The definitive Pink Floyd playlist

From Floyd's second studio album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968), this trippy musical journey is typical of the band's early work. The preferred, more popularized versions are the live cuts from Ummagumma (9:27) and Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (10:32). They showcase some of Nick Mason's most creative drumming. This is also the only Pink Floyd song in which all five band members appeared.

There are many special moments in Pink Floyd's massively successful and influential Dark Side of the Moon album from 1973. "Great Gig in the Sky" is perhaps the album's best instrumental moment. Notably for its stellar improvised lexical vocal solo from add-in Clare Torry, who co-wrote the track with Richard Wright.

Founding member Roger Waters was no longer part of the band, but Pink Floyd moved on with A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987). It reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with "On the Turning Away" as one of its better tracks. The second single from the album is the closest thing the Floyd came to recording a modern-day ballad, but the group labeled it a protest piece that became a staple of its lengthy live sets.

More than 40 years after its release, The Wall remains one of the greatest concept albums. Its songs are still staples on classic rock radio. "Hey You" might not hold the same cache as some of the more well-known tracks off the album, but it's creative, especially David Gilmour's country-sounding acoustic guitar intro. As is the case on most of the record, the vocal intermix between Gilmour and Roger Waters is nicely on display.

Pink Floyd had established itself as one of the great progressive rock bands of all time. Perhaps there is no better example of that than the instrumental title track from its second album. "A Saucerful of Secrets" is an opus, spanning nearly 12 minutes and four parts in its studio form. The individual talent of Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright is showcased, notably Glmour's feedback and Mason's percussion solo. 

One of the harder numbers from The Wall, "Young Lust" details protagonist Pink's quest for some female companionship to relieve his built-up tension. The song perfectly showcases David Gilmour's talent, especially his bluesy vocals. His guitar work does not disappoint, either. The song is known for the line, "Ooh, I need a dirty woman. Ooh, I need a dirty girl."

One of the most well-known songs in Floyd's musical arsenal, "Learning to Fly" was the commercial anchor of A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Though the track never cracked the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100 in the U.S., the music video was in heavy rotation on MTV during the late 1980s.

When Pink Floyd released its debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, it was a musical experience that spanned various genres such as progressive rock, experimental, and psychedelic pop/rock. At the forefront was "Madcap Genius" Syd Barrett, the extremely talented guitarist/vocalist/writer/composer and leader of the Floyd. Barrett's presence is all over "Interstellar Overdrive," a wild, raw, and innovative instrumental ride.

While the underlying theme of the 1975 classic Wish You Were Here is an homage to the talented but tortured life of Syd Barrett, the album also touches on Roger Waters' opinion of the music business. "Have a Cigar" amusingly describes how shady and greedy record labels can get. Roy Harper, an English folk singer, handles lead vocals, making it one of the rare times a band member did not take on that role.

Perhaps no song defines the expansive Hall of Fame legacy of Pink Floyd more than this one. Known for the line, "we don't need no education," the middle installment of the famed three-part protest piece from The Wall is truly iconic. The chorus of youngsters is added to deliver the legendary lyric, or the equally anthemic "Hey, teacher! Leave those kids alone," adding more punch and emotion to the overall intention of the song.

At 1 minute, 18 seconds, the final installment of the "Another Brick in the Wall" piece is the shortest of three. Yet, it packs the mightiest punch and offers a key plot moment in the story of Pink, who becomes enraged before sinking into a time of depression. This track is a hidden gem amid the overall self-indulgence of the album.

"Nobody Home" might be considered a deep cut from The Wall, but it's one of the album's most poignant tracks. Though The Wall offers a glimpse into Roger Waters' psyche, "Nobody Home" was rumored to be inspired by former bandmate Syd Barrett's downward mental spiral.

Known for its only line, courtesy of drummer Nick Mason, "One of these days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces." This stellar instrumental lead-off track from 1971's Meddle features Roger Waters and David Gilmour playing bass guitar. That element guides the song, which builds and builds to a crescendo and makes for an enjoyable listening experience. While the studio version is superb, the performance from 1972's Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii is exceptional.

