a friend of mine got a vinyl player for his birthday a couple of years ago [we were like 15?] and he mentioned he’d been listening to Pink Floyd to his family and he really liked them. An aunt of his bought him More [yeah, considering Pink Floyd is one of the most requested vinyl re-print bands, they got him More, instead of anything else lol]. Well anyway, he wasn’t too grumpy about it so when he made his birthday party we were in his yard chilling we were like only 12 people and he gave it a spin. I was like “hey this not so bad” and immediately one of our friends, who was two years older than us, took a joint out and I was like “wow dude” because I was younger and I rarely got high at the time so it was kind of a shocker. So a friend of mine [another guy] and I were like a kite when we started hearing Cymbaline [of course at the time it just sounded like a pretty song] in the living room were the record player was, so we went inside and started to vibe to it. I also own a record player so I grabbed this one and turned the Revolution speed up and we started to dance to this chipmunk version of Cymbaline. It was hilarious, I’ll never forget it. So when it came up today listening to it I started laughing because I wasn’t expecting to actually recall the song. There you go, that is one of my high musical stories.)

HELL

YES

I first have to say it’s incredible how much I realized my opinions changed when making this ranking. It was very difficult because in the bottom 5 ended up some albums that I actually enjoy and usually that never happens. It only proves how good this band is. But…

15) The Final Cut (1983)

This album I do hate. “A farewell to Roger Waters”, my ass. This album it’s just Roger Waters swimming in self-indulgence and pretentiousness. He is just so boring without Wright and Gilmour. Given I love The Wall, The Final Cut sounds like if that album were stripped down to its most basic and uninteresting concepts and sounds. It lacks soul and it honestly feels offensive. I’m glad Rogers left the band, because even though he was probably who contributed the most to the 70s, he was just so f*****g full of himself this album ended up sounding like him violently masturbating in the studio. Excuse me for the expression ladiesWell I just hate how boring it is and how it never goes absolutely nowhere. The best songs on that album are the final two tracks. And the only reason this is is because Not Now John is a considerably weaker version of Young Lust, and Two Suns in the Sunset is a vastly worst version of Mother . Not only is the album B-A-D, but it is morally infuriating for me. Waters could be such a great band-leader if he just… let go of his ego for a lil bit. The Wall was such a great album, he could’ve left then and it would be a much better farewell, considering The Wall was good because it combined Waters with inputs from Wright and Gilmour giving it a lot of personality and flavour. Here he is just alone and it honestly sounds terrible. Don’t want to sound like a child but I hate it. I hate it I hate it I hate it 2/10

14) Ummagumma (1969)

The other only album I dislike by Pink Floyd. It’s just a bunch of material thrown at a wall. Side A, the live album, is decent, given that Astronomy Domine and Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun are already great songs, and they are played with taste and patience. Also Careful with That Axe, Eugene was a single I was not aware of and it sounds great. But Side B, which should’ve been the part were they prove they could still come up with new, fresh ideas, is just a massive failure. Most of these aren’t even compositions, they’re just ambient crap. Not even like well-orchestrated, mind-expanding, ambient pieces, just a bunch of boring noises surrounded by more boring noises and occasionally a decent groove or acoustic melody that quickly goes away. Hugely underwhelming. 3/10

13) The Endless River (2014)

I don’t want this album to be here because I like it, I really do. I hope to listen to it again soon and probably will. It’s just not capable of surpassing this spot, that is how good this discography is. When it came out I liked it enough, I still like it enough. It is not the ground-breaking Pink Floyd album most of their albums were, and it just doesn’t contain a single piece that I can point my finger at and say “that one, that is the one you should wait for”. The truth is it’s not even a Pink Floyd album at all but just decent imitations by the band to bring back the genius they don’t have anymore. I also know some of this were cutting room left-overs, and it kind of shows. But if I squint at it a little bit, and just let it play, it sounds like a more than decent ambient rock record. Most of the songs are okay, and can fill an atmosphere. If it was a newcomer band with the purpose of only creating a great-sounding, ambient rock album, I would give it probably a seven out of ten. Buuuut, given it’s a Pink Floyd album, the desire for greatness is always there. It doesn’t deliver. Yet if you take it out of context it can be quite pleasant. But still, you know. 5/10

12) A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)

This album isn’t what it should’ve been, but given it came out after an album I really dislike such as The Final Cut, it only feels refreshing if nothing else. I like how Pink Floyd kind of adapted to a more 80s sound, with a lot of good production. It’s honestly just good. Nothing less, nothing more. At times it actually feels epic, at times it can turn boring, but it is a fair album, taking into account there is no Waters. Learning to Fly is a great song, One Slip is a great song. Some of the more electric sounds really give it a personality of its own. After that 70s era, it feels just like a break from all of that Waters madness and it’s relaxing. Honestly give it a try if you haven’t, it isn’t nearly as bad as many make it seem. There is just eleven records that are better. 6/10

