Rock Musics Most Successful Acts, Pink Floyd, Selling An Estimated 74.5 Million Albums In Just The US, Earn Recognition For Psychedelic Rock

For anyone listening to psychedelic rock music of the 1960's, the name Pink Floyd sparks memories of philosophy in their words and electronic effects in their music, helping then to become one of the top-selling and most influential rock bands of all time. Their elaborate and creative cover art was prevalent on the music scene in the early periods of so-called acid-rock and continued through their The Division Bell, one of their last studio albums released in 1994.

With their unique style and sound they have managed to ring up worldwide album sales of 250 million with over 73 million sold in the United States alone. Coming in the fall of 2007 will be a re-release of the group's first album Piper and the Gates of Dawn, celebrating its 40th anniversary. The release will feature the band's signature style of cover art, resembling a notebook cover for the three-CD set.

It will also include, on the third CD, recordings of their first number on singles, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play as well as Apples and Oranges. The 'B' sides of the first major single releases will also be included with Candy and a Current Bun and Paintbox." Debuting in March of 1967, Arnold Layne hit number six in Britain and was not well-received in the United States, topping out ay number 131. In June of 1967, See Emily Play, debuted in Britain at number six.

Piper at the Gates of Dawn followed the singles in August of 2007 and launched the commercially successful career of the Cambridge, England group. Originally touring under the name of Tea Set, they were playing a concert when another band of same name appeared on the list. With their love of jazz music, they changed their name after two of their favorite musicians Pink Anderson and Floyd Council and the name has evoked the spirit of their sounds since.

Of the original five members of the band, Syd Barrett, Bob Klose, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason only two tour today under the name of Pink Floyd; Rick Wright and Nick Mason. David Gilmour is with today's band but did not join the original group until 1968, replacing Syd Barrett on vocals and lead guitar.

In addition to the success of their first two singles, Pink Floyd enjoyed several more top singles with Money/Any Colour You Like in 1973, hitting number 13 in the United States. They realized a resurgence of popularity with Another Brink in the Wall (Part II) which hit number one in both the United State and the United Kingdom as well as Hey You/Comfortably Numb peaking at number 19 in the U.S.

1987's Learning to Fly/On the Turning Away, hit number one on the U.S. mainstream rock charts but only number 55 in Britain and from August 1865's release of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, through 1994's The Division Bell, Pink Floyd released a total of 14 studio albums.

In May of 2007, Roger Waters was at the Barbican Centre in London for a tribute to the late Syd Barrett. The group of David Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason gave a follow up performance to raucous standing ovation, but hopes of a reunion concert were dashed when, for unknown reasons, Waters did not perform with the group.

During live stage performances Pink Floyd was known for their lavish visual displays as well as the stage shows that shunned any large-screen showings of the band members. Their reasoning was they really did not do that much on stage, and they settled for showing music videos on the screen by the songs.

When Waters took over as leader of the group in 1968, their worldwide success began with the release of The Darkside of the Moon in 1973 followed by Wish You Were Here in 1975, Animalsin 1977 and 1979's breakout album The Wall. Waters declared the band dead in 1985 and 20 years later he rejoined the Gilmour, Wright and Mason to perform at the London Line 8 concert in 2005.

It was probably life on the road that lead to Barrett's erratic behavior and unpredictability, prompting his band members to leave him out of concert appearances. Following moderate success of a pair of solo albums in 1970, Barrett went into a 35-year seclusion in Cambridge, where he died at his home in 2006.

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