Pink Floyd Deliver 'Wish You Were Here 50' With Never-Before-Released Material
(Shore Fire) Pink Floyd has released the 50th anniversary edition of their era-defining album Wish You Were Here. Out today via Sony Music, Wish You Were Here 50 gives fans an exciting new perspective into one of Pink Floyd's most iconic and best-loved records.
The 50th anniversary edition features multiple discs of rarities - at the core of this special collection are six previously unreleased alternate versions and demos presenting Pink Floyd's eighth studio album in a brand new way that demands repeat listening.
Wish You Were Here 50 is released to widespread acclaim, with critics celebrating both the renewed energy of the mixes and the emotional weight of the album that continues to endure half a century on. Rolling Stone wrote, "Wish You Were Here is Pink Floyd's most humanistic album, and thanks to this box set you can now feel the way they all tapped into the same spirit and developed it into one of their finest moments," in a five star review. Vulture deemed the album "One of the greatest albums in the rock canon, bar none," in an interview with Nick Mason. Uncut Magazine described Wish You Were Here 50 as "timeless," while MOJO defined the album "as relevant now as it was half a century ago," and Record Collector described it as "an exhilarating masterpiece."
The 50th anniversary of Wish You Were Here has been surrounded by a surge of new creative activity across different mediums. UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage contributes a piece responding to the album's themes of emotional distance and absence. The poem, titled Dear Pink Floyd was described by The Guardian as "an epic poem... that reads like a mix between a fan letter and the ramblings of a religious devotee." Artist and performer Noel Fielding created a series of commissioned paintings in honor of Syd Barrett and Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts. 1 - 9, now released as a singular continuous body of work.
To celebrate the release, a four-day series of Wish You Were Here 50 pop-up shops open today, offering fans a physical way to step into the world that shaped the album. In collaboration with News & Coffee Studio, pop-ups open at News & Coffee street kiosks in London, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and Paris. Each location carries an exclusive Wish You Were Here 50 edition of the Brain Damage fanzine, a revival of the editorial project originally founded by Pink Floyd author and historian Glenn Povey. The fanzine appears in five editions worldwide, with 250 individually numbered copies exclusive to each of the four kiosks. Fans will also be able to purchase a limited anniversary edition pressing of Wish You Were Here 50, alongside a range of commemorative merchandise. All pop-up items are strictly limited, and fans are encouraged to arrive early. Opening times and information can be found here.
Wish You Were Here 50 is released in multiple formats including 3LP, 2CD, Blu-ray, digital and a Deluxe Box Set. The digital release includes the original 1975 album, featuring a new Dolby Atmos mix by James Guthrie, whose work with Pink Floyd dates back to 1979's The Wall. It also includes 25 bonus tracks made up of nine studio rarities, and 16 live recordings captured by the renowned bootlegger Mike Millard at Pink Floyd's Los Angeles Sports Arena concert on April 26th 1975, now receiving its first official release. The live audio has been meticulously restored and remastered by Steven Wilson. The Blu-ray edition also gives fans the chance to see three concert screen films from the band's 1975 tour, plus a Storm Thorgerson short film. The 3LP and 2CD formats include the original album and the nine studio bonus tracks. The Deluxe Box Set includes all 2CD, 3LP (on exclusive clear vinyl) and Blu-Ray material, plus a fourth clear vinyl LP, Live At Wembley 1974, a replica Japanese 7" Single of Have A Cigar b/w Welcome To The Machine, a hardcover book including unseen photographs, a comic book tour programme and Knebworth concert poster. Stream or order here
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