Maxwell |first=Jackson |website=Guitar Player |date=11 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312132533/https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/david-gilmour-confirms-pink-floyd-are-broken-up-for-good-im-done-with-it|archive-date=12 March 2021|access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|In 2006, Gilmour began a tour of small concert venues with contributions from Wright and other musicians from the post-Waters Pink Floyd tours. Gilmour, Wright, and Mason's encore performance of "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb" marked the only appearance by Pink Floyd since Live&nbsp;8 {{as of|2012|lc=y}}.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=387–389}}}}

==== 2006–2008: deaths of Barrett and Wright ====
Barrett died on 7 July 2006, at his home in Cambridge, aged&nbsp;60.<ref name="Pareles">{{Cite news |last=Pareles |first=Jon |title=Syd Barrett, a Founder of Pink Floyd And Psychedelic Rock Pioneer, Dies at 60 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0D91130F931A25754C0A9609C8B63 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=12 July 2006 |access-date=7 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305004903/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0D91130F931A25754C0A9609C8B63 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> His funeral was held at Cambridge Crematorium on 18 July 2006. No Pink Floyd members attended. Wright said: "The band are very naturally upset and sad to hear of Syd Barrett's death. Syd was the guiding light of the early band line-up and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire."<ref name="Pareles" /> Although Barrett had faded into obscurity over the decades, the national press praised him for his contributions to music.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=390–391}}{{refn|group=nb|Barrett left more than £1.25M in his will, to be divided among his immediate family, who then auctioned some of his possessions and artwork.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=394}}}} On 10 May 2007, Waters, Gilmour, Wright, and Mason performed at the Barrett tribute concert "Madcap's Last Laugh" at the [[Barbican Centre]] in London. Gilmour, Wright, and Mason performed the Barrett compositions "[[Bike (song)|Bike]]" and "Arnold Layne", and Waters performed a solo version of his song "Flickering Flame".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Youngs |first=Ian |title=Floyd play at Barrett tribute gig |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6643779.stm |work=BBC News |date=11 May 2007 |access-date=3 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811171344/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6643779.stm |archive-date=11 August 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Wright died of cancer on 15 September 2008, aged&nbsp;65.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Booth |first=Robert |title=Pink Floyd's Richard Wright dies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/16/pinkfloyd.popandrock |date=16 September 2008|access-date=7 September 2009 |newspaper=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017095539/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/16/pinkfloyd.popandrock|archive-date=17 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> His former bandmates paid tributes to his life and work; Gilmour said that Wright's contributions were often overlooked, and that his "soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognised Pink Floyd sound".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7617363.stm |title=Floyd Founder Wright dies at 65 |date=15 September 2008 |work=BBC News|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801104257/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7617363.stm|archive-date=1 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> A week after Wright's death, Gilmour performed "Remember a Day" from ''A Saucerful of Secrets'', written and originally sung by Wright, in tribute on BBC Two's ''[[Later... with Jools Holland]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/david-gilmour-performs-pink-floyds-remember-day-tribute-rick-wright-video/25470 |title=David Gilmour Performs Pink Floyd's "Remember a Day" in Tribute to Rick Wright |format=Video |date=15 September 2015|access-date=3 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816013135/http://www.guitarworld.com/david-gilmour-performs-pink-floyds-remember-day-tribute-rick-wright-video/25470|archive-date=16 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The keyboardist [[Keith Emerson]] released a statement praising Wright as the "backbone" of Pink Floyd.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.keithemerson.com/MiscPages/RememberingRichardWright.html |title=Official Keith Emerson Website – Richard Wright Tribute by Keith Emerson |website=www.keithemerson.com|access-date=3 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009062030/http://www.keithemerson.com/MiscPages/RememberingRichardWright.html|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== 2010–2011: further performances and rereleases ====
In March 2010, Pink Floyd went to the [[High Court of Justice]] to prevent EMI selling individual tracks online, arguing that their 1999 contract "prohibits the sale of albums in any configuration other than the original". The judge ruled in their favour, which the ''Guardian'' described as a "triumph for artistic integrity" and a "vindication of the album as a creative format".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Dave |date=12 March 2010 |title=Pink Floyd's legal victory over EMI is a triumph for artistic integrity |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/mar/12/pink-floyd-emi |access-date=18 February 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In January 2011, Pink Floyd signed a new five-year contract with EMI that permitted the sale of single downloads.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 2011 |title=Pink Floyd end EMI legal dispute |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-12112630 |access-date=18 February 2023}}</ref>

On 10 July 2010, Waters and Gilmour performed together at a charity event for the Hoping Foundation. The event, which raised money for Palestinian children, took place at [[Kiddington Hall]] in Oxfordshire, England, with an audience of approximately 200.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bychawski |first=Adam |date=11 July 2010 |title=Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and David Gilmour reunite for charity gig: Duo play together for Hoping Foundation |url=https://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd/52041 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805034528/http://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd/52041 |archive-date=5 August 2012 |access-date=2 August 2012 |work=[[NME]]}}</ref> In return for Waters's appearance at the event, Gilmour performed "Comfortably Numb" at Waters's [[The Wall Live (2010–13)|performance of ''The Wall'']] at the London [[The O2 Arena|O2 Arena]] on 12 May 2011, singing the choruses and playing the guitar solos. Mason also joined, playing tambourine for "[[Outside the Wall (song)|Outside the Wall]]" with Gilmour on mandolin.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Barth |first=Chris |date=15 July 2010 |title=Roger Waters Reunites With David Gilmour for 'Wall' Tour |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/roger-waters-reunites-with-david-gilmour-for-wall-tour-20100715 |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219205344/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/roger-waters-reunites-with-david-gilmour-for-wall-tour-20100715 |archive-date=19 December 2010 |access-date=1 August 2010}}</ref>

On 26 September 2011, Pink Floyd and EMI launched an exhaustive re-release campaign under the title ''Why Pink Floyd...?'', reissuing the back catalogue in newly [[Audio mastering|remastered]] versions, including "Experience" and "Immersion" multi-disc multi-format editions. The albums were remastered by [[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]], co-producer of ''The Wall''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whypinkfloyd.com/ |title=Why Pink Floyd?, Pink Floyd & EMI 2011 remastered campaign |publisher=Whypinkfloyd.com |year=2011 |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522045740/http://www.whypinkfloyd.com/ |archive-date=22 May 2011 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> In November 2015, Pink Floyd released a limited edition EP, ''[[1965: Their First Recordings]]'', comprising six songs recorded prior to ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Pink Floyd Release Rare '1965: Their First Recordings' EP |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pink-floyd-release-rare-1965-their-first-recordings-ep-20151202 |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=2 December 2015 |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date = 6 December 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151205235317/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pink-floyd-release-rare-1965-their-first-recordings-ep-20151202|archive-date = 5 December 2015|url-status=live }}</ref>