At 23 minutes, 31 seconds, Side Two of Meddle is "Echoes." Talk about epic. The track is one of Pink Floyd's most renowned musical accomplishments, where Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright each contributed to the writing and composing. On the aforementioned Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii, "Echoes" is split into two parts — at the beginning and end of the album. 

The overall sound innovation of Dark Side of the Moon is key to the album's lasting legacy. "Time," with its ringing cash register, coin jingling, and unique time signatures, is a perfect example. The Roger Waters-penned, bluesy classic, which questioned his socialistic tendencies, was the band's first hit in the U.S., reaching No. 13 on the Hot 100, and it was one of its signature songs.

There's a conceptual aspect to 1977's Animals album, another progressive rock gem from the Floyd. Within Roger Waters' critical-thinking mind, "pigs" represent the top rung of the social ladder within the album's theme. From a musical standpoint, "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" is arguably the standout moment of an underrated album sandwiched between commercial juggernauts Wish You Were Here and The Wall. 

"Astronomy Dominé" is the first single off the United Kingdom release of The Pipers at the Gates of Dawn. Plenty of Pink Floyd's will claim this track is the dining musical moment of Syd Barrett's legacy with the band. He wrote and composed the tune while sharing vocals with Richard Wright. It's a fascinating musical trip through a psychedelic tunnel that only someone like Syd would understand.

One of Pink Floyd's jazzier moments is an emotionally impactful gem from Dark Side of the Moon. Richard Wright co-wrote the song with Roger Waters and harmonized vocally with David Gilmour on the track. A great strength of the Pink Floyd collective has always been when the members intertwine each other's talents. Especially when veering outside their comfort zones.

Another personal song from Roger Waters off The Wall album. In this case, our star (Pink) wonders why a seemingly overprotected single mother would be so controlling over a boy's life. Thus, shaping and forming the man he became and the decisions he made as an adult. The harmonization between Waters and Gilmour is second to none.

The nine parts of this Wish You Were Here opus bookend the album. The musically detailed journey is creative, trippy, haunting, and quite sad when thinking about the subject matter. Waters wrote the lyrics, and the entire band was responsible for the overall composition. The track features some of David Gilmour's most innovative and genius guitar work. 

With its alarm-ringing and clock-chiming intro, "Time" and its quadrophonic sound structure offer perhaps the most entertaining listening experience on Dark Side of the Moon. A song made to listen to through headphones, it's one of album engineer Alan Parsons' shining moments from the project. Detailing the passage of time, the track features another brilliant vocal collaboration between David Gilmour and Rick Wright. It's arguably the band's most complete performance on the album.

Arguably the most personal song Roger Waters has ever written. The tale about the death of Waters' father during World War II was slated to be part of The Wall album but ultimately shunned by the other group members for being too emotionally related to its leader (h/t Genius). The song eventually found its way into the film version of The Wall, served as the B-side to "Bring the Boys Back Home," and was included on 2001's Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd.

The final moments of Dark Side of the Moon are two separate songs, but Roger Waters wrote them to be paired as a conclusion to the musical journey. On "Brain Damage," Waters harkened to Syd Barrett's mental decline, while "Eclipse" offered an interpretive ending to the sun-and-moon relationship played out through the album. 

The famed title track to the band's 1975 album is not about Syd Barrett, but David Gilmour has often said he thinks of the late Floyd leader whenever he plays the tune. Gilmour's innovative, overdubbed 12-string guitar/acoustic intro is the song's defining moment. Meanwhile, Waters' imaginative and self-reflecting lyrics add to the overall beauty of the song.

Not only one of Pink Floyd's most popular tunes but a timeless hard rock classic. It's the true musical highlight of The Wall. From its potent lyrical imagery to the stellar harmonization between Roger Waters and David Gilmour and exceptionally riveting guitar solos. The platinum-selling single has resulted in countless covers, including Van Morrison's take from The Departed and just about any time Pearl Jam features it during a live set.