Pink Floyd’s 20 Greatest Songs, Ranked

Pink Floyd gained recognition as part of the underground psychedelic movement in the 60s and early 70s, but they have since become one of the most popular bands in the world. This largely resulted from a ridiculously strong four-album stretch from the mid- to late-70s: The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. These are considered the band’s best work, and that’s pretty much true. They do have other stuff, though.

Meddle is no slouch either, for instance. “San Tropez” and “Fearless” are so surprisingly pleasant, and “Seamus” is a fun display of acoustic blues. Jumping to the other end of the 70s, The Wall is another album from which we can only pick out so many tracks. “Mother” couldn’t have been better, and “Empty Spaces” is one of the most powerful transitional pieces on the record. While some flawless tracks will be missing here, this list tries to prioritize songs that work equally well as standalone pieces as they do in being part of a whole. By turns heartbreaking, unique, structurally complex, cinematic, patient, and more, these 20 songs can be described in enough ways to fill a dictionary. Simply choosing them is a significant challenge, so ranking them almost feels like a thankless task. These are all worthy of more praise than one person can give, but they do collectively seem to demonstrate why Pink Floyd is still such an integral part of the music world.

20

“The Trial”

‘The Wall’

Let’s start with a weird one. As the penultimate track to The Wall, “The Trial” serves as a perfect representation for Pink’s extravagant trial. Focusing on the protagonist’s fractured psychological state as he goes through everything in his life that has plagued him, this song takes this incredible concept album‘s penchant for using caricatured voices and takes it to another level.

“The Trial” is easily the most theatrical on the record—feeling cartoonish before we even hear anyone’s voices. That’s a good thing, though; the opening of a door is paired with a dominating orchestra that makes it sound like Pink has lost his marbles. The chorus has a very dramatic flourish, yet the context prevents this from feeling overdone either. Along with the electric guitar thrashing in as the judge makes his decision and the chorus chanting “tear down the wall,” we get one of Pink Floyd’s most fearless and fascinating pieces.

19

“Hey You”

‘The Wall’

Another classic from The Wall, “Hey You” boasts one of the most hypnotic picking patterns on guitar. Reverberating as if they’re coming from another dimension, these notes echo through the soul. The bass, sometimes sounding as if it’s thinking independently from the rest of the band, underscores the feeling of disorientation. Richard Wright‘s keyboards further underscore the growing sense of unease. It’s almost as if we can hear Pink’s mindset deteriorating in real time.

And that’s before David Gilmour even starts singing. The drums and 12-string guitar work as excellent additions, and the guitar solo is as good as you’d expect from The Wall. Notice how this first verse and chorus are sung almost in a whisper. By the end, Roger Waters has replaced Gilmour—and that relatively calm tone is replaced by desperation, even defeat.

18

“Careful with that Axe, Eugene”

‘Ummagumma’

There are some experimental pieces on this list, to be sure, but “Careful with that Axe, Eugene” may be the most abstract of them all. Which is not a problem; Pink Floyd thrives in that environment. This track is essentially an extended psychedelic jam that produces a thick atmosphere of uncertainty. The only vocals come in wordless background croons, a whispered warning, and horrific screams.

Certain parts of “Careful with that Axe, Eugene” would fit right into a horror movie, but it’s also spacey enough to understand why it would be used for the unorthodox Michelangelo Antonioni‘s 1970 film Zabriskie Point. There are a few versions of this track, but the live one featured on Floyd’s 1969 double-album Ummagumma is arguably the most haunting of them all. For nearly 9 minutes the listener is completely immersed in this gloomy, violent world.

17

“Dogs”

‘Animals’

The first and longest of Animals‘ three epics, “Dogs” fades in with an acoustic guitar that lights the imagination ablaze. The way strumming here really gets the most out of these enormous, unusual chords. Then Gilmour starts singing, which some might argue sounds more like talking. There’s something to be said there, but it also incisively evokes the uncomfortable position of a white-collar gent who’s constantly lying and looking for a chance “to put the knife in.”

After about five minutes, we get to a slower section that coheres into the perfect jam. Gilmour’s improvisation, Wright’s keyboards, Nick Mason‘s drums, and the vocals are spot on here. Then there’s the synthesizer-heavy middle section, which is arguably one of the band’s best examples of totally spacing out. The barking dogs in the background, the light tapping on the cymbals—spellbinding stuff. Is this a happy song? No, but it makes us happy.