==== ''The Endless River'' (2014) and Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets ====
In November 2013, Gilmour and Mason revisited recordings made with Wright during the ''Division Bell ''sessions to create a new Pink Floyd album. They recruited session musicians to help record new parts and "generally harness studio technology".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/yahoo-music/pink-floyd-returns-with-first-new-song-from-final-album--the-endless-river-195800138.html |title=Pink Floyd Returns With First New Song From Final Album ''The Endless River'' |publisher=Yahoo! Music |first=Craig |last=Roseb |date=9 October 2014|access-date=14 November 2014|archive-date=19 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219084757/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/yahoo-music/pink-floyd-returns-with-first-new-song-from-final-album--the-endless-river-195800138.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Waters was not involved.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6150283/new-pink-floyd-album-endless-river-out-in-october |title=New Pink Floyd Album 'The Endless River' Out in October |last=Maloney |first=Devon |date=5 July 2014 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=18 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708200942/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6150283/new-pink-floyd-album-endless-river-out-in-october|archive-date=8 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Mason described the album as a tribute to Wright: "I think this record is a good way of recognising a lot of what he does and how his playing was at the heart of the Pink Floyd sound. Listening back to the sessions, it really brought home to me what a special player he was."<ref name="latimesquote">{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Randall |title=Pink Floyd offers release date, cover art for album 'The Endless River' |url=https://latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-pink-floyd-release-date-new-album-the-endless-river-20140922-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=22 September 2014|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922165253/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-pink-floyd-release-date-new-album-the-endless-river-20140922-story.html|archive-date=22 September 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[The Endless River]]'' was released in the following year. Though it received mixed reviews,<ref name="MC">{{cite web |url=https://metacritic.com/music/the-endless-river/pink-floyd |title=Reviews for The Endless River by Pink Floyd |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date=5 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108134751/http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-endless-river/pink-floyd|archive-date=8 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> it'' ''became the most pre-ordered album of all time on [[Amazon UK]]<ref name="cnbc">{{cite web |last1=Kharpal |first1=Arjun |title=Pink Floyd album becomes most pre-ordered on Amazon |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/11/10/pink-floyd-album-becomes-most-pre-ordered-on-amazon.html |work=CNBC |date=10 November 2014|access-date=14 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129061722/http://www.cnbc.com/id/102168695#.|archive-date=29 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> and debuted at number one in several countries.<ref name="officialcharts3">{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Liv |title=Pink Floyd score first Number 1 album in nearly 20 years! |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/pink-floyd-score-first-number-1-album-in-nearly-20-years-3290/ |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=16 November 2014|access-date=16 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120062753/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/pink-floyd-score-first-number-1-album-in-nearly-20-years-3290/|archive-date=20 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="officialcharts2">{{cite web |title=Pink Floyd score first Number 1 album in nearly 20 years! |url=http://www.localuknews.co.uk/othernews/music/localnews/official-charts-analysis-wake-me-up-returns-to-singles-summit-as-children-in-need-charity-track |work=localuknews.co.uk |date=17 November 2014|access-date=17 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225210830/http://www.localuknews.co.uk/othernews/music/localnews/official-charts-analysis-wake-me-up-returns-to-singles-summit-as-children-in-need-charity-track|archive-date=25 December 2014}}</ref> The vinyl edition was the fastest-selling UK vinyl release of 2014 and the fastest-selling since 1997.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Dave |title=Vinyl record sales hit 18-year high |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30216638 |access-date= 27 November 2014 |newspaper=BBC News |date=27 November 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141127080525/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30216638 |archive-date= 27 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Gilmour said ''The Endless River'' would be Pink Floyd's last album, saying: "I think we have successfully commandeered the best of what there is&nbsp;... It's a shame, but this is the end."<ref name="bbcend">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0288yhn |title=Shaun Keaveny, with a Pink Floyd Exclusive, Pink Floyd Talk to 6 Music's Matt Everitt |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=9 October 2014 |last=Everitt |first=Matt |access-date=10 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111133444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0288yhn |archive-date=11 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> There was no supporting tour, as Gilmour felt it was impossible without Wright.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/david-gilmour-theres-no-room-in-my-life-for-pink-floyd-20141029 |title=David Gilmour: There's No Room in My Life for Pink Floyd |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=29 October 2014 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=9 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108190911/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/david-gilmour-theres-no-room-in-my-life-for-pink-floyd-20141029 |archive-date=8 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/david-gilmours-new-album-coming-along-very-well-in-2015 |title=David Gilmour's New Album "Coming Along Very Well..." in 2015 |date=29 October 2014 |website=Neptune Pink Floyd |access-date=9 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109154915/http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/david-gilmours-new-album-coming-along-very-well-in-2015 |archive-date=9 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, Gilmour reiterated that Pink Floyd were "done" and that to reunite without Wright would be wrong.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/14/pink-floyd-are-done-says-dave-gilmour |title=Pink Floyd are 'done', says Dave Gilmour |date=14 August 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian |last1=Music |first1=Guardian|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161018075857/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/14/pink-floyd-are-done-says-dave-gilmour|archive-date = 18 October 2016|url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2016, Pink Floyd released a box set, ''[[The Early Years 1965–1972 (Pink Floyd album)|The Early Years 1965–1972]]'', comprising outtakes, live recordings, remixes, and films from their early career.<ref name="EY-RS">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pink-floyd-detail-massive-27-disc-early-years-box-set-w431264 |title=Pink Floyd Detail Massive 27-Disc 'Early Years' Box Set |date=28 July 2016 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=29 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911183747/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pink-floyd-detail-massive-27-disc-early-years-box-set-w431264|archive-date=11 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> It was followed in December 2019 by ''[[The Later Years]]'', compiling Pink Floyd's work after Waters's departure. The set includes a remixed version of ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' with more contributions by Wright and Mason, and an expanded reissue of the 1988 live album ''[[Delicate Sound of Thunder]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-the-later-year-box-set-pulse-877966/ |title=Pink Floyd Ready Massive 'The Later Years' Box Set |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=29 August 2019 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US|access-date=30 August 2019|archive-date=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829144038/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-the-later-year-box-set-pulse-877966/|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2020, the reissue of ''Delicate Sound of Thunder'' was given a standalone release on multiple formats.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/pink-floyds-delicate-sound-of-thunder-to-be-reissued-in-multiple-formats-2762870 |title=Pink Floyd's 'Delicate Sound of Thunder' to be reissued in multiple formats |website=[[NME]] |date=27 September 2020}}</ref> Pink Floyd's ''Live at Knebworth 1990'' performance, previously released as part of the ''Later Years'' box set, was released on CD and vinyl on 30 April.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moore |first1=Sam |date=10 March 2021 |title=Pink Floyd announce 'Live At Knebworth 1990' live album |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/pink-floyd-announce-live-at-knebworth-1990-live-album-2897633|access-date=11 March 2021 |website=NME|archive-date=10 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310165546/https://www.nme.com/news/music/pink-floyd-announce-live-at-knebworth-1990-live-album-2897633|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, Mason formed a new band, [[Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets]], to perform Pink Floyd's early material. The band includes [[Gary Kemp]] of [[Spandau Ballet]] and the longtime Pink Floyd collaborator [[Guy Pratt]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pink-floyd-nick-mason-new-band_us_5b0b69b9e4b0802d69cc74e7 |title=Pink Floyd Co-Founder Forms New Act To Play The Band's Earliest Songs |last1=Mazza |first1=Ed |date=30 May 2018 |work=HuffPost UK|access-date=30 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141736/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pink-floyd-nick-mason-new-band_us_5b0b69b9e4b0802d69cc74e7|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> They toured Europe in September 2018<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/saucerful-of-secrets-2018-tour/ |title=Nick Mason's Pink Floyd Supergroup Announces Debut Tour |last1=Kielty |first1=Martin |work=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=30 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529111209/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/saucerful-of-secrets-2018-tour/|archive-date=29 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and North America in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nick-mason-pink-floyd-tour-saucerful-secrets-749931/ |title=Pink Floyd's Nick Mason to Play Pre-'Dark Side of the Moon' Songs on U.S. Tour |last1=Greene |first1=Andy |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=1 June 2019|archive-date=10 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610232545/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nick-mason-pink-floyd-tour-saucerful-secrets-749931/|url-status=live}}</ref> Waters joined the band at the New York [[Beacon Theatre (New York City)|Beacon Theatre]] to perform vocals for "[[Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/see-roger-waters-nick-mason-reunite-new-york-beacon-824633/ |title=See Roger Waters, Nick Mason Reunite to Play 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun' |last1=Grow |first1=Kory |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=1 June 2019|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423211218/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/see-roger-waters-nick-mason-reunite-new-york-beacon-824633/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== 2022–present: "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" and conflicts ====
{{Main|Hey, Hey, Rise Up!}}
Mason said in 2018 that, while he remained close to Gilmour and Waters, the two remained "at loggerheads".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=10 December 2018 |title=Nick Mason on the State of Pink Floyd: 'It's Silly to Still Be Fighting' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-nick-mason-talks-roger-waters-david-gilmour-763670/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093832/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-nick-mason-talks-roger-waters-david-gilmour-763670/ |url-status=live}}</ref> A remixed version of ''Animals'' was delayed until 2022 after Gilmour and Waters could not agree on the liner notes.<ref name="RSAnimals">{{cite magazine |last1=Greene |first1=Andy |date=1 June 2021 |title=Roger Waters Announces 'Animals' Deluxe Edition, Plans for a Memoir |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-announces-animals-deluxe-edition-plans-memoir-1176303/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=2 June 2021 |archive-date=13 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013222550/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-announces-animals-deluxe-edition-plans-memoir-1176303/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In a public statement, Waters accused Gilmour of attempting to steal credit and complained that Gilmour would not allow him to use Pink Floyd's website and social media channels.<ref name="RSAnimals" /> ''Rolling Stone'' noted that the pair seemed "to have hit yet another low point in their relationship".<ref name="RSAnimals" />[[File:BoomBox Toronto2015 4.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Andriy Khlyvnyuk]], whose vocals are featured in "[[Hey, Hey, Rise Up!]]"]]
In March 2022, Gilmour and Mason reunited as Pink Floyd, alongside Pratt and the keyboardist [[Nitin Sawhney]], to record the single "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!", protesting [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian's invasion of Ukraine]] that February. It features vocals by the [[BoomBox (Ukrainian band)|BoomBox]] singer [[Andriy Khlyvnyuk]], taken from an [[Instagram]] video of Khlyvnyuk singing the 1914 Ukrainian anthem "[[Oi u luzi chervona kalyna|Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow]]" in [[Kyiv]]. Gilmour described Khlyvnyuk's performance as "a powerful moment that made me want to put it to music".<ref name="Alexis-2022" /> "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" was released on 8 April, with proceeds going to Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief. Gilmour said the war had inspired him to release new music as Pink Floyd as he felt it was important to raise awareness in support of Ukraine.<ref name="Alexis-2022">{{cite news |last=Alexis |first=Petridis |author-link=Alexis Petridis |date=7 April 2022 |title='This is a crazy, unjust attack': Pink Floyd re-form to support Ukraine |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/07/pink-floyd-reform-to-support-ukraine |access-date=7 April 2022 |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407205530/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/07/pink-floyd-reform-to-support-ukraine |url-status=live}}</ref> Asked whether he was considering more Pink Floyd music, Gilmour said the single was a "one-off".<ref name="Rolling Stone">{{cite magazine |date=8 April 2022 |title=David Gilmour: Why I'm Bringing Back Pink Floyd After 28 Years |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/pink-floyd-david-gilmour-ukraine-interview-1334514/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=8 April 2022 |archive-date=10 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410103712/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/pink-floyd-david-gilmour-ukraine-interview-1334514/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pink Floyd removed music from streaming services in Russia and Belarus. Their work with Waters remained, leading to speculation that Waters had blocked its removal; Gilmour said only that "I was disappointed&nbsp;... Read into that what you will."<ref name="Alexis-2022" /> Waters refused to condemn Russia's invasion and criticised "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!".<ref name="Willman-2023">{{cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=7 February 2023 |title=Roger Waters Is 'Antisemitic to Rotten Core,' Says Former Pink Floyd Lyricist Polly Samson — and Her Husband, David Gilmour, Emphatically Agrees |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/roger-waters-antisemitic-says-polly-samson-david-gilmour-agrees-pink-floyd-ukraine-1235515432/ |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=[[Variety (website)|Variety]] |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207224214/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/roger-waters-antisemitic-says-polly-samson-david-gilmour-agrees-pink-floyd-ukraine-1235515432/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, Gilmour and his wife, [[Polly Samson]], condemned Waters on Twitter as "a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy megalomaniac".<ref name="Willman-2023" /> In 2023, Waters released ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon Redux]]'', a new version of the album,<ref name="RollingStoneRedux">{{cite magazine |last=Zemler |first=Emily |date=21 July 2023 |title=Roger Waters to Release 'The Dark Side of the Moon Redux' as a Solo LP in October |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-dark-side-of-the-moon-redux-solo-album-1234793036/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |quote=ROGER WATERS HAS re-recorded Pink Floyd's seminal album, The Dark Side of the Moon, and will release it as a solo LP, The Dark Side of the Moon Redux, on Oct. 6 via SGB Music. |access-date=21 July 2023 |archive-date=31 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831170326/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-dark-side-of-the-moon-redux-solo-album-1234793036/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and Pink Floyd released a box set, ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Jazz |date=19 January 2023 |title=Pink Floyd announce ''Dark Side of the Moon'' box set for 50th anniversary |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/pink-floyd-announce-dark-side-of-the-moon-box-set-for-50th-anniversary/ |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, Gilmour released his fifth solo album, ''[[Luck and Strange]]'', featuring keyboards recorded with Wright in 2007.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Helen |date=6 September 2024 |title=David Gilmour review, Luck and Strange: Graceful ruminations on love and mortality |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/david-gilmour-review-luck-and-strange-polly-samson-b2607577.html |access-date=6 September 2024 |work=[[The Independent]] |language=en}}</ref>

