Pink Floyd Just Made History One Last Time

The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals — Pink Floyd has had one of the most consistently groundbreaking careers in music. And almost 50 years in, on the band's last record, it has made history one last time.

The band's newest album, titled The Endless River, is set to drop Tuesday, and it just became the most pre-ordered record in Amazon UK's history.

The album soundly beat out previous record holder One Direction's Midnight Memories and Robbie Williams' Swings Both Ways, which now holds the No. 3 slot. Both of those albums were driven by huge singles. Pink Floyd hasn't had any of that same promotion — not that it would have done much for them, anyway.

The album is made up mostly of ambient, instrumental tracks from the sessions for the band's last album, The Division Bell, released in 1994.

The band has managed to move this much music on the strength of their name and catalog alone.

The numbers shouldn't be all that surprising, though. Well-known, classic names have sold really well this year. Ann Powers for NPR Music hypothesizes that listeners are flocking to familiar names and songs because the news this year has been so pointedly brutal.

Older names with strong nostalgic appeal for listeners apply a healing balm to the troubled mind that modern Top 40 just can't provide. For many fans, Pink Floyd has always been there.

But all good things must come to an end. And it's better to go out with a bang, breaking a sales record, than to fade away into irrelevance like so many classic rock bands have done before. Shine on, Pink Floyd.

Source: http://mic.com/articles/103722/pink-floyd-just-made-history-one-last-time

--Music.Mic 2014-11-08

We old wrinklies rule irrespective of what the young sprogs think and say.

One of the greatest bands ever IMO.

All those great albums listed at the beginning of the article were, in a large part, written and created by Roger Waters. IMO Pink Floyd ended a couple of decades ago when he left the band.

The post Waters albums, were, again IMO of course, just hollow, a bit empty and boring attempts to keep the fame and cash flow alive.

One of the true greats of music. Dave Gilmours solo on Comfortably Numb still the most revered solo ever!

I have been to many live concerts in my time. The best being Queen, Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac, but Pink Floyd was akin to a religious experience. Absolutely fantastic.

All those great albums listed at the beginning of the article were, in a large part, written and created by Roger Waters. IMO Pink Floyd ended a couple of decades ago when he left the band.

The post Waters albums, were, again IMO of course, just hollow, a bit empty and boring attempts to keep the fame and cash flow alive.

I thought the band was much better without Waters, he had become a total ar$hole, yes he wrote some great songs but he was never ever bigger than the rest of the band. Oh and yes he can't sing IMO. But having said all that, I wish I was a baht behind him.

UmmaGumma....Rok On Floyd...Rock on...

One of the true greats of music. Dave Gilmours solo on Comfortably Numb still the most revered solo ever!

My favorite Pink Floyd song.

First heard Dark Side of the Moon about 1972, at 17 years old as a young serviceman on the island of Crete.

Grew up fast there. Still have lasting effects from the Ouzo and the Hash they used to fly in from Ankara.

Had a bong right in my dormitory room....and bought my first stereo...a kenwood.

First album was "Darkside of the Moon". Burned candles on a Buddha statue and listened to the music with a friend from Arkansas...also a youngster.

Still have the Buddha statue (we hiked up to a remote village in the mountains and found it in an old market)

Would go to jail for that stuff nowadays.

I love David Gilmore's "On An Island". Long live Pink Floyd but I don't miss them with performances like this.

http://youtu.be/2L96IpYeWTk

All those great albums listed at the beginning of the article were, in a large part, written and created by Roger Waters. IMO Pink Floyd ended a couple of decades ago when he left the band.

The post Waters albums, were, again IMO of course, just hollow, a bit empty and boring attempts to keep the fame and cash flow alive.

The Floyd ended with Sid. Then after a while we got a new Pink Floyd with Waters and Gilmore.

I agree that it looks like it was all Roger Waters, but what has he done after leaving that compares to the things he did back then?

I think all the great stuff was made by Roger Waters and David Gilmore together and that the rest of the band including the sound engineers had a major part in creating all that great music. I really think R.W. and D.G. where better together then that they have been on their own. Just an opinion.

Can anyone recall the 14 minute "Innagaddadevida" by Iron Butterfly?

I prefer "Get Ready" by Rare Earth...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuIGo8W93KU

One of the true greats of music. Dave Gilmours solo on Comfortably Numb still the most revered solo ever!

My favorite Pink Floyd song.

Mine too. Try to edit 2 Floyd songs so as to make one...Comfortably Numb &

Shine On You Crazy Diamond...put whichever one you desire first. Great

tune it turns out to be! If anybody wants help on this PM me.

We old wrinklies rule irrespective of what the young sprogs think and say.

Ahhh,,,,,,,, In 1987 I was 20 and banging a super hot hottie 18 year old.

Yeah I've always been a Floyd fan. Shine On!