11) More (1969)

Oh my god this is starting to look just like a typical Pink Floyd ranking list WHY DAMMIT WHY THIS ALBUM IS SO GOOD THIS IS SO HARDMore is the greatest album ever made and nobody can prove me wrong

…

Ok no. But it is a solid effort. Given my previously told story, and that I was actually impressed by how good some of the compositions were like The Nile Song, Green Is the Colour and Dramatic Theme, I can’t help but to personally feel attached to this album. Spiritually, it is probably an eight out of ten. Yet, if I actually listen to it, it has a lot of boring pieces, and it still derived from that unbearable obsession they had for scary ambient music that the departure of Syd Barrett had forced them to go into, desperate for material, as Waters hadn’t taken command yet. More is a mixed album, but when it turns good it can actually be quite creative. But in the grander scheme of things it’s just a peak of what’s to come instead of an actual opera. 6/10

10) The Division Bell (1994)

YEAH I KNOW I DIDN’T EXPECT IT TO GO SO LOW EITHER. This is driving me crazy, I can’t believe there actually are nine records better than this one. Honestly some of this records are probably tied in my personal ranking, I’m just deciding one over another because otherwise it would look convoluted. The Division Bell is great, and a breath of fresh air after that confusing 80s period with a lot of line-up changes and sonic indecission. It is considerably more focused that many of their other albums, some of which I like even more than this one, mind you. Sometimes focused doesn’t mean better. But it is nice to see Gilmour finally come to his senses and create something that is solid and at moments beautiful. Apart from classics like Take It Back and Keep Talking, this album has one of my favourite Pink Floyd songs: Lost for Words. And overall every song feels like part of the album. It lacks a lot of punch for it to be on the greatest Floyd category, but I like it, I would honestly listen to it all the way through again today if I had nothing better to do. 7/10

9) Atom Heart Mother (1970)

I love this album, but in a very resentful way. Objectively speaking, it has a lot of flaws, and it is very unfocused and meandering. But, some of their best grooves and compositions are here. The title track is what mostly puts me off, because after hearing something like Echoes, I feel like they were trying to create Echoes but still couldn’t because they didn’t have enough experience or initiative. This album is like looking at the most talented man in the world, not realizing he is in fact the most talented man in the world. If some of this pieces were structured differently, or maybe shortened and added some type of concept to it, some type of progression, maybe a lyrical or sound connection, this could be one of the band’s best. But instead, we get a Side A that is just a lot of repetition and ambient noises, and a Side B that is as creative as it is scattered. Atom Heart Mother is essentially Meddle backwards, with a center piece that isn’t nearly as cathartic and expressive, and songs that should be preparing us for that climax are in the back end instead, thrown together and unpolished. So it’s not the material, it’s the arranging, the pacing. Like, seriously, why is the closing track three widely different instrumentals separated by a bunch of noises? Those three compositions in Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast are all excellent, by themselves, but why are they together? I feel lost in the woods. It’s a beautiful forrest, but I am lost. Summer ’68 is also fantastic, by the way. And If and Fat Old Sun are more than deserving of a spot as well. But that is the thing, they don’t feel enhanced being together, which is what an album should ultimately do. I have very mixed feelings, but it is still above average Pink Floyd material, generally speaking, what can I say? 7/10

8) The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)

I don’t stand by anything I said back then.

I ended up loving it. I’ll thank @Beatlebug for encouraging me to not give up to quickly and give it a couple of more listens, envisioning it as a “whimsical, slightly acid-laden extension of a kind of Alice in Wonderland vision of youth and childhood, with an overlay of nostalgia”. It really worked, I love this album now. It has a lot of great early compositions. Great mysterious music in tracks like Lucifer Sam, wonderfully creative instrumentals in stuff like Pow R. Toc H. and really funny songs such as Bike. It is original, and envelope pushing and, and… it’s just a– a– fantastic debut. I still don’t really like some of the transitions, rough instrumentation, I still don’t really like Interstellar Overdrive, but in the end those are just bridges between what turned out to be really enjoyable material. And considering it was 1967, this was just as advanced as the Beatles, Zappa, the Velvet Underground and the Doors were. It is quite rough, but it could seriously go up against the best of its contemporaries. 8/10