In October 2024, Pink Floyd agreed to sell their catalogue to [[Sony Music]] for approximately $400 million. The sale included the rights to Pink Floyd's recorded music, merchandise and spin-offs, but not songwriting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Daniel |date=2 October 2024 |title=Pink Floyd agrees deal to sell music rights to Sony for $400mn |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c484dfc0-e144-4313-b70f-040a47c189ff |website=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=2 October 2024 |archive-date=20 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120131032/https://www.ft.com/content/c484dfc0-e144-4313-b70f-040a47c189ff |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reported that Pink Floyd had been seeking to sell their catalogue for some time, but that this had been hampered by infighting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=14 March 2023 |title=Pink Floyd's $500 Million Catalog Sale Is 'Basically Dead' — Or Is It? |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/pink-floyd-500-million-catalog-sale-dead-or-not-1235549360/ |access-date=16 March 2023 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Before the sale, Gilmour said he wanted to "be rid of the decision-making and the arguments that are involved with keeping [the catalogue] going ... It's three people saying yes, but one person saying no."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=26 August 2024 |title=David Gilmour on his new LP ''Luck and Strange'', and plans for upcoming tour |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/david-gilmour-luck-and-strange-tour-1235084401/ |access-date=27 August 2024 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}}</ref> A [[4K resolution|4K]] restoration of ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii]]'' was screened in cinemas from 24 April 2025, with a soundtrack album released on 2 May.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Willman |first1=Chris |date=26 February 2025 |title='Pink Floyd at Pompeii' Restored Concert Film to Get Imax Release, in Conjunction With First-Time Stand-Alone Live Album |url=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/pink-floyd-pompeii-film-imax-release-live-album-1236321151/ |access-date=27 February 2025 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] }}</ref>

== Artistry ==
=== Classification ===
Considered one of the UK's first [[psychedelic music]] groups, Pink Floyd began their career at the vanguard of London's [[underground music]] scene,{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=86}}{{refn|group=nb|In early 1965, Pink Floyd auditioned for [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]]'s ''[[Ready Steady Go!]]'', which Mason described as "the definitive music show of the day".{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=31}} Despite sounding what Mason considered "too ''radical'' for the general viewer", they earned a callback for a second audition, with the caveat that they play material more familiar to the judges; they did not earn an appearance on the show.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=31–32}} Also in 1965, they auditioned for the ''[[Melody Maker]]'' Beat Contest, losing to the eventual national winners.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=31–32}}}} appearing at [[UFO Club]] and its successor [[Middle Earth (club)|Middle Earth]]. According to ''Rolling Stone'': "By 1967, they had developed an unmistakably psychedelic sound, performing long, loud suitelike compositions that touched on [[hard rock]], blues, [[country music|country]], [[folk music|folk]], and [[electronic music]]."{{sfn|George-Warren|2001|p=761}} Released in 1968, the song "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" helped galvanise their reputation as an [[art rock]] group.{{sfn|di Perna|2002|p=13}} Other genres attributed to the band are [[space rock]],{{sfn|di Perna|2002|p=29}} [[experimental rock]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Greene |first=Doyle |title=Rock, Counterculture and the Avant-Garde, 1966–1970: How the Beatles, Frank Zappa and the Velvet Underground Defined an Era |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ELeaCwAAQBAJ |year=2016 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2403-7 |page=158|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211001234/https://books.google.com/books?id=ELeaCwAAQBAJ|archive-date=11 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[acid rock]],{{sfn|George-Warren|2001|p=760}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Ramparts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G9RWAAAAMAAJ |year=1971 |publisher=Noah's Ark, Incorporated |quote=Pink Floyd was one of the original English acid-rock bands, and probably the acidiest of them all.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Santelli |first=Robert |title=Sixties rock, a listener's guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IP1DAQAAIAAJ |date=June 1985 |publisher=Contemporary Books |isbn=978-0-8092-5439-2 |page=264 |quote=Of all the major bands to emerge in Britain in the late sixties, none was more wildly experimental and more closely tied to the atmospheric qualities of acid rock than Pink Floyd.}}</ref> [[proto-prog]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Greene |first=Doyle |title=Rock, Counterculture and the Avant-Garde, 1966–1970: How the Beatles, Frank Zappa and the Velvet Underground Defined an Era |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ELeaCwAAQBAJ |year=2016 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2403-7 |page=182|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211001234/https://books.google.com/books?id=ELeaCwAAQBAJ|archive-date=11 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[experimental pop]] (while under Barrett),{{sfn|Chapman|2012|p=113}} [[psychedelic pop]],{{sfn|DeRogatis|2006|p=xvi}} and [[psychedelic rock]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Hutchinson Softback Encyclopedia |year=1993 |page=653 |publisher=Helicon |isbn=978-0-09-177134-8}}</ref> Author Mike Cormack argued that Pink Floyd likely have "the greatest range in all of rock music",{{sfn|Cormack|2024|p=81}} encompassing styles including disco, [[ambient music|ambient]], meta rock, folk, country and western, blues, freeform, chamber pop, and freeform psychedelia.{{sfn|Cormack|2024|p=78}}

During the late 1960s, the press labelled Pink Floyd's music psychedelic pop,{{sfn|Palacios|2010}} [[progressive pop]]{{sfn|Povey|Russell|1997|p=97}} and [[progressive rock]];{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=85}} they gained a following as a psychedelic pop group.{{sfn|Palacios|2010}}{{sfn|Miles|2011}}{{page needed|date=July 2023}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Fowler |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DpgnAQAAIAAJ |title=Youth culture in modern Britain, c.1920-c.1970: from ivory tower to global movement – a new history |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-333-59921-1 |page=9 |quote=...&nbsp;the most celebrated psychedelic pop group of the 1960s, Pink Floyd&nbsp;...}}</ref> In 1968, Wright said: "It's hard to see why we were cast as the first British psychedelic group. We never saw ourselves that way&nbsp;... we realised that we were, after all, only playing for fun&nbsp;... tied to no particular form of music, we could do whatever we wanted&nbsp;... the emphasis&nbsp;... [is] firmly on spontaneity and improvisation."{{sfn|Fitch|2001|p=45}} Waters said later: "There wasn't anything 'grand' about it. We were laughable. We were useless. We couldn't play at all so we had to do something stupid and 'experimental'&nbsp;... Syd was a genius, but I wouldn't want to go back to playing '[[Interstellar Overdrive]]' for hours and hours."{{sfn|Hibbert|1996|p=147}} Unconstrained by conventional pop formats, Pink Floyd were innovators of progressive rock during the 1970s and ambient music during the 1980s.{{sfn|George-Warren|2001|pp=760–761}}

=== Instrumentation ===
{{quote box|quote="While Waters was Floyd's lyricist and conceptualist, Gilmour was the band's voice and its main instrumental focus."{{sfn|di Perna|2006|p=59}}|source=—Alan di Perna, in ''Guitar World'', May 2006|width=20%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

Syd Barrett and David Gilmour's guitar work in Pink Floyd has had a lasting influence. Barrett was an innovative guitarist, using [[extended techniques]] and exploring the musical and sonic possibilities of [[Consonance and dissonance|dissonance]], [[distortion]], [[Audio feedback|feedback]], the [[echo machine]], tapes and other effects; his experimentation was partly inspired by free improvisation guitarist [[Keith Rowe]] of the group [[AMM (group)|AMM]].{{sfn|Palacios|2010|p=101}}{{sfn|Chapman|2010|pp=97–99}}{{sfn|Chapman|2010|p=99}} One of Barrett's trademarks was playing his guitar through an old echo box while sliding a [[Zippo lighter]] up and down the fret-board.{{sfn|Palacios|2010|p=82}} He used [[Binson]] delay units to achieve his trademark echo sounds.{{sfn|Palacios|2010|p=115}} Barrett's free-form sequences of "sonic carpets" pioneered a new way to play the rock guitar.<ref name="Den001">{{cite book|last=Denyer|first=Ralph|year=1992|title=The Guitar Handbook|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd|isbn=0-679-74275-1|p=23}}</ref>

