The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd is overrated, but not because it’s a bad album—it’s great, but is it their best? Animals and Wish You Were Here offer so much more artistically, but they don’t get as much recognition because they are less accessible.
First of all, yes, Dark Side is a great album filled with strong songwriting and top production. However, it does lack lyrical depth. While it touches on themes of greed, mental illness, time, and even existential dread, it does not explore them as profoundly as the band does in later albums.
This LP was the moment Pink Floyd refined and solidified their signature psychedelic rock sound, but it was not their peak—it was simply their most accessible album.
Unlike later releases, where songs could stretch past the 15-minute mark with long instrumental passages, Dark Side keeps its songs concise. Also, the lyrics are more direct and not as cryptic as in Animals. This, along with the classic album cover, makes it the go-to Pink Floyd project.
Wish You Were Here was released two years later, and it’s a deeply emotional album that discusses themes of loss and absence. It’s mainly about Syd Barrett, a former band member who parted ways with the band due to mental-health issues and addiction. It contains “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Wish You Were Here,” deeply emotional songs that talk about their former band member, with lyrics like “Remember when you were young/you shone like the sun.”
Two years later, their best album, Animals, was released. The production is masterful; the sound is perfect, and the meaning behind it is so deep.
Loosely inspired by George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, this record critiques societal structure, with each animal in the album representing a group of people. Dogs represent the people who are ruthless and are so power hungry that they would do anything to succeed. Pigs represent the corrupt and greedy authoritative figures, and the sheep represent the masses. The lyrics can feel cryptic and layered, and every time you listen to them, you’ll hear new things.
Animals is a masterpiece and this album was Pink Floyd’s artistic peak.
So, this isn’t about Dark Side being bad, it’s about Animals and Wish You Were Here—masterpieces that often get overlooked—getting the love they deserve.