7) A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

HELL YES to this awesome album. HELL YES to Side A of this album. Side B is decent but nothing special. After many listens the two sides of the record just keep distancing themselves further and further. Consider how each side sets off and lands. Side A opens with Let There Be More Light which right out of the gate is way more different than whatever was on The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and it’s an important gate to the 70s Floyd era. And the side ends with Corporal Clegg, which is a great, early progressive song with a lot of humour and personality to it. In the midst of it, there’s also Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun which is also amazing. Side B opens with the title track, which is that ambient nonsense that I don’t enjoy at all and ends with a decent but ultimately disposable and typical Barrett track: Jugband Blues. Overall the feeling of greatness doesn’t really go away. And Side A is almost flawless. If the sides were flipped, I would probably have it in better regard. It lacks the grand ending their best records have, but other than that some of this stuff is top tier material. Nothing against Syd, his contributions to their debut were more than great, but his departure was showing in how interesting the band was becoming, and how free they were getting in respect to all of that psychedelic flower-power s**t that flooded the late 60s. The debut had a lot of it, and even though it was benefited from it, this direction was way more viable. 8/10

6) Obscured by Clouds (1972)

I KNOW. I wasn’t expecting it either. I remember first hearing this record and thinking to myself “what a load of crap” but after revisiting it, I honestly had to rethink a lot of stuff from my musical standards to is there a God /why are we here/is this real life. This record is hella good. After Rita praised it so highly I was quite curious and I honestly have to say I really love it. It is one of the only Floyd records were you don’t have to eat up a f*****g 9 minute nonsense piece and it’s actually an ode to harmony and melody. Finally I love how varied it is in instrumentation and the lyrics are quite free-flowing. And one of the most beautiful things about it is I don’t have to deconstruct it because there is nothing that particularly stands out, it’s just a stone-hard consistent listen and it surprises the ear with unprecedented beauty in the Pink Floyd catalogue. I’m not saying Meddle isn’t better, because it is, but this album has a whole personality of its own and I’m honestly fascinated by it. Wonderfully creative and groovy. I can’t believe it made it this far up my list but this album I will revisit the most for the next month, I guarantee you, it is not only great, but also very underrated. Up there in the A/B tier. 8/10

5) Wish You Were Here (1975)

This one has fallen with time in my book. In the end, it’s f*****g Wish You Were Here, nothing short of a masterpiece. But within this top five it used to be among the first three but it just doesn’t make the cut for me anymore. Granted, I love the first 13 minutes as if they were my own son. Wish You Were Here is still one of the most gorgeous acoustic songs I’ve ever heard and the last 12 minutes are also excellent. The album flows like the most clean and pristine river you could imagine. Other than that, Welcome to the Machine is boring. It is fitting, but boring. Have a Cigar is underwhelming but the synths are great and tie the aesthetic of the album really nicely. Other than that, the album as a whole is one big song, and the most epic one you can imagine. Not to mention my absolute favourite song by Pink Floyd is in this album: Shine On You Crazy Diamond PART VIII. The pre-closer, psychedelic driving funk piece that is presented after the reprised chorus of Shine On You Crazy Diamond is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard Pink Floyd perform. It is what funk should aspire to be always. And if we go back at the beginning, one of the band’s best moments in their entire discography is just generated in the opening four minutes and it consists of four single notes, that cut through your soul like a knife. If you haven’t listened to this album don’t worry, you’ll know the notes when you hear them. Every turn this album makes is confident, and very much called for, I may not like some of it but it’s so pleasant to hear the band so focused and so certain about where they’re going. An undisputable masterpiece, despite of what I’ve said in the past. I once said this was an eight out of ten, maybe more if I was feeling forgiving. Well, as I’ve stated, today I’m feeling pretty: 9/10

4) Meddle (1971)

A way more personal pick for me. First off one of my favourite Pink Floyd songs is on here and is Fearless. Ooh I love that track. Jus like I said, this is Atom Heart Mother backwards. Side A is, in the words of the best musician of all time, DJ Khaled, ANOTHER ONE! On one hand you get stuff like One of These Days, which sounds take straight out of a… space… James Bond, with a touch of mania, and then a song like San Tropez, which sounds weirdly charming, resembling the music of previous acts like Simon & Garfunkel, particularly a song like Punky’s Dilemma, wonderful tracks, both the Floyd and the Simon & Garfunkel one. It just goes to show how much Pink Floyd had the ability to be eclectic as fuuh… The progression is way more rewarding when compared to the previous release. Not only is Echoes a frecking masterpiece and 23 minutes of pure joy, but the fact that side A is so disjointed only adds to how uneasy the build up is until the final track comes in. And I’m not even mentioning the fact that no song on Side A is bad, they’re all perfectly crafted, yet very much different, musical experiments that pay off perfectly. Seamus has been criticized as bad, to which I answer: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! That song is not only short as hell, so you don’t even get to get tired of it, but it is also funny as hell. I’ve read on this forum once someone talking about the Beatles’ Can’t You Take Me Back at the end of Cry Baby Cry (I don’t remember who said it, sorry, please come forward if you’re the one). She/he said that it’s kind of a scary song, and there seemed to be no particular reason for it. But in the end the conclusion was, Can’t You Take Me Back is scary because you subconsciously know that Revolution 9 is coming right after. I think that comment is genius, because it’s true. Seamus is that for me. That fact that I know that Echoes drop is gonna hit after is what makes Seamus so… creepy. Without context, Seamus is a dumb blues, but the fact that I relate it to something as epic and scary as Echoes coming after it, is what makes it such a chilling point in the album. That track is essentially the “ok the cute part is over, now let’s get to the real s**t”. This album seems to be a very unfocused recording session, but the band in the editing room grabbed these recordings and positioned them in such a way that the album ends up being the best experience it could possibly be. Killer material front to back. There’s even a One of These Days reprise on Echoes, and it just ties the whole thing together with such epicness. 9/10