''Rolling Stone'' critic Alan di Perna praised Gilmour's guitar work as integral to Pink Floyd's sound,{{sfn|di Perna|2006|p=59}} and described him as the most important guitarist of the 1970s, "the missing link between Hendrix and [[Eddie Van Halen|Van Halen]]".<ref name="Rolling Stone-2" /> ''Rolling Stone'' named him the 14th greatest guitarist of all time.<ref name="Rolling Stone-2">{{harvnb|di Perna|2006|p=58}}: "the missing link"; For ''Rolling Stone''{{'s}} "100 Greatest Guitarists" list see: {{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/david-gilmour-20111122 |title=100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time: 51) David Gilmour |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021055044/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/david-gilmour-20111122|archive-date=21 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, Gilmour said of his technique: "[My] fingers make a distinctive sound&nbsp;... [they] aren't very fast, but I think I am instantly recognisable&nbsp;... The way I play melodies is connected to things like [[Hank Marvin]] and [[the Shadows]]."{{sfn|di Perna|2006|pp=58–59}} Gilmour's ability to use fewer notes than most to express himself without sacrificing strength or beauty drew a favourable comparison to [[jazz]] trumpeter [[Miles Davis]].{{sfn|Brown|2006|p=62}}

In 2006, ''Guitar World'' writer Jimmy Brown described Gilmour's guitar style as "characterised by simple, huge-sounding riffs; gutsy, well-paced solos; and rich, ambient chordal textures."{{sfn|Brown|2006|p=62}} According to Brown, Gilmour's solos on "Money", "[[Time (Pink Floyd song)|Time]]" and "[[Comfortably Numb]]" "cut through the mix like a laser beam through fog."{{sfn|Brown|2006|p=62}} Brown described the "Time" solo as "a masterpiece of phrasing and motivic development&nbsp;... Gilmour paces himself throughout and builds upon his initial idea by leaping into the upper register with gut-wrenching one-and-one-half-step 'over bends', soulful triplet arpeggios and a typically impeccable bar vibrato."{{sfn|Brown|2006|p=66}} Brown described Gilmour's phrasing as intuitive and perhaps his best asset as a lead guitarist. Gilmour explained how he achieved his signature tone: "I usually use a fuzz box, a delay and a bright EQ setting&nbsp;... [to get] singing sustain&nbsp;... you need to play loud—at or near the feedback threshold. It's just so much more fun to play&nbsp;... when bent notes slice right through you like a razor blade."{{sfn|Brown|2006|p=62}}

=== Sonic experimentation ===
Throughout their career, Pink Floyd experimented with their sound. Their second single, "See Emily Play" premiered at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]] in London, on 12 May 1967. During the performance, the group first used an early [[Quadraphonic sound|quadraphonic device]] called an [[Azimuth Co-ordinator]].{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=86}} The device enabled the controller, usually Wright, to manipulate the band's amplified sound, combined with recorded tapes, projecting the sounds 270 degrees around a venue, achieving a sonic swirling effect.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=134}} In 1972, they purchased a custom-built PA which featured an upgraded four-channel, 360-degree system.{{sfn|Blake|2008|p=178}}

Waters experimented with the [[EMS VCS 3|VCS 3]] synthesiser on Pink Floyd pieces such as "[[On the Run (instrumental)|On the Run]]", "[[Welcome to the Machine]]", and "[[In the Flesh?]]".<ref>{{harvnb|Mason|2005|p=169}}: Synthesiser use in "On the Run"; {{harvnb|Fitch|2005|p=324}}: Synthesiser use on "Welcome to the Machine"; {{harvnb|Fitch|Mahon|2006|p=71}}: Synthesiser use on "In the Flesh?".</ref> He used a [[Binson Echorec]] delay effect unit on his bass-guitar track for "[[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]".{{sfn|Mabbett|1995|p=39}}

Pink Floyd used innovative sound effects and [[state of the art]] audio recording technology during the recording of ''The Final Cut''. Mason's contributions to the album were almost entirely limited to work with the experimental [[Holophonics|Holophonic]] system, an audio processing technique used to simulate a three-dimensional effect. The system used a conventional stereo tape to produce an effect that seemed to move the sound around the listener's head when they were wearing headphones. The process enabled an engineer to simulate moving the sound to behind, above or beside the listener's ears.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=297–298}}

=== Film scores ===
Pink Floyd, whose music was described as "tailor-made for soundtracks,"<ref>{{Cite book |last=DeRogatis |first=Jim |title=Turn On Your Mind |publisher=Hal Leonard |pages=132 |quote=The Floyd's music was tailor-made for soundtracks, and the group did more than its share.}}</ref> also composed several film scores, starting in 1968, with ''[[The Committee (film)|The Committee]]''.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=133–135}} In 1969, they recorded the score for [[Barbet Schroeder]]'s film ''[[More (1969 film)|More]]''. The soundtrack proved beneficial: not only did it pay well but, along with ''A Saucerful of Secrets'', the material they created became part of their live shows for some time thereafter.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|p=128}} While composing the soundtrack for director [[Michelangelo Antonioni]]'s film ''[[Zabriskie Point (film)|Zabriskie Point]]'', the band stayed at a luxury hotel in Rome for almost a month. Waters claimed that, without Antonioni's constant changes to the music, they would have completed the work in less than a week. Eventually he used only three of their recordings. One of the pieces turned down by Antonioni, called "The Violent Sequence", later became "Us and Them", included on 1973's ''The Dark Side of the Moon''.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=135–136}} In 1971, the band again worked with Schroeder on the film ''[[La Vallée (film)|La Vallée]]'', for which they released a soundtrack album called ''[[Obscured by Clouds]]''. They composed the material in about a week at the [[Château d'Hérouville]] near Paris, and upon its release, it became Pink Floyd's first album to break into the top&nbsp;50 on the US ''Billboard'' chart.{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=156–157}}

=== Live performances ===
{{Main|Pink Floyd live performances}}
[[File:DarkSideOfTheMoon1973.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A monochrome image of members of the band. The photograph is taken from a distance, and is bisected horizontally by the forward edge of the stage. Each band member and his equipment is illuminated from above by bright spotlights, also visible. A long-haired man holds a guitar and sings into a microphone on the left of the image. Central, another man is seated behind a large drumkit. Two men on the right of the image hold a saxophone or a bass guitar and appear to be looking in each other's general direction. In the foreground, silhouetted, are the heads of the audience.|A live performance of ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre|Earls Court]], shortly after its release in 1973: (l–r) Gilmour, Mason, [[Dick Parry]], Waters]]

Regarded as pioneers of [[Concert|live music]] performance and renowned for their lavish stage shows, Pink Floyd also set high standards in sound quality, making use of innovative sound effects and quadraphonic speaker systems.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/05/dayintech_0512/ |title=12&nbsp;May 1967: Pink Floyd Astounds With 'Sound in the Round' |magazine=Wired |access-date=2 August 2012 |first=Michael |last=Calore |date=12 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815155805/http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/05/dayintech_0512 |archive-date=15 August 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> From their earliest days, they employed visual effects to accompany their psychedelic music while performing at venues such as the UFO Club in London.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=54–58}} Their slide-and-light show was one of the first in British rock, and it helped them become popular among London's underground.{{sfn|George-Warren|2001|p=761}}

To celebrate the launch of the [[London Free School]]'s magazine ''International Times'' in 1966, they performed in front of 2,000 people at the opening of [[Roundhouse (venue)|the Roundhouse]], attended by celebrities including [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Marianne Faithfull]].{{sfn|Schaffner|1991|pp=42–43}} In mid-1966, road manager Peter Wynne-Willson joined their road crew, and updated the band's lighting rig with some innovative ideas including the use of [[Polarizer|polarisers]], mirrors and stretched [[condom]]s.<ref>{{harvnb|Fitch|2005|pp=359–360}}: Peter Wynne-Willson; {{harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=78–79}}: Wynne-Willson updated the band's lighting rig with some innovative ideas.</ref> After their record deal with EMI, Pink Floyd purchased a [[Ford Transit]] van, then considered extravagant band transportation.{{sfn|Mason|2005|p=70}} On 29 April 1967, they headlined an all-night event called ''[[The 14 Hour Technicolour Dream]]'' at the [[Alexandra Palace]], London. Pink Floyd arrived at the festival at around three o'clock in the morning after a long journey by van and ferry from the Netherlands, taking the stage just as the sun was beginning to rise.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=58}}{{refn|group=nb|Road manager [[Peter Watts (road manager)|Peter Watts]] joined them before touring Europe in 1968.{{sfn|Mason|2005|pp=115–119}}}} In July 1969, precipitated by their space-related music and lyrics, they took part in the live BBC television coverage of the [[Apollo 11]] Moon landing, performing an instrumental piece which they called "[[Moonhead (song)|Moonhead]]".{{sfn|Povey|2008|pp=87: The television audience, 111: Pink Floyd performed a piece titled "Moonhead"}}

In November 1974, they employed for the first time the large circular screen that would become a staple of their live shows.{{sfn|Povey|2008|p=183}} In 1977, they employed the use of a large inflatable floating pig named "Algie". Filled with helium and propane, Algie, while floating above the audience, would explode with a loud noise during the In the Flesh Tour.{{sfn|Fitch|2005|p=241}} The behaviour of the audience during the tour, as well as the large size of the venues, proved a strong influence on their concept album ''[[The Wall]]''. The subsequent [[The Wall Tour]] featured a {{convert|40|ft|m}} high wall, built from cardboard bricks, constructed between the band and the audience. They projected animations onto the wall, while gaps allowed the audience to view various scenes from the story. They commissioned the creation of several giant inflatables to represent characters from the story.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=280–282}} One feature of the tour was the performance of "Comfortably Numb". While Waters sang his opening verse, in darkness, Gilmour waited for his cue on top of the wall. When it came, bright blue and white lights would suddenly reveal him. Gilmour stood on a [[Road case|flightcase]] on castors, an insecure setup supported from behind by a technician. A large hydraulic platform supported both Gilmour and the tech.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=284–285}}

