Pink Floyd ‎– Wish You Were Here

Wish You Were Here is the ninth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 12 September 1975 through Harvest Records and Columbia Records. Based on material Pink Floyd composed while performing in Europe, Wish You Were Here was recorded over numerous sessions throughout 1975 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London.

The themes include alienation and criticism of the music business. The bulk of the album is taken up by “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, a nine-part tribute to founding member Syd Barrett, who was sacked seven years earlier due to his deteriorating mental health. Barrett coincidentally visited during the album’s production. Like their previous record, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Pink Floyd used studio effects and synthesisers. Guest singers included Roy Harper, who provided the lead vocals on “Have a Cigar”, and Venetta Fields, who added backing vocals to “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”. To promote the album, the band released the double A-side single “Have a Cigar” / “Welcome to the Machine”.

On its release, Wish You Were Here received mixed reviews from critics, who found its music uninspiring and inferior to the band’s previous work. It has retrospectively received critical acclaim, hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, and was cited by keyboardist Richard Wright and guitarist David Gilmour as their favourite Pink Floyd album. It reached number one in the US and UK, and Harvest’s parent company, EMI, was unable to keep up with the demand. Since then, the record has sold over 20 million copies.