The Top 10 Best-Selling Pink Floyd Albums Until 2023
It is no doubt that Pink Floyd is one of the biggest rock bands of all time. Formed in the mid-1960s, the band made rock sound what it is. In this article, we will look at which album is the best-selling Pink Floyd album as of today in 2023 and how the band and its albums helped the genre’s growth.
Pink Floyd is known for their distinctive psychedelic sound and experimental approach to rock music, as well as their elaborate live shows and use of innovative visual and lighting effects. The band incorporated a wide range of musical styles into their music, including progressive rock, blues, jazz, and folk, and often combined these styles in unexpected ways.
Since the first day that they started playing music in 1965, Pink Floyd has always aimed to bring the best to rock and its fans. They released their debut with The Piper at the Gates of Dawn in 1967. Recording and releasing its final album in 2014, The Endless River, Pink Floyd released 15 studio albums throughout its nearly 3-decade career. In addition, the band released 4 live albums, 12 compilation albums, 3 extended plays, and more.
So, how many albums has Pink Floyd sold with these albums? As of 2023, Pink Floyd has sold 250 million albums worldwide. A big part of that number came from the United States, with over 73 million sales. However, let’s learn about the best-selling Pink Floyd album today in 2023.
The Best-Selling Pink Floyd Albums In 2023
#10. Pulse
Number of sales: 3.4 million
Pulse is a live album released by Pink Floyd in 1995. It was recorded during the band’s Division Bell Tour in 1994 and featured performances of songs from that album, as well as many of the band’s classic hits from previous albums, such as Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Comfortably Numb, and Wish You Were Here.
Critics praised the album for its high-quality sound and the band’s energetic performances. It also features an impressive light show and visual effects, making it a great representation of Pink Floyd’s live shows. It was ranked number one on several charts in different countries, including US Billboard 200 and UK Albums charts.
Pink Floyd sold 3.4 million copies with the album, which means it is the band’s tenth best-selling album of all time.
#9. The Final Cut
number of sales: 3.5 million
The Final Cut is the twelfth studio album by Pink Floyd, released in 1983. It is also the last album to feature Roger Waters, David Gilmour, and Nick Mason together, as Waters left the band soon after its release.
While The Final Cut received mixed reviews upon its release, the album is a concept album that focuses on the themes of war, conflict, and the human cost of politics. It was primarily written by Waters and has since been recognized as a powerful and poignant album that showcases Waters‘ songwriting and lyrical abilities.
Consisting of 13 tracks in total, the album features some of Pink Floyd‘s most emotionally charged songs, including The Gunner’s Dream, the title track The Final Cut, and Not Now John. It also includes a reworked version of When the Tigers Broke Free, originally released as a single in 1982.
As of 2023, the album has sold 3.5 million copies worldwide. It is the ninth best-selling Pink Floyd album of all time.
#8. Delicate Sound of Thunder
Number of sales: 3.7 million
Delicate Sound of Thunder is a live album released by Pink Floyd in 1988. It was recorded during the band’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, which ran from 1987 to 1989 and marked the return of Pink Floyd following the departure of Roger Waters.
The album received mixed reviews from critics. It was ranked number 11 on both US Billboard 200 and UK Albums charts.
Pink Floyd sold over 3.7 million copies with Delicate Sound of Thunder, making the eighth best-selling album.
#7. Echoes: The Best Of pink floyd
number of sales: 5.5 million
Released in 2001, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd is the band’s fourth compilation album featuring a selection of Pink Floyd’s most popular songs throughout their career, spanning from their early psychedelic rock days to their later progressive rock and art rock periods.
The album includes some of Pink Floyd‘s most well-known tracks, such as Money, Comfortably Numb, and Shine On You Crazy Diamond. It also includes lesser-known tracks such as Echoes and The Great Gig in the Sky, which have become fan favorites over the years.
Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd was well-received by critics and fans alike, who appreciated its comprehensive overview of the band’s career and its inclusion of popular hits and deeper cuts. It remains a popular entry point for new fans who are just discovering Pink Floyd‘s music for the first time, as well as a great collection for longtime fans who want to revisit some of their favorite tracks.
The band sold 5.5 million copies with its that fourth compilation album.
#6. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
number of sales: 5.8 million
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the band’s thirteenth studio album, released in 1987. The album was the first to be released by Pink Floyd after the departure of founding member Roger Waters and marked a new era for the band.
It features a more streamlined and polished sound than some of Pink Floyd‘s previous albums, with an increased use of synthesizers and electronic instrumentation. It includes classic Pink Floyd tracks such as Learning to Fly, On the Turning Away, and Sorrow, as well as some lesser-known tracks such as One Slip and Dogs of War.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason received mixed reviews upon its release. It was received 13x Platinum in total. The album also marked the beginning of Pink Floyd‘s successful comeback tour, which ran from 1987 to 1989 and was captured on the live album and video Delicate Sound of Thunder.