During the [[The Division Bell Tour|Division Bell Tour]], an unknown person using the name Publius posted a message on an internet newsgroup inviting fans to solve a riddle supposedly concealed in the new album. White lights in front of the stage at the Pink Floyd concert in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] spelled out the words Enigma Publius. During a televised concert at Earls Court on 20 October 1994, someone projected the word "enigma" in large letters on to the backdrop of the stage. Mason later acknowledged that their record company had instigated the Publius Enigma mystery, rather than the band.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=363–367}}

== Lyrical themes ==
Marked by Waters's philosophical lyrics, ''Rolling Stone'' described Pink Floyd as "purveyors of a distinctively dark vision".{{sfn|George-Warren|2001|p=760}} Author Jere O'Neill Surber wrote: "their interests are truth and illusion, life and death, time and space, causality and chance, compassion and indifference."{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=192}} Waters identified [[empathy]] as a central theme in the lyrics of Pink Floyd.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=36}} Author George Reisch described ''Meddle''{{'s}} psychedelic opus, "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]", as "built around the core idea of genuine communication, [[sympathy]], and ''collaboration'' with others."{{sfn|Reisch|2007|p=268}} Despite having been labelled "the gloomiest man in rock", author Deena Weinstein described Waters as an [[Existentialism|existentialist]], dismissing the unfavourable moniker as the result of misinterpretation by music critics.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|pp=81–82}}

=== Disillusionment, absence, and non-being ===
Waters's lyrics to ''Wish You Were Here''{{'s}} "[[Have a Cigar]]" deal with a perceived lack of sincerity on the part of music industry representatives.{{sfn|Fitch|2005|p=133}} The song illustrates a dysfunctional dynamic between the band and a record label executive who congratulates the group on their current sales success, implying that they are on the same team while revealing that he erroneously believes "Pink" is the name of one of the band members.{{sfn|Detmer|2007|p=77}} According to author David Detmer, the album's lyrics deal with the "dehumanising aspects of the world of commerce", a situation the artist must endure to reach their audience.{{sfn|Detmer|2007|p=75}}

Absence as a lyrical theme is common in the music of Pink Floyd. Examples include the absence of Barrett after 1968, and that of Waters's father, who died during the [[Second World War]]. Waters's lyrics also explored unrealised political goals and unsuccessful endeavours. Their film score, ''Obscured by Clouds'', dealt with the loss of youthful exuberance that sometimes comes with ageing.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=197}} Longtime Pink Floyd album cover designer, Storm Thorgerson, described the lyrics of ''Wish You Were Here'': "The idea of presence withheld, of the ways that people pretend to be present while their minds are really elsewhere, and the devices and motivations employed psychologically by people to suppress the full force of their presence, eventually boiled down to a single theme, absence: The absence of a person, the absence of a feeling."<ref>{{cite book |last=Thorgerson |first=Storm |year=1978 |title=The Work of Hipgnosis&nbsp;– Walk Away Reneé |publisher=A & W |isbn=978-0-89104-105-4 |page=148}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Thorgerson's design for ''Wish You Were Here''{{'s}} cover included four sides, counting the inner jacket, which represented four absences related to the classical [[Classical element|categories of substance]]: earth, air, fire and water. His ''Dark Side'' album cover features a beam of white light, representing unity, passing through a prism, which represents society. The resulting refracted beam of coloured light symbolises unity diffracted, leaving an absence of unity.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=86}} Absence is a key element in the existentialism of [[Albert Camus]], who defined absurdity as the absence of a response to the individual's need for unity.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=86}}}} Waters commented: "it's about none of us really being there&nbsp;... [it] should have been called ''Wish We Were Here''".{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=90}} Critic Mike Cormack likewise points out that absence is a key theme for Pink Floyd, going all the way from the song "Paintbox" ("I open the door to an empty room / Then I forget") to "Summer '68" ("She let six hours ago") to "Saint Tropez" ("And if you’re alone / I’ll come home") to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" to "Wish You Were Here" to "Comfortably Numb" to "Paranoid Eyes" ("You can hide, hide, hide / Behind petrified eyes").{{sfn|Cormack|2024}}

Waters invoked non-being or non-existence in ''The Wall'', with the lyrics to "Comfortably Numb": "I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look, but it was gone, I cannot put my finger on it now, the child is grown, the dream is gone."{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=197}} Barrett referred to non-being in his final contribution to the band's catalogue, "Jugband Blues": "I'm most obliged to you for making it clear that I'm not here."{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=197}}

=== Exploitation and oppression ===
Author Patrick Croskery described ''Animals'' as a unique blend of the "powerful sounds and suggestive themes" of ''Dark Side'' with ''The Wall''{{'s}} portrayal of artistic alienation.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=35}} He drew a parallel between the album's political themes and that of [[George Orwell|Orwell's]] ''[[Animal Farm]]''.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=35}} ''Animals'' begins with a thought experiment, which asks: "If you didn't care what happened to me. And I didn't care for you", then develops a [[beast fable]] based on anthropomorphised characters using music to reflect the individual states of mind of each. The lyrics ultimately paint a picture of [[dystopia]], the inevitable result of a world devoid of empathy and compassion, answering the question posed in the opening lines.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|pp=35–36}}

The album's characters include the "Dogs", representing fervent capitalists, the "Pigs", symbolising political corruption, and the "Sheep", who represent the exploited.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|pp=37–40}} Croskery described the "Sheep" as being in a "state of delusion created by a misleading cultural identity", a [[false consciousness]].{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=40}} The "Dog", in his tireless pursuit of self-interest and success, ends up depressed and alone with no one to trust, utterly lacking emotional satisfaction after a life of exploitation.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|pp=37–38}} Waters used [[Mary Whitehouse]] as an example of a "Pig"; being someone who in his estimation, used the power of the government to impose her values on society.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=39}} At the album's conclusion, Waters returns to empathy with the lyrical statement: "You know that I care what happens to you. And I know that you care for me too."{{sfn|Croskery|2007|p=41}} However, he also acknowledges that the "Pigs" are a continuing threat and reveals that he is a "Dog" who requires shelter, suggesting the need for a balance between state, commerce and community, versus an ongoing battle between them.{{sfn|Croskery|2007|pp=41–42}}

=== Alienation, war, and insanity ===
{{quote box|quote= When I say, "I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"&nbsp;... what I mean [is]&nbsp;... If you feel that you're the only one&nbsp;... that you seem crazy [because] you think everything is crazy, you're not alone.{{sfn|Harris|2005|p=89}} |source=—Waters, quoted in Harris, 2005|width=25%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

O'Neill Surber compared the lyrics of ''Dark Side of the Moon''{{'s}} "[[Brain Damage (Pink Floyd song)|Brain Damage]]" with [[Karl Marx]]{{'s}} theory of [[Social alienation#Self-estrangement|self-alienation]]; "there's someone in my head, but it's not me."{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=195}}{{refn|group=nb|Marx considered insanity the ultimate form of self-alienation.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=195}}}} The lyrics to ''Wish You Were Here''{{'s}} "Welcome to the Machine" suggest what Marx called the [[Marx's theory of alienation|alienation of the thing]]; the song's protagonist preoccupied with material possessions to the point that he becomes estranged from himself and others.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=195}} Allusions to the [[Marx's theory of alienation#Types of alienation|alienation of man's species being]] can be found in ''Animals''; the "Dog" reduced to living instinctively as a non-human.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=196}} The "Dogs" become alienated from themselves to the extent that they justify their lack of integrity as a "necessary and defensible" position in "a cutthroat world with no room for empathy or moral principle" wrote Detmer.{{sfn|Detmer|2007|p=73}} [[Marx's theory of alienation#Types of alienation|Alienation from others]] is a consistent theme in the lyrics of Pink Floyd, and it is a core element of ''The Wall''.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|p=195}}

War, viewed as the most severe consequence of the manifestation of alienation from others, is also a core element of ''The Wall'', and a recurring theme in the band's music.{{sfn|O'Neill Surber|2007|pp=195–196}} Waters's father died in combat during the Second World War, and his lyrics often alluded to the cost of war, including those from "[[Corporal Clegg]]" (1968), "[[Free Four]]" (1972), "[[Us and Them (song)|Us and Them]]" (1973), "[[When the Tigers Broke Free]]" and "[[The Fletcher Memorial Home]]" from ''[[The Final Cut (album)|The Final Cut]]'' (1983), an album dedicated to his late father and subtitled ''A Requiem for the Postwar Dream''.<ref>{{harvnb|Blake|2008|p=294}}: ''The Final Cut'' dedicated to Waters's late father; {{harvnb|George-Warren|2001|p=761}}: ''A Requiem for the Postwar Dream''.</ref> The themes and composition of ''The Wall'' express Waters's upbringing in an English society depleted of men after the Second World War, a condition that negatively affected his personal relationships with women.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=294–295: The influence of WWII on ''The Wall'', 351: An English society depleted of men after WWII}}

Waters's lyrics to ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' dealt with the pressures of modern life and how those pressures can sometimes cause insanity.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=194–195}} He viewed the album's explication of mental illness as illuminating a universal condition.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=85}} However, Waters also wanted the album to communicate positivity, calling it "an exhortation&nbsp;... to embrace the positive and reject the negative."{{sfn|Harris|2005|p=81}} Reisch described ''The Wall'' as "less about the experience of madness than the habits, institutions, and social structures that ''create'' or ''cause'' madness."{{sfn|Reisch|2007|p=257}} ''The Wall''{{'s}} protagonist, Pink, is unable to deal with the circumstances of his life, and overcome by feelings of guilt, slowly closes himself off from the outside world inside a barrier of his own making. After he completes his estrangement from the world, Pink realises that he is "crazy, over the rainbow".{{sfn|Reisch|2007|p=263}} He then considers the possibility that his condition may be his own fault: "have I been guilty all this time?"{{sfn|Reisch|2007|p=263}} Realising his greatest fear, Pink believes that he has let everyone down, his overbearing mother wisely choosing to smother him, the teachers rightly criticising his poetic aspirations, and his wife justified in leaving him. He then stands trial for "showing feelings of an almost human nature", further exacerbating his alienation of species being.{{sfn|Reisch|2007|pp=263–264}} As with the writings of philosopher [[Michel Foucault]], Waters's lyrics suggest Pink's insanity is a product of modern life, the elements of which, "custom, codependancies, and psychopathologies", contribute to his angst, according to Reisch.{{sfn|Reisch|2007|pp=258–264}}

