Pink Floyd Earns Their First Number One Spot In Two Decades

After the surprising announcement of a brand new album, Pink Floyd is on their way to having their music chart in a No. 1 spot for the first time in more than 20 years. When music fans heard Pink Floyd would be coming out with one last album, they were understandably skeptical that Pink Floyd could produce any quality music this late in the game. And while the new Pink Floyd album, The Endless River, is getting mixed reviews from music critics, the charts don’t lie. Pink Floyd has reached the No. 1 spot and could be there to stay.

The last Pink Floyd record ever features songs written by current band members and one member who left the band a long time ago, Richard Wright. Pink Floyd hasn’t released a new record since Richard Wright’s death in 2008, but he is credited and featured on the record posthumously. Old material from Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell era (1994) was reworked into a new compilation of tracks in tribute to Wright. And according to Official Charts, that album has already sold more than 92,000 copies. Not only is The Endless River Pink Floyd’s first charting album in decades, it could also be one of the fastest selling albums of the year.

Currently, Pink Floyd sits at the top above the Foo Fighters, Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran. Pink Floyd is a brand new addition to the chart, so it is still to be determined if the band can hold their place and keep up album sales.

For a sample of the music on the new Pink Floyd record, check out the promo below for their song “Louder Than Words.”

According to the BBC, The Endless River is an attempt by Pink Floyd to give Richard Wright the credit he deserved. Guitarist and singer for Pink Floyd David Gilmore had great things to say about his former bandmate.

“[Richard Wright was] underestimated by the public, by the media and by us at times I hate to say. I didn’t necessarily always give him his proper due. [The Endless River] is a great opportunity to recognize, remember and maybe give some credit rather late on.”

The Endless River marks Pink Floyd’s 27th top 40 hit. The band made their way into number one spots with songs like “Atom Heart Mother” in 1970, “Wish You Were Here” in 1975, “The Final Cut” in 1983, “The Division Bell” in 1994 and “Pulse” in 1995.

Along with Richard Wright, Pink Floyd featured another unusual guest star on the record, Stephen Hawking. Read more about how Stephen Hawking contributed to the album vocally here.

Have you heard the new Pink Floyd record? What did you think of it?