Classic Pink Floyd Record Returns to the Charts Decades After Its Release

A Rock Classic Finds New Life

Pink Floyd remains one of the most influential and bestselling rock groups in music history. Yet, more than fifty years after its release, their groundbreaking album The Dark Side of the Moon is reaching new audiences and climbing charts once again.

According to Forbes, sales of the album spiked 72% in the most recent tracking period. This surge pushed the record back onto Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, where it re-entered at number 35. On the Vinyl Albums ranking, it performed even better, securing the 18th spot. While no longer on the Billboard 200, it still holds the record as the longest-charting title in that category.

 

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Why the Album Still Matters

Released in 1973, The Dark Side of the Moon became a milestone for Pink Floyd, both artistically and commercially. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios from May 1972 through January 1973, the band wanted to create music that reflected “the things that drive people mad,” as reported by Far Out Magazine. This direction came not long after founding member Syd Barrett left in 1968 due to mental health challenges.

The band sensed its importance right away. Roger Waters recalled in a 2006 interview, “When the record was finished, I took a reel-to-reel copy home with me, and I remember playing it for my wife then, and I remember her bursting into tears when it was finished. And I thought, ‘This has obviously struck a chord somewhere,’ and I was kind of pleased by that.”

A Complete Piece of Work

Waters continued, “You know when you’ve done something, certainly if you create a piece of music, you then hear it with fresh ears when you play it for somebody else. And at that point, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is a pretty complete piece of work,’ and I had every confidence that people would respond to it.” His words reflect the confidence the group felt once the project was complete.

Richard Wright shared a similar view. “Even though it was so successful, it was made in the same way as all our other albums, and the only criterion we have about releasing music is whether we like it or not. It was not a deliberate attempt to make a commercial album. It just happened that way.”

The Legacy Continues

Upon its release in March 1973, the album immediately gained momentum in Britain. Just a month later, it earned gold certification in the United States. Decades later, its continued presence on charts and in conversations proves that The Dark Side of the Moon remains as meaningful as when listeners first heard it.