== Legacy and influence ==
{{See also|List of awards and nominations received by Pink Floyd}}
[[File:Pink Floyd The Wall - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2014-12-30 15.20.43 by Sam Howzit).jpg|thumb|Pink Floyd's ''The Wall'' exhibit at the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]]]
Pink Floyd are one of the [[List of best-selling music artists|most commercially successful]] and influential rock bands of all time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/pink-floyd/bio/ |title=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Pink Floyd biography |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517174311/https://rockhall.com/inductees/pink-floyd/bio/|archive-date=17 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> They have sold more than 250&nbsp;million records worldwide, including 75&nbsp;million certified units in the United States, and 37.9&nbsp;million albums sold in the US since 1993.<ref>For 250&nbsp;million records sold see: {{cite web |title=Pink Floyd Reunion Tops Fans' Wish List in Music Choice Survey |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aOmothQgn6l4&refer=muse |publisher=[[Bloomberg Television]] |date=26 September 2007|access-date=2 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812212513/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aOmothQgn6l4&refer=muse|archive-date=12 August 2013}}; For 75&nbsp;million RIAA-certified units sold see: {{cite web |title=Top Selling Artists |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-selling-artists|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719114528/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-selling-artists|archive-date=19 July 2012|url-status=live}}; For 37.9&nbsp;million albums sold since 1993 see: {{cite web |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130104005149/en/Nielsen-Company-Billboard%E2%80%99s-2012-Music-Industry-Report |title=The Nielsen Company & Billboard's 2012 Music Industry Report |publisher=[[Business Wire]] |date=4 January 2013|access-date=10 May 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112121109/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130104005149/en/Nielsen-Company-Billboard%E2%80%99s-2012-Music-Industry-Report|archive-date=12 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Sunday Times Rich List]]'', Music Millionaires 2013 (UK), ranked Waters at number 12 with an estimated fortune of £150&nbsp;million, Gilmour at number 27 with £85&nbsp;million and Mason at number 37 with £50&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sunday Times Rich List 2013: Music Millionaires |url=http://www.frostmagazine.com/2013/04/sunday-times-rich-list-2013-who-made-the-list/ |year=2013|access-date=23 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128024916/http://www.frostmagazine.com/2013/04/sunday-times-rich-list-2013-who-made-the-list/|archive-date=28 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, ''Rolling Stone''{{'s}} [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] list included ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' at number 43,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-dark-side-of-the-moon-pink-floyd-19691231 |title=Dark Side ranked no. 43 |magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902082653/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-dark-side-of-the-moon-pink-floyd-19691231|access-date=27 November 2021|archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> ''[[The Wall]]'' at number 87,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-wall-pink-floyd-19691231 |title=The Wall ranked no. 87 |magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902073011/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-wall-pink-floyd-19691231|access-date=27 November 2021|archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]'' at number 209,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/wish-you-were-here-pink-floyd-19691231 |title=Wish You Were Here ranked no. 209 |magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902071718/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/wish-you-were-here-pink-floyd-19691231|access-date=27 November 2021|archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> and ''[[The Piper at the Gates of Dawn]]'' at number 347.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-piper-at-the-gates-of-dawn-pink-floyd-19691231 |title=Piper ranked no. 347 |magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902072944/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-piper-at-the-gates-of-dawn-pink-floyd-19691231|access-date=27 November 2021|archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> In 2004, on their [[The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|500 Greatest Songs of All Time]] list, ''Rolling Stone'' included "[[Comfortably Numb]]" at number 314, "[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd song)|Wish You Were Here]]" at number 316, and "[[Another Brick in the Wall]], Part 2" at number 375.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/4 |title=Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 2004 301–400 |magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621075825/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/4|access-date=27 November 2021|archive-date=21 June 2008}}</ref>

In 2004, [[MSNBC]] ranked Pink Floyd number eight on their list of "The 10 Best Rock Bands Ever".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.today.com/id/4595384/site/todayshow/ns/today-entertainment/t/best-rock-bands-ever/ |title=The 10 best rock bands ever: A purely subjective list of the groups that changed music forever |last=Olsen |first=Eric |work=today.com |date=3 March 2004 |access-date=2 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927090954/http://www.today.com/id/4595384/site/todayshow/ns/today-entertainment/t/best-rock-bands-ever/ |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the same year, ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' named Pink Floyd as the biggest band of all time according to "a points system that measured sales of their biggest album, the scale of their biggest headlining show and the total number of weeks spent on the UK album chart".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/q-which-is-biggest-band-of-all-time-a-and-readers-say-6160587.html |title=Q: Which is biggest band of all time? A: And readers say&nbsp;... |work=The Independent |location=London |last=Barnes |first=Anthony |date=3 October 2004 |access-date=2 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804190837/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/q-which-is-biggest-band-of-all-time-a-and-readers-say-6160587.html |archive-date=4 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' ranked them number 51 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/pink-floyd-20110426 |title=100 Greatest Artists: 51) Pink Floyd |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=2 August 2012 |date=3 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620172751/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/pink-floyd-20110426 |archive-date=20 June 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[VH1]] ranked them number 18 in the list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<ref>For VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" see: {{cite web |first=Rich |last=Juzwiak |title=Who Will Come Out on Top of VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time? |date=10 August 2010 |url=http://blog.vh1.com/2010-08-25/who-will-come-out-on-top-of-vh1s-100-greatest-artists-of-all-time/ |publisher=VH1 |access-date=23 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920023354/http://blog.vh1.com/2010-08-25/who-will-come-out-on-top-of-vh1s-100-greatest-artists-of-all-time/ |archive-date=20 September 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]] ranked Pink Floyd number three in his list of the 'Top 50 Artists of All Time', based on the cumulative votes for each artist's albums included in his ''[[All Time Top 1000 Albums]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |year=1998 |title=All Time Top 1000 Albums: The World's Most Authoritative Guide to the Perfect Record Collection |publisher=Virgin |isbn=978-0-7535-0258-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/alltimetop1000al0000lark/page/281 281] |url=https://archive.org/details/alltimetop1000al0000lark/page/281}}</ref> In 2008, the chief pop critic of ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[Alexis Petridis]], wrote: "Thirty years on, prog is still persona non grata [...] Only Pink Floyd—never really a prog band, their penchant for long songs and 'concepts' notwithstanding—are permitted into the 100 best album lists."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/07/popandrock |title=Pop & rock review: Genesis, The Beginning 1970–1975 |work=The Guardian |first=Alexis |last=Petridis |date=7 November 2008 | access-date=11 November 2019 | archive-date=11 November 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111153135/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/07/popandrock | url-status=live}}</ref> The writer [[Eric Olsen (writer)|Eric Olsen]] called Pink Floyd "the most eccentric and experimental multi-platinum band of the [[album era|album rock era]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Olsen |first=Eric|author-link=Eric Olsen (writer) |date=30 March 2004 |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/10-best-rock-bands-ever-2D80554936 |title=The 10 best rock bands ever |website=[[Today.com]]|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-date=21 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521134354/https://www.today.com/popculture/10-best-rock-bands-ever-2D80554936|url-status=live}}</ref>

Pink Floyd have won several awards. In 1981 [[audio engineer]] [[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]] won the [[Grammy Award]] for "Best Engineered Non-Classical Album" for ''The Wall'', and Roger Waters won the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] award for "Best Original Song Written for a Film" in 1983 for "Another Brick in the Wall" from [[Pink Floyd – The Wall|''The Wall'' film]].<ref>{{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=348}}: Grammy award for ''The Wall''; For the 1982 BAFTA awards see: {{cite web |title=BAFTA: Awards Database |url=http://awards.bafta.org/explore?award=false&category=Film&pageNo=2&year=1982 |year=1982 |publisher=BAFTA|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927025800/http://awards.bafta.org/explore?award=false&category=Film&pageNo=2&year=1982|archive-date=27 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1995, Pink Floyd won the Grammy for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "[[Marooned (instrumental)|Marooned]]".<ref>{{Cite news |title=And the Winners Are&nbsp;... |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/02/arts/and-the-winners-are.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2 March 1995|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806003703/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/02/arts/and-the-winners-are.html|archive-date=6 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Pink Floyd were awarded the Swedish [[Polar Music Prize]] "for their monumental contribution over the decades to the fusion of art and music in the development of popular culture".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-05-21-polar-music-prize_N.htm |title=Pink Floyd wins Polar Music Prize |work=USA Today |date=21 May 2008|access-date=7 October 2010 |first=Louise |last=Nordstrom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104070227/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-05-21-polar-music-prize_N.htm|archive-date=4 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polarmusicprize.org/laureates/pink-floyd |title=Pink Floyd |publisher=Polar Music Prize|access-date=25 January 2025|archive-date=21 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121204150/https://www.polarmusicprize.org/laureates/pink-floyd/|url-status=live}}</ref> They were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1996, the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2005, and the [[Hit Parade Hall of Fame]] in 2010.<ref>{{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=286}}: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction; {{harvnb|Povey|2008|p=287}}: The UK Hall of Fame induction; For the Hit Parade Hall of Fame induction see: {{cite web |url=http://www.hitparadehalloffame.com/Inductees_all/PinkFloyd.html |title=Pink Floyd&nbsp;– 2010 Inductee |publisher=Hit Parade Hall of Fame|access-date=2 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112192831/http://www.hitparadehalloffame.com/Inductees_all/PinkFloyd.html|archive-date=12 November 2012}}</ref>