The album is the sixth best-selling album of the band, with 5.8 million sales.
#5. animals
number of sales: 6.5 million
Recorded between April–December 1976, Animals is the tenth studio album released by Pink Floyd in 1977. The album is a concept piece that features extended tracks with minimal lyrics, focusing on the themes of social and political commentary.
The album is divided into three main tracks, each representing a different animal and its corresponding social class: Pigs on the Wing, Dogs, Pigs (Three Different Ones), and Sheep. The album features some of Pink Floyd‘s most iconic tracks, including Dogs, which is over 17 minutes long, and Pigs (Three Different Ones), which criticizes the greed and corruption of politicians.
Animals topped numerous charts in different countries. While ranked number two on UK Albums and three on US Billboard 200 charts, the album was number one on the Italian, New Zealand, and Spanish Albums charts.
However, Animals is the fifth best-selling Pink Floyd album as of 2023, with 6.5 million sales.
#4. The divison bell
number of sales: 12.1 million
Pink Floyd released The Division Bell in 1994. The album was the band’s fourteenth and second album without founding member Roger Waters. It featured a more collaborative approach to songwriting, with contributions from all band members.
The album is known for its atmospheric and melodic sound, featuring a blend of rock, electronic, and ambient music with a focus on complex textures and sonic layering. Many of the songs on the album deal with themes of communication and isolation, which are reflected in the album’s sound through atmospheric effects and ethereal vocal harmonies.
The album reached number one on several charts worldwide, including in the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Spain.
The Division Bell is the fourth best-selling Pink Floyd album as of 2023. The album has sold 12.1 million copies worldwide.
#3. Wish You Were Here
number of sales: 23.4 million
The album was the ninth studio album of Pink Floyd, released in 1975. It is known for its introspective and emotional themes, as well as its innovative use of sound effects and studio production techniques.
The title track Wish You Were Here is a heartfelt tribute to former band member Syd Barrett, who had left the band several years prior due to mental health issues. The song features a beautiful acoustic guitar melody and haunting vocal harmonies, which give it a nostalgic and wistful quality.
Other standout tracks on the album include Shine On You Crazy Diamond, a sprawling 26-minute epic that is divided into two parts and bookends the album. The song features soaring guitar solos and a variety of atmospheric sound effects, creating a powerful and emotional listening experience.
Wish You Were Here is the third best-selling album of Pink Floyd, selling 24.3 million copies worldwide.
#2. The Wall
number of sales: 33.6 million
The Wall is a concept album and rock opera released by Pink Floyd in 1979. The album tells the story of a fictional rock star named Pink, who builds a metaphorical wall around himself as a result of his personal traumas and the pressures of fame and society.
The album features a range of musical styles, including rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock. It also incorporates spoken word passages and sound collages to advance the story and create a cohesive listening experience.
The album’s most famous tracks include Another Brick in the Wall (Part II), which became a worldwide hit and features a memorable chorus sung by a children’s choir. The song is a critique of the oppressive nature of formal education and encourages children to think for themselves. Other notable tracks on the album include Comfortably Numb, a haunting ballad with soaring guitar solos, and Hey You, a melancholic reflection on isolation and loneliness.
In 1979, Waters described the idea of the album, saying, “It came from ten years of touring, rock shows, I think, particularly the last few years in ’75 and in ’77 we were playing to very large audiences. Some of whom were our old audience who’d come to see us play, but most of whom were only there for the beer, in big stadiums, and, er, consequently it became rather an alienating experience doing the shows. I became very conscious of a wall between us and our audience and so this record started out as being an expression of those feelings.”
However, Pink Floyd sold 33.6 million copies with the album, which means it is the second best-selling Pink Floyd album.
#1. Dark Side of The Moon
number of sales: 50 million
Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is a progressive rock masterpiece released in 1973. The album explores a range of themes, including life, death, time, and the human condition, and is known for its iconic sound and innovative production techniques.
The album is structured as a continuous piece of music, with each track flowing seamlessly into the next. The music features a combination of rock instrumentation, including guitar, bass, and drums, as well as synthesizers, sound effects, and spoken word passages.
The album’s most famous tracks include Money, a funky, guitar-driven song with a memorable bass line and cash register sound effects, and Time, a powerful reflection on the fleeting nature of existence featuring an iconic guitar solo.
Other standout tracks on the album include Breathe, a dreamy, atmospheric song with beautiful vocal harmonies, and Us and Them, a poignant reflection on war and division featuring saxophone solos and soaring vocal melodies.
Dark Side of The Moon is the best-selling Pink Floyd album of all time, with selling 50 million copies all around the world.
(source: BestSellingAlbums)
