Pink Floyd

An English rock band formed in 1965 in London by Syd Barrett (guitar, vocals), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), Nick Mason (drums), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals), Pink Floyd became one of the most influential and innovative groups in music history. Initially performing under various names, including Sigma 6 and The Tea Set, they settled on the name Pink Floyd, combining the names of blues musicians Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Syd Barrett was the primary songwriter in the early days, and their debut album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" (1967), became a landmark in British psychedelic rock. Following Barrett's mental health decline, David Gilmour (guitar, vocals) joined the band in 1968, leading to a shift in musical direction. In the 1970s, Pink Floyd released a series of concept albums, including "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973), "Wish You Were Here" (1975), "Animals" (1977), and "The Wall" (1979), which received critical acclaim and commercial success. "The Dark Side of the Moon" became one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 45 million copies sold worldwide, and was included in the United States National Recording Registry for its cultural and historical significance. "The Wall" served as the basis for the 1982 film of the same name, which won two BAFTA awards. The band was also known for their innovative live performances, incorporating quadraphonic sound and elaborate visual effects. In 1985, Roger Waters left the band, after which Gilmour, Mason, and later Wright continued under the Pink Floyd name, releasing the albums "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (1987) and "The Division Bell" (1994). In 1995, they won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Marooned". In 2005, the original members, excluding Barrett, reunited for a performance at the Live 8 concert. Syd Barrett passed away in 2006, and Richard Wright in 2008. In 2008, Pink Floyd received the Polar Music Prize for their contributions to music. In 2023, they released the "The Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary" edition, and in 2025, the remastered concert "Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII" reached number one on the UK album chart. In 2024, the band sold their music catalog and name rights to Sony for $400 million.