16

“Another Brick in the Wall (Part I)”

‘The Wall’

Another heady one, the first “Another Brick in the Wall” is severely underrated. Without any drums, the listener feels like they’re suspended in the air by Gilmour’s steady rhythm guitar. Those repeated D notes carry us a long way, as the less commercial Pink Floyd of old probably would have taken this theme and stretched it out to a 10-minute jam. And there would be no complaints here.

The vocals melody is fantastic, as Waters sings about losing his father to the war. But from Pink’s perspective, he makes it sound like an abandonment of the family, and we can feel the pain that his father’s absence left behind. Melodic ideas that would return in the next two parts of “Another Brick in the Wall” are just as good here, supported further by Wright’s synthesizers, Water’s thudding bass, and all the other effects. It’s more than just a mood-setter; it’s one of The Wall‘s first masterpieces.

15

“Have a Cigar”

‘Wish You Were Here’

From the legendary Wish You Were Here, “Have a Cigar” is an underrated gem that enticingly preludes the criticism of big business found on Animals. First of all, what a riff! No need for a dramatic introduction when you’ve got something like this, and the sound effect on the guitar provides an odd twang that somehow makes it all the more clear that this speaker is a slight exaggeration of something all too real.

While it’s easy to imagine Roger Waters singing “Have a Cigar” with the pointed satirical tone he would frequently utilize in The Wall, there’s no denying that guest Roy Harper sings the hell out of this one. Furthermore, this unfamiliar voice from outside the band actually supplements the idea of this guy being a foreign, dehumanizing figure who only cares about profits. Along with a solid solo from Gilmour, this is easily one of the band’s best examples of a relatively straightforward rocker.

14

“Goodbye Blue Sky”

‘The Wall’

We hear a bird, followed by incoming warplanes. After a young child tells his mother what he sees, melancholy yet briskly paced nylon guitars appear as suddenly as the devastating explosions will. Along with the synthesizer, The Wall‘s “Goodbye Blue Sky” is an acoustic marvel that remarkably encapsulates this pervading sense of doom from the protagonist’s childhood. Gilmour’s vocals evoke beauty in the lyric-less verse, which twists into horror in the chorus as he describes running for shelter “under the promise of a brave new world.”

‘Goodbye Blue Sky” sets the scene so well and triggers such a potent emotional response that it’s rather shocking to realize it’s under three minutes long. It doesn’t feel too short, either, succinctly condensing the experience of getting constantly bombed by the Axis Powers as if it were a flash of traumatic memories you wish you could forget.

13

“In the Flesh?”

‘The Wall’

How does one go about starting one of the most epic rock operas of all time? With something that doesn’t sound like rock at all: a sad little tune can be heard at low volume. It sounds like some wind instrument paired with an accordion. Before we can focus, though, it’s abruptly cut off. What replaces it would be “In the Flesh?”—a song whose introduction rocks so hard that you immediately know this is going to be a spectacular record. That riff is makes us want to sway back and forth.

When the verse comes in, the band backs off to let Waters’ voice and Wright’s organ dominate. As the speaker talks about going to the show, it feels like he’s standing high up on a stage. The riff comes back as Waters shouts directions, and everything crashes. What a great start, and the reprise later in the album only cements this song as one of the band’s most creative pieces.

12

“Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)”

‘The Wall’

Time for one of Pink Floyd’s biggest singles: “Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two).” While “Part One” repeated the single note of D, “Part Two” is characterized by its repetition of the D minor chord. This is also more upbeat, and that G chord in the pre-chorus imbues this with a brighter tone that’s endlessly inviting. The vocals are easy to chant along to, and the screech to “leave those kids alone” feels as relevant as ever.

The decision to have a bunch of children sing in the second verse and chorus still proves charming, underscoring the idea of resisting conformity. As catchy as all this is, though, the song wouldn’t be nearly as memorable if it weren’t for Gilmour’s tremendous guitar solo at the end. Every note feels handpicked by the guitar gods, and the outro with the adults yelling at the unruly schoolchildren is the perfect thing to fade out with.

11

“Wish You Were Here”

‘Wish You Were Here’

“Wish You Were Here” is widely considered one of the greatest rock ballads ever made, and it’s easy to hear why. The theme on the 12-string guitar is unmistakable, yet the structure of this tune is another contributing factor. Usually a band waits a while before entering a proper solo, but this song shows exactly how to pull off using one without even getting to the verse yet.

But couldn’t that potentially undermine the inevitable solo that appears at the more conventional point later on? Nope, not in Gilmour’s hands. While the tone is similar to the previous one, the guitarist sings the notes he plays in the second solo. It’s a beautiful way to embellish his carefully chosen notes. This poignant tribute to former band member Syd Barrett feels as everlasting as the wind that whistles the song to a close.