The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records in the UK and Capitol Records in the US. Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of the former band member Syd Barrett, who departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The record builds on ideas explored in Pink Floyd’s earlier recordings and performances, while omitting the extended instrumentals that characterised the band’s earlier work. The group employed multitrack recording, tape loops, and analogue synthesisers, including experimentation with the EMS VCS 3 and a Synthi A. The engineer Alan Parsons was responsible for many of the sonic aspects of the recording, and for the recruitment of the session singer Clare Torry, who appears on “The Great Gig in the Sky”. The Dark Side of the Moon explores themes such as conflict, greed, time, death, and mental illness. Snippets from interviews with the band’s road crew and others are featured alongside philosophical quotations. The sleeve, which depicts a prismatic spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson in response to the keyboardist Richard Wright’s request for a “simple and bold” design which would represent the band’s lighting and the album’s themes. The album was promoted with two singles: “Money” and “Us and Them”. The Dark Side of the Moon is among the most critically acclaimed albums and often features in professional listings of the greatest of all time. It brought Pink Floyd international fame, wealth and plaudits to all four band members. A blockbuster release of the album era, it also propelled record sales throughout the music industry during the 1970s. The Dark Side of the Moon is certified 14 times platinum in the United Kingdom, and topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, where it has charted for 990 weeks. As of 2013, The Dark Side of the Moon had sold over 45 million copies worldwide, making it the band’s best-selling release, the best-selling album of the 1970s, and the fourth-best-selling album in history. In 2012, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Tracklisting
- Speak To Me (1:30)
- Breathe (In The Air) (2:43)
- On The Run (3:30)
- Time (6:53)
- The Great Gig In The Sky (4:15)
- Money (6:30)
- Us And Them (7:51)
- Any Colour You Like (3:24)
- Brain Damage (3:50)
- Eclipse (1:45)
Apple Music
Videos
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon (50th Anniversary) [2023 Remaster] {Full Album}
More Videos
- Speak To Me (2023 Remaster)
- Breathe (In The Air) (2023 Remaster)
- On The Run (2023 Remaster)
- Time (2023 Remaster)
- The Great Gig In The Sky (2023 Remaster)
- Money (2023 Remaster)
- Us And Them (2023 Remaster)
- Any Colour You Like (2023 Remaster)
- Brain Damage (2023 Remaster)
- Eclipse (2023 Remaster)
Release Images
Release Information
Key | Value |
---|---|
Wikipedia URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Side_of_the_Moon |
Format | Vinyl 2× LP Single Sided Album Reissue Remastered Repress Stereo (Clear, 180g, 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition) |
Label | Pink Floyd Records |
Catalog Number | PFR50UVLP |
Notes | [On inside gatefold] Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London between June 1972 and January 1973 Tracks A1, A5, B3 published by Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., administered by Concord Copyrights Limited for the World excluding USA & Canada. USA & Canada: TRO-Hampshire House Publishing Corp. Tracks A2 to A4, B2 published by Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., administered by Concord Copyrights Limited / Roger Waters Music Overseas Ltd., administered by BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd. for the World excluding USA & Canada. USA & Canada: TRO-Hampshire House Publishing Corp. Tracks B1, B4, B5 published by Roger Waters Music Overseas Ltd., administered by BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd. for the World excluding USA & Canada. USA & Canada: TRO-Hampshire House Publishing Corp. ℗ 2023 Pink Floyd Music Ltd., marketed and distributed by Parlophone Records Ltd., a Warner Music Group company, for Europe and by Sony Music Entertainment for the world outside Europe. The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Pink Floyd Music Ltd. © 2023 Pink Floyd Music Ltd. The label copy is subject of copyright protection. Made in the Netherlands. Original UK release date: March 1973 Made and Printed in The Netherlands [On sticker] ℗ 2023 Pink Floyd Music Ltd., marketed and distributed by Parlophone Records Ltd., A Warner Music Group company. © 2023 Pink Floyd Music Ltd. Made in the Netherlands. Sides B and D are UV-printed artwork (see images). Gatefold sleeve in a slipcase. Limited edition crystal clear 2-LP, 180g. Featuring UV artwork printing on the non-groove side. Includes large oblong (portrait) colour poster. Similar release to [r=30443351] except marketed & distributed by Sony Music Entertainment on sticker with different barcode and different pressing. |
Discogs URL | Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon |