Big Pink Floyd Survey 2009 – Top 5 Pink Floyd Albums According To Fans

by Keith J · Published December 29, 2011 · Updated March 29, 2014

Continuing the Big Pink Floyd Survey Results, the next installment is the Top 5 Pink Floyd albums according to fans!

It is no surprise that the three Immersion boxsets that are being released as part of the Why Pink Floyd release schedule are in the top 5 albums as voted for by fans. It is also interesting to think that two of the top 5 albums (and they are all quite closely rated) do not haveImmersion Editions announced just yet.

Given what Nick Mason said in an interview not long ago about other material possibly being released, there exists the possibility that there may be others in the pipe line! Anyway… I think the top 5 Pink Floyd albums are about ready to begin…..

Top Five Pink Floyd Albums

5	Meddle (1971) [66.9%] In at number 5 is Pink Floyd’s 1971 classic album Meddle. Meddle was an historical turning point for the band in terms of their creative output. It was the first time since Syd Barrett left the band that all of the pieces fell into place to set the path for the future sound of the band. The sounds developed at this stage in the band’s history would go on to influence the likes of Dark Side of the Moon. Echoes became one of the fans favourite Pink Floyd songs from their entire catalogue and occupied one side of the original LP. Meddle enjoyed some commercial success in the United Kingdom (reaching #3 on the charts), but lacklustre publicity on the part of Capitol Records led to weak sales in the U.S. However, Meddle was later certified Gold by the RIAA in October 1973 and then double platinum on 11 March 1994 following the added attention garnered by the band’s later successes in America. Get the 2011 remaster, buy Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
4	Animals (1977) [71.6%] Prog-rock masterpiece Animals is a concept album based on the flaws of capitalism. Various groups of people in society are represented as different types of animals with Dogs as the businessmen, Sheep as the powerless pawns, and Pigs as the ruthless leaders. The album is loosely based upon the novel by George Orwell called “Animal Farm”. Although this is the first album by Pink Floyd on which Richard Wright does not have a song writing credit, the album is by no means in deficit of his influence. Richard co-produced the album and features some of this finest keyboard work on the likes of Sheep. It would be a travesty if an Immersion edition of Animals were not made! However, for now, you can buy Discover Edition – UK or USA/ROW
3	The Wall (1979) [72.3%] Roger Waters’ semi-autobiographical spectacular creation The Wall takes third place with a 72.3% rating by the fans. The album was inspired after a concert in Canada in which Roger Waters spat at a fan due to his frustrations of them letting fireworks off and shouting and screaming. The album also spawned a Movie and there is work being done to show it on Broadway! Gerald Scarfe’s artwork and characters he created for the album are some of the most iconic images in Rock history. Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
2	Wish You Were Here (1975) [77.6%] Pink Floyd’s follow up to Dark Side of the moon is in second position with a 77.6% rating. This album has a series of songs based on a variation of a theme of absence and was the prequel to The Wall. This album was written on the road by Roger Waters during the Dark Side of the Moon Tour in USA. The pressures of fame continued to be felt and a moment polarised when the band were asked, “Oh… by the way… which one of you is Pink” by a promoter! During the recording of Wish You Were Here, old band mate Syd Barrett turned up at the studio to lay down some guitar which came as quite a shock to the band! Shine On You Crazy Diamond! Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
1	Dark Side of the Moon (1973) [78.5%] It is no surprise that you voted the magnum opus Dark Side of the Moon the best Pink Floyd album out of the lot. It has timeless production particularly in Us and Them, universal themes applicable to generations and some of the best songs ever written in popular music! “With, Without. And who’ll deny its what the fighting’s all about”. It was this album that shot the band to a new level of fame and brought a new breed of “rock fans” towards the band and, some would say, ruined the relationship between the audience and band forever. It has a fan rating of 78.5% which has put it in first place. Shame on those people who haven’t heard it or rated it less than a 5! Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discover Edition – UK or USA/ROW Go ahead and treat yourself to the Immersion edition – the magnum opus of Pink Floyd and best rated amongst the fans! Alternatively, get the entire back catalogue Discovery Editions in one nice collection from Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.com

Up Next: The Best Solo Albums

The next installment of the Big Pink Floyd Survey will be about how fans rated the solo albums of Pink Floyd members. Whose albums did best? Gilmour or Waters? I will share the full ratings card too for all albums! Find out when the article is published by following us on Facebook, Twitter and get our Newsletter.