Pink Floyd have influenced numerous artists. [[David Bowie]] called Barrett a significant inspiration, and [[the Edge]] of [[U2]] bought his first [[Delay (audio effect)|delay pedal]] after hearing the opening guitar chords to "[[Dogs (Pink Floyd song)|Dogs]]" from ''Animals''.<ref>For Bowie naming Barrett an inspiration see: {{cite web |title=David Bowie pays tribute to Syd Barrett |url=https://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd/23574 |last=Bychawski |first=Adam |work=NME |date=11 July 2006|access-date=13 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430183050/http://www.nme.com/news/pink-floyd/23574|archive-date=30 April 2013|url-status=live}}; For Edge buying his first delay pedal see: {{cite book |year=2006|editor-last=McCormick|editor-first=Neil |title=U2 by U2 |url=https://archive.org/details/u2byu200u2ne|url-access=registration |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-00-719668-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/u2byu200u2ne/page/102 102]}}</ref> Other bands and artists who cite them as an influence include [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Radiohead]], [[Steven Wilson]], [[Marillion]], [[Queensrÿche]], [[Nine Inch Nails]], [[the Orb]] and [[the Smashing Pumpkins]].<ref>For Queen citing Pink Floyd as an influence see: {{cite book |last=Sutcillfe |first=Phil |year=2009 |publisher=Voyageur Press |title=Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock |isbn=978-0-7603-3719-6 |page=17}}; For Marillion see: {{cite web |url=http://allaccessmagazine.com/vol7/issue12/steve-rothery.html |title=Steve Rothery Interview |last=Thore |first=Kim |work=All Access Magazine |date=27 August 2009|access-date=24 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325022145/http://allaccessmagazine.com/vol7/issue12/steve-rothery.html|archive-date=25 March 2014|url-status=usurped}};  {{harvnb|Manning|2006|p=288}}: Queensryche, the Orb, Nemrud, the Smashing Pumpkins; 289: Radiohead; {{harvnb|Kitts|Tolinski|2002|p=126}}: For Nine Inch Nails see the back cover; For Steven Wilson, see: {{Cite news |last1=Masters |first1=Tim |title=Genesis honoured at Progressive Music awards |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-19492677 |publisher=BBC|access-date=30 December 2017 |date=6 September 2012 |newspaper=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113080633/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-19492677|archive-date=13 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Pink Floyd were an influence on the [[neo-prog]] subgenre which emerged in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/subgenre/neo-prog-ma0000012218 |title=Pop/Rock " Art-Rock/Experimental " Neo-Prog |publisher=[[AllMusic]] | access-date= 28 July 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150904053727/http://www.allmusic.com/subgenre/neo-prog-ma0000012218 | archive-date= 4 September 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> The English rock band [[Mostly Autumn]] "fuse the music of [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] and Pink Floyd" in their sound.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2005/08/03/prog_feature.shtml |title=New Prog Rock festival hits Gloucester |first=Stephen |last=Lambe |publisher=BBC | access-date= 22 December 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170501132528/http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2005/08/03/prog_feature.shtml | archive-date= 1 May 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Pink Floyd were admirers of the [[Monty Python]] comedy group, and helped finance their 1975 film ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/05/06/cue-the-coconuts-holy-grail-gallops-on/ |title=Cue the coconuts: 'Holy Grail' gallops on |last=Johnson |first=Steve |date=6 May 2009 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=30 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205050545/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-05-06/entertainment/0905050391_1_holy-grail-monty-python-john-goldstone|archive-date=5 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2016, Pink Floyd became the second band (after [[the Beatles]]) to feature on a [[Great Britain commemorative stamps 2010–2019#2016|series of UK postage stamps]] issued by the [[Royal Mail]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen – not that one – to appear on postage stamps |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/23/queen-to-appear-on-postage-stamps |access-date=28 June 2020 |newspaper=The Guardian |archive-date=28 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628004306/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/23/queen-to-appear-on-postage-stamps |url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2017, to mark the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd's first single, an audio-visual exhibition, ''[[Their Mortal Remains]]'', opened at the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] in London.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37228496 |title=Pink Floyd exhibition announced for Victoria and Albert Museum |work=BBC News |date=31 August 2016 | access-date= 1 October 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171128203403/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37228496 | archive-date= 28 November 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref> The exhibition featured analysis of cover art, conceptual props from the stage shows, and photographs from Mason's personal archive.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/pink-floyd |title=V&A – Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains |work=Victoria and Albert Museum | access-date= 7 October 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171022195904/https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/pink-floyd | archive-date= 22 October 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/ambitious-fascinating-faceless-just-like-pink-floyd-mortal/ |title=Ambitious, fascinating and faceless – just like Pink Floyd themselves: Their Mortal Remains, V&A, review |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=7 May 2018 | access-date= 7 October 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171009064000/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/ambitious-fascinating-faceless-just-like-pink-floyd-mortal/ | archive-date= 9 October 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref> Due to its success, it was extended for two weeks beyond its planned closing date of 1 October.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/aug/30/pink-floyd-exhibition-v-and-a-most-visited-music-show |title=Pink Floyd exhibition set to become V&A's most visited music show |work=The Guardian |date=30 August 2017 | access-date= 7 October 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171007170552/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/aug/30/pink-floyd-exhibition-v-and-a-most-visited-music-show | archive-date= 7 October 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref>

== Band members ==
{{Main|List of Pink Floyd band members}}
* [[Syd Barrett]] – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars (1965–1968) (died 2006)<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2006 |title=Syd Barrett dies aged 60 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/jul/11/pinkfloyd.popandrock |last=Gillan |first=Audrey|access-date=11 October 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en|archive-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023230758/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/jul/11/pinkfloyd.popandrock|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[David Gilmour]] – lead and rhythm guitars, vocals, bass, keyboards, synthesisers (1967–present)
* [[Nick Mason]] – drums, percussion (1965–present)
* [[Roger Waters]] – bass, vocals, rhythm guitar, synthesisers (1965–1985; guest in 2005)
* [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] – keyboards, piano, organ, synthesisers, vocals (1965–1981, 1987–2008; session musician earlier in 1987){{refn|group=nb|Wright was not legally a band member after 1979, as a clause in his leaving agreement from that year prohibited him from rejoining the legal entity, though he did continue working with the band and being publicly presented as a full member before leaving completely in 1981.{{sfn|Blake|2008|pp=166, 316–317}} In early 1987 he guested on ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' and then took part in the subsequent tour beginning in late 1987, from which point on he was credited and publicly presented as an official band member again, even though the legal situation remained unchanged.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Delicate Sound of Thunder |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3338291-Pink-Floyd-Delicate-Sound-Of-Thunder |author=Pink Floyd |date=1988 |access-date=31 December 2023}}</ref>}} (died 2008)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pareles |first=Jon |date=16 September 2008 |title=Richard Wright, Member of Pink Floyd, Dies at 65 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/arts/music/16wright.html|access-date=11 October 2021 |issn=0362-4331|archive-date=30 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330224928/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/arts/music/16wright.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Discography ==
{{Main|Pink Floyd discography|List of songs recorded by Pink Floyd}}
'''Studio albums'''
{{col div}}
* ''[[The Piper at the Gates of Dawn]]'' (1967)
* ''[[A Saucerful of Secrets]]'' (1968)
* ''[[More (soundtrack)|More]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Ummagumma]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Meddle]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Obscured by Clouds]]'' (1972)
* ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]'' (1975)
* ''[[Animals (Pink Floyd album)|Animals]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Wall]]'' (1979)
* ''[[The Final Cut (album)|The Final Cut]]'' (1983)
* ''[[A Momentary Lapse of Reason]]'' (1987)
* ''[[The Division Bell]]'' (1994)
* ''[[The Endless River]]'' (2014)
{{col div end}}