For what it is worth. They came from a time when everyone was before their time. Can anyone recall the 14 minute "Innagaddadevida" by Iron Butterfly? Different genre but same fortitude. Or closer to home Jethro Tull and "Broadsword".

Tull's Locomotive Breath & Savoy Brown's Hellbound Train just sprung into my mind along with....

For what it is worth. They came from a time when everyone was before their time. Can anyone recall the 14 minute "Innagaddadevida" by Iron Butterfly? Different genre but same fortitude. Or closer to home Jethro Tull and "Broadsword".

Innagaddadevida was groundbreaking. I had front row side seats at the shed at Tanglewood in 1969...when the drummer played a solo for 20 minutes. The entire audience was entranced.

All those great albums listed at the beginning of the article were, in a large part, written and created by Roger Waters. IMO Pink Floyd ended a couple of decades ago when he left the band.

The post Waters albums, were, again IMO of course, just hollow, a bit empty and boring attempts to keep the fame and cash flow alive.

You are Roger Waters.

I always felt there was something lacking in Waters' efforts to reconcile with Gilmour. It just seemed that there was no real spark anymore between the two, although I believe Waters is sincere. Meanwhile, maybe the greatest concert of all:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sfsBeDgfz1Y

I really liked the Instrumental tracks on a momentary lapse of reason album, might check this out

edit: checking it out now

My...what a difference a few years makes eh?!...

For what it is worth. They came from a time when everyone was before their time. Can anyone recall the 14 minute "Innagaddadevida" by Iron Butterfly? Different genre but same fortitude. Or closer to home Jethro Tull and "Broadsword".

Innagaddadevida was groundbreaking. I had front row side seats at the shed at Tanglewood in 1969...when the drummer played a solo for 20 minutes. The entire audience was entranced.

And the rest of the band were below the stage riser getting blown by groupies...

My...what a difference a few years makes eh?!...

Gilmour-Mason002.jpg

Gilmour-Mason001.jpg

That inevitable Gilmour blue t-shirt. My nephew met him after his concert at Royal Albert in 2006 and said even outside on the street he was wearing a blue t-shirt.

The Division Bell as their last album before this was pretty decent IMO

All those great albums listed at the beginning of the article were, in a large part, written and created by Roger Waters. IMO Pink Floyd ended a couple of decades ago when he left the band.

The post Waters albums, were, again IMO of course, just hollow, a bit empty and boring attempts to keep the fame and cash flow alive.

The Floyd ended with Sid. Then after a while we got a new Pink Floyd with Waters and Gilmore.

I agree that it looks like it was all Roger Waters, but what has he done after leaving that compares to the things he did back then?

I think all the great stuff was made by Roger Waters and David Gilmore together and that the rest of the band including the sound engineers had a major part in creating all that great music. I really think R.W. and D.G. where better together then that they have been on their own. Just an opinion.

Again, I am kind of a Roger Waters fanboy, but in saying that I found that his albums Radio K.A.O.S and Amused to Death are equal to most of his Pink Floyd related stuff.

Somebody beat me too it, but never forget Sid. Just lived a few doors down from me in Cambridge.

Black Dog is probably the band's most underrated song. Rock on, Bonzo!

A short n sweet write up on Floyd's new album here in the NZ Herald...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11354939

I saw the division bell tour twice- at Earls Court and Versailles. Two completely different concerts, and both spectacular. The old Waters/ Gilmour argument will always come up, and this album isn't by any means new, just previously unreleased from the Gilmour era. Fwiw, I tend to agree with Gilmour that the content for Animals was getting a bit old, and I think the stuff they did with Gilmour had a lot of value, and of course- never forget Sid. Shine on you crazy diamond!

As with many great bands, performers and artists, The Floyd have been through many changes.

I was lucky enough to grow up with Piper at the Gates of Dawn. what an incredible, eclectic array of sounds it was and still is. Syd at his most whimsical and creative.

Then they set the controls for the heart of the sun, psychedelic music, but also beautiful tunes such as below:

Then it all came together on Dark Side of the Moon,, I remember walking through a department store in Bristol and hearing it over the loudspeakers,I couldn't believe it, an underground band had gone mainstream! But of course it was the early 70s and the wholesale commercialization of rock had begun, sadly.

Roger took over and whilst the tunes were wonderful, the theme was alienation and depression, what had happened to the hippy sense of laughter and fun?

But all the time there was the magnificent guitar of Dave Gilmour, soaring, roaring and hurtling here and there: to this day I have yet to hear him play a bum note,

( does anyone have an example?)

I think there are 3 geniuses present in Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett with his esoteric tunes, Roger Waters with his memorable melodies and thoughtful lyrics, and Dave Gilmour with that wonderful guitar sound, evoking all kinds of emotions from sadness to anger.

Different artists with different flavours, the synergy over the years has produced something unique.

God bless the Floyd.