How are ratings calculated for the best Pink Floyd albums? The score on each of the albums reflects the “heat” of the album. This heat is calculated in terms of whether the typical fan has heard the album before and combines this metric with the fan ratings of the albums they have heard. The combined score is thus a measure of how influential albums are amongst fans thus the 5 above are the definite favourites amongst fans! If I had just taken the number of 5 stars albums got, little heard ones that hardcore fans have only heard would skew the results. Geek!

5	Meddle (1971) [66.9%] In at number 5 is Pink Floyd’s 1971 classic album Meddle. Meddle was an historical turning point for the band in terms of their creative output. It was the first time since Syd Barrett left the band that all of the pieces fell into place to set the path for the future sound of the band. The sounds developed at this stage in the band’s history would go on to influence the likes of Dark Side of the Moon. Echoes became one of the fans favourite Pink Floyd songs from their entire catalogue and occupied one side of the original LP. Meddle enjoyed some commercial success in the United Kingdom (reaching #3 on the charts), but lacklustre publicity on the part of Capitol Records led to weak sales in the U.S. However, Meddle was later certified Gold by the RIAA in October 1973 and then double platinum on 11 March 1994 following the added attention garnered by the band’s later successes in America. Get the 2011 remaster, buy Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
4	Animals (1977) [71.6%] Prog-rock masterpiece Animals is a concept album based on the flaws of capitalism. Various groups of people in society are represented as different types of animals with Dogs as the businessmen, Sheep as the powerless pawns, and Pigs as the ruthless leaders. The album is loosely based upon the novel by George Orwell called “Animal Farm”. Although this is the first album by Pink Floyd on which Richard Wright does not have a song writing credit, the album is by no means in deficit of his influence. Richard co-produced the album and features some of this finest keyboard work on the likes of Sheep. It would be a travesty if an Immersion edition of Animals were not made! However, for now, you can buy Discover Edition – UK or USA/ROW
3	The Wall (1979) [72.3%] Roger Waters’ semi-autobiographical spectacular creation The Wall takes third place with a 72.3% rating by the fans. The album was inspired after a concert in Canada in which Roger Waters spat at a fan due to his frustrations of them letting fireworks off and shouting and screaming. The album also spawned a Movie and there is work being done to show it on Broadway! Gerald Scarfe’s artwork and characters he created for the album are some of the most iconic images in Rock history. Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
2	Wish You Were Here (1975) [77.6%] Pink Floyd’s follow up to Dark Side of the moon is in second position with a 77.6% rating. This album has a series of songs based on a variation of a theme of absence and was the prequel to The Wall. This album was written on the road by Roger Waters during the Dark Side of the Moon Tour in USA. The pressures of fame continued to be felt and a moment polarised when the band were asked, “Oh… by the way… which one of you is Pink” by a promoter! During the recording of Wish You Were Here, old band mate Syd Barrett turned up at the studio to lay down some guitar which came as quite a shock to the band! Shine On You Crazy Diamond! Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discovery Edition – UK or USA/ROW
1	Dark Side of the Moon (1973) [78.5%] It is no surprise that you voted the magnum opus Dark Side of the Moon the best Pink Floyd album out of the lot. It has timeless production particularly in Us and Them, universal themes applicable to generations and some of the best songs ever written in popular music! “With, Without. And who’ll deny its what the fighting’s all about”. It was this album that shot the band to a new level of fame and brought a new breed of “rock fans” towards the band and, some would say, ruined the relationship between the audience and band forever. It has a fan rating of 78.5% which has put it in first place. Shame on those people who haven’t heard it or rated it less than a 5! Buy Immersion Edition – UK or USA/ROW \| Experience Edition – UK or USA/ROW \|Discover Edition – UK or USA/ROW Go ahead and treat yourself to the Immersion edition – the magnum opus of Pink Floyd and best rated amongst the fans! Alternatively, get the entire back catalogue Discovery Editions in one nice collection from Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.com

Big Pink Floyd Survey 2009 – Top 5 Pink Floyd Albums According To Fans

Top Five Pink Floyd Albums

5

Meddle (1971) [66.9%]

4

Animals (1977) [71.6%]

3

The Wall (1979) [72.3%]

2

Wish You Were Here (1975) [77.6%]

1

Dark Side of the Moon (1973) [78.5%]

Up Next: The Best Solo Albums

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