== Concert tours ==
{{Main|Pink Floyd live performances}}
{{col div}}
* [[Pink Floyd World Tour 1968|Pink Floyd World Tour]] (1968)
* [[The Man and The Journey Tour]] (1969)
* Atom Heart Mother World Tour (1970–71)
* Meddle Tour (1971)
* [[Dark Side of the Moon Tour]] (1972–73)
* [[Pink Floyd 1974 tours#1974 French Summer Tour|French Summer Tour]] (1974)
* [[Pink Floyd 1974 tours#1974 British Winter Tour|British Winter Tour]] (1974)
* [[Wish You Were Here Tour]] (1975)
* [[In the Flesh (Pink Floyd tour)|In the Flesh Tour]] (1977)
* [[The Wall Tour (1980–1981)|The Wall Tour]] (1980–81)
* [[A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour]] (1987–89)
* [[The Division Bell Tour]] (1994)
{{col div end}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group="nb"|30em}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last=Blake |first=Mark|author-link=Mark Blake (writer) |title=Pigs Might Fly : The Inside Story of Pink Floyd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fC_BAgAAQBAJ |publisher=Arum Press |year=2011|orig-year=2007 |isbn=978-1-78131-519-4|access-date=18 November 2021|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521212507/https://books.google.com/books?id=fC_BAgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Blake |first=Mark |title=Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jmJbSIn1LacC |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-306-81752-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Bronson |first=Fred|editor1-last=Weiler|editor1-first=Fred |year=1992 |title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits |publisher=Billboard Books |edition=3rd revised |isbn=978-0-8230-8298-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgGqNrqfrsoC}}
* {{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Jimmy |title=Sorcerer Full of Secrets |magazine=Guitar World |volume=27 |issue=5 |date=May 2006}}
* {{cite book |title=Syd Barrett and British Psychedelia: Faber Forty-Fives: 1966–1967 |last=Chapman |first=Rob |publisher=Faber & Faber |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-571-29676-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Cormack|first=Mike|title=[[Everything Under the Sun (book)|Everything Under The Sun: The Complete Guide To Pink Floyd]]|year=2024|publisher=The History Press|isbn= 978-1803995359 }}
* {{cite book |last=Croskery |first=Patrick |chapter=Pigs Training Dogs to Exploit Sheep: ''Animals'' as a Beast Fable Dystopia|editor1-last=Reisch|editor1-first=George A |title=Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with that Axiom, Eugene!|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxlBF7G5tjcC |publisher=Open Court |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8126-9636-3}}
* {{cite book |first=Jim |last=DeRogatis |title=Staring at Sound: The True Story of Oklahoma's Fabulous Flaming Lips |year=2006 |publisher=[[Broadway Books]] |isbn=978-0-7679-2140-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/staringatsoundtr00dero}}
* {{cite book |last=Detmer |first=David |chapter=Dragged Down by the Stone: Pink Floyd, Alienation, and the Pressures of Life|editor1-last=Reisch|editor1-first=George A |title=Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with that Axiom, Eugene!|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxlBF7G5tjcC |publisher=Open Court |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8126-9636-3}}
* {{Cite journal |last=di Perna |first=Alan |title=Shine On |magazine=Guitar World |volume=27 |issue=5 |date=May 2006}}
* {{cite book |last=di Perna |first=Alan |year=2002 |chapter=Mysterious Ways |title=Guitar World Presents: Pink Floyd|editor1-last=Kitts|editor1-first=Jeff|editor2-last=Tolinski|editor2-first=Brad |publisher=Hal Leonard |isbn=978-0-7546-6708-7|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQ1f7Vasrv8C}}
* {{cite book |last=Fitch |first=Vernon |title=The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia |edition=Third |year=2005 |publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing |isbn=978-1-894959-24-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Fitch |first=Vernon |title=Pink Floyd: The Press Reports 1966–1983 |year=2001 |publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing Inc |isbn=978-1-896522-72-2}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Fitch |first1=Vernon |last2=Mahon |first2=Richard |title=Comfortably Numb: A History of "The Wall", Pink Floyd, 1978–1981 |edition=1st |year=2006 |publisher=PFA Publishing, Inc. |isbn=978-0-9777366-0-7}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=George-Warren|editor1-first=Holly |year=2001 |title=The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |url=https://archive.org/details/rollingstoneency00holl|url-access=registration |edition=2005 revised and updated |publisher=Fireside |isbn=978-0-7432-9201-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Harris |first=John |title=The Dark Side of the Moon |publisher=Da Capo |edition=First Hardcover |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-306-81342-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Hibbert |first=Tom |chapter=Who the hell does Roger Waters think he is?|editor1-last=MacDonald|editor1-first=Bruno |title=Pink Floyd: Through the Eyes of the Band, Its Fans and Foes|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7J3K2snuhAC |publisher=Da Capo |year=1996|orig-year=1971 |isbn=978-0-306-80780-0}}{{dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{cite book |year=2002 |title=Guitar World Presents: Pink Floyd|editor1-last=Kitts|editor1-first=Jeff|editor2-last=Tolinski|editor2-first=Brad |publisher=Hal Leonard |isbn=978-0-7546-6708-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQ1f7Vasrv8C}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mabbett |first=Andy |title=The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd |year=1995 |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=1st UK paperback |isbn=978-0-7119-4301-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Manning |first=Toby |title=The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd |publisher=Rough Guides |edition=First |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-84353-575-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Mason |first=Nick|author-link=Nick Mason |title=Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd |publisher=Phoenix |edition=Paperback |editor1-last=Dodd|editor1-first=Philip |year=2005|orig-year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7538-1906-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Miles |first=Barry|author-link=Barry Miles |title=Pink Floyd: The Early Years |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vu-aAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT135 |year=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-740-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Palacios |first=Julian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DvgH58uEPFAC&pg=PA317 |title=Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd: Dark Globe |publisher=Plexus |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-85965-431-9|access-date=12 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624004447/https://books.google.com/books?id=DvgH58uEPFAC&pg=PA317|archive-date=24 June 2016|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Povey |first=Glenn |title=Echoes: The Complete History of Pink Floyd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C&pg=RA4-PT76 |publisher=Mind Head Publishing |year=2008|orig-year=2007 |isbn=978-0-9554624-1-2}}
* {{cite book |last1=Povey |first1=Glen |last2=Russell |first2=Ian |title=Pink Floyd: In the Flesh: The Complete Performance History |year=1997 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |edition=1st US paperback |isbn=978-0-9554624-0-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KrOPQni4yTsC}}
* {{cite book |last=Reisch |first=George A |chapter=The Worms and the Wall: Michael Foucault on Syd Barrett|editor1-last=Reisch|editor1-first=George A |title=Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with that Axiom, Eugene!|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxlBF7G5tjcC |publisher=Open Court |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8126-9636-3}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=Roberts|editor1-first=David |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |edition=18 |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-904994-00-8}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Rosen |first=Craig|editor1-last=Lukas|editor1-first=Paul |year=1996 |title=The Billboard Book of Number One Albums |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |isbn=978-0-8230-7586-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Schaffner |first=Nicholas |title=Saucerful of Secrets |publisher=Sidgwick & Jackson |year=1991 |edition=First |isbn=978-0-283-06127-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Scarfe |first=Gerald |title=The Making of Pink Floyd: The Wall |year=2010 |publisher=Da Capo Press |edition=1st US paperback |isbn=978-0-306-81997-1}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Simmons |first1=Sylvie |title=Pink Floyd: The Making of The Wall |magazine=Mojo Magazine |volume=73 |date=December 1999}}
* {{cite book |last=O'Neill Surber |first=Jere |chapter=Wish You Were Here (But You Aren't): Pink Floyd and Non-Being|editor1-last=Reisch|editor1-first=George A |title=Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with that Axiom, Eugene!|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxlBF7G5tjcC |publisher=Open Court |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8126-9636-3}}
* {{cite book |last1=Watkinson |first1=Mike |last2=Anderson |first2=Pete |title=Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett & the Dawn of Pink Floyd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kPJlLjf4OogC |edition=First |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-7119-2397-3|access-date=28 October 2020|archive-date=28 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240928172025/https://books.google.com/books?id=kPJlLjf4OogC|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Watts |first=Michael|orig-year=1971 |chapter=Pink's muddled Meddle|editor1-last= MacDonald|editor1-first= Bruno |title=Pink Floyd: Through the Eyes of the Band, Its Fans and Foes |year=1996 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0-306-80780-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Weinstein |first=Deena |chapter=Roger Waters: Artist of the Absurd|editor1-last=Reisch|editor1-first=George A |title=Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with that Axiom, Eugene!|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxlBF7G5tjcC |publisher=Open Court |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8126-9636-3}}
{{Refend}}

== Further reading ==
'''Books'''
* {{cite book |last1=Bench |first1=Jeff |last2=O'Brien |first2=Daniel |title=Pink Floyd's The Wall: In the Studio, on Stage and on Screen |publisher=Reynolds and Hearn |edition=First UK paperback |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-903111-82-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Hearn |first=Marcus |title=Pink Floyd |publisher=Titan Books |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-85768-664-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Cliff |title=Another Brick in the Wall: The Stories Behind Every Pink Floyd Song |year=1996 |publisher=Broadway Books |isbn=978-0-553-06733-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Mabbett |first=Andy |title=Pink Floyd: The Music and the Mystery |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84938-370-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Miles |first=Barry|author-link=Barry Miles |title=Pink Floyd: 25th Anniversary Edition (Visual Documentary) |year=1988 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-7119-4109-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Miles |first=Barry|author-link=Barry Miles |title=Pink Floyd |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84609-444-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Palacios |first=Julian |title=Lost in the Woods: Syd Barrett and the Pink Floyd |year=2001 |publisher=Boxtree |isbn=978-0-7522-2328-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Reising |first=Russell |title=Speak to Me |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-7546-4019-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |title=Breaking Records |publisher=Routledge |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-415-94305-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/breakingrecords100ruhl}}
* {{cite book |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |title=Pink Floyd |publisher=Smithmark |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-8317-6912-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Snider |first=Charles |title=The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock |publisher=Strawberry Bricks |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-615-17566-9}}

''' Documentaries'''
* {{cite video |people=CreateSpace |year=2009 |title=Pink Floyd: Meddle |medium=Streaming video |publisher=Sexy Intellectual}}
* {{cite video |people=John Edginton (Director) |year=2012 |title=Pink Floyd: The Story of Wish You Were Here |medium=Colour, NTSC, DVD |publisher=Eagle Rock Entertainment}}
* {{cite video |people=Matthew Longfellow (Director) |year=2003 |title=Classic Albums: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon |medium=Colour, Dolby, NTSC, DVD |publisher=Eagle Rock Entertainment}}
* {{cite video |people=Pink Floyd |year=2007 |title=Pink Floyd&nbsp;– Then and Now |medium=Colour, NTSC DVD |publisher=Pride}}
* {{cite video |people=Pink Floyd |year=2010 |title=Pink Floyd&nbsp;– Whatever Happened to Pink Floyd? |medium=Colour, NTSC, DVD |publisher=Sexy Intellectual}}

== External links ==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Pink Floyd 75min-article.ogg|date=4 October 2015}}
{{sister project links|d=Q2306|n=no|v=no|wikt=no|voy=no|b=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|s=no|commonscat=yes}}

* {{official website}}
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000346336}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{OpenCorp}}<!-- Please do not add links to any site not officially maintained by Pink Floyd or their employees/collaborators, as endless arguments have forced a strict interpretation of [[WP:EL]] in regards to fan sites. The policy makes provision for a single link to a collection of fan sites in the cases where there are a particularly large number, provided below. Thank you. -->
* {{RollingStone artist}}
* {{Songkick}}

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