3) The Wall (1979)

I know there is a lot of hate for this album out there, painted as being overrated and boring. Well go FRECK yourself. This album kicks ass and it is epic like a battle between gods. Some of their best songs are in here, both fan favourites (Another Brick in the Wall, Hey You, Comfortably Numb) and personal favourites (Mother , Goodbye Blue Sky, Run Like Hell, Young Lust, Waiting for the Worms, The Trial). It has a very clear vision, and as much as you can hate on Roger Waters (I have, as you’ve read previously) the guy was so talented is not even fair, he had perfected such a level of vision his albums sounded like movies. The Wall is probably at its worst in Side B, which I think is the most rambling one. Granted, most of the “ambient” work on this album is still in the better side of the spectrum, but it is still ambient work, you know. Considering how much mind-blowing music inhabits sides A, C & D, it could’ve maybe used some more melody. Ultimately, it is a solid statement, that really works itself into being one of the greatest albums of the 1970s, even if at times it is kind of full of itself. The ultimate concept album. I can’t hate on it as much as other people, it’s The Wall, you have to be crazy to dislike it. 9/10

2) Animals (1977)

Ooooohhhh yessss babyyy give me some of that three-long-ass-tracks-type album. Well, what should I say? It’s only three tracks, and they are all good, and don’t turn boring at any point. It’s perfect. I love Dogs the most, but the ending of Sheep is my favourite part in the album as epic as it is and Pigs (Three Different Ones) is a fantastic melodic piece. The cover is still one of my favourite album covers of all time, the lyrics are scary and insightful, and Pigs on the Wind is a beautiful song to nostalgically open the album and humbly bring it down to Earth. It is only 41 minutes in length which makes it nice and tight and ultimately it wins over The Wall because it contains 0% fat. It only loses against The Dark Side of the Moon because the latter has more compositions of the same calibre. But it is kind of Animals, y’know. Sometimes it’s my absolute favourite if I’m in the right mood. 10/10

1) The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

I can name every track off the top of my head in order without messing up in under 10 seconds. The progression of this album is perfect. Every piece references the other but still manages to be its own little universe. Killer opening? Granted (Breathe). Weird experimental piece? Yes, and probably their best (On the Run). Insightful lyrics? You got it (Time). What about a banger funky tune? 100% (Money). What about a slow-burner? Got good news for ya… (Us and Them). How about a groovy, psychedelic instrumental? Yessir (Any Colour You Like). What about the closer? Is it good? Oh baby, Eclipse is only the best closer in rock history. This dudes had made some of the best music in the 70s, and they were more than set to publish it, and they still decided, in the middle of the album, out of nowhere, without any need for it, just start playing their instruments to a random woman screaming her lungs out. WHY?! WAS IT NECESSARY?! NO IT WASN’T. But I couldn’t be more grateful that it happened because it sounds f*****g awesome, and it is so particular. This album is just the perfect fit for something that is always evolving and variating, at the same time it still always sounds the same. No song on this album could fit any other Pink Floyd album, nor any other song from any other album could be inside this without making it worst. It is the quintessential unified album experience. People who say this record is overrated are basic bitches. The Dark Side of the Moon is the masterpiece it’s pumped up to be if you just f*cking LISTEN. And considering the Pink Floyd discography, it is probably the biggest artistic leap they ever made. Honestly, to go from something as (good AND) unfocused as Meddle to something as polished and detailed as this is a stroke of genius. It’s The Dark Side of the Moon, folks, now vow. 10/10

courtesy of Mr. Fantano, pretty good, @QuarryMan have you listened to it? I think you would like it.

love me some Biggie

I haven’t listened to it in a while and it’s